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Dummies for democracy
Stop criticizing. Propose alternative solutions

By Xerxes Darius
January 30, 2001
The Iranian

You should pick up a copy! This past weekend, I went to Borders & Nobel to look for a book where I came across this title, Democracy for Dummies. My first reaction was this must be a joke! But after paging through it I realized how great this book is. These guys projected the concept onto a simple set of guidelines for ordinary people to follow!

While going through the book, I immediately thought of Iranian.com community (e.g., editor, readers, contributors, etc.) What a great group of honest and patriotic folks! I have never seen any group of people more democratic than this gang!?!

Then again, they are great in everything!?! They are the best historians, sociologists, anthropologists and psychologists! Of course, they are second to none in politics and international affairs!!

Well, the shenanigans on Iranian.com over weather or not Mr. Reza Pahlavi has the right to express his desire to participate in or lead Iran's political process prompted me to share with you some excerpts from the book Democracy for Dummies.

"... citizens of a society must follow these rules or requirements if they want to transform to a democratic system. They must

1) Tolerate,

2) Participate, and be

3) Vigilant,

4) Informed,

5) Patriotic,

6) United,

7)....."

Now, to those of you who visit Iranian.com and contribute material to it: it does not matter weather you graduated from Harvard or Yale, live in Boston or D.C., get excited by cylinders or columns. Our objective can not be achieved as long as we fail to follow those above.

Hence, if you deeply care about Iran, I would ask you to try to stop criticizing Mr. Pahlavi and start proposing alternative solutions if you differ with him. Let's reconcile before it is too late.

To those who do NOT care about Iran, I would say that democratic systems do not have mercy on traitors. See the predicament your buddy Johnny Walker is in!

Comment for The Iranian letters section Comment for the writer Xerxes Darius