Photo: .faramarz
The world is watching as push comes to shove in the streets of Tehran tomorrow afternoon. Defiant men and women, risking their lives, will likely protest again on Saturday.
Photo: .faramarz
Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei raised the stakes on Friday when he defended President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as the rightful winner in the country’s June 12th elections.
The supreme leader threatened “bloodshed and chaos” to Iranian citizens who defy his ban and take to the streets for Saturday’s anticipated protests.
Despite the threats, Iranians who want a better future are planning to rally on Saturday in the face of serious risk.
The stern warning has echoed fear of a massacre resembling the one that left 2,500 dead and 10,000 wounded in the Beijing’s Tiananmen Square protests in 1989.
Here are five reasons we should support and applaud Iranian protesters on Saturday:
1) The protesters have the momentum.
Iranian activists have already accomplished much with the massive protests over the past week. They have captured the attention of the world, and posed a formidable challenge to their leadership and the rigged election. They have sent a message to Iranian leaders that they will not follow a government they did not choose.
Photo: mrarasmus
Friday’s harsh threats from the supreme leader are a last resort to quell the unrest and now the ball is in the people’s court.
If they have the courage to call his bluff, risking physical harm to themselves, it will represent a tipping point for the country.
2) The Iranians want our support.
You may have noticed in some of the most prolific photos of the protests this week, many of the signs are in English.
Iranian protesters know that the rest of the world is watching and with English signs, like “Where is my vote?”, they are sending us a message that they are not violent people, they want democracy to succeed and they want the improvements that it will bring to their lives.
3) It’s not about the opposition leaders anymore; it’s about the people.
The supreme leader’s threats are directed at all Iranians, but he specifically said that the responsibility for the chaos and bloodshed come Saturday would be on the hands of opposition leaders.
In other words, he’s ordering the opposition leaders to call off the rallies. Problem is, the time when that was possible has already passed.
Mr. Hossein Moussavi. Photo: Hamed Saber
On Tuesday, Mr. Hossein Moussavi, one of the main opposition leaders, urged his own supporters to cancel their plans to rally and it had no effect.
Hundreds of thousands showed up against his intentions and when the numbers neared a million, he joined them.
This shows that it’s ordinary citizens, not high-powered politicians fueling this unrest. It is the people–and a large section of the Iranian establishment– demanding a fair election.
4) Regime change can only come from within.
As much as Western governments would like to replace the totalitarian regime in Iran, real revolution must come from within. Outside governments like the US will never be able to successfully change a sovereign government like Iran through embargoes and political pressure.
More importantly, in Iran, the single biggest subject that unifies the most radical sects of the government is “outside power”, i.e. America vying for influence. In other words, the more western governments attempt to influence politics from the outside, the more we are emboldening politicians like Ahmadinejad and fueling hatred of America at the political level.
Photo: .faramarz
If successful regime change comes to Iran, it will arrive in the hands of Iranians.
5) There is so much future to fight for.
70% of Iranians are under the age of 30. A change in government now could have dramatically positive results for the lives of all young Iranians. Now is their chance.
The people of Iran have been entangled by the oppression of their government and the prejudice of the West for too long.
Just as many Americans cringed at the thought of foreigners perceiving our people by the measures of our government and foreign policy during the W. Bush years, Iranians too are frustrated by the fact that their people are judged by the decisions made by their government. This is an opportunity to change all that.
Just as we in the United States changed our leadership and elected Obama to open people’s minds back up to what we stand for, Iranians could do the same thing if they succeed in bringing new leadership to Iran.
The time is now.
So I urge you, regardless of where you are in the world, or what country you’re from, support the people of Iran on this fateful day. Make sure everyone you care about knows what’s happening and understands how high the stakes are for these people, who so desperately want a real democracy. To begin, here are six ways you can help.
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This is the most one-sided and judgemental article I can remember reading on the Matador network. Why does the author think it is his place to side with the reformists rather than the conservatives, and to encourage us to join him?
The blogging and Twittering world over the last week has been characterized by an awful lot of grandoise judgements made by people who have quite likely never visited the country, let alone taken any particular interest in its complexities until a week or two ago. It is sickening to read these articles and the misconceptions they are built upon. Things look a whole lot different from the outside.
The article above is full of such judgements, backed up by distorted quotations from yesterday’s speech. I can only describe it as a work of pure propaganda. Let the Iranians sort out their internal affairs for themselves, else risk making the same mistake that led to the revolution in the first place – foreign meddling.
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Thanks for the kind words, Tom.
So you know, I have been intensely interested in Iran for years. I can’t wait to visit the country and (although I have yet to go myself) I know from close friends who are Iranian-Americans, that there is much more to the country and its people than what we see or hear about in the news media. Such is the case with lots of places I love (like Colombia), and at Matador we are always trying to make people think critically about their preconceived notions regarding places considered “dangerous” by most.
With regard to my politics, yes, I do support the reformers over the conservatives. That’s just my opinion. This is an OPINION piece — I never said at the top that this was going to be an objective look at both sides. I understand the political system in Iran is incredibly complex and that it’s not black and white, but I do believe that the election was rigged and that Ahmadinejad has been a destructive force and the people of Iran deserve better.
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It’s impossible that it wasn’t rigged when some towns report more than 150% turnout.
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Ross,
Thank you for sharing your political views on Iran with us. I really would suggest withholding judgement on the country’s politics until you’ve been there yourself. That’s all. It’s easy enough to draw conclusions from the media and from other people’s points-of-view. But to think that this alone can give you all you need to know to make an informed opinion is fallacious.
If you want the inside story, drop me a line. I’ll be in Tehran next week. I’ll write you an article. How about that?
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Are you suggesting that it is necessary to actually be somewhere in order to form an opinion on the situation in that location? Most of us aren’t able to do that and have to get our information on what’s going on in the world from outside sources, but that shouldn’t prevent us from thinking about it, discussing it and using our best judgement to settle on a viewpoint, even if it changes later.
I thought Ross’ piece was a good read and I’d look forward to your article, should you write it, as well.↵ -
“Why does the author think it is his place to side with the reformists rather than the conservatives, and to encourage us to join him?”
…and why do you think it is your place to deny someone his opinion
…and how naive is it of you to think that because you are engaged to an iranian you are more entitled to an opinion.
nonetheless I look froward to your article
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I still don’t know enough about the political situation in Iran to make an informed judgment, but the 5 reasons in this article sound convincing.
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First and foremost, my heart goes out to the people of Iran.
It is a beautiful country full of amazing people. Having both lived in and visited the country(not since the late ’70’s) i have very fond memories of my time spent there.
My main issue with this article stems from the audacity of its title.
In what way can we possibly support the Iranians?? They are a country of mainly young people going through the pains and anxieties people feel when they tire their governments inadequacies and its totalitarian-like ruling class.
In what way is America any different?? I do not recall mass protests when the 2000 election here was robbed by what became, arguably, the worst and quite possibly, deadliest regime that has ever been put forth on this earth.
Who are we to get involved at all with a country that has been entirely misrepresented in western media as some part of an “axis of evil” when, in fact, Iran has NEVER invaded any country since its inception.
I find it hard to swallow that any American has any right to say a single word about any other country in this world when we are consistently the harbingers of death and destruction throughout the world and throughout my lifetime.
Until we can wipe the s**t off our own doorstep, lets just mind our own business here at home. Lord knows we have plenty of poop to pick up and dispose of!!
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Tom Allen is making judgment on an article he feels is judgmental. LOL
the irony.
all policies or politics are and can be flawed and it should be within the rights of all people to fight for something better whether it be in Iran or any other country.
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Hi tom allen’s twin,
As well as having spent several months travelling in Iran, I am also engaged to an Iranian. I’m going to Tehran this week. If you have an argument, why not make it an intelligent one?
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Well said Tom.
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The worst possible thing we, America, can do right now is get involved or show support for one side or another. If we were to get involved, the current regime would use our support to prove to their supporters that the US was trying to force them out of power. This would only embolden them and even cause more harm to the opposition as they now have a justification for their violence. If the uprising fails, then it only polarizes the world against us again and if it succeeds then the replacement regime will be seen as puppets of America. While you can support either side you want in this fight, do it quietly and respectfully. I only hope the current administration will do the right thing and continue their policy of neutrality.
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Hey Ross,
I’m really impressed by your willingness to take a stake in the efforts of an oppressed people gain independence and achieve social change. Your eagerness to support their fight is notable. The fact that the US may not have any direct, security interest in who is running Iran is not an issue to you. To you it’s about the people.
You must have been a real big supporter of America’s intervention into the affairs of Iraq too. Right? I mean, after all, in 2003 Iraq not only had a legendary and psychotic regime that had tyrannized its population for years but was also openly defiant of the UN and IAEA when it came to complying with post Desert Shield/Desert Storm mandates. Those mandates of course had been imposed after Iraq had raped a sovereign nation (Kuwait) and systematically used weapons of mass destruction on one of its own ethnic minorities. I’m confident that someone as concerned about the freedom and welfare of others must have been well justified in feeling that directed action in Iraq was worth whatever it took, given the stakes. Right?
No? Actually, I’ll bet you were against action in Iraq weren’t you? Strange, how so many who feel that protecting America’s security interests is unjustified if it means intervention into other countries’ affairs but that doing so for the other country’s sake is perfectly justified.↵ -
You state 5 facts about how horrible the government is, and how Iranians have to change it themselves. If anything, this proves that we should not meddle and discredit the opposition. What an insipid, pointless, contradictory article.
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As an American,,,, It just grabs me to see the poeple of Iran DESIRE FREEDOM,,, I do support this,,, Just know,,,, There is only one kind of currency for freedom,,,, “BLOOD” never in the history of mankind, of the Ancient world, of the recent times, has freedom among people ever been baught, freedom’s costs are sometimes the struggle of within us all, Paid for buy all means but never short of or anything less than blood,,,
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In what way is America any different?? I do not recall mass protests when the 2000 election here was robbed by what became, arguably, the worst and quite possibly, deadliest regime that has ever been put forth on this earth.
Are you serious? Stalin, Mao, Hitler, Pol Pot, believe me I could go on. I’m not a Bush supporter, but bring a little something to the table, jeeeez.
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Tom’s argument is that his future article will show us all why we are so ignorant… how about enlightening us a bit, Tom?
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As much as I think it’s great that the reformers have been making great strides, Ahmadinejad is not necessarily the person they have to center all of their efforts against. Remember, it was the Ruhollah Khomeini who overthrew the shah in Iran back in the late 70’s (Who America established as Westernized puppet government before the revolution.) Ayatollah Khomeini’s clerics still hold a great deal of political power, and are still a major part of the Iranian ruler ship, and who have always backed Ahmadinejad. In many ways they still maintain influence over Iran and despite the idea of Mousavi being the new President, it should also be imperitive that the reformers strip the power from the Ayatollahs themselves as well, or I don’t think a lot will change as far as a political influence and foreign relations. However this is just my opinion based off of the history I do know about Iran.
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In what way is America any different?? I do not recall mass protests when the 2000 election here was robbed by what became, arguably, the worst and quite possibly, deadliest regime that has ever been put forth on this earth.
Are you serious? Stalin, Mao, Hitler, Pol Pot, believe me I could go on. I’m not a Bush supporter, but bring a little something to the table, jeeeez.
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It seems that one of the larger questions arises out of these discussions is the extent to which people should get involved with the political issues and problems of other countries. I for one am against raising the heights on already unnecessary boundaries and borders that separate people across the world. So when I hear people urging others to stay out of the business of other nations my hackles are raised.
That being said, I would raise a couple points. I think it is important to distinguish types of “meddling” that people are referring to. On the one hand there is the meddling aka coups, military intervention, sanctions, etc. On the other hand you have people expressing opinions and raising voices in solidarity. I agree it is extremely problematic for the US president or officials to get involved to say the least. It can play into the hands of the Iranian leadership, the cause and effect is difficult to predict.
I agree with Tom and others on at least one point: there are always political and social complexities that non-citizens of a country will never understand. This situation in Iran is even more delicate because of our history of meddling there and the mistrust that characterize US-Iranian relations. But I agree with Marissa’s point questioning Tom’s suggestion that one would have to be in or of some particular place to be able to voice an opinion on it. I think that is rarely true. I for one side with those yearning for greater freedoms and against oppression, regardless of whether I have been there or not. I have not been to Burma but I’d like to think that I prefer to not side with the military regime. I have not been to Gaza, but I voice solidarity with people who are suffering as a result of the siege and occupation. When I am so far from a situation, I do my best to inform myself and like anybody else try to critically examine information. By the way, I encourage people from other nations to do the same when my own government is wrong or oppressive. It matters to me.
Despite my ignorance with regard to the political complexities of many countries, I would ask what the value of purportive objectivity is–as if you have to weigh on equal terms a military dictatorship or riot police armed with batons and guns on the one hand and the people on the other while withholding judgment because you are not native.
I am not neutral.
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Ryan- Thanks for your thoughtful, balanced response.
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I think those are really good reasons. I have a lot of relatives who are living in Iran and they’re protesting. I worry about them a lot. I’m only 15 but I believe without our help, they won’t have what they are wishing for. It really breaks my heart when I have a cousin call me and tell me that they were protesting and got tear gas in their eyes. If I could change Obamas mind I would do it in a heartbeat. I mean, when he says he doesn’t want to get involved is he considering the lives that are being lost and the tears being shed?
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Iranians must stand united to over throw this government. Don’t expect the western powers to step in because it’s all internal matters and it’s in the hands of Iranian citizens.
If all Iranians stand united then they’ll stand tall above all. Stick together and good luck.
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Hello..
I am an Iranian, and am lucky enough to have made it back alive to London where I live. I was in Iran before, during, and after the elections were going on. The news all over the world unfortunately cannot grasp the full amount of damage the government is really doing to the people. Yes it was completely rigged. When the poles closed at 12:00 am, all the tV stations at 1:00 said that Ahmadinejad was ahead by 70%. That had to be impossible since every store, car, and people on the street had signs of Mousavi. Isn’t it strange that that percentage hadn’t changed all night since 1:00 am! So infront of my home, Mousavi supporters and Ahmadinejad idiots were screaming at eachother all night till the next morning, and throughout the day. As you have seen on the news it hasn’t stopped. The people living over there have no say, they would rather die than go through life like this. We take for granted the privileges we have being free.. these people do not have that freedom. So support is what they need.
I am happy to hear others outside of my country to want to support the Iranian people because the judgement that is being placed on us is completely false, yes there are some fascists, but mostly they are not what Ahmadinejad protrays.
I hope some who write that this article is false should rethink what they say, even though yes you are completely entitled to your opinion so do not be offended, and that someone coming from outside of Iran and writing this is doing a very good job discussing what is really happening over there.
Thank you for writing this regardless of what some might say. Best of luck.
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my heart is with you iranian free people.
I hope i a world with people like you.
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As an Iranian-Canadian, I must admit that it’s true the Iranians want change and are unhappy with their government. BUT, it is also VERY true the more meddling foreigners do on ANYTHING political related to Iran, the lesser the chances are of a viable democratic revolution happening.
Iranians don’t want your opinions about what is happening in Iran. They know better than anyone. What they need is your silent support, not the loud media making up b/s about their country to sell more newspapers. That’s the wrong way, and it’s the reason why so many people voted for Ahmadinejad (including myself).
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