Lubna Mrie

But, you know, I blamed myself.

I just felt it was my fault that I did something so reckless, so public, while my mother was still there.

And I underestimated the danger I was putting her through.

I would like to think so, but I know that she... Silence was something that she didn't want me to...

And I felt, you know, writing this book was a way for me to honor her.

And although, you know, pushing her memory away and the grief was how I was able to stay sane and move forward.

I just wish I had told her more how much I loved her and how much I appreciated her.

And I think that's what's so painful about losing a parent in a young age because in a young age you just assume your parents are going to be there for you forever.

And I was not able to tell her any of this.

I think our oppressors wait for us to give up.

And one of the ways to give up and let our oppressors win is by just stop speaking up and not push against the narrative that they are trying, that they are adopting.

And, you know, one of the reasons that I decided to write this book was

It was a political moment when I realized that there was this collective agreement on turning the page on the Arab Spring and this collective agreement to rehabilitate Assad after he shattered the country.

It was a responsibility to write what happened.

And we need documentation, even if we are not seeing...

The results now, this is for the future generations to understand what was happening and although we are not able to stop the atrocities, we can give the future generation a toolbox.

to think better and to move better and learn from our mistakes.

And I always tell, you know, when people ask me, oh, what do you think now about the Arab Spring?

And I always tell them, like, the Arab Spring taught us to dream, but now this moment taught us to think.