So it’s finally here, the crew are all in transit to the final mission: Operation Viva Palestina! My brother Ayman borded an afternoon flight with Lamis Deek of Al-Awda New York, and they will arrive in Germany with a five-hour lay over and then in Cairo where a taxi will meet them for a SIX hour drive to Arish, Egypt where they will meet the rest of the crew.
You can see my kids, Amir and Rami with their beloved “Amu Ayman” and cousin Munir, seeing him off. You cannot see me or Renee, Ayman’s wife who is so supportive and encouraged him fiercely to take this momentous journey. I will be awaiting a text from Lamis in Germany telling me they have made it that far. It’s a very intense time for everyone at Existence Is Resistance, we are just overwhelmed with emotions and hopes for the people of Gaza.
Yesterday, my son Amir turned three, Ayman needed to renew his passport, and since he’s on Arabi time…he did it with one day to spare. We all packed up and took a trip down to Philly where we chilled and played with people dressed up as colonial citizens…oh colonialism, how you wave “Hello” at us at all times.
The passport office was of course more like an interrogation room, with a surname like “El Sayed” you can imagine what Ayman was asked…
“Why are you going to Egypt?…What countries in the Middle East have you been to…Why…Who paid for your ticket?”
It’s a real slap in the face for a guy who was born in Brooklyn, who talks about unity at any chance he gets, he really could care less, that’s Ayman, always looking at the bright side…it was me teasing him after; “Why are you Arab? Do You have 4 wives? Why not?” To heck with the haters, we’re doing it baby!!!
