June 17, 2003 * Temptation of imposing ready-made solutions Dear Laleh, I just read and enjoyed your article "The last thing Iran needs". I completely agree with you that we Iranians who have lived and grown up outside Iran have no right to go back and dictate democracy in Iran. Iran is and will always be our country of origin, but it is not our society any longer. It is their society. We do not live there, do not work there, and do not participate in their daily social life. It is off course nothing wrong in voicing democratic ideas and working with them for social change. But we have to refrain from the temptation of imposing ready-made solutions over to them. I have been waiting for such an article, and I hope more Iranians will voice opinion of this kind. * Pahlavi can fill in leadership gap Dear Ms. Laleh Larijani, I would like to say that the Crown Prince's Campaign started far before the events of September 11th and that or the War on Irak that followed. It started In the Summer of 1980 when he took oath as "Roi de Jure" at the Koubeh Palace in Cairo upon his fathers death. The Prince referred to that period as lonesome and abandoned by the World and his people, he has nevertheless struggled ever since to liberate the Iranian Nation from the chains of the Islamic Republic. True he is certainly not alone in this fight and enjoys the support of the US at least unofficially. How else could it be ? What I believe has to be the position of Democrats be it Republicans or Constitutional Monarchists is to show their Unity in the face of the struggle undertook by the people of Iran. The Combat is an unequal one that of the Mullah Theocracy hardliners who have the upperhand on the Army, Police and fanatic Basidjis and the Students and people who are supporting change. The Confrontation has taken place and what we all hope for is a bloodless transition at worst. People in Iran count on the support of the Iranian Diaspora be it moral or active through Demonstrations of Support as was the case in LA or other cities in the US and the World . I believe that as Iranians outside we have to show our full and unconditional support to the Iranian Freedom Fighters back home. History does not sit and wait for other occasions. No one can today predict the aftermath of this Revolution or Counter Revolution call it as you wish. What has been planted I believe in the minds of supporters of a would be Restoration of a Monarchy or a Republican Secular State is that in both cases a clear sepration of the State and Church has to be defined and that an unambiguous Democracy and Democratic Institutions must be established and Respected. The Position and Role of the Crown Prince today is to lead all democratic forces towards the downfall of this unpopular Regime. He can serve to fill in the necessary gap of leadership vaccuum that will certainly appear at the downfall of the regime. A Leadership that could come to an end once the conditions of a National Referandum under International Supervision can be achieved. The Status of the Crown Prince from what I have understood through his statements either as a Constitutional King or simple Citizen will depend on the Result of the Referandum. We are very far from this scenario, what is certain is that the current regime in Iran will do anything to stay in power and vigilence is important. All I can hope for is that indeed we shall all see the end of this regime that hurt and destroyed so many dreams and so many families be them Republicans, Monarchists or of any other faith or opinion and that Democracy will finally be established in our Country. * Khamenei irrelevant usurper As of today, as one of the voices of conscience of the Iranian people, I declare Ali Khamenei to be irrelevant and a usurper ["Boiling over"]. From this moment forward any dictates, orders, commands or other utterances coming from the mouth of the "enemy of the freedom-loving people of Iran" should be disregarded and ignored. Khamenei himself will be relegated to the annals of history as an incompetent dictator stuck up in his own egotism and caught in a time warp at odds with the will of the Iranian people and nation. Iran's true leaders will be elected through free elections at the polls, and will respect the rights and demands of those who elect them. Branding students and civilians demonstrating for their God-given rights as "mercenaries of the enemy" is ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE AND INTOLERABLE. * How do you spell disgust? Humm! An "Axis
of stability" consisting of "democratic" Turkey, "democratic" Israel,
and "democratic" Iran !!! * Iranian Shia Muslims are "pro-death" The photo essay "Boiling over" is concrete evidence that Iranians are not yet ready for democracy. 25 years ago Iranian Shia Muslims chanted "Death to the Shah". Today Iranian Shia Muslims chant "Death to Ayatollah Khamenei". What has changed in their feelings towards their leaders? Nothing. Unfortunately, Iranian Shia Muslims are "pro-death". During the leadership of Mohammed Reza Pahlavi Iranian students were given scholarships to go to foreign colleges to study. How did they thank the Shah. They returned to Iran and started protests. The students of the late 70's took over the US embassy and took hostages. For 444 days every Iranian immigrant in the world was seen as a terrorist and a hostage taker. Today the students are now taking to the streets of their capital, Tehran. They are burning the streets of their capital. They are calling for the death of their leader. It is well known that the vigilantes are barbarians but must protesters also become violent and destroy their homeland? Why did they do this? All news reports write that it was due to parliments idea of privitizing the public colleges. A college education is not a right it is a privilege. The majority of the students attending public colleges in Tehran are sons of Ayatollahs and religious individuals. It seems nothing has changed in 25 years. Most Iranian Shia Muslims are still freeloaders looking for free lunch. You students should be ashamed of yourselves. I am ashamed of you. More letters (June 17, 2003) |
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