Tami Silicio: Erupts with Fragrance
Pakistan Times Exclusive

An axiom of a fêted theorist says: ‘If you don’t laugh at problems, you will have nothing to laugh at, in the old age.’ Such a vision, by and large, is deemed as a fantasy or a dream, which has been translated into a reality by a charismatic soul—who was given a fabulous name by her parents, as—Tami Silicio, when she came to this world, almost 50—years ago.

With a single snap shot, Tami—a modest employee of a private Airline Company, today stands indexed in leafs of history as an atypical celebrity and a glittering star—virtually a vibrant part of the galaxy of elites—the world-over.

By taking a single portrait or one may call it a unique picture of its’ own type, a snap-shot of the US-marines, wrapped in their national Flag—for onward voyage to back home in awful coffins instead of being dressed-up in their reverential outfits—with any honors or medals [for what they did in Iraq]—the valiant Tami surfaced on the front-page (s) of the print and web media and as an alluring part of ‘Breaking News’ on the electronic channels of news dissemination—all-around the Orb.

Till the time she opted for such a course, faced with a lot of perils, Tami was an out of sight specie, alike any-one else in any part of the world. Though the bold lady had to face a callous scenario to extent of even loosing her job—along with her guiltless spouse—as an upshot of what she did.

Such an act of this feminine-in-seclusion, the Tami overtly fetched annoyance of lofty magnitude for the Bush administration, which was left with no option but to impose an instantaneous embargo on each category of the media in the United States to eschew publication of such snaps, returning to the US-Soldiers to their ancestral abode on the soils and podium of the Statute of Liberty, in such a shocking figure.

An order, inked with strict words—fantastically telling every-one that who-so-ever shall do so [in times ahead]—shall ‘have-it’ was conveyed to every-one, the moment, a photo appeared on the newspapers’ pages and was simultaneously beamed to the globe via the mini-screen by television networks, giving due ‘credit’ to the inventor of this image, Tami Silicio.

As the overall milieu gets deeper in Iraq—day-in and day-out, explicitly in the wake of a hefty number new causalities with the advent of every dawn, as an upshot of scuffles and skirmishes of assorted nature, mostly in the shape of bomb blasts and ambushes, this Cargo worker, the bold and beautiful Tami Silicio slacked her job creating a newest environ that such a toxic shot can be given even by a realm of the ‘civilized’ world, the US for unveiling a truth—which can, in no way be put in a wrap. The spouse of the strong nerved Tami, also turned a scapegoat — prima facie for the raison d'être, as to why did he tie his fate with such an audacious young lady.

Whether agrees or not yet the reality remains intact that Tami Silicio has proved the maxim: ‘Success always occurs in private; failure in full view’. Tami’s success is evident and as smooth as the Silk of Kashmir, from a universal eulogize for her and the ‘failure’ [for whom?]—is as overt as the nudity, being inflicted on the Iraqis-in-Cage, a picture, of whom was carried by none else but an American daily—the other day, which manifests the interpretation of this facet; ‘the failure’.

As the perspective pin-points, Tami Silicio, was working for a military contractor in Kuwait. She saw bodies into an aircraft and at-once took snaps. These were placed on a Website, which conceivably disseminates news from the world-over.

Simultaneously, a website, which was carrying hundreds of the photos was also placed behind shutters and closed down.

Contemptuously, the authorities in the US do not allow the media to photograph coffins returning home from war zones—possibly to keep the populous at assuage or at ease and feel relaxed.

On the contrary, Tami’s shot of flag-draped coffins bearing the remains of US soldiers was published on the front page of ‘The Seattle Times’.

Yet, Ms Silicio, 50, who was maybe expecting an award—much magnificent than the Oscar, got it in the neck as a necklace as she was fired by her employers after officials lifted murky eye-brows with anxiety and ache about the photograph, snapped by the ‘elfin’ as employee, yet top in her perceptions.

The smart lady took the picture in a cargo place about to leave Kuwait and then sent it to a friend in the United States.

The friend contacted the paper which eventually published it—atop its’ front page. One hopes ‘she’ll not do so again—and now she can’t, never’.

Ever since, I read a story about the act and follow-up kismet, marked by a rough and tough jerk and jolt by the employer of this bold lady, I logged on a zest to locate her—wherever she lives—of-course without any clue to satiate my aspire. As is said; where there is a will, there is way. So I reached her via the XP-Windows of Bill Gate, the architect of the modern sites on the Internet.

In fact, I wanted to see and assess the morale of the modish typhoon—Tami, who brought in a tremor on the lands of the United States and earned a sweeping and fabulous repute for self. I was amazed to know that Tami Silicio is more self-assured and satisfied—even with a perilous fate, than ever before. This came to light when she agreed to speak to me on the lines of our PC—the Laptops.

Tami—a lady of her own style and unique outlook answered, all the questions, I posed her and that too, without any pause and at-once. Now the contents of my online conversation [Q & A] with the tempestuous blizzard and nor'easter:

MHR: What aspect motivated you to take the snap of Coffins of the US soldiers, lying in a Cargo aircraft?

TAMI: I was moved by what I saw and by the careful respect and care given to the fallen soldiers by the military crew who was attending them.

MHR: Despite strict security and restrictions, how did you manage to take the picture?

TAMI: This question is a violation of information and I can not answer about the security issues.

MHR: How did you take it—through a Camera or a Mobile Phone, equipped with a Camera?

TAMI: I used a Nikon Coolpix 5700 digital camera.

MHR: Did you take the snap deliberately or by Chance?

TAMI: I took the picture deliberately from the simple reason being that I was planning on sharing the experience with my family and friends not meant to be published just for personal use.

MHR: Were you upset after having seen so many bodies, wrapped in the US Flag?

TAMI: I was upset with the loss of life that I was looking at and knowing the grief the families must be feeling.

MHR: Did any-one at the air-field detect you, while you were taking the picture?

TAMI: Yes, a few people I didn’t hide the fact that I was taking the picture.

MHR: What did you do, after the snap was taken?

TAMI: I left the airplane and went back to what I was doing originally on the flight line. I was saddened by what we felt when we were looking at what we saw and it kind of set a lower mood for me the rest of the evening. Thinking how unfair it was for anyone to lose their lives at such a time.

MHR: How did, the picture, snapped by you appear in ‘The Seattle Times’?

TAMI: I sent the picture home explaining how i felt and told what a great and respectful and careful way the military takes care of our fallen heroes. And my girlfriend sent the picture to ‘The Seattle Times’. Without my permission at first because she saw in it a powerful picture and they at the times agreed.

MHR: What was the situation, you had to face, after the publication of the picture? Please elucidate—in-depth.

TAMI: Well I faced the loss of my position with the company and my husband was forced to end his position as well because he was married to me.

MHR: How did, the Airlines, you were working with or the authorities in the US detect that the picture was made by you?

TAMI: When I was asked if I had taken the picture I told the truth because that’s what I believe in the Truth. I read a lot from the Dali Lama. In fact, I believe in total truth as Mother Theresa is my favorite role model to me and I love her as she always preached truth. I was in South Asia to see the Dali Lama and found his beliefs exactly the kind I want to live by. Also I believe in God and want to live by His words and I try everyday to do this.

MHR: Did you face any official enquiry? If yes, in what way?

TAMI: Yes I was reprimanded verbally by my supervisor and told the army was thinking of pressing charges. I was scared about this. They said that the concern for the publishing of the picture went clear to the top.

MHR: What is the exact title of the Airlines, you were working with?

TAMI: Maytag Aircraft.

MHR: What was your assignment with this Airline Company?

TAMI: I was a cargo processor.

MHR: What way, this Airline Company asked you to quit? Were you expelled or you opted to resign?

TAMI: Well I was told that I was terminated.

MHR: What was the fault of your Spouse, who, I think had to face an identical situation, Loosing his Job?

TAMI: He did not do anything. He was completely innocent of it.

MHR: What were the contents of the Letter, served on you by your Company? Would you like to narrate in Quotes?

TAMI: We did not receive a letter it was a verbal termination.

MHR: How long you and your husband, served this Airline Company? And what was the assignment of your husband with this set-up?

TAMI: We were there at different times due to other assignments I was there for 8 months and he was there for 3 months. But all in all we have been in Kuwait almost 3 and a half years.

MHR: Did you receive any threats from any-one? If Yes, please elaborate.

TAMI: No not any.

MHR: What are your future Plans? I mean, what you want to do in the rest of your life to earn Succor for your dependents?

TAMI: Well why are you offering us a job? We are looking for one my husband is a professional still photographer. And I am a video photographer.

MHR: Do you intend to challenge in a Court of Law, the decision of your expulsion from the job? If so, when?

TAMI: YES my husband is looking for a great attorney now.

MHR: Would you like to give a resume of your family—with focus on you, right from your childhood? I mean, your nationality, your place of birth, level of education, your specific interest in a particular vocation?

TAMI: Well I have always been a humanitarian wanting to go out in the world and help people. I am creative in my thinking and very independent person. I have worked hard all my life while raising children and taking a class here and there so I can get better jobs. But I worked with the family business for several years along with my children. And I have owned my own home for 20 years another reason I need to stay employed. I was a single mother and my children are grown now and have children of their own. I studied many things and especially video photography. I love to travel and South Asia region was the best place I visited, I want to go back and buy beds for the children [of] Tibetan refugee center and rugs for their houses which is a safe haven for them. I was there and found it with love, situated up onto the mountains in the neighborhood of Pakistan.

MHR: Now, when you have won a global repute [via a stroke of luck]—do you feel any change in your vision or outlook.

TAMI: I don’t believe in luck I believe in Karma and good things happen to good people or that we have things happen to us for a purpose so we can be the instrument for the results.

MHR: Do you repent on what you did [by making a picture of Coffins] or you are feeling relaxed with optimism for better days—lying ahead of your life?

TAMI: I have received so much positive mail from so many people all over the world thanking me for the photo and what great things they felt from it and being able to really see what was going on in Iraq because are government is censoring a lot and not being truthful about the devastating cost of the war there, [in Iraq].

MHR: Towards the end of this episode, do you feel ‘a bit demoralized’ or more vibrant, confident and elevated in the eyes of your friends and family?

TAMI: Yes I have full support from my family and all my friends my husband is my biggest supporter.

MHR: Would you like to become a freelance Journalist? If so, would you like to write for ‘Pakistan Times’, the first independent daily web newspaper of Pakistan on any topic of your choice, as and when you wish to do so?

TAMI: Yes my husband has done this in the past and I would love to have this opportunity to do this. Let us know.

MHR: By all pragmatism, you have enormous potential to become a Journalist, as you have in-built qualities, as is being envisioned by every realist. Would you like to translate the peoples’ perceptions about you—into a reality?

TAMI: Sure, OK, I agree.

MHR: I feel sorry for posing you so many Questions, yet believe me your Answers shall clutch world-wide interest and each and every word, to be said by you—shall be read with great interest, all-over.

TAMI: Thank You, Mumtaz.

MHR: Thank You.

TAMI: Thanks, I feel glad by this contact.

The answers by the gutsy soul [Tami Silicio] to every question, I put to her rays the fact that lass has an in-built journalistic intellect. The marvelous lady is ought to acknowledge the verity that a journalist never retires nor can be derelict of his or her intrinsic notions even if expelled by any-one.

With this insight, pragmatist would suggest her to say goodbye to the gone-by epoch and better join any news set-up where she will be welcomed like a VIP—who always gets a red-carpet reception [certainly not alike the ‘red-carpet’ placed red-blood first in Afghanistan and now in Iraq by the US-led Marines]—but surely amid sincere and intrinsic warmth. She will, very soon be a journalist—as fêted as—Tim Sebastian, if not to the echelon of Larry King or David Frost.

I would suggest her to do so—become a Journalist, of-course along with her aspires and ambitions to serve the humanity—both with her strapping pen and zestful guts plus moral fiber vis-à-vis the plans of her own pick and choice. You will keep it up, I am convinced by my contemplations—explicitly—after what you did—Tami. Isn’t it so?●