می بخور، منبر بسوزان - مردم آزاری نکن

  What happened to our

What happened to our nation on that dooms day of 1979 was the story of "Az Chaleh Oftadeem to Chah" I strongly believe that the Shah had many short comings and even though he loved his nation and his people and did a lot of good he also suffered from a case of being a megalomaniac and I believe I am not alone when I say this; I believe millions of Iranians who supported the fall of the Shah thinking something better is on the horizon they will prefer the Pahlavi regime 1000 times versus what we have today in the name of IRI, at least back then once you were out of Iran visiting a foreign land as soon as you told them you were from Iran they looked at you with envy and respected your rich culture and heritage but now they look at you with suspicion and the first think comes to their mind is "oh boy another fanatic loose in a free country and only god knows what goes through his/her head now"

We Shall Never Forget...

خاک بر سر آخوند ها

Divaneh jan: let's place the blame where it belongs!

Dear Rebecca: thanks for your kind support.

Dirt on our head

Dirt on our head (as our dear MPD would say) for failing to build a civil and tolerant society after all the efforts.

Dear Oktaby

dear ahosseini: The

dear ahosseini: The imperialist brought us Khomeini Inc. and will not easily let go of it. Until and when most Iranians understand that the IRI is indeed stooge of the West, nothing will change.

All Oppression Creates a State of War--Simone De Beauvoir

Well said

Shazde,

 Well said. I was in NYC in 1979 and ran out of dollar. I asked the boutique owner if I can pay with rial and she said of course! She wouldn't accept othe currencies but she accept the rial.

Now we have a ruined economy and a ruined country and Islam and faith are gone too...well done, mollahs.

Vildmose: I think you misunderstood me

I remember those days(cold war) very well. There were two terribly hostile camps and both were very brutal too. Latin America(Argentina, Chilie, Nicaragua, El Salvador, ...) was a killing field. Any form of democratic movement in Iran, Afghanistan, Palestine, ... had to turn into a subordinate force. If you were against Shah you were automatically considered to be communist. Shah and other pro-western governments' assumed that no organisation, regardless of its ideology could fight the mighty west camp if it did not seek the support of the Communist camp and that was true to some extent too. However, the brutal suppression of the opposition was the order of the day. If Shah didn't do it he would have been pushed aside in no time. Pro Soviet camp were as brutal too. I remember very well when in early eighties we were involved in the campaign against mass executions in Iran, the supporters of Tudeh party accused us of being the agents of west. According to them pouring acid into women's face, torture, execution, ... was justified. According to them Ayatollah was in the anti-imperialist camp and we should all support Ayatollah. 

I never said Shah and Khomaini were the same. Shah was an educated individual and socially was dictating the culture of the west which we all liked. What we didn't like was the lack of political freedom. I remember those days, the political atmosphere was very unpleasant. You couldn't say a word without getting worried about ending up in prison in the hands of Savak. Many of my friends got arrested and put behind bars. What I am saying is that Khomain's regime was the natural outcome of that political atmosphere. We couldn't even mention the word Khomaini and yet if the public knew about this monster our nation would not go anywhere near Mullahs and its leader. What I suggest is that we should not dwell in the past. We had two horrible dictators and we must learn lessons as how to avoid falling into same traps again. The question that we need to answer is: what should we do to avoid the similar situations in the future. All our political groups have misrably failed and they have failed because they are all being controlled under mafia rules and under the command of godfathers. My suggestion is that we do away with them and we establish our own political institutions. Dr Bagherzadeh wrote a series of articles about the formation of Iranian parliament in exile. Perhaps we should give that a consideration. The article by Ladan Bazargan was also worthy of consideration. These are some sensible propositions. The only way we can gain a bit of respect is if we learn how to manage ourselves in a democratic manner. Please don't get me wrong, I do not support Islamic reformists. But when Khatami had the support of the 22 million people, and because of sensible language he was using the international community gave him good respect. US president Clinton and forign secrater Madeleine Albright apologised for all the hardship Iranians had suffered. We need to mobilise our nation around some popular democratic institutions. If we do that we will win and if we don't we will lose. If we are not careful we will suffer like Syrians.

Believe in a democracy that leaders and representatives are controlled by members at all times.

 ahosseini: I did not

 ahosseini: I did not really wanted to comment on your highly biased rant because by no means I am fond of the Shah or his son. However, you are being disingenous when you equate the Pahlavis with the Mullahs. Empirical evidence show that you are highly unfair about the Shah and his conduct.

Given the Cold war atomsphere that the Shah had to operate under, most of what he did can be at least explained with some degree of logic. Look at Afghanistan, in the 70's. The Soveit Union made Taliban (ultra religious society) into a communist loving country. I think, we would have had the same type of government if it were not for the help of US and the Shah's effort to clamp down the tide of communism in Iran. If the Islamist were not as brutal and savage as they turned out to be, Iran today might have had a communist govt just like Afghanistan. I don't know maybe you are a communist and are lamenting your lost opportunity??

All Oppression Creates a State of War--Simone De Beauvoir

It is terribly wrong to compare

I think it is terribly wrong to compare number of people imprisoned, killed,  tortured and then come to the conclusion that one is better than the other. Killing one is one too many. Imagine US government or a country in Europe execute one individual for his or her political views. The fundamental reason for people to make such a awful mistake of trusting mullahs in general or Khomaini in particular was that we had not had the choice of having pro shah politicians, communists, nationalists, democrats, ,... to have debate about what what was wrong and what was right. If people had the option to hear how disgusting Khomaini's books were they would not have gone anywhere near Khomai or any of his supporters. What sort of a logic is this?, one killed 5000 and one killed 500000, therefore one is better than the other. The truth is that the one who killed 5000 (let's ignore theinaccurate figure) paved the way for the killer of 500000. We live in 21st century. We have enough technical resources to even do away with parliment and allow the general public to directly vote on issues. We  in US and Europe can easily decide if for example US, EU or Israel should attack Iran. We should not engage ourselves with debates such as which two dictators were better. We should discuss how best our politicians should engage their supporters or members in how to resolve major political issues. For example Reza Pahlavi claims he is a true democrat. Ok, let's hold him accountable for what he says. If that is the case then we should ask him to create a website such as Iranian.com so supporters can participate in how collectively decide the way forward. This applies to all the political groups. Most of Iranian political groups are very dictatorial and have leaders who behave like shop owners. Of course they selectively publish the comments made by supporters but would not allow supporters to table motions in favour or against. These are the kind of discussions we should have here. 

Come on talk about the future. Don't dwell about the past. 

Believe in a democracy that leaders and representatives are controlled by members at all times.

.........

O.K  then  Let's all go back to vakil -ol roaaya  karim khan then.

No more republic and no more Islamic!!

Maziar

what we have here

is failure to communicate. your wish that is the title of your blog, has turned into another litany against the Pahlavi's.

there lies the iranian confusion between ideal and good. 

oktaby

We must learn from our mistakes

Despite their flaws, majority of Iranians were peace loving, fun loving, kind, and hospitable people before the revolution. They gave flowers and kookies to the revolutionary gards and army, trying to have a peaceful transition. The problem was that they did not have correct information about the history of mullahs in Iran and the Middle East. Nor did they were aware of the International politics.

The hostage crisis followed by the war with Iraq, which was extended for eight years, gave mullahs the opportunity to get rid of their strong opponants, kill thousands in war or jails,  and take control over the people, by showing them how savage and ruthless they can be to them, and force millions to move to other countries.

Educational system of Iran during the Pahlavi regime was modern and free for all. But it lacked necessary educational componants to prepare the students for the events such as those of 1979. As part of the high school education of my children in Canada, I got the chance to read books like 1984, and Animal Farm by George Orwell, and thought our revolution was copied from The Animal Farm.

The students also had to take a course on Moral & Religious studies every year. It taught them about all religions of the world, the good, the bad, and the ugly componant of each religion; and also gave them information about drug addiction, teen pregnancy, etc.

I hope when the tyranny in Iran is over, Iranians bring their experience of the last three decades together, set up a new secular and modern educational system for Iranian children, and with the help of the positive aspects of our history, culture, and poetry, make the country they deserve, and peacefully join the civilized world. 

Contradictory, better describes the Pahlavi Shahs

Dear Oktaby,

Although the Pahlavi era can be credited with much advancement; the 2 Shahs' performance was at the best of times uneven, and at worst poor.

For example, on your mentioned issue of Modernity:

1. The feudal system was attacked by Reza Shah, only to be replaced by his own personal forceful takeover of 40% of farm lands in Iran!

2. Capitalism was encouraged by Mohammad Reza, yet not in form of true free-enterprise, but rather filled with corruption and cronyism.

3. Secularization started during the first Pahlavi and was a great achievement. However it was a crudely imposed policy, with notable cruelty that undermined both its legitimacy and efficacy. During the 2nd Shah, strangely enough, an Imperial Cult ideology was created and forced upon people's lives, which went against the very idea of secular rationalization, and badly backfired among the religious and the secular alike.

4. Finally, neither of the 2 Shahs could escape the one-man tyranny, which is the most important anti-thesis to modernity, and the clearest failure of the Pahlavi dynasty. Inevitably, with one-man tyranny came strange behavior, idiotic decisions, and plain and simple psychopathy.

Contradiction

Shazdeh Jaan,

your statement is less than reasonable. An idiot and a Psycho could not have freed Iran from Ertejaa' to bring it into modernity (almost succeeded). I have written on this extensively as you have. Some of Shah's moves were nothing less than brilliant and some were grave errors in judgement (say '73 statements on ending oil contracts). He did not have the fortitude of his father but was a man who loved Iran. Reza Shah was emulating Ata Turk but did not have his exposure or education; and did what he had to because he understood modernity and Ertejaa do not mix.

Both were representative of Iran's population at their time, not from another planet. Masses caught between Ertejaa' and modernity, conflicted, flawed and under pressure domestically and internationally. Just like the rapist republic is representative of Iran; the portion that succeeded in repelling modernity. It is Ertejaa and feudal mindset and yes it is Iranian of Salman Farsi mindset.

Your position at this point in time with hindsight of 33 years falls in the same category with respect to slice of time and people; IMHO.

Oktaby

 What happened to our

 What happened to our commenter, 'Fair'?

 //iranian.com/main/singlepage/2008/hanging-judge-khalkhali

All Oppression Creates a State of War--Simone De Beauvoir

 What happened to our

 What happened to our commenter, 'Fair'?

 //iranian.com/main/singlepage/2008/hanging-judge-khalkhali

All Oppression Creates a State of War--Simone De Beauvoir

An old colonial Brit

An old colonial Brit expression, according to my dad, said that for good mangement of their territories, they needed to keep the Arabs gorged while keeping the Ajams starved.  The Iranians revolted with full stomachs while the Arab spring resulted from a fruit peddler who was denied his right to put food on the table.  How ironic!

Now, with the economy in shambles and people starving, folks cannot get out there to demonstrate against this regime.  Although, I must admit that the 2009 street fightings in Tehran and the ensuing crackdown has left a negative effect on families with kids.  I am hoping that this is the calm before the big storm, just as I sit outside waiting for Sandy to hit the East coast.

Did the shah ever stone

Did the shah ever stone anyone to death?what would have been the reaction of majority of Iranians if he did allow stoning, hangings in the public, chopping hands, etc...?

All Oppression Creates a State of War--Simone De Beauvoir

 Iran is further away

 Iran is further away from being capable of democratic progress today than it was 30 years ago

I have to agree with that statement though it's a very hard pill to swallow. Iranians are more religious or more backward than they were 30+ some years ago due to the mullahs spending billions of propaganda and censorship dollars  to systematically keep Iranians backward, superstitious and more misgonysitic, xenophobic than ever before the revolution. The 'Operation Regression to Medieval Islam' has been the only successful project of the Islamic republic of Regression.

IRAN is  A Culture immersing further in the Dark Ages.

All Oppression Creates a State of War--Simone De Beauvoir

اظهار نظر من در باره جمله زیر بود.

 شاه و پدرش سر جمع ۵ هزار نفر رو تو ۵۰ سال سلطنت کشتند

... 

Believe in a democracy that leaders and representatives are controlled by members at all times.

Another spin!?

Dear Amirparviz. You see!  This is another trick that we Iranians are quiet good at due to a lot of practice. 

When ever the net closes and we see no way out but accepting our errors, we either shift the blame to the system or will resort to generalization, physicality, sociology and even philosophy. As long as we do not have to face our demons!

At the end of the day we need to have a honest practical answer to the following question if there is ever going to be hope and the one million dollar question is whether:

 "Is it the people who make the system (democratic) or is it the system that corrects and shapes the people within it (totalitarian)" 

I do accept some of your argument stating that many or even all such problems are due to us being human and hence subject to human flaws.

I even accept your point stating that these problems are common across the board with many nations, even the most economically advanced ones.

Here and now I am only interested in Iran and Iranians (the people and the land that I LOVE with all my hearth and soul). 

Hence although I accept your points but as I stated in my previous comment many nations and individuals around the world have successfully managed to control and defeat such human flaws and became tolerant democratic societies full of individuals who are well capable of recognising accepting and even embracing their short-comes and correcting their errors or at least stepping aside and opening the way for those who are more capable and qualified without taking an offence.

And that it what we need to learn as individuals and as a nation.   No more and no less! 

Devolution indeed!

Honestly, the poor Shah was the only barrier between Iranians and their impulse to act on their uncivilized, xenophobic, religious fundamentalist instincts.  Let's put it this way: before the Pahlavis, they attacked the Russian embassy and killed the embassy staff--including the ambassador---and after the Pahlavis they attacked the American embassy and took hostages, then they attacked the Danish embassy, the British embassy...

The Shah tried to beat some civilization into these backward idiots, and they didn't like it.  We like our mullahs on top and our sense of civility on the bottom. 

The Heart of the Problem is Human not Iranian

That Iranians have not been able or capable of resolving it is because it has been compounded and kept in place by complex factors the majority of Irans Intelligencia were completely unaware of.

Being Self-centered and Greedy exist on all the continents of the world.  This doesn't make it okay or happy for anyone it just gives us perspective that its a problem that will constantly come back unless there is a system to constantly address it, generation after generation.

Due to 1979 now enough intelligencia see the root of the problem and it is not Iranian or part of its culture.  It is like a big weed which has a strong root too, it is the tyranny of thought and expression which suffocates expression and terrorizes different doctrines off of which it feeds.  It is not religion, but the corruption of the islamic authorities and their system which we are all seeing in power today, that would not in a 1000 years allow the Shahs team to make any improvements in their approach to educating their own members or handling their despicable corruption. Hopefully we all know that 1979 was completely unnecesary, iranians did not have to go through this experience to address the problem.  In 1979 the entire nation moved itself further away from the democratic path and what would have taken 40 years back then will now take 60 years if we were capable of starting the process today.  Today the tyranny that exists and those who thrive off it will take many years to resolve and will require lots of committment. 

Iran is further away from being capable of democratic progress today than it was 30 years ago, of course our crazies that opposed the shah for democracy will stupidly deny this as their unwise thinking doesn't allow for many realizations.  The issue is corrupted religious authorities are only the power source giving life to the heart of the problem even after they are removed, the problems have to be dealth with among them and among others too.

Zombies stuck in a nightmare

Dear Maziar: best wishes for a joyous Halloween to you too!

Sadly, Iran has been stuck in a never ending Halloween nightmare for the past 33 years. Our country is ruled by a bunch of crazies who worship suicide bombing as the highest level of achievement!

Hopefully, we can raise an army of zombies to deliver victory ;-)

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjJVgdnSldI

حسینی عزیز: با حلوا حلوا، دهن شیرین نمی‌‌شه

Someone has to pick that Kalash, get behind that Calibre-50 and burn this murderous gang of IRI.

IRI is not Tunisia or Egypt. Look at Libya and Syria!

Future is bleak, without a bonfire.

Dear Zandieh

In your comment you asked a very important question.

This is the question the answer to which addresses our most deadly flaw and weaknesses as a nation

:You asked very rightly

چرا کار ما به "انقلاب" کشید و نه به "اصلاح"

Well my friend! My answer to you is that in order for a government and most importantly for a people to go trough a reform, the most essential first step is to acknowledge and accept ones mistakes and points of flaw. 

As a nation we are not only incapable of doing that but also and more importantly we are always at denial deliberately avoiding such issue.

During the time I was living in the West in daily basis I was observing people around me to admit to their errors when due and accept their own short-comes.

Form a simple colleague in the office to the prime minister of the country followed the same golden rule and never ran away from looking back at their own conducts or to look at themselves in the mirror and admit to their own errors. Furthermore they saw such attitude as a sign of strength and self confidence. 

On the other hand in case of us Iranians we not only do not like to admit to our own flaws but also and even more unfortunately we see such conduct as a sign of weakness, self disrespect and even as bringing ourselves down and destroying our own credibility and reputation. 

Such behavioural problem exists in all of us at all the levels of society. 

This was why the last regime could never reform (even though I personally believe that it was the best regime we have over the past 500 years at least). 

Shah and his father loved Iran and they did everything in their power to improve this country and the life of its people and with incredible success too.

But at the end of the day they were also Iranians and hence it was too much for them to accept their errors. Even though in the end by 1357 he (The Shah) pleaded with the people by accepting the regimes error and embracing reform, but again that Iranian gene kicked in the rest of us as a nation and  instead of embracing his change of way and going along with it, we decided that because he accepted his errors now he definitely needs to go as there is no credibility left.

Today unfortunately you still see that same attitude live and kicking in Iranian from all walks of life and political background.

From the ordinary man or woman in our streets who still refuses to accept the error of participating in the cock-up of a revolution by following one Khomeini to the hell that is IRI (and not back yet), to our biggest political groups and highest ranking political leaders who after 33 years are still at each others throat like cats and dogs and are still refusing to accept their error of 1357 and even fail to unite around a common goal.

To be fair, in a way even the IRI and its cronies are not an exception to this rule. At the end of the day these Mullahs, Pasdaars and Basijies are not aliens from out of space.

They are also Iranian, like you and I with the same cultural and attitude problem, who just happen to be in power and hence able to shove their own views down our nation’s throat.

So my friend if we really want democracy or even tolerance we need to start from ourselves.

Hence the next time I made an error I should not be ashamed or hesitant to accept my error and embrace reform and the next time you see someone who think in a different way and believe in something you do not, before reacting compulsively think, just think that may be, just may be they are right.

 Then there might be hope for all of us and we might even be able to see the light at the end of this long dark tunnel

More like devolution

Dear Oktaby: I still believe that Shah was an idiot and his father was a psycho. But those are beside the point!

The point of this piece is that we have "devolved" from a hopeful nation who seemed to reject dictatorship in 1979, into a confused bunch of zombies who are stuck in a nightmare.

Marg

what a timely Blog And a well put farsi version of our inner taughts.

comes tuesday almost half the people will celebrate death with fun and all.

Happy Halloween.

Maziar

One execution was one too many

 مرگ بر شعار مرگ

Believe in a democracy that leaders and representatives are controlled by members at all times.

evolution?

Your blog seems to indicate a change of heart! I recall a strong anti Shah position and many derogatory comments from you. Did we need to go through the past 33 to get this perspective?

Better late than never.

Oktaby