I am still a new kid in this Iranian.com block, still testing the waters, still holding my tongue. And it is in true Iranian fashion that I author these words humbly, paying reverence to the veterans and seasoned writers first and for most. Although I am no longer a youngster by any stretch of the imagination, I am a child of the revolution; a kid robbed of a “normal” childhood and forced to grow up fast in the chaotic streets of Tehran.
There were no tea parties for me, no doll-houses, no juvenile role plays, no casual strolls down our alley, no blushing at the sight of a first crush. I wasn’t groomed in the art of traditional Persian cooking or Gillani dress making. Instead, I threaded my way through childhood by re-enacting war games of political rallies. I passed out subversive pamphlets to my playmates and spray-painted the outhouse with militant slogans. I pretended to assemble Molotov cocktails and burned tires to counteract the effects of the make-believe tear gas.
And later on, when my father exiled me to the countryside to be rehabilitated under the watchful eyes of his oldest sister, I decorated the family farmhouse with red revolutionary cries and before long returned to Tehran resembling a guerilla who had just stepped out of Iran’s northern jungles. By my adolescent years, after the war with Iraq was already in progress, I hosted family send-offs to the front-line and catered funerals.
In fewer words, my childhood was plagued by politics, and as a result, my adult life is peppered with persistent whys:
-- Why aren’t we free?
-- Why are we still debating the return of Pahlavi?
-- Why aren’t we united to reclaim the legacy of our uprising?
-- And on a lighter note, why can’t I call Khamenei a moron on TV?
In 1944, when Mosaddeq together with nineteen other Iranian patriots founded Jebhe Melli, the modern struggle of Iranians for democracy was born. Today, that struggle is sixty four years old. Numerous lives have been sacrificed at altar of freedom, and thirty years have passed since the last revolution, but our political activities are still confused, still calling for a referendum to determine the future of our nation.
Our motherland has said no to the Pahlavi dynasty, has rejected the dark ages of mullahs, has dismissed the advances of Mojahedin-e Khalq to tryout another flavor of Islam, and still awaits the revelation of a new, coherent proposal from the radical left.
As a child of the revolution, I have earned the right to say on behalf of my motherland, “What part of no don’t you understand, gentlemen?” And as an Iranian woman who is anything but a “silenced, mute, and answerless mother,” [see eroonman's "The Little Prince"] I submit to you the fruit of my labor: Generations of patriots and freedom fighters raised by Persian mothers since the dawn of our civilization. Unite them to change our future!
A referendum in the current environment of Iran is a joke at its best and a fraud at its worst. Upon whom will we bestow our trust to conduct and monitor such a referendum? Corrupted civil servants eager to sell their services to the highest bidder? How about a mishmash of various political groups, each with a different agenda and allegiance? Even better, we can forgo the headache and aggravation altogether and turn the whole referendum over to an international monitoring group. Wait! When was the last time we trusted foreigners to do right by us? Does anyone still remember the outcome?
What our nation needs is not another half-baked referendum but a group of founding leaders who by the courage of their convictions are driven to spell out our rights as the citizens of an ancient civilization:
-- We pay homage to no foreign power;
-- We reserve the right to defend ourselves against any and all foreign intruders;
-- We wish to rip the riches of our land to feed our poor;
-- We hunger for peace to build a better future for our children;
-- We bestow power to a republic encompassing all ethnic groups within our borders;
-- We grant temporary power only to elected public servants;
-- We reserve the legal right to dismiss public officials and prosecute them for abuse of such power;
-- We possess the inherent and non-alienable rights to freedom of speech, freedom of press, freedom of religion, freedom to bear arms, freedom to assemble, and freedom to demonstrate.
Once these collective principles are recognized by Iranian political factions, the road for democracy is paved; if denied or bent to suit one’s own interests, we have with all likelihood another tyranny on our hands.
The seeds of freedom are sown by bold patriots whose unwavering principles embrace a nation together until democracy takes roots. Our rights as the citizens of an ancient civilization must not be up for debate or subject to the outcome of any referendum. We need not another referendum! We need unity under the Derafshe Kaviani, a 5,000 year old symbol of Persian resistance towards oppression, a banner risen by a common man to topple tyranny.
Will you heed his glorious call to unity?]=
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Yet again!
by Ajam (not verified) on Tue Dec 16, 2008 04:04 PM PSTDeer dweeb, aren't supposed to be posting under Anti-IRI?! What happened? The medication is wearinf off?!
Anyway, since you're so obssessed with my handle, why don't you keep guessing?! Keeps you busy till the next session with your shrink!
Ajam
by IRISupporter (not verified) on Sun Dec 14, 2008 06:58 PM PST1. Since you love Arabs and support their cause why are you on an Iranian web site?
2. Why are you using the name Ajam? As far as I know that is a very racist word towards Iranian?
3. I can tell you are not Iranian and you are just here to cause problem.
4. make sure your comments are also about this blog don't go off topic, else write your own blogs if you can write. Let us know what you think and why you support IRI and their terrorists organization and hate Iranian people
Let me recommend a few terrorist web site for you and other IRI supporters like Annonym 7:
1. Aljazeera
2. Alarabiya
and perhaps your heroes web site Osama.
enjoy that
Ms Gillani you are a lovely lier
by botshekan. (not verified) on Sun Dec 14, 2008 05:03 PM PSTbut look what you have done! In the same old and well established style of yours: self promoting, publicity seeking, hollow-drum banging rhetorics, Pahlavi bashing retorts, etc. that you have mastered over the last ten years of penning on this website (under your original name) you have managed to attract some 140 rifrafs to comment on your comical piece or get into a verbally diarrheac exchanges, often with no relevance to your opinion piece. well done!
As there is nothing in your writing worthy of comment, I simply congratulate you for proving how easily one can get these people into a verbal fracas. Ironically you are right this crowd do not need a referundum. They need a retro-rundum.
Censorship!
by Ajam (not verified) on Sun Dec 14, 2008 08:22 AM PSTThank you dear Anonym7 for your kind words. My posting below is not of a salking nature (for I may or may not post again), but rather a genuine inquiry about the censorship methods on this site! There are many sites who impliment such methods while providing guidlines for posters to follow in order to avoid censorship. Whereas on this site there are no such instructions for posters such as myself who do not resort to profanity or hate-speech, yet would have to post a comment through several attempts and various modification efforts while tonns of vulgar and hate-filled postings regularly make it through as comments!
My point was not just about this instance or with regard to this "thousand face" individual. I don't hate him, but rather feel sorry for him and his likes who are so far detached from reality that actually believe they are serving our people's pro-democracy aspirations by shutting out and dehumanizing others who disagree with their petty thoughts! Such people, as is the case with our friend here have their own demons to deal with.
Imagine for someone so obsessed with names and harboring such a deep hatred for Arabs, it must be devastating to have both Arabic first and last names. Such individuals are not scarce among Iranians or expatriots! This identity crisis, if not dealt with, could have destructive consequences as it did with, for example, Hitler and his Jewish heritage! He too started with monopolizing the concept of patriotism and blaming ethnic groups for complexities he otherwise did not have the capacity to fathom!
However, wether I'm able to post or not, I believe this site is a good source of group therapy for (more or less) every one of us. After all, the path to democracy is better paved by trying to deal with our issues rhater than concealing them to the point of explosion!
Cheers!
any award?
by I support IRI (not verified) on Fri Dec 12, 2008 01:52 PM PSTBy far, this has been the funniest Rashati joke, I ever heard.
Through the Grapevine…
by LalehGillani on Thu Dec 11, 2008 01:35 PM PST“Now you know why we hang on to RP…”
You might want to hang on a little harder! I hear lots of rumors on the grapevine, lots of wheeling and dealing, the talk of unification…
FYI/Russia "Rehabilitates" the Tzars (bbc)
by Darius Kadivar on Thu Dec 11, 2008 10:01 AM PSTMonarchy not so OBSOLETE to Our Russian Neighbours : They may not restore it yet with one of the Romanov's living Descendants but they have at least moved a step forward in regard to their Royal Heritage despite having killed the Tzars immediate family ...
//news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7645776.stm
Russia's Supreme Court has ruled that the last Tsar, Nicholas II, and his family were victims of political repression and should be rehabilitated.How Far Will the Rule of Law Go?
by LalehGillani on Thu Dec 11, 2008 09:55 AM PST“Can you be specific how far your rule of law will go?”
When a society is governed by the rule of law, the public officials and citizens alike are prohibited to indiscriminately determine the fate of others on their own. In such societies, criminal acts are crimes not only against victims but the public as a whole. The perpetrators are punished after due process.
I am strongly opposed to the execution of IRI officials in the heat of a revolution. As a matter of fact, it is to the benefit of the movement to capture and imprison these individuals only to put them on trial in public once the conditions on the ground are calm.
By doing so, the movement sets a precedence that will distinguish it from the past: We are a civilized nation governed by the rule of law. Public trials will also expose the crimes of IRI to the international community that has chosen to largely ignore the plight of Iranian people so far.
But most of all, such historical trials will be our voice speaking to the future generations of Iranians who must understand what their ancestors endured. Our children must realize the price we paid for their freedom; they must know how precious that freedom is.
With these trials, we pass the torch to the future generations of Iranians as we say in unison, “You must defend your freedom at all costs, with your blood and with your lives as we did…”
Dear Ajam
by Anonym7 (not verified) on Thu Dec 11, 2008 06:54 AM PSTPlease continue to post and don't get frustrated. I also have seen some of my comments not making it, but I am sure that it is not the result of censorship. I believe the disappearance of comments is because sometimes the moderators get overwhelmed, and as a result some comments regardless of their content don't make it. JJ also once pointed to some of those shortcomings.
Please continue to post your eloquent, objective, and content rich postings ...., as you may remember JJ had the site running without moderators for quite sometime but some people (like the thousand face extremist anti*) could not tolerate that level of freedom....
-best
Hallelujah...
by Anonymous wow! (not verified) on Wed Dec 10, 2008 07:46 PM PST"I am embarrassed and saddened to reply: I know of no one who can fill that position at this point! Although we, the republican seekers, have many stars amongst us, none has enough clout in the eyes of the masses to lead the movement towards victory."
Now you know why we hang on to RP, who has (1) no negative record (compared to so many awful people who turn democrat only when it suits them, and although it is easy to find something sticky enough to stick to him), and (2) has name recognition. His association with his late father can be a controversial for some, but I am not sure that the same sentiments are shared by the people within, some 60+% of whom were born after the revolution, and the rest are so busy making a living that cannot care less if shah imprisoned his opposition three decades ago. Somewhere I read that only 15% of active participants of the revolution are alive today and still support IRI.
Another sad dimension to this dilemma is that, if I recall correctly, some 32 million people voted for either Rafsanjani or Ahmadinejad in the last election. That is for a criminal or a fanatic idiot. I saw many so-called educated who voted for Ahmadinejad due to his simplistic background and arguing that he would end up surprising everyone in positive ways. So much for intelligence and wisdom of people who considered the late shah not good enough some thirty years ago. They are part of the realities of Iran that we need to deal with.
I also agree with you, if I may rephrase, that IRI leaders and supporters, unlike the late shah, are not softies who would shake with a breeze of opposition. After all, they represent the god himself and can easily eliminate as many as suits them to retain power. Only massive organized opposition, which still does not exist, may bring them down. Nonetheless, the best way to deal with them afterwards - those who have blood or thievery on their hands - is to bring them justice in the court of law.
BTW, I wonder what happened to all those Confederation of Iranian Students who were marching and screaming on the streets of europe and americas about corruption and brutality of the late shah in the 70s, who now seem to have been shut up in the face of 30 years of blatant atrocities of IRI towards people of Iran.
The attack of the real coward!
by Ajam (not verified) on Wed Dec 10, 2008 06:35 PM PSTDear Mr. Javid, lately, the majority of my postings in response to A. Nasiri (now posting under antiIRI among many other handles) have been deleted for no apparent reason! It feels like being jabbed in the face iwth your arms behind your back! I'm baffled as to what may have prumpted such censorship, for my posts did not contain any offensive material to anyone! Well, I did call him dweeb and... only after he started throwing insults at me and a number of other posters who responded to his post.
I wonder what I might have said that could be judged worse than what this dimented indivdual has been hurling around (such as calling others who disagree with him IRI-supporters, cocroaches, Arabs, animals...) by your journalistic standards?! Is it due to my having not registerd as a regular contributor or did his "ex-Hizbollahi" diatribe get to you?!!
Genocidal enemy within
by KavehV (not verified) on Wed Dec 10, 2008 05:04 PM PST"The supports of IRI can be divided into three groups:
1. Sayyeds – They are the blood-line of Arabs who originally attacked and conquered Persia. We must neither forget nor underestimate this ancestral connection. This blood connection demands loyalty not to Iranian nation or culture but to Islam and their Arab roots.
2. Ideological supports – These individuals are Muslim extremists who will do anything including mass murder of women and children for Islam. They will rape a virgin girl before they hang her on the gallows because Islam doesn’t allow the execution of untouched maidens! "
This is the criminal core of the Islamist regime. They should be marked for LIFE as the members of a criminal band that brought another murderous rampage with genocidal intentions to Iran, for the 3rd, 4th, 5th, or more times in the last 1400 years. Let it be known to every Iranian, young and old, and from the remotest parts of the country, who these criminals are and what they have done together, and as individuals. The people will then decide if they want them as neighbors, co-workers, fellow citizens, etc..
And yet, this is a far more civilized treatment that these animals are dishing out to many Iranians right now.
can you clarify the rule of law?
by Anonym7 (not verified) on Wed Dec 10, 2008 04:53 PM PSTMs Laleh says: "all individuals who have been responsible for horrific crimes against our people must be brought to justice and punished according to the rule of law."
Ms Laleh, I was with the revolution long before its victory, and I separated from it right after its victory because of the excesses.
I believe the executions after the revolution were all wrong .... not only because capital punishment is wrong but also because those who got that habit, continued their habit by executing their opponents who had nothing to do with the old regime! ... can you be specific how far your rule of law will go?
Forget the Savior
by Azadeh on Wed Dec 10, 2008 04:37 PM PST"I am embarrassed and saddened to reply: I know of no one who can fill that position at this point! Although we, the republican seekers, have many stars amongst us, none has enough clout in the eyes of the masses to lead the movement towards victory."
I agree with this statement, and I recognize the role of a leader to (if nothing else) inspire the masses to start a movement.
However, I have always felt that one of our negative traits as Iranians (in the political realm) has been our inability to organize, assemble, and carry through without the help of one to lead us.
Sadly, our nation does not know democracy because we've always been ruled by one....one king, one supreme leader, etc.
To fully understand and yearn for democracy means we need to get away from the mentality of waiting for the next "one" leader to come lead us, inspire us, whatever. Democracy means getting the masses to unite and be a collective unit, with or without a "leader."
We must learn to lead ourselves! That's the essence that plants the root of democracy.
Forget the "Savior" and gather with your fellow Iranians.
Thank you
by IRANdokht on Wed Dec 10, 2008 11:59 AM PSTDear Ms Gillani
Thank you for the clarification.I am glad that it was a misunderstanding from my part.
I do believe that people who have committed crimes against Iranians should be put on trial. I am also very weary of falling into the same type of chaos we endured with the last regime change. The bloodshed that you're predicting should not be glorified or glamorized as patriotism.
Some fighting and bloodshed might be necessary, but I am hoping that Iran would progress ahead and see this opportunity as a chance to show everyone and the rest of the world that we're a cultured and civilized nation.
It's amazing that in Rwanda, after more than 1 million tutsies were massacred, the new regime is speaking of healing the wounds. If the tutsies can forgive hutus for their crimes, can't we hope for a little less bloodshed in the future too? trials are necessary, but bloodshed is not the way to heal the woundsof a nation that's been suffering for decades.
Thanks for your kind words.
IRANdokht
Ms. Gillani
by YT (not verified) on Wed Dec 10, 2008 11:40 AM PSTAs usual it appears that I am [A day late and a Dollar short]. Thanks for your clarification.
However, RESPONSIBLE parties who have stains of blood of innocent men, women and children of our nation on their hands shall be put on trial for crimes against Iranians and against humanity regardless of their beliefs.
I do enjoy your posts madam
Have a great day
-YT
IRANdokht
by YT (not verified) on Wed Dec 10, 2008 11:31 AM PSTI think it is called ETHNIC CLEANSING.
That statement was rather disturbing for me as well. I do wish Ms. Gillani cares to clarify that.
Advocating Genocide?
by LalehGillani on Wed Dec 10, 2008 11:31 AM PST“Are you speaking of bloodshed based on the title of "seyyed"?
I am honored for the opportunity to clarify my remarks as I am a personal fan and frequent reader of you numerous writings.
Advocating genocide? No, absolutely not. After the fall of IRI, the future leaders of Iran must immediately issue a national pardon to heal our wounds. At the same time, all individuals who have been responsible for horrific crimes against our people must be brought to justice and punished according to the rule of law.
Sayyeds as private citizens of our country will enjoy the same benefits as the rest of us. However, when the topic of a conversation is IRI supports and the revolution that will overthrow them, we must identify the enemy, recognize them as such, and be prepared to stomach what lies a head of us:
We must kill and be prepared to die for Iran…
Ms Gillani
by IRANdokht on Wed Dec 10, 2008 10:13 AM PSTI was not going to get into this discussion of yours but your comment "who are IRI supports" is so worrisome that I just have to ask for clarification to put my own mind at ease.
what do you mean by:
The first two groups must be totally decimated in order to successfully
build a new democratic government in Iran. There are no buts and ifs
about it, Hamvatan. I repeat what I have said before: IRI rules by the
sword and must be banished by the sword.
The first group being "seyyeds" without any explanation except their bloodline which includes a high number of people who may or may not have anything to do with the IRI government.
Are you suggesting genocide? and then you add without an if or but and talk about sword??
are you speaking of bloodshed based on the title of "seyyed"?
IRANdokht
The Savior?
by LalehGillani on Wed Dec 10, 2008 09:56 AM PST“If you know of an alternative to RP, I am totally willing to listen and consider, and I am sure that a lot of other so-called monarchists are at heart nationalists that share similar inspirations: seeing Iran turned into a free, decent, prospering, progressive, and just country, rather than a country stuck in the seventh century with no sign of change in sight.”
Before I answer this question, please let me say in no uncertain terms that your “lengthy” comment is refreshing, informing, and logical. I found myself agreeing with many of your points.
And to answer your question, I am embarrassed and saddened to reply: I know of no one who can fill that position at this point! Although we, the republican seekers, have many stars amongst us, none has enough clout in the eyes of the masses to lead the movement towards victory.
In my personal blogs, I often talk about this “savior” and am frequently ridiculed by readers who find my obsession childish and foolish, to say the least. However, the truth remains undisputed: We don’t have a savior. Hence, our quest continues…
Who Are IRI Supports?
by LalehGillani on Wed Dec 10, 2008 09:20 AM PST“I'm beginning to think that the majority of IRI enablers are not only acting so out of poverty. So what about them? How do you convince those people to go against their ideological heroes?”
The supports of IRI can be divided into three groups:
1. Sayyeds – They are the blood-line of Arabs who originally attacked and conquered Persia. We must neither forget nor underestimate this ancestral connection. This blood connection demands loyalty not to Iranian nation or culture but to Islam and their Arab roots.
2. Ideological supports – These individuals are Muslim extremists who will do anything including mass murder of women and children for Islam. They will rape a virgin girl before they hang her on the gallows because Islam doesn’t allow the execution of untouched maidens!
3. Gold diggers – These are supports who have strong financial ties to IRI and have enjoyed the benefits of a lavish life for 30 years.
The first two groups must be totally decimated in order to successfully build a new democratic government in Iran. There are no buts and ifs about it, Hamvatan. I repeat what I have said before: IRI rules by the sword and must be banished by the sword.
Iranian masses must be reminded of this blood and ideological loyalty time and again!
The last group will abandon IRI as soon as it is to their financial benefit to support another political group. They are shrewd businessmen whose allegiance will change when the wind of time is blowing against IRI. The opposition neither can trust nor count on the support of this group as they are fundamentally untrustworthy allies.
A shrewd leader, though, may be able to use the last group to reduce bloodshed and to usher the transition of power more easily.
IRI Enablers
by Azadeh on Wed Dec 10, 2008 04:38 AM PSTWhat about the people that keep the IRI in power...the life-blood of the IRI: the military, the pastaran, the baseej! Their numbers are in the hundreds of thousands!
We often forget that without them, there can be no enforcement of the IRI's vicious intentions. I know some are doing it out of financial need, but I used to think this was the majority....I'm beginning to think that the majority of IRI enablers are not only acting so out of poverty.
So what about them? How do you convince those people to go against their ideologic heroes. How do you get through to so many who are so fundamentally Islamic that they've pledged allegience to this regime, to kill in the name of Islam. How do you "teach" democracy to these people?
Revolution
by Azadeh on Wed Dec 10, 2008 04:31 AM PSTI recall an IRI opposition leader once saying, "You can't overthrow a fascist regime by petitions and referendum...the very definition of a dictatorship as is the IRI means they will fight till the death." Hence, I wish a peaceful revolution were possible, but I'm going to have to agree that it's not likely. These people have held our country hostage for decades...they will not go without force.
L.G.
by Anonymous wow! (not verified) on Tue Dec 09, 2008 04:25 PM PSTI find your mind being logical and your intentions admirable, so I bother you with yet another of my comments, just to clarify that we can find common ground for the sake of the land that we lost in 1979.
You view mullas (and maybe leftists) too softly, assuming that they are simple by-products of shah's policies. I disagree. They are masters of deception feeding on illiteracy and religiosity of people.
Reza shah was harsh on mullas, who incidentally helped him to come to power, when he saw it impossible to progress the country in agreement with mullas. We leave this for another time though. Please see the work by Prof. Katouzian which is the most impartial evaluation of his regime that I could find.
The late shah was very tolerant of mullas, allowing the shrewdest of all, khomeini to be expelled instead of eliminated. Progressing iran, specially outside the elite parts of tehran was no simple task, when most of the opposition focused on pushing sha aside and speaking of the short-comings of his regime such as lack of free speech, single party, etc. that you mentioned.
As a small child in a city outside the capital, I remember that I had to accompany my sisters to their school everyday to repel religious community from throwing stones at them for being hejab-less.
My cousin who is just a decade older than I was saying that in the same city religious people, after doing a big toilet job, would yell to ask for the yard to be vacated so they can get out of the toilet with bare bottom and rinse their bottom in the pool in the middle of the yard to make their bottom theologically clean ("Paak"), since that was the only large pile of water ("kor") available. They would then bathe in the same water when saying daily prayers required. Dishes had to be rinsed in the same water to be "paak". and so on. This was just a generation ago.
This was the atmosphere that shah had to work with. Plus the leftist parties of the time, viewed likes of lenin and marx as saviors of iran. Please see the YouTube Golsorkhi's trial that he openly calls himself leninist in the early 70s.
Shah had 2 choices. Be harsh with opposition or step aside. Frankly none of us can say with certainty what would have happened had he stepped aside in 1953 or at some point later. It, however, cannot be denied, as we saw later, that true nationalists in the opposition were very few. Others were charlatans (islamists or leftists or intellectuals) trying to take over the country for personal wealth and power. Please see lectures by bakhtiar on YouTube where he says that he could give people what they were asking for, yet people did not allow him to do so. There is also an article from Fereydoon Hoveyda (iranian representative to UN) where he states that shah, inspired by events in Spain, was prepared to essentially step aside but apparently it was too late.
My point: no doubt, shah had flaws, but we should not consider people of iran of his time as innocent, educated, or nationalist as we thought khomeini was in 1979.
Please listen to Khomeini's sermons (I am sure you have) on YouTube, specially one from 1963 where he (justifiably perhaps) attacks shah for passing the capitulation law, maybe a shameful law, but a law that harmed no iranian as a result, compared to what khomeini did to thousands of iranian youth later on.
Please see leftist propaganda on criticism of the occasion of 2500 celebration that shah did and used it to the fullest against him. Maybe that celebration was unjustified or even childish, but still it was not a strong reason for throwing out the shah for. Such excesses exist in any country, including in western democracies.
You finally asked:
Can you honestly put the future of your offspring in the hands of another monarch for another 25-30 years? I can't...
My answer is: it depends. Let me explain.
Reza shah was good for his time, leading an ultra religious country with single-digit literacy, on the verge of disintegration. How else could he educate women when mullas considered women's place to be at home. When learning French (second language of the time) was considered "haraam". His time is behind us.
M.R. shah, despite all his short-comings that I acknowledge, was good for his time too; when he became the shah, iran barely had literate population (beyond what was required for reading Qoran) and when being a leftist of all sorts (maoist, marxist, leninist) was fashionable that he had to oppose. The author of children's book in my childhood whose name escapes my mind (someone like samad behrangi but not him), writes in his autobiography that his father, living during the time of the late shah, considered wearing european-style dress (coat va shalvaar) "haraam", considered being employed by a government agency "haraam". The next generation of these people had to be pulled out of the stable of ignorance by force and be educated. These people, more resembling people of afghanistan of today, were hardly able to decide what was good for the country. M. R. Shah's time is also behind us.
Today's iran, despite all the trouble that we are in, has literacy of high double digit; it is a different country with different expectations and demands.
My problem is that in view of what we have seen in the last 30 years, (a) we do not have any recognizable leader, and (b) I do NOT trust any emerging unproven leaders. People point to likes of Ganji and Baghi and Khatami as modern day democrats and reformers. I do NOT trust these people as they are indeed responsible for where we are today and up until a while ago they were part of IRI leadership. Once again, let me paraphrase Bakhtiar that the opposition democrats of today (when he was speaking -- referring to likes of exiled Banisadr) were the same ones that were screaming that shah's generals need no trial and must be executed as soon as possible right after the revolution.
I do NOT trust anyone associated with IRI's past or present.
In view of that if a person like RP can act as a unifying force to take us out of this mess, not with the intention of becoming a king like his father, but with the intention of allowing people to choose, and even if they chose monarchy (which I don't actually think they will), he would be a true constitutional monarch as is the case in sweden, holland, etc., only to act as a unifying force and a force against chaos, the kind that can be used by the opportunists to take over the country once again. In the long run, there may not be any justification for a monarch if and when iranians reach a point that can overcome their temptations to betray their country for personal goals.
BUT, once again, I support RP because I do not know of anyone else with same recognition. If such person is found, I will always remember that my first commitment is to free my country rather than blind following of any individual.
If you know of an alternative to RP, I am totally willing to listen and consider, and I am sure that a lot of other so-called monarchists are at heart nationalists that share similar inspirations: seeing iran turned into a free, decent, prospering, progressive, and just country, rather than a country stuck in the seventh century with no sign of change in sight.
I am sorry for my lengthy comment!
Shah was a forced government - IRI isn't
by Mehdi on Tue Dec 09, 2008 12:43 PM PSTSort of. I know most of you hate to hear it but Shah was forced on Iranians. Almost nobody disagrees with that. IRI was not really forced on Iran - unless you want to go back to 1400 years ago, or whenever it was that Islam attacked Iran and changed the system. I think during Shah's time, if there had been a referendum, people would have voted for some kind of Islamic form of government. Let's face it, brainwashed or not, Iranians strongly identify themselves with Islam. Even most of the anti-regime today, secretly do their praying and "nazr" and follow Islamic rites. Almost all Iranians, even when living in the US for 30 years, still do not allow their daughters to have a boyfriend - at least not openly. I bet most of them secretly wish they could somehow force their daughters to wear hejab.
Shah was a spcial situation - a sort of artificial government. Don't get me wrong I liked him and I disagree that he was a dictator (relatively speaking) but nevertheless that was a government that did not match the majority thinking. It was ahead of the majority thinking. I think most of you discussing Iran are among the selected few who has an education, has seen other countries, has been outside of their "tapaleh-fueled" village, etc. You have no clue about the nature of Iran. Maybe in this case ignorance is in fact bliss ;)
Can You Live With This?
by LalehGillani on Tue Dec 09, 2008 09:39 AM PST“Would we be cursing the shah today had he left mosaddegh to do whatever he wanted to with a weak government who was going around begging for $300M with nobody willing to provide him with his request, leading Iran into another Turkmenistan or Afghanistan?”
I honestly don’t know the answer to this question. I am not gifted with the art of “what ifs” but am confident regarding a few facts:
The Shah rightfully recognized Communism as a true threat to Iran not only during 1950’s but also all the way to the end of his reign. However, he failed to fully comprehend the power that drove mullahs to oppose him. That power was not a religious conviction to bring about peace and prosperity to the masses or a personal vendetta against the monarch. It was the thirst for absolute power, the thirst for Persian blood…
In all fairness, the Shah and the rest of the world at that time had not yet been hit by the new wave of radical Islam, and the Soviet Union was still regarded as the main enemy. For that reason, I hesitate to engage in discussions based on “what if” scenarios.
Having said all this, please help me understand the following:
For a shah whose dynasty had brought about numerous modern changes to Iran, for the son of a father whose soldiers had literally chased mullahs down the twisted back alleys of Qom and Mashhad to shave their beards and to rip their turbans off their heads, for a proud Iranian who was well versed in the history of ancient Persia, for a king who hosted lavish celebrations of Persepolis to bring to life the glory of Persian Empire, how do you reconcile his vacillation towards the offspring of Arabs whose swords were bathed in Persian blood?
Is it sufficient to say that he just made some mistakes? Can you honestly put the future of your offspring in the hands of another monarch for another 25-30 years? I can't...
Djahangir Why Don't You Start by Presenting Yourself ? ;0)
by Darius Kadivar on Mon Dec 08, 2008 04:50 PM PSTMy Dear Fellow speaking of Politeness I don't think I had the honor of being Presented to you ?
If the Monarchy is Obsolete then why do you even bother reading this blog and commenting ( You are Number 116) ? .
DOOST NADARY NAKHOON !
Besides This is between me and YT.
ADAB AZ KEH AMOUKHTI AZ BEE ADABAN !
Stop
by Djahangir on Mon Dec 08, 2008 04:27 PM PSTWhy don't you stop living in the past and enter the new century.
Constitutional monarchy belongs to the past.
Also try to be polite.
Also Prozac is spelled with a Z not an S
DJ
Peaceful Transition of Power?
by YT (not verified) on Mon Dec 08, 2008 03:04 PM PSTOnce a great man named Mahatama Gandhi said:
[...."What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans, and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or the holy name of liberty and democracy?"...]
Although an avid proponent of peaceful solution to any social and political grievance, but I have to agree with Ms. Gillanie's point regarding current IRI Regime.
During past 30 years, IRI, these anti-liberty hoodlums( I am being nice here) have proven time and time again that, they by no means will relinquish the power.
One must, in order to combat the enemy, come to the realization that, to what extent are these blood sucking, anti-freedom IRI Sepahies are willing to go? My humble opinion is that history has shown that this regime will do ANYTHING and EVERYTHING to keep in power. After all they have learned not to make the mistakes Shah made, which was to flee the country anytime there was an unrest in the country.
The only option that remains would be that of armed confrontation. However, question remains. Do we have any such group of people to lead us to liberty???????
Fortunately or unfortunately, Pahlavi dynasty have accumulated a miserable track record in governing the country. To both IRI and Pahlavi Dynasty Iran has been a gold mine for them to amass wealth, without regard to any human rights and dignity standards. Besides, Monarchy is an outdated and backward method to lead a country, Its time for Iran and Iranians to step into modern age, by having a democratic government of [By the People and For the People]
respectfully
-YT
Thanks antiIRI ;0)
by Darius Kadivar on Mon Dec 08, 2008 02:57 PM PSTIndeed You Predicted it ;0)
They are Hopelessly Silly
LOL