On March 9, 2007, the day I was born here in D.C., the family of Robert Levinson learned that he had been abducted by the Iranian government. Eleven years later, my family learned that the Iranians had wrongfully detained another American, my uncle Emad Shargi. After a half-decade, my uncle was able to return home, thanks to the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act and the grief of many others, such as Diane Foley, whose son, Jim, was kidnapped and murdered by the Islamic State.
If my uncle had not been wrongfully detained, I would never have learned about Americans being jailed as geopolitical pawns. The plight of innocent Americans held abroad has been ignored for too long. I’ve seen firsthand the struggle and despair that families go through for even the smallest form of communication with their loved one. I’ve seen the courage and strength required to persevere through neglect and dejection. For too long, Americans, including young people such as me, have not been aware of this suffering.
As I celebrated my 17th birthday on March 9, our nation officially recognized U.S. Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day. Congress approved a bill to recognize the day and also established an official flag. Our government is helping bring the reality of American hostages to the American consciousness. I hope the hell that families go through will be acknowledged. I hope that their stories are shared and that the atrocities they endure are known.
My birthday, forever intertwined with the Levinson family’s loss, I hope will also forever be linked to a growing commitment to bring home American hostages.
Kas Salehi, Washington
