Fern Holland

The equal human rights in Iraq, lack thereof, inspired Oklahoma native Fern Holland to make a difference and fight so that every Iraqi had the same equal rights as Fern had back in the United States. Fern's parents were seperated when she was only six and both died by the time she was 27. Despite these hardships, Fern kept faith and pursued her goal of making a difference in the world.

After graduating from Oklahoma University, she became a lawyer and joined the Peace Corps in the year 2000. Fern finally had her opportunity to go to Iraq in 2003 to investigate the atrocities against humanity Saddam committed against his own people. After testifying against Saddam's actions, the impressed United States hired her as apart of the Coalition Provisional Authority.

Fern did her job by setting up centers in Iraq to educate women about democracy because they were oppressed for centuries and needed the most human rights of all. Many women looked up to her because of her knowledge and how passionately she not only just fought for womens' rights, but equal rights for every person in Iraq. They also admired her connection she made with them, she did not wear her bullet-proof vest given to her because she did not want the Iraqi people to feel that she was afraid of them. This ultimately lead to her death in March of 2004. At one of the human right facilities, Fern and two other innocent people were shot by a gunman, who probably had a lot of faith and reason for his decision to kill as many Americans as possible even though he killed more of his own people than Americans.

Overall, Fern Holland fought for what was right. And the people who would have wanted to kill such a fair and just person, are just plain crazy, except for suicide bombers, they have complete and justified reason for what they do, just because they have faith. Fern's sister Vi Holland commented on what she thought of her death "I'm asked by so many people what justice I would want for Fern's death. There isn't any. The people [who killed her] need to be removed from society because they'll commit the act again [suicide bombings]. But they don't know what they destroyed. For them to fully realize what they destroyed would be punishment enough." This is unfortunate for the suicide bombers because they are sane, so they must know when they will kill someone of such equality and faith.

Fern had faith in what she believed in and did not give up on it no matter what. Even if that belief would cost her life, and it did.


I believe that this song truly sums up this strong, faithful woman

sources
http://www.oufoundation.org

http://www.fernholland.com/

http://psychoanalystsopposewar.org/resources_files/Fern_Hollands_War.html

www.caravansend.com

quote

http://www.oufoundation.org/sm/summer2004/story.asp?ID=117 author:Debra Levy Martinelli

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