Bearing Arms

[Libya: True Story]

Do you feel you've done enough for this revolution?" I ask from behind the barrier of my camera.

A moment of silence lingers as a thick stream of smoke blurs my view of the young Libyan whose musical lyrics have inspired countless revolutionaries to rise up against the regime. Flicking his cigarette and smothering the still burning ashes with his shoe, he shifts his downturned eyes directly towards my lens and simply answers, "No."

 The word echoes against the sterile white walls, sparsely covered with fresh paintings of the Libyan freedom flag, and my reaction mirrors the one word answer, "Why?" His gaze never faltering away from the camera, he replies, "I never fought at the front. No chance to risk my life for my beliefs, my country...for freedom."

During the past two months, I've encountered the same conversation paired with regret and determination from young Libyans deeply involved within the revolutionary movement. Each time the person was already actively pouring themselves into creating change by doing good for civil society, but stripping away the day to day, all they want is to find a gun and join the fight. 

These youth are students, teachers, doctors, musicians and painters who all have a new opportunity for a bright future and promising financial and social success, but for them it is not enough. Each day, they wake up to the news of besieged cities pounded by mortars and gunfire. Another weight is added from the struggle of finding the money and right connections in order to procure their weapon of choice.

Beyond the obvious obstacle of gun training and knowledge is the societal pressure to honestly justify to friends, family or plainly themselves the selfless step of arming up and heading to the front.