Live Generation

This week is the third anniversary of the beginning of Iran’s Green Movement. The energy was electric in the weeks that followed the fraudulent reelection of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Three years later, so much of the world has changed, yet the regime remains. They killed hundreds of Iranians in the streets, jailed and tortured many more. Then there was Neda, who unknowingly would become the face to the world of what was happening in Iran.

The weeks and months that followed June 12, 2009, we came to know many others on a first name basis…Sohrab, Taraneh, Kianoush, Ashkan, Mostafa, Ramin…they became our brothers and sister, our children, and the future of our country. Their faces remain etched in our memories as we wonder how a government could be so brutal and take the lives of such innocent, idealistic, bright young people. It’s no surprise three years later, when we hear of the Islamic Republic of Iran supporting Assad in his brutality toward his own people in Syria.

The thing is, brutality works to silence people. The Islamic regime’s response in 2009 was cruel beyond belief. Unspeakable forms of sexual torture and maiming became commonplace, and cell phone cameras captured the results so that inside and outside Iran, we knew what this government was capable of. But what I would suggest is that what we have today in Iran is not silence, but rather, a slow boiling. The country is a pressure cooker that will in time explode from the inside out.

In the interim, what we can do is let our collective voices be heard about the Islamic Republic of Iran. What I am referring to is the dawning of social movements that are beginning to take root all over the globe. One such movement is: HERE IS MY VOTE.

In 2009 when the Islamic regime of Iran ran the sham election that gave the presidency back to their puppet president, protesters came out with signs saying, “Where Is My Vote.” That powerful message became a backdrop for all the demonstrations inside and outside of Iran.

As we head toward the 2013 presidential elections in Iran, we have an opportunity to let our voices be heard and to let our votes be counted. The ballots won’t be provided by the mullahs, but they won’t be counted by them either. Here’s how it works:

Step 1: Become a “Fan” on Facebook. This is the first step in letting your voice be heard. Based on the group of fans of “Here Is My Vote” the movement will begin to grow.

Step 2: Spread the word and tell your friends to become fans.

Step 3: Volunteer to get involved by reaching out via Facebook. By getting involved in your location, you can help spread the word and grow the movement.

Step 4: Look for upcoming demonstrations in a city near you, and come out to show your support.

Step 5 (THE BIG ONE): Let your voice be heard! As we near the 2013 Presidential Elections in the Islamic Republic of Iran, HERE IS MY VOTE will roll out an online voting site that will tally votes across the planet for the Islamic Republic of Iran: Yes or NO

So what’s so appealing about a grassroots online movement that sends a powerful message to the tyrants in control of Iran?

1- There’s no catch, no cost, and no reason not to. The question is simple. Islamic Republic of Iran: Yes or NO

2- It doesn’t matter what your background, belief, gender, or religious idea, we can all agree on one thing…the Islamic regime has to go. For this reason, HERE IS MY VOTE is a unifying movement.

3- If we come together in the memory of all the Nedas, Sohrab’s, and Kianoush’s of the world, we have the power to send a potent message to Iran and to the world. The impact can be great…and it all starts with just one vote.

To learn more, go to:

//www.facebook.com/HereIsMyVote

//hereismyvote.org/