Turns out the mom dad on Park Slope Parents, who wrote the famous Is there a Park Slope in Iraq? post, is an Iraqi-American.
Born in Bagdhad, she has civilian family members who were killed by US forces and whose homes were bombed.
She He also has family members who fled the region and were imprisoned refugees. Recently one family member was kidnapped and tortured.
She He is, needless to say, critical of the United States occupation of Iraq and US policy in the Middle East, in general.
So it was all a “joke”. Or an attempt at pointed political satire. That’s pretty much what I thought.
She He writes, “The joke was as much directed at myself as PSP. And so I am also self-critical and understand that we all often live a life full of contradiction.”
Clearly, she he was poking fun at herself and the life she he leads in Park Slope far from the violence in Baghdad. Maybe there was a little guilt mixed in there, too.
He admits that she owns a Mountain Buggy and likes Trader Joe’s and notes that he’s never been to Red Hot but likes Hunan Delight.
“I like to keep things in perspective every once in a while. Therein, lies the humor in the post or so I thought.”
clearly, the piece was directed at the myoptic nature of Park Slope people who are very concerned with the important details of their every day lives – the schools they send their children, the food they feed their families, the bars they bring their strollers etc.
And she was just opening up the lens to remind us of the complexities in the world at large. The war in Iraq and the hardships faced there.
It was a good wake up call and reminder to us all that not everyone has the good fortune to live in the safety and warmth of a community like Park Slope.