Antoon is also keen to complicate conventional notions of life in Baghdad after 2003. Many foreign narratives of post-war Iraq emphasize ethnic and sectarian divisions as essential groups of categorization by the Iraqi people. By following Jawad’s story, which begins long before the invasion, we can see that Antoon addresses sectarianism, but in ways that counter common sectarian narratives. One example is that of Jawad’s work. In a jarring scene, two Sunni men come into Jawad’s business. Jawad is a Shia and generally washes other Shia men. Death rituals differ slightly between sects. The two men present Jawad with a burned corpse of a Shia man who had been killed in a car bomb. For days his body sat outside the wreckage, so the men decided to collect the corpse for washing. “God bless you. There are still good people in this world,” is all that Jawad replies. This emotional sense of togetherness, despite the admission that the car bomb was an act of sectarian violence, shows that in chaotic times such lines are not as clear as they are made out to be.
kbrisba on 29 Mar 15Gunmen entered the Tunis museum to take ancient treasures and its tourists hostage. It was a beautiful day filled with tourists from everywhere. Many tourists and locals were killed and injured. Many were just stuck in shock with what was happening and when it was all over. Just when the people thought Tunisia was on the right track some tragic event like this happens and takes the people two steps back on what the government is really doing to protect them. The museum is in a top security place so for these gunmen to get in there with guns and take order scares the people. The prime minister said they may of had help at the security check points they are not for sure but are looking into it. This hurts Tunisia because majority of its economy is based off of beach resorts and foreign visitors.
