Mariane Pearl

In the prologue of her book "A Mighty Heart: The Brave Life and Death of My Husband Danny Pearl," Mariane Pearl writes

 
"I WRITE this book for you, Danny, because you had the courage of this most solitary act: to die with your hands in chains but your heart undefeated.
I write this book to do justice to you, and to tell the truth.
I write this book to show that you were right: The task of changing a hate-filled world belongs to each one of us.
I write this book because, in suppressing your life, the terrorists tried to kill me, too, and to kill our son, Adam. They sought to kill all those who identified with you.
I write this book to defy them, and in the knowledge that your courage and spirit can inspire others.
I write this book to pay tribute to all the people who helped and supported our family through terrible times, creating an emotional bridge for us to stand on.
I write this book for you, Adam, so you know that your father was not a hero but an ordinary man. An ordinary hero with a mighty heart.
I write this book for you so you can be free."

____________________________________________________________


"His full name is Adam D Pearl. Danny chose the name in honor of all the different bloods that run in his veins. He called him "the universal baby." From his earliest moments, Adam has looked at me with his dad's expression. There's a rare purity to it. It makes me feel that life is just like a book that never ends. And it reminds me of a wish his father and I made early on: that in our son’s lifetime there would be more people ready to give their lives for peace than for the hatred in their hearts."
"When he found out I was pregnant, Danny said, " Our child is going to change the world!"
I argued: What if he doesn’t not want to? What if he wants to tend a flock of sheep or make flutes? No, Danny insisted. "He'll do something big...I don't know what, but I can feel it!"
We left it there at the time. But last night, Adam's first night, I snuck into the nursery where they had taken the baby so I could get some sleep. I bent over the crib and watched Adam's chest rise and fall, and I stroked his downy cheek. "Mon amour, " I told him very softly, "It is fine by me if you want to change the world."

_____________________________________________________________


"War held no appeal for Danny or for me. What interested us was the challenge presented by peace. People often see peace as the simple absence of war, but it is instead the result of courageous actions taken to initiate a dialogue between civilizations. Both Danny and I saw our profession as a way to contribute to the dialogue, to allow voices on all sides to be heard, and to bear witness. "

_____________________________________________________________


"In an article Danny filed just 10 days after the [September 11th] attacks, he wrote, "A theory that Jews or Israelis engineered the September 11 attacks on the United States is gaining credibility among Muslim intellectuals, is a disturbing sign of how little globalization has bridged gaps in perception."
In Pakistan, Danny reported, pilots, scientists, and experts had gathered for analysis, and they had all concluded that the attacks could not have succeeded without the help of American intelligence services or the Israelis." Pakistani air force officers casually opine that "Mossad in the only one that could do it. Respected newspapers in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates run news items suggesting authorities suspect some Israeli involvement in the attack...One Pakistani commentator told the BBC Friday that America's belligerent attitude gives credence to conspiracy theories spreading on the Internet." Here is the same old hatred, the kind that makes you wonder if humanity will ever draw the lessons of its own history. Still, Danny and I refuse to let it defeat us in our work as journalists. We see ourselves as tightrope walkers, careful and insistent in our quest to bridge the world. In his work, Danny struggles to keep free of dogma and allegiance. It's not easy to remain impartial, but it sharpens Danny's vision and independence. He doesn't represent a country or a flag, just the pursuit of truth. He is here to hold up a mirror and force people to look at themselves. What better way is there to respect humanity?
The Wall Street Journal never ran Danny's article on the Jewish conspiracy. Danny emailed his boss" "The story didn’t go in today and isn’t on the Sked 1. Please tell me this is because it got overlooked somehow, or that there wasn't any space, and not because people are scared to tell our readers what people here are really thinking!"

_____________________________________________________________


On our last night [in Pakistan] I invite over all the men who helped me look for Danny. Randall snags beer and bad wine for the non-Muslim and the nonpregnant from the U.S. consulate commissary. Yussuf-le-cook makes canapés nobody eats. There's Captain, of course [a Pakistani policeman who did everything in his power to help Mariann find Daniel Pearl], and Dost. Jammeel Yusuf and Randall Bennett. Tariq Jamil and John Bauman, FBI agent John M. and John Bussey, Asra and Steve, Zahoor. We all seem older, gray-complected with unerasable rings around our eyes, and rage and grief in our hearts. But everyone has dressed finely, as befits a ceremony.
We gather in a circle, and for a while we sit in silence. Nobody is bothered since we are sharing something none of us can express. Dost presses his hands together as if in prayer, and it does feel like we're about to take an oath together. Our silence is thick with sorrow and love--and defiance.
Finally I find my voice. "You are the bravest men I have ever met. You went straight to hell, where darkness is the deepest, because you hate injustice, and racism, and tyranny. You did it for Danny and for me and for our child. But you also did it on behalf of the rest of the world. You are on the front lines of the fight against terrorism, and still, nobody knows you and how brave you are. Nobody sees your willingness to fight the darkest threat for humanity actually makes each one of you shine as an individual.
Captain has stopped looking at me. I know he is struggling not to show his tears. I think he is proud of me. I want him to know - I want them all to know - how proud I am of them.
I have gathered you to say thank you for having shed tears with me and also to inform you that I am going to tell the world about you. First I will tell presidents , and then I will tell all the people.
"People need to know the truth," I go on. "If we want to put an end to terrorism, terrorists will have to face opponents as determined as they are themselves. You all are. We all are."
I stare intently at their handsome faces, lined and puffy with fatigue and anguish, and I try to carve them into my memory for the rest of my life. "I have gathered you here," I say,
"To let you know without amazing people like you, I couldn't have any hope left by this point. And how can anyone live without hope?"
There's a crash in the corridor, and our circle freezes. Then we discern the source: Kashva--who regularly lets herself in and roams our rooms--has dropped one of her treasures. She stares boldly up at the big men, then scampers away Captain smiles first at the little girl, then at the rest of us. In his gaze, I can see this odd mix of pain, pride, and solemn dignity we all share.