Dream On: Protests in Iran

This is a video made by commenter, Fearless Dream.

United 4 Iran, July 25

Join us in organizing a global day of action in solidarity with the Iranian people!

Join us on July 25, 2009 for a rally in your city in support of the Iranian people and in condemnation of the human rights abuses being committed by the Iranian government. Learn how you can get involved by emailing united4iran@gmail.com.http://united4iran.com/

Rampaging Riot Police, Solidarity, Music, and More on Facebook

I've been working on voteforiran.com and have been writing occasional posts there. (Less occasional than here...) I think our readers may be interested in the Facebook Reviews. Here is the most recent. And happy fourth! I hope to be celebrating Iran's independence day soon.

Facebook, July 2-3

I Know How the Caged Bird Flies

The past two days have brought one piece of bad news after another: friends, colleagues, and innocents in prison; loved ones despondent; riot police on rampages. During the last two days much information has been shared on Facebook. Khatami and Mousavi's statements; routes for planned demonstrations; tons of stuff in Persian that takes me way too long to read (Shervin will review those pieces). The past two days, however, was not a time for more images of demonstrators being beaten; it was a time of music and poetry. We were treated to an interview with the great Iranian poet Simin Behbahani on NPR and heard new music from Mohsen Namjoo, among others.

One friend writes that this time has helped her bridge the generation gap that separates her from her parents, aunts, and uncles: "I never thought I would see similar days or make such a strong emotional connection to these lyrics..."



In what is probably Friday's video of the day, you can watch this wonderful video of young people passing out "Where is My Vote" signs all over Amsterdam. If you are in Iran, please know that people outside have not forgotten you even though we are no longer seeing dramatic images of demonstrations in the streets.



A song inspired by Neda by Runk (rap funk artist) Mams Taylor (who I never heard of until today) and performed by Persian All-Stars is being passed around Facebook today.

United For Neda by Mams Taylor Ft. Dariush, Satar, Morteza, & Friends from Mams Taylor on Vimeo.

A piece first published here "Commandos at the Door" is also going from friend to friend as is this coming Sunday's event "Iranian Artists in the Netherlands Solidarity in Iran," and its accompanying poster designed by our very own Kamran Ashtary.

An LA Times blog post about security forces on the rampage in Tehran's streets features video that has been shared all over Facebook.

A friend shares a post at About.com features political cartoons from US newspapers about Iran. I laughed at many and actually cried at one. (Everything makes me cry these days, so I don't see it as any sign of profundity anymore.)


From Tom Toles: Back into the Bottle

The most passed around video on July 2, was a song by The Freedom Glory Project:



I'll end this post with their lyrics:

It's a silence the lonely know
in the fire the rainbows grows
you can push it down my friend
it will come up ten fold again

we will erase your name, we will show no restraint

how much blood must be shed
on the streets of unrest
we will bleed as long need be
that river will remove you from history

we will erase your name, we will show no restraint

you have robbed us for many years
but we have saved every last tear
we have suffered all of your hate
and now we march down to your gates

we will erase your name, we will show no restraint

Freedom, Glory, Be Our Name
Freedom, Glory, Be Our Name

you think your power is secure
when you startle us with the threat of war
but fear has its limits too
we are no longer scared of you

we will erase your name, we will show no restraint

we will burn your temple to the ground
we will tear all your prisons down
your gallows will be set for burning
just before one last hanging

we will erase your name, we will show no restraint

Freedom, Glory, Be Our Name
Freedom, Glory, Be Our Name

now we give you one last chance
to do what's right and to let us dance
or the hand of fate will become a fist
a force your thugs can not resist

The fields where soldiers practice their killing
can be a spread of green grass
where the boisterous rainbow children may dance
while the one who beams with
ultimate command
will merely be a smile (Written by Shamloo)

Shoukoeh Azadi Ba Mast

You can see all the Facebook Reviews (mine are the English ones) at voteforiran.com.

Many Iranians Speak Out on Obama

I wrote about my own wish for an "Ich ben ein Berliner" moment in a previous post that has sparked a lot of discussion. Since then, I have spoken to many people who are demonstrating each day and putting their own lives on the line. They asked me what Obama has been saying about them. I told them that he finds you inspiring and has condemned the violence. "Do you think he should say more?" I asked. Every single one of them told me, "No. He is doing the right thing." I asked, "If you could send one message to Obama what would it be?" and they all answered, "He should never ever recognize the government of Ahmadinejad."

I defer to their wishes.

And btw, I want Iranian diplomats to go to 4th of July celebrations at American embassies. Yes. Why not? As one friend in Iran has repeatedly said, the isolation simply serves to fuel their narrow world view. Travel, she always told me, would only help integrate them into the rest of the world.

(BTW: Great interview on Fresh Air with Karim Sadjadpour.)

Friday Sermon Gives Permission for Bloodbath

Those saying that Khamenei's sermon today was a conciliatory one and a call for calm are living in a dream world. The fact that Ayatollah Khamanei called the millions of people who came to the streets in the past few days are "agents of the West" and calling the election fair and historic is shocking and divisive, but expected.

His unwavering support for Ahmadinejad and the unwillingness to investigate the vote has made it impossible for any compromise to be reached.

This speech was absolutely meant to terrify the Iranian people off the streets and back into their homes. He has now stated that any protest is illegal and that any violence will be the responsibility of the opposition.

His calls for using legal system for protesting the election results are meaningless when those laws have already been circumvented to declare AN the winner. Saying that Iran is a great democracy is also meaningless when any protest is illegal and lethal force is used to crackdown on demonstrators.

Obama, Turn on Your Charm!

I want "Ich Bin Ein Berliner". I want "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall." I want the rhetoric that Obama is so famous for.

I know we can't say "We are with you," because that would be interpreted as an offer of military support as it was by Iraqis who attempted to rebel against Saddam Hussein in the 90s.

I know that diplomacy is a difficult and delicate game that requires a less than straightforward approach to many situations. I have used this space so often to call for diplomacy with Iran.

Ultimately, I know that rhetoric is just rhetoric. That the words of a president do not actually change history even though they become part of it.

If ever there was a time for Obama to turn on his rhetorical charm, it is now. Today at 4 pm there will be demonstrations in 20 cities in Iran. My friends *want to be on the streets.* They are parents, civil servants, accountants, receptionists, and yes students. In the end, with all of the violence, I am not sure that they will show up.

So Obama, turn on your charm. Use your powers of rhetoric to tell Iranians that, while we won't be sending in the marines, our hearts are with you. I know you can do a better job than I can.

Why We Were (Not) Naive

We woke up to two messages: one from a friend who is 100% against participating in Iran's elections, and one from someone who is an Ahmadinejad supporter. You can imagine the glee they felt telling us "I told you so."

They did not tell us anything.

The fact is, there are vote counters out there who know very well exactly how we and millions of other Iranians voted. They know, and it terrifies them. If we had not participated, we would not have been able to send that message at all.

If you voted please do not kick yourself for being "naive." (BTW, Now readers know why I posted "Thanks for Voting" before the elections.)