Meet the city of Lamae - in which the government keeps their citizens blind. Each person prides themselves for their lack of sight, believing that it is for the weak-willed. Every citizen is under the delusion that the Alhukum is good, wise, and has...
I do not take pride in that label any longer, although some people might find that I used to. Lamae takes pride in its blindness to the point of haughtiness among its people. This haughtiness is bred into them by our government, the wonderful, glorious Alhukum. Each citizen thinks of the sighted as miserable, feeble creatures who are dependent on their eyes to function in society.
I am glad to say I no longer identify with these people, although it pains me that nobody will hear my story. These past few days, in which I await my execution at the hands of the Alhukum, have been miserable. I wrestled very much with the idea of my family and my friend Rashida residing under the iron-clad rule of the Alhukum.
However, my only hope for them is that someone else would come into their lives and lead them out of this cult of death. I have done all I could, but at some point, one must accept the sheer uselessness of their actions. The message of truth is always one of foolishness to the blind.
I am grateful for the truth, however. Grateful for it beyond all else. Now, I can die in peace. But I will not perish without recounting once more how this happened to me, so listen carefully to my tale.
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In a city of blind people, you don't believe that you are anything abnormal. I have been told that in the past—perhaps still in other parts of the world—blindness is seen as a sign that you are deficient in some area. You might need assistance to get around, since one of your senses is missing and other people have what you need to get around. But in Lamae, that is no matter.
The city looks upon people who have their sight and thinks of them as brainwashed, dependent, and less evolved. Those without sight learn from a young age that to stop one's milk from overflowing, they have to put their index finger near the top of the glass when pouring to test when the cup is almost full. Those without sight learn not to bump into walls when walking around their houses.
(Another strange thing we prided ourselves for was our advanced way of reproduction. The city of Lamae always stayed at six thousand for population, never spiking or dipping.)
I remember just six months ago when my friend Rashida—still a loyal citizen, if the Alhukum ever reads this—came to our door, sobbing. I let her in, feeling for her shoulders, and asked what was wrong. She told me that the rebels had killed her little brother.
I had been furious. Lamae was such a peaceful place, full of people who were happy. The idea of it being under fire in any way was repulsive, and the rebel movement made no sense to me. Why would someone bite the hand that feeds them? Why would they turn on the authorities and commit such a wicked act of terrorism against someone who couldn't even see to defend himself?
Our food was always delivered to us by the Ahukum. Fattah—that is a yogurt and milk dish—that was bursting with vibrant flavor, along with so many other dishes that I must still say that most of the world has never tasted or experienced.
We were trained to hate anything outside and revel in our blindness. It was our home, our life. Each day, my parents would return home and I, an only child, would thank the Alhukum that we were not outside. That we were safe in Lamae.
It was a life that I look back on with longing. Ignorance truly was bliss. But now that I have tasted the freedoms that this world outside affords, I must say that it is to no regret that I see, although the hours tick down to my execution even as I write.
(To my mother Ajda, and my father Omar, and my dearest friend Rashida....do not forget me. I still love you all.)
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One never knows what it is like to see until one experiences it. It is a strange feeling, one that I cannot fully explain, like taking your nose out of a pot of sulfur and smelling pure air for the first time. (I do not wish to make the blind uncomfortable. In other places, blindness is an ailment, and a fairly common one at that.)
And here lies the true meaning of these words I write—how I became sighted in the first place.
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Tell me what you think....
● To start, how did you find this book? Reading list? Book club? Cross-advertising? Recommendation? Reading request?
● Is ignorance always a bad thing?
● Why don't the citizens of Lamae rebel against their government?
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