Before you ask, No, this is not another looss (luce?) April fool’s day joke. I actually received my email from NIAC today. Today’s ill-timed (You see! This is what I’m talking about!) email called from something to be done about a couple of things.
While I agree that something is most certainly needed, especially the special kind of something that can actually be done, unfortunately I don’t think that the other side of here, or the Iranian Government really cares to quid pro quo on any of these matters. Whatever they may be. Not while they are winning, thank you very much.
Once again, NIAC has conveniently left Iran (?) out of the ultimate equation. US+?=SHITSTORM. To mix my Motown metaphors, it takes two, and if loving US is wrong, and Iran hears it through the grapevine, all you’ll end up with is a Ball of Confusion and (That’s what the world is today). To be fair, today’s email used the term “Silver Bullet” which as anyone knows is what you use to kill a werewolf, or wash down salty snacks during March madness. So Iran is either a beast, or a West Coast team that somehow made it into the final four.
I guess what I’m saying is Stop in the name of Love. Or, include Iran in the same “Calling fors…”.
NIAC “called for” a lot this week. They especially “called for” Obama to lift the single entry visa policy which makes it impossible for an Iranian student in the US with a student visa to go back to Iran and come back to the US again. The real problem conveniently left out, is that even if the US visa was fixed to allow multiple re-entry, chances are that this same Iranian student has a pulse, and he or she has likely heard of FaceBook, and might even have tweeted a tweet or two (say that fast 3 times!). While getting out of the US might become easier, getting back out of Iran might not be so simple.
Again, get Iran to agree not to harass Iranian students returning home to come back to the US.
Because you know they do.
The other “Call for” NIAC called for (not sure who they are calling these “Call Fors” to) was for the US to eliminate internet restrictions. No, I know, I had to read it twice myself. Yes, apparently the FaceBook and Twitter “revolution” that almost took credit for almost overthrowing the Iranian government in 2009 is not enough. Now, apparently the US needs to get involved to allow Iranians inside Iran to get help installing the latest version of Skype and Firefox. Although speaking to my sister in law on it last week SKYPE seemed to work just fine. NIAC may need to reboot, get on a Mac, or consult online tech support with that non-problem.
But yet again, Iran the real master of the Main Switch of the internet inside Iran, was left out of the “Call For”. Look it’s easy, just say this, “Hey Government of Iran! Yes You! Stand Still Laddy! Stop controlling the internet in Iran and stop snooping in on people’s email and free internet calls!. This is just as harmless and easy to do on a blog like this, as it is in an ineffective email and Press release that goes to no one. Or the like, maybe 500 NIAC members who will ever read anything sent to them on a Friday afternoon. So do it!
Finally (this was a busy week for NIAC!) the email called for Obama himself, alone, (like he needs more to not show the slightest reaction or interest to) to End Humanitarian Restrictions. Apparently Iran is being deprived of Humanity vis a vis some sort of ban that there appears to be on the exports of American Goodwill. No seriously. This “Call For” actually asked that. On the very heels of NIAC’s previous accomplishment, the call for the UN to watch (not do anything to stop it, mind you!), Iran’s Human Rights abuses.
I guess the plan is that while the Iranian Prison guards are beating, killing, raping, and torturing innocent (but legally convicted) Iranians, when they see all that American Goodwill pouring into Iran suddenly, they will immediately stop to watch. And be moved to tears of repentant joy and compassion. And be changed forever.
I guess that could happen too.
Then NIAC mentioned the general shortage of “Silver Bullet”s again, and this week in NIAC came to another blessed close.
Who needs another beer?
