IRANdokht
به زبان فارسی
PICTORY
LATEST MUSIC
SEARCH
Four more years but there's no going back
13-Jun-2009
It's clear that for most of us who rely on video clips from Iran, blogs and foreign TV reports believed that the majority was with the green voters: they're more outspoken, more visible (especially on the electronic media) and they represent the more liberal views that we also share. We rarely ever hear from the rural areas, we do not hear from the Iranians who are not online, who do not participate in blogs and TV interviews. One 10 mile trip from the south of Tehran to the northern part demonstrates the immense cultural gap in Iran's society. It shouldn't come as a surprise to see this silent majority win the election for their candidate, as disappointing as it is for most of us abroad. Could it be that the corruption and the "agha zadeh" thieveries frustrate the Iranian people the most? Could it be that slamming Rafsanjani's son sounded more pleasant to most Iranians than criticizing Ahmadinejad's Holocaust denial? I don't know, I don't have the numbers and I sure don't know all the facts.
Of course the millions of green voters represent a huge crowd who can fill the streets and assemble in impressive numbers. This level of uprising was not seen for decades in Iran.
These struggles that you see on the streets today are between the voters and the ruling government.
That's why the boycotters are irrelevant. If people had agreed with them and boycotted the election by staying home, they would have had no leg to stand on today. The anti Ahmadinejad voters are demanding to be counted, and due to their high numbers they represent a powerful force. Where does that leave the ones who didn't vote? out in the cold! The ironic part is that this group is now boasting, ridiculing the voters and encouraging the demonstrations which is yet another cowardice stance from the ones who sit at home and cry lengesh kon.
I am also disappointed by the results and I have seen reports that try to scientifically prove fraud: //tehranbureau.com/2009/06/13/faulty-election... also many political figures, and groups inside Iran, even "rohanioon mobarez" have rejected the results of the election.
Nevertheless, the election was a victory for Iranian people because it's process opened discussions and put forth a brand new wave in Iran's political scene. I have no doubt the results were tweaked in favor of the hardliners, but at the most, I would believe a closer set of numbers that would have led to another round.
These are exciting times in our country. People are energized, open and more active in the scene. Iranian century long struggle for democracy and freedom is taking its course and moving forward, bending and defeating the obstacles and social barriers put forth by the ruling regimes. The generation of Iranians who are demonstrating today were mostly born in the last three decades, proving that even with strict Islamic laws and Islamic education, Iran's fight for freedom cannot be stopped. Nothing will be the same going forward, they might silence this crowd temporarily, but they cannot stop them. I just wish someone qualified was leading these struggles to help the Iranians who cry for freedom and oppose the corruption as well as human rights violations. Unfortunately we have an opposition that keeps missing the boat.
At this point, the question is how these next four years would be different from the last four. Will the ruling hardliners soften up with the knowledge of the growing moderates and fear of being removed from power? will they come down hard on people and take up an even more radical foreign policy?
No matter what, the change is here.
| Recently by IRANdokht | Comments | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Iran's Oscar Victory Over Israel? | 9 | Mar 02, 2012 |
| Abadani Mouse | 16 | Feb 10, 2011 |
| Ambassador of Death | 9 | Aug 24, 2010 |
RECENT COMMENTS
IRANIANS OF THE DAY
| Person | About | Day |
|---|---|---|
| نسرین ستوده: زندانی روز | Dec 04 | |
| Saeed Malekpour: Prisoner of the day | Lawyer says death sentence suspended | Dec 03 |
| Majid Tavakoli: Prisoner of the day | Iterview with mother | Dec 02 |
| احسان نراقی: جامعه شناس و نویسنده ۱۳۰۵-۱۳۹۱ | Dec 02 | |
| Nasrin Sotoudeh: Prisoner of the day | 46 days on hunger strike | Dec 01 |
| Nasrin Sotoudeh: Graffiti | In Barcelona | Nov 30 |
| گوهر عشقی: مادر ستار بهشتی | Nov 30 | |
| Abdollah Momeni: Prisoner of the day | Activist denied leave and family visits for 1.5 years | Nov 30 |
| محمد کلالی: یکی از حمله کنندگان به سفارت ایران در برلین | Nov 29 | |
| Habibollah Golparipour: Prisoner of the day | Kurdish Activist on Death Row | Nov 28 |
Saadat Abad: Street Battales Are Going on Right Now.
by Sinman (not verified) on Sat Jun 13, 2009 02:49 PM PDTI was in touch with Iran a few minutes ago. A friend reported that street battles were going on in his neighborhood. I could clearly hear crowds screaming, "Marg bar Dictator, Marg bar Hezbollah, Marg bar basiji. This friend had returned to his place to take some clothes out to take care of some victims of tear gassing. Another friend told me four people had been killed in Vanak. In the meantime, another friend called to say that Behzad Nabavi, Zahra Mojaradi, Mohsen Mirdamadi, Said Shirdel, Abdullah Ramezan, Zohreh Aghajari had been arrested.
Thanks for your comments.
by IRANdokht on Sat Jun 13, 2009 02:53 PM PDTThanks for your comments. I try not to write a blog unless I find myself extremely moved about the subject. Thanks for your encouragement.
Ali P what did they win?
KW:
What's happening in Iran today is huge! Lets not downplay these young people's protests. I am not trying to discourage people from expressing their views unless they express hopeless negativity. As a "warrior" you should appreciate the activism that is seen in Iran right now.
You're right Ms Dadvar:
The regime's track record leaves no room for argument. I wrote this blog, expressing my doubts and trying to be more realistic than some of my friends who are basing their views on strong emotions (on both sides) and frustration. I have no doubt that the numbers are fake, and as I mentioned, I have reasonable doubts about a land slide victory for either side. People in Iran are still divided by huge economical, social, religious and political gaps.
The Iranian people inside the country who participated in the election are leading the protests and dealing with the consequences while the opposition voices in diaspora are fading away. It's time to realize that we either support them or hang on to our own outdated views heading for extinction.
IRANdokht
PS: I just noticed a few more comments which I have not read yet. I'll reply after reading your views.
moment Dokhi moment
by Shazde Asdola Mirza on Sat Jun 13, 2009 02:42 PM PDTYou are making a number of assumptions, but to ass-u-me so outlandishly is not gonna help the IRI now.
1. How come the "same" 70% of the uneducated and backward people voted twice for Khatami, who has fully supported Mousavi?
2. Does mass organization and "vote directing" by the basiji's = democratic process in the villages?
3. Do you think that informed, free and "undirected" villagers are any less against the IRI oppression? Or they just deserve nothing more, but dirt and poverty?
ایران ، آتش زیر خاکستر ...
RoodabehSat Jun 13, 2009 02:40 PM PDT
بدون شک تظاهرات وسیع امروز مردم بزرگترین گردهمأیی مردم از زمان ۱۹۷۹ بوده است . تجربه امررز هم تاسف آور و هم وجد آور بود. تاسف برای اینکه یک بار دیگر آخوندا نشان دادند که با تغییر و گذار مسالمت آمیز سازگاری نخواهند داشت . جای امیدواری از اینکه مردم به ضرورت تشکل و با هم بودن پی بردند.
نتیجه انتخابات هر چه که میشد با توجه به ساختار و ماهیت رژیم کنونی انتظار نمیرفت که بتواند به خواستهای مردم جواب مناسب بدهد و تقیرات اساسی به وجود بیاورد.، یادمان نرود که این ۴ نفر بهترینهای رژیم اسلامی بودند نه بهترینهای مردم ایران. بایکوت انتخابات "نه" به تغییر و یا حمایت از تغییر نیست. بلکه " نه" به سیاه بازی رژیم است . رژیم جمهوری اسلامی توانسته است در طول ۳۰ سال با شیوهای ضد اخلاقی، ضد مردمی و رذیلانه افکار مردم را از موضوع اصلی منحرف کند. استراتژی همیشگی رژیم این بوده است که به جای حل مسٔله صورت مسٔله را پاک می‌کند!!
مسٔله این است که جمهوری اسلامی آری یا نه؟ ما رفراندوم برای موجودیت این رژیم میخواهیم، وقتی به مهره این رژیم رای بدهیم در واقع به این جمهوری رسمیت دادییم. ....به هر حال این بهانه و فرصت برای تغییر پیش آمده که امیدواریم به آنجایی ختم شود که همه ما سالهاست آرزو می‌کنیم. این همایش قدرت مردم دستاوردهای مثبتی برای جنبش ترقیخاهانه مردم ایران به همراه خواهد آورد .
.دست کم گرفتن رژیم باعث طولانی شدن پروسه تغییر و پرداخت بهائ سنگینتر از جیب مردم است. یک بار دیگر کمبود و ضعف سازماندهی و تشکیلات در تظاهرات امروز مشهود بود.مردم به قدرت با هم بودن پی بردند و از طرفی رژیم به این رسید که وقتی که سیل آمد ، توپ ،تانک ، مسلسل دیگر اثر ندارد.!!!
از طرفی مردم امروز پیام مشخصی برای امریکا و غرب روانه کردند، و نشان دادند که این دولت و حکومت این مردم را نمایندگی نمیکند.و هر زد و بند سیاسی که منافع ملی و حقوق اجتماعی این مردم را نادیده بگیرد بگیرد محکوم به نابودی است. با آرزوی تغییرات بهتر و نزدیکتر.
Dear IRANdokht
by desideratum.anthropomorph... on Sat Jun 13, 2009 02:32 PM PDTIt's very astute of you to draw attention to the more fundamental gains of this game, that is, the broken taboos and the accountability that one hopes to ensue. Thank you for the blog!
Some other points
by Kurush (not verified) on Sat Jun 13, 2009 02:31 PM PDTAljazeera elaborated along the same line,-that while the pro-reform groups are more vociferous and more articulate, or even sexier to report on for the Western Media which always looks for that angle anyway like bee for nectar,- that the traditional chadoori, bazari type are not as verbal or even forthcoming to interview or report on. They were & will be the backbone of the clerics. For a simple reason, they do not trust shomalsharis, they were betryaed & ignored by the Pahlavis elite as the wealthy shomalis hobnobbed with their Western 'friends.' As even the Newweek reported, Mr A. speaks their language and his scruffy appearnace is more in line with their own background.
You referred to the hopes of the youths as did others today. I am not sure that the Iranian youth is all that mature, or knowledgeable to the stakes & the highly secretive Western intrgues. We seem to forget that a superpower has vowed, on record, to bring regime change to Iran. How do you think they are goig to that short of an invasion of Iran? The immature, ignorant youths. It is not their fault that they are so naive and easy to manipulate. The Iranian culture does not possess the depth that woould infrom the youths of Iran just how diabolically the West has behaved across time and space, their genocides, slavery, colonizations. It is easy to idealize the Iranian youth. But you know how it is you do not appreciate what you have until you lose it. The younger generations can look across the borders in Afghanistan & Iraq to see what a wasteland the West has created of those two countries. I am not even sure that they want to look as they are so brainwashed to hate the clerics, not the best rulers but not the worst either. So you lose it then you want what you lost, but it is too late.
As to the ldeadership. They seemed days before the election to turn their presumed victory into a weapon against the clerics: the green revolution, human chain. They were not content with just a victory it seems. Can we say the leadership was as immature as their young followers?
The clerics are a known quantity, warts and all. The 'reform' movement is not. what were these uppity refrom movement protesters up to? Who is controlling them? what is their ultimate goal? Can they even rule Iran. They sure do not seem to have the maturity required to rule. Should not the leadership have acted with wisdom and accepted the result gracefully? If they had the momentum on their side and gained the trust of the ordinary people by showing patience & good manners, over time they would have ruled Iran.
They have chosen unwisely the worst route: street clash with the state. It was long time coming. The chips are down. Even if Mr A cheated, the opposition should never have created this mess. Questioning the result of the election is one thing, creating havoc is another. You do it on my watch, I will make you not forget it ever. And that is how the establishment is going to behave, manhandle & brutalize them. You can not say they were not asking for it!
And the winners are...
by Ali P. on Sat Jun 13, 2009 02:25 PM PDTI had a blog less than a month ago, asking readers to predict the result of this election:
//iranian.com/main/blog/ali-p/lets-make-it-interesting
Congratulations to Jaleho and Bijan A M for having been right on the money!
(Now back to IRANdokht...)
Dear IRANdokht
by minadadvar on Sat Jun 13, 2009 02:21 PM PDTYou are right. Very few people know the facts regarding the result of this pseudo-election. However, the massive negative response of people inside/outside the country is a clear sign that people do not trust this government. Why ? You must remember the story of choopaneh doroughgoo. IRI has lied so many times that even if they are being truthful, the majority continue to accuse them of being liars.
Irandokht
by Kurdish Warrior (not verified) on Sat Jun 13, 2009 01:54 PM PDTI hope you realize that the whole system is fraud ..At the end of the day, its Khamenei whom has final saying...
IRANdokht, I liked your analysis
by Anahid Hojjati on Sat Jun 13, 2009 01:41 PM PDTDear IRANdokht, thanks for posting this analysis of Iran's present political situation. This site needs objective people like you to write more.
No more years!!
by 1 Hamvatan (not verified) on Sat Jun 13, 2009 01:28 PM PDTI doubt seriously this regime last by end of this month, unless Mossavi gives up.
I hope Mossavi takes the lead for real change, including ouster of emam from his seat and closing down the valayate faghih in Iran.
Are you kidding yourself or kidding the rest of us?!
by Disappointed Iranian (not verified) on Sat Jun 13, 2009 01:27 PM PDTAhmadinejad= George W. Bush
Mousavi = Al Gore
In Iran they were AbA' and support a beard and take baths every other week. In U.S., they wear $1,800 suits, are clean shaven and take 2 baths a day.
Politics is a dirty filthy business. Its a shame the world is run by a bunch of politician controlled by a few rich who control them!
Good analysis
by Bavafa on Sat Jun 13, 2009 01:26 PM PDTMehrdad
nice blog !
by GitDoun on Sat Jun 13, 2009 12:35 PM PDTi don't think the hardliners will soften up and take a more moderate stances on social issues until the very veeery End. and when i mean end i define it as the islamic government -wilayat faqhi - being in jeopardy. and i don't feel the islamic government is too unpopular for that to happen.... yet. change is happening though. and i agree with you on that. The zeal for the theocracy is evening out. it's not like the high pitch fever it had back in the 80's and mid 90's. but that's just it. it's only evening out. and that's not a strong enough sentiment for people to sacrifice their lives and overthrow this wiliayat faqhi government. and i feel such a drastic bloody civil war doesn't have to take place if only the hardliners would allow the people's voice to be heard. let the constitution laws take it's course and let the people choose their president. i mean what do the Akhunds have to lose by having a transparent and honest presidential election ??? the office doesn't hold much power compared to Khamenei. i feel they want a Monopoly. Full control of government. Their Agenda, their way, everyday.
but as time goes on and years turn to decades i feel one day i'll see this joomhooriyee Akhundee overthrown but when that happens i feel i'll be in my 50's.