ELECTION

Setareh

I’m not here to tell you how to feel. As you said, you “have a right, to be disappointed enough with the system and abhor enough the theocratic system and uninspired enough by the candidates to not vote…”  And this, to my opinion , must be a blog in which you state your “feelings“ and not article in which your propagate some position one way or the other (the blog/article distinction is partly artificial but you should get the point).

One point though: calling the analogy between gender discriminatory laws in Iran (or for that matter any other discriminations in law or practice) and US gun-protection laws naïve in fact shows a good level of unfamiliarity on your part with the fundamental concept of freedom as defined and perceived in the US.  Now, I’m neither American nor a stranger in the anti-gun efforts.  And just like you I’m affected by discriminatory laws against women in IRI.  But to cry wolf that the problem affecting your is worse than other causes of social problems won’t get you that far.

I do agree with you that MHM is not a good speaker.  With some humility and generosity, one could perhaps see the specific character issues of the man (shyness  in person and social awkwardness).  But who said politicians have to be lawyerly in performance.  Again, I’m not challenging you on this last one but stating my own opinion.

کورش آریامنش

خیلی کیف کردم! وکیل من میشی؟؟
:)

dear keivonk

I lived in Iran during the previous election and felt the same way as I do now. In fact I felt more alienated living in Iran than I did living outside Iran. I lost faith in our people and our nation in many ways.

It is funny but this daroon marzi/ boroon marzi dichotomy is either used by the iri regime or by those expats who live outside Iran who feel like they know more about the iranian people's aspirations than their fellow expats.

It is a naive displaced political correctness that belongs more to Berkeley than Tehran. I, were ever I live, will be hugely affected by any change in Iran namely because the main reason I moved out was that I could not stomach the theocratic regime and did not want to raise my kids there. I would move back in a heart beat if I could live in freedom in my beloved birth place. So do not tell me that it matters any less for me than my mom who lives in Iran. In fact it means more to me because of my state of exile and my longing to go back. I think this is true for many of us.
Also, I think it is really naive to equate the second class citizenship of more than half the population of a nation to gun laws!!! If you cannot understand why a woman would feel doubly alienated by this system then I could not convince you in this one thread.

I have a right, to be disappointed enough with the system and abhor enough the theocratic system and uninspired enough by the candidates to not vote!

To whoever, I am not sure if it was you keivon, who said that Iranians are not splashy speakers: we have great orators. the akhoonds are great orators. khatami was great.
ahmadinejad is great in terms of speaking skills. Moussavi by iranian standards is a horrible communicator he repeated 'chiz' in the debate a hundred times! Karroubi is by far better.
thank you for reading and commenting.

Non voters all make the same incorrect statement

I have recently seen similar remarks made by multiple people, friends, and family members regarding the reasons that they will not vote. To expect inspirational statements from someone trying to be elected as President in IRI is naive and shows a lack of understanding of the political and social system which exists in present day Iran. Like any politician, a presidential candidate in Iran must appeal to a wide voter base in order to be elected. Although broad social change may appeal to Iranians living in Tehran and abroad, a much larger majority of voters live in smaller cities and villages. If any candidate were to make such "inspirational" remarks he would no doubt lose a large and much needed fan base in these areas. Secondly all candidates are operating within the framework of the Islamic revolution's system of control, and with the blessing of Khamenei. Inspiring Iranian's who live abroad with talk of reform is a sure way to lose this blessing. 

As for waiting for equal rights for women in Iran to vote, you may as well denounce your Iranian citizenship. What you are asking is a reform of Islamic law in an Islamic theocracy. Its almost as crazy as saying you won't vote in America until gun ownership is banned. When the time comes that such a change is seen in Iran there will be no need for you to vote because this regime will have to be destroyed for such changes to take place. 

People who choose not to vote are taking the stance that if you don't fully believe in a candidate, you should abstain from voting all together. I think this is a foolish notion passed on from older generations who view voting for anyone in this regime as an unacceptable act. The fact is that you have a choice between a person who is clearly a horrible leader in every sense, who has demonstrated this over and over again, and someone who has all the indications of being a much better choice. Just think of all the people who didn't vote during bush's second election. does it not anger you to think that there were enough people to vote him out the second time around, but many people just simply didnt vote?

Finally many people who are choosing not to vote are people who ultimately will not be affected by the outcome. I'm sure that if I lived in France I would have been much less upset about the prospect of 4 more years of bush. The fact remains that drastic regime change will not happen anytime soon, mostly due to the fact that everyone wants to see this change but no one wants to be this change. Everyone wants to sit on their computers in france and the u.s. and watch inspiring and bold statements by strong reformists who will bring about a new, western-friendly government in Iran. Everyone will be sitting there for a long, long time.

International condemnation

People can always shake off a yoke if they are firmly resolved to do so.

The will-power of a courageous nation is useful by attracting the sympathy, solidarity and support of the international community, as it was the case of the oppressed people under Apartheid. This is the reason; Gender apartheid of Mullahs'regime demonizes any eventual international solidarity as an evil attempt plotted by the enemy of Iran.

Today, in no case a subjugated nation who is isolated in its confined territory can acquire any liberating chance to get rid of their yoke. alone, a boycott of these fake elections is not enough; Iranians need an international solidarity, starting with a condemnation of these fake elections.

Ahmadinjead made sense during Bush era, but not any more....

When someone says that I voted for Khatami but then got disillusioned by him not making the changes he/she wanted, it tells me that he/she doesn't really understand the rule of law and democracy.

Khatami did (or tried to do) something that is unprecedented in our history. He didn't want to be Reza khan, or Chavez like, a one man show to fix things as he saw fit. He wanted to work within the system with the laws as they were laid out. As the executive branch, he could not change the laws but to operate within it. That is how it should work. It is not going to be a fast, changes are going to be slow and there are a lot of negotiation and consensus building that goes into it. In US it took from 1980 to 2009 to replace Regan-Bush mindset with that of Obama. And still there is no hope for some fundamental policies such as health care reform. A Reza khan decree would have worked, but the side effects are not exactly what people are willing to live with.

Mousavi is very methodical and somewhat boring. But that is the kind of personality you want in a president, at least at this time. There is no point in a President that is, like Paris Hilton, on front cover of every magazine. You don't want to continuously attract unwanted attention.

Even with his boring manners, Mousavi showed a major flaw in the president, that is really Ahmadinejad core issue. He has problem understanding and working within the boundaries of the system. When president of Iran is accusing a citizen that has not been convicted or even charged of any wrong doing (as he did to Hashemi and his sons) it says that president is not respecting the system and its judiciary. He takes the same attitude to global order and instead of finding a cleaver way to work the system, he makes loud accusations.

During the Bush administration Ahmadinejad's taking the fight to the enemy approach made some sense. But now it would be like a lightning rod that would attract all the negative energy of the world.

You really don't want Iran to be where all the negative energy (that has been accumulated in the world) to be discharged.

George Khan

nice to see you here. thanks for the comment.

Dear Laleh

Thank you for your comment. I pray for the future devoid of the current regime. I do not need 'political activist' to convince me. I am as mossadeghi as you. Ask dear Professor Kazemzadeh. I wrote something on Khatami a while ago when he first disappointed me and when I had not yet lived in Iran for four years and was not quite as jaded and pessimistic! In fact living in Iran made me feel more alienated from Iran than living outside ever did!
I think you might like it.
//www.iranmania.com/News/ArticleView/Default....

I don't vote because I don't

I don't vote because I don't endorse political theocracies! IRI is a political theocracy and its supreme leader acts as a dictator monarch. Therefore, it makes no difference who is gonna be the president!

A Future Devoid of IRI

I have read your article several times, each time attempting to assess the person behind the words. In you, I see an inner struggle devoid of any political agenda, a conflict that hasn’t yet resolved itself fully.

My position on the upcoming election and the participating candidates isn’t a well-kept secret. Neither is my political agenda. Consequently, I am interested in the thought processing of my countrymen and women whose political inclinations are defined not by idealism but by the necessities of life. For me, an engraved idealism has always overruled what is the best for my personal life.

It is important to note that your unresolved struggle is a typical one shared by the majority of Iranians. Although I can’t help but being overjoyed at your final decision, I am also overwhelmed by the responsibility and knowledge that there is much work to be done.

Iranian political activists must convince you to see a future devoid of the current regime…

يادم رفت

آقای داريوش .

ما عکس بهتر از اين نداشتيم، گفتيم کی بهتر از رييس جمهور محبوبتون

آقای داريوش خان

اينجا مثل اينکه هر کی ميخواد فحش و بدوبيراه بگه ورچسب شاهی و مجاهد به هم ميزنه. طبق گفتۀ شما هر کی با آخوند و ملا و هواداراش مخالفه يا بايد شاهی باشه يا مجاهد. نميتونه مثلاَ سوسيال دموکرات راست با چاشنی خرناسيانوليستم باشه. انوقت ميشه مرتد و محارب با خدا. شما تو اين پروسۀ آدم شدنتون راه ترقی و تعالی و انسان دوستی و جوانمردی و مهر و محبت و همزيستی و خدمت به مردم را ياد گرفـتيد؟ يا اينکه هنوز با ورچسب زدن به مردم با باتوم و طناب دار برخورد ميکنيد ؟ اگه نشانۀ انسانيت اينه که ما ميبينيم همش پيشکشش خودتون ما ترجيح ميديم تو جاهليت بمونيم .حالا مرام ومذهب ما هر چی باشه بهتر از مزخرفات حزب الله و حکومت آخونديست. ميخواستم بگم شاهی خودتی ولی ترجيح ميدم با ادب باشم

Kourosh Aryamanesh

اولندش شما شكل شبان بی مخ می باشيد
دومندش بايد شاهی باشيد
سومندش شانس دنيای غرب كه مهمان نواز شماست
آخرندش ما ايرانيا ديگه جاهل و خيابانی نيستيم، ما آدم شديم. اون مال زمان شماست.

let's get off our high horses...

i think all agree that the election process in iran is not democratic. however, let's suppose that the iri gov't will actually count the vote. maybe there are some fraud here and there but nothing significant.  let's suppose that the ruling elite would respect the wishes of those who vote especially since they have vetted out the candidates and know that none of them will challenge the establishment. in other words, each candidate is committed to preserving the establishment but has different methods in achieving that goal.

now, let's suppose that the election will be very close like the 2000 election in the u.s. in a fair election, the overseas ballots would become more important under such circumstance.

questions:

1. would the establishment let the votes of expatriates decide the fate of the outcome of the election?

2. in the first place, does the establishment allow an expatriate, or even an iranian residing in iran with foreign education run for the office of the presidency?

i argue if the answer to question #2 is no, then the answer to question #1 will be no as well. there have been some prominent candidates in the past who have been disqualified for the nomination because of their foreign education on the grounds that their minds may have been influenced by western thoughts and should not be trusted. then what is all the hoopla about why the expatriates should vote or not? is the expatriate participation used as a slap in the face of the west as khamenei puts it and then our votes not counted? iranians living in iran are better informed than us on their choices--and if my suppositions, above, are true-- their collective decision will make a direct impact on their life. while we sit here and don't want to be embarrassed that ahmadinejad is the president of our country. while i don't plan to vote, i'm not urging iranians living in iran to vote or not to vote. they know better.

Dear Farah Rousta and Iran Dokht

If you do not care how I vote and what I think then just don't read my articles and essays...It seems 'oddly enough', that you are my most avid reader, posting mean spirited comments on the threads of almost everything I write. Iran Dokht khanoom thanks for the civil and as usual well informed and thought out comment, if only more on this site were as civil and informed as you!

My Final Point of View

To all the girls and guys who think that voting doesn't change
anything, and from 1997 to 2005 the social circumstances were as bad as after 2005:

1) Read //online.wsj.com/article/SB124355320443064445... and //iranian.com/main/blog/jahanshah-javid/d....

2) You all deserve and I wish you the hell called IRI and Ahmadinejad.

Beshno Hamsafareh Man ...

Ma be tafavot Beh Tamasha Naneshasteem, Mah Khodeh Dardeem, Een Negahee Bi Gozara Neest ...

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Mt8bWn-UlA

Oddly enough ...

I am in agreement with Ms Sabety on this issue; all be it for different reasons.  But Ms Sabety, may I ask a simple question: why should it matter who YOU vote for?

FR

Persians must decide their fate

Greetings,

You are sweating like dogs! You have to decide your own destiny. AMERICA should not interfere into their business. Our Special Ops have failed this past 2 years. In 1953, we conducted a coup called Operation Ajax and took out Mohamad Mossadegh and replaced a prime minister with a dictator named Mohamad Reza Pahlavi. The coup was done by Kim Roosevelt. We apologize for that. We have done coups in other nations, too. IRANIANS must have a soft revolution like 1975 Spanish Revolution. The 1953 Coup was a major treason in the Persian history and its long shadow remains in your politics.

yada yada

When I was a kid I didn't like bademjoon, so one night when we had bademjoon, I said I want rice. My parents said this is all we have, So I refused to eat and I ended up going to sleep very very hungry that night.

That night I learned that with Gahr Kadan I don't get rice and bademjoon is still much better than sleeping on an empty stomach.

Those of you outside Iran with your stomachs filled with chelokabob sultani prescribing another no vote after the experience of the last 4 years, have no understanding of the empty stomach or beaten up face of a girl whose hair showed through roosari , living in Iran.

A misconception or a new trick?

The latest game is to drag people to vote with the scare tactic that if you do not vote Ahmadinejad will be elected and it is bad for the country.

In a room of some ten commoners in a party in iran I asked if anyone voted last time: one person voiced that he voted and voted for Ahamdinejad. I asked him why he voted for Ahmadinejad. He said he voted for him to deepen the disenchantment with the government and make the government fall sooner since he knew that ahmadinejad was the worst of all and could not do a damn thing for iran.

These people are all of the same cloth: nationless gangsters with decision makers being the same no matter who gets elected.

Mind you that Khatami's election brought nothing of substance to cure deep problems of iranian society, except for some superficial temporary relief in dress code and like. His election only caused the thuggery of the regime to be more of covert nature than overt and visible, the extent of which was not only not less but perhaps more: mass arrest of students and chain murders and blocking of freedom of press laws amongst examples what happened during tenure of that stupid non-iranian laughing mullas.

Major ills of iran are likes of economy, joblessness, addiction, poverty, lack of social security caused by regime agents, misguided foreign policy that does not benefit iranians, looting of natural resources for unholy objectives or personal and family benefit, lack of freedom of press, ... all institutionalized in IRI constitution, laws, and ideologies. Do you really think any of these people are capable of acknowledging any of these problems let alone addressing and resolving them. This is NOT an iranian regime and does NOT believe in progress for iranians. IRI is a gang of fanatics hiding behind religion to fool, to rule, and to loot for the benefit of themselves and their palestinian, lebanese, and iraqi brothers but no iranian. A vote for them is a vote against any and all things iranian.

It does not matter who gets elected; all these people have iranian blood on their hands and looted iranian wealth in their pockets.

صمدآقا

اولندش ما مخلصيم

دومندش ما اومديم پاشنه کفش و بالا کشيديم تا جواب اين جوجه موجه ها رو بديم که ديديم شما خرفهمشون کردين 

البته مشروط بر اينکه هنوز زبون فارسی آخوند پوروف مکالمه بفرمايند    

to: I wonder

In America and Western democracies each and every single candidate tells the voters clearly and in great detail what they are going to do about each and every single issue of concern to them.

LOL!!!!

...yet nobody knows until now what they are going to do to keep those promises

and this doesn't happen in America!!!?

Answer to All 4 Candidates ... ;0)

VIVE LE ROI

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-bRa86a8to&feature=related

Hee Hee ...

اگر " sheer ennui" بهتان مهلت داد

قدم رنجه بفرمائید  و مناظره را تماشا کنید.

 //iranian.com/main/2009/jun/mousavi-ahmadinejad-debate

Setarah

All true, except for one thing that all humans share, and that is hope!  Some people mistake this for naivete.  So be it.  But what sustains all humanity, is "hope" for a better future.  A future that nobody can ever predict.  What we know for a fact, is Ahmadinejad is a disaster.  To suggest that lets give him another chance would be the ultimate in foolishness, and of course never count out an Iranians willingness to act foolish.

I disagree with you that Khatami failed.  He did not.  What he accomplished, which continues to reverbrate through Iranian politics today, is that it is okay to speak up.  He challenged the establishement, said it is okay to reform, it is okay to speak up, it is simply okay!  That you don't have to be like sheep.  Did he turn Iran into Switzerland (Iranians have a fascination with Switzerland), no!  Did he change the trajectory of Iranian politics? Absolutely!

And today, we see an openness in Iranian politics that you will not see anywhere in the Middle East (including the supposed moderate Arab countries and friends of the US and Europe).

So, back to my point about hope; don't vote and watch the destruction and damage to Iran  continue, or vote and at least "hope" for a better Iran.  I choose hope!  

Finally, a sincere writer

It is refreshing to see writing that is from the heart and related to the real events and situations as opposed to some who write super-extreme falsehoods and misrepresentations, half truth, etc.

I think what the writer is running into is the lack of real choice that plagues pretty much any election in any country. In the US this has been the case for a long time and even the last one which was different was so only because the existing ruling group had messed up so badly that it was a no-brainer to go the other way. But it does not mean that America will see any real change.

More than just an election is needed to push a society into very high altitudes of modernity, freedom and democracy.

Dear all

Thanks to everyone who read my piece and commented. Samad yours is the sweetest post. Just some clarifications for those who read and quote out of context.
I respect anyone's wish to vote. I even said that I would welcome a reformist win. I just do not want to vote and I have a right to that choice. I cannot become a believer in this system that I abhor with someone like Moussavi who has neither message nor muster. I was excited and moved to hope with Khatami but that died with his impotence. I lived in Iran the last round of elections and felt the same way as I do now. So my location inside or outside Iran makes no difference to my opinion in this matter. Also though I did say that Moussavi made me yawn, to make a point not thinking that I would be taken literary, that is not, and this is clear in the article for anyone who can read properly, the reason why I am not voting for him. I am not voting for him mainly for the simple reason that I do not think he can deliver.
Not one of his supporters in this thread answered my question which was the gist of the article: "How can anyone in their right mind believe that this guy could achieve what Khatami failed to deliver so miserably?"

To Anonymous8 or whatever

In America and Western democracies each and every single candidate tells the voters clearly and in great detail what they are going to do about each and every single issue of concern to them.

I have not seen this from any of these Guardian Council selected candidates so far.

All their energy is consumed by mainly attacking Ahmadinejad mixed in with a lot of very general hollow promises yet nobody knows until now what they are going to do to keep those promises and how they are going to react to the Supreme leader when he stands in their way to fulfil those promises (if ever possible), if they are chosen as president.

Vote/Don't Vote

When it comes to this "election", any way you look at it, it's a losing proposition.

Whether, we are talking about Ahmadinejad, Moussavi, or anyone else, this entire process is based on a sham. This isn't an election for president, it's an election for Khamenei's PR person. To call it an election is actually a joke. It's like telling a condemned criminal, "You're sentenced to death. But to show you we're good sports, we'll give you a choice of being shot, hung, electrocuted, or gassed. Feel free to choose your preferred method of execution."

As long as the situation exists where candidates must be "approved", there will be no fundamental change in the status quo, and therefore, no real tangible progress in Iran.

Regardless of the outcome of this farce, nothing will change. If Ahmadinejad "loses", it'll just be a new fly on the same pile of dung.

If the electoral process were to be completely open and transparent, with voters able to choose the candidate of their choice, and their choice alone, then a valid argument can be made for encouraging everyone to vote.

However, under these circumstances, a vote for any candidate is nothing more than a vote to further legitimize the IR. And by casting a vote, you have no right to complain about anything the IRI does that infringes upon your freedom, happiness, prosperity, or basic rights as an Iranian or as a human.