Sunday, December 9, 2012

STJ, Ink-Week 12:Freedom


This week, I interviewed Isabel Rajabzadeh, 18, who is a Journalism major and a sophomore here at St. John’s University.
Isabel’s tattoo is one that is located behind her ear and reads “freedom” in Farsi.

Specifically, she explained what the tattoo represents, “My tattoo represents physical and emotional freedom for myself, those closest to me, and also the hope that one day the people of my father’s country will be free. “
She went on to elaborate on the story behind her tattoo, “There are a few different reasons why I got my tattoo. The main reason I got the idea to get it was because my father is from Iran and speaks Farsi. In Iran, there is a constant struggle for civil rights, especially for women. I mainly got the tattoo for the women of Iran that are subjected to the Islamic fascism and cannot express their thoughts or opinions unless they coincide with those of the Iranian regime. They barely have any freedom. That is also why I chose my major in journalism. I also got it because my father and the rest of my Iranian family have always pushed me to be free and fight for what I believe in. I’ve wanted the tattoo for years but I finally agreed to get it when someone very close to me was released out of jail. Those closest to me and I took the imprisonment of the person very roughly. Not only does my tattoo represent my passion for the fight of the Iranian people to become free, but it also symbolizes my own emotional state of freedom and those around me.”
         Surprisingly enough, Isabel has not shown her mother the tattoo yet (I’m guessing it’s easier to hide when you have long hair), but she noted that while her father hates tattoos, he enjoys the meaning behind hers.

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