ELECTION

American candidates have too much "show"

that must be what this author is used to. in other countries it's not a song and dance contest. it's not grade school.

you vote on issues and consequences, not personal appeal.

ناز نفست آقای آریامنش

دمت قیژ، خوشم میاد این کاره‌ای و خوب می‌فهمی. اینجا یه مشت مغز نخودی ریخته، یا دوزاریشون آنتن نمیده یا مرید اون رهبر زال ممّدن. معلومه دیگه، اگه با تحصیل خارج، خبرگان اجاز نمیدن نامزد اون زال ممّد شن رایشونم نباید قبول کنن. ولی‌ میبینی‌ که این مزدوران کل عباسی کون خودشون پاره می‌کنن مردم برن رای بدن، فرداشم جعبه آرارو یه‌راست میندازن تو زباله‌دونی. یادشون نیست یا جوونن نمیدونن، شاه میومد امریکا، به دانشجویی ۵۰۰ دلار و پول هتل و اتوبوس یا هوا پیما میدادن بیان واشنگتن هورا بکشن. حالا چه پُلفُسُل چه ته سیگالی، مفت و مجانی‌ میره که به خیال خود سرنوشت ایرونو عوض کنه. امکانش بیشتره آدم با مرده در حال فرار لواط کنه. خدا وکیلی مزدورای شاه اقلاً یه پولی‌ به جیب میزدن. مجازات فرق نکرده ولی‌ پاداش چاپلوسی و تبلیغات این کیسه اَنها شده یُخ. این موسوی میگه چند هفته دیگه برنامهٔ اقتسادیشو بیان می‌کنه، آخه مادر به خطا دو هفتهٔ دیگه انتخاباته. میگن این همه جوون اعدام شد، این همه دانشجو تو زندونن، میگه اون کار قضایی هست و مسوولیت رئیس جمهوری نیست بعد میگه قانون اساسی‌ هم نمیخواد عوض کنه. پس بگو به تخمم خودتو راحت کن دیگه. اینم از اصلاح آخوندی در ولایت فقیر.

Reason Not to Vote for Mousavi

I will not for him simply because of the way that his beard looks. It's weird. It's patchy and thin...the other guys have beards too, but they look normal. Karoubi's in particular is full and very well trimmed.

Big Boy

I did not draw any conclusion from my quick analysis as far voting is concerned. I am simply opposing your claim that Iran is moving forward…

Voting for a reformist is another story. As I explained earlier, Mousavi is not inspiring at all…

And besides, this is all a show. The real power is not with the president, and Ahmadinejad is acting more as a Prime Minister. The armed forces, police, moral police, judicial system, intelligence services, Friday Imams (brainwashers for the uneducated masses), foreign policy making, nuclear energy and all kinds of powerful institutions are under the Rahbar...

Excellent argument.

Jimmy, bravo!  You've made very compelling points for change and reform.  For all the reaons you noted, every iranian should vote for change (Mousavi) as Iran cannot afford another four years of Ahmadinejad.  I applaud your insight.  Bravo!

Big Boy

All of sudden, Iran is moving forward?

Can you please tell me what happened in the reformist camp between 4 years ago and now? We saw Khatami standing for the elections and then moving to make room for Mousavi. All this happened in the past 2-3 months! WOW

Iran had $140-barrel oil revenue and billions of dollars have disappeared in smokes! Ahmadinejad is distributing cash handouts and potatoes to villagers to secure their votes!

We are asked to believe that Iran is moving forward while all signs are showing the opposite: 25% inflation, high unemployment, underemployment, brain drain, less freedom, more executions (350 on average per year).

Iran has basically no friend in the world and 3 rounds of economic sanctions were imposed on Iran in the past 3 years.

A reformist politician is brought back after 20 years of silence, to block Ahmadinejad’s reelection because there is nobody else who can stand up to him, the liar, the cheater, the clown, and all of sudden we are told to believe that the entire nation is moving forward! Of the two other candidates, one is a corrupt mullah who has stolen millions dollars over the past 30 years and one is a former thug on the list of most wanted of international police!

Their programs are just a joke: distribute cash money to Iranians from oil profit!

These young people that go to rallies are bored or seriously desperate, that’s why they turn out in huge numbers. Besides, I can show you the same kind of pictures for Ahmadinejad’s rallies! Balloons, flags, girls smiling and screaming:

//www.payvand.com/news/09/jun/1029.html

You call this moving forward? This is just a show.

MiNeum71

I disagree with you completely. Iranians are Iranians, no matter where they are. If you are not fighting, it doesn't mean others are not.
Think about that.

Dear "Parham",

Just one explanation (the very last respond ;) ), I wrote we are not allowed to choose, but should respect the Iran-Iranians we know and vote. If your relatives, living in Iran, tell you Parham Jan, Rai Nade then you shouldn't vote (I never believed all Iranians will vote), so I think it's very important to respect the opinion of the Iran-Iranians, after all they are the ones who are fighting that war, not you or me. Being affected of the elections is true, but not enough to act the voice of reason, we didn't deserve being such authorities. That's all.

By the way, you selected your location Europe - Other, and as I know (maybe I'm wrong) it's not possible to create an account in Iran.

?

They are...and part of the failed old politics of yesteryear.  You know, getting left behind while Iran moves forward. 

Big Boy

Why, are they not Iranian?

No Vote here!

اولندش ماها که خارج از ايرانيم نه تنها هيچ غلطی نکرديم بلکه هيچ غلطی نميتونيم بکنيم . سرنوشت ايران و ايرانی فقط در دست ساکنين اونجا هست و بس مستسنای چند تا سازمان جاسوسی و ضد جاسوسی مثل انگليسيا و الخ

   دومندش توی مملکتی که هيچ نوع چهارچوب سازمان سياسی تو حال و اوضاعش نيست و حزب فقط حزب الله است   چه جوری ميشه رآی داد تازه مگه تو قانون اساسی ننوشتن که آزادی هر حزب سياسی مشروط بر اينکه از حد حزب الله خارج نشود؟ 

  سومندش تو مملکتی که سر دسته دزداش تصميم ميگيره کدوم جلمبری کانديدا بشه اونم فقط برای ابقای طايفۀ آخوند و ملا  و بسيجی و تروريست و عرب پرست چه جوری ميشه رأی داد

  ما ميخواستيم به اون نوجوان دوازده ساله رأی بديم که ميخواست اسراييل و نقل مکان بده به هاوايی( کجاست جناب  گلدوست) ولی از شانس بد ما آقا سيد مردودش کرد و بردش به حجره تا چند تا شعبده بازی و کف زنی يادش بده

لب کلام اينه که فرقی نميکنه کدوم يکی از اين خوشگل ها انتخاب بشه یا ما به کی رأی بديم یا نديم اين خانه از پای بست ويران است و اين رژيم بايد بره 

Never!

Parham, I would never insult you by suggesting you're either Shahi or MKO.  A cynic you are, but calling you Shahi or MKO would be simply rude.  I like to keep things civil.

Big Boy

No, I didn't. I'll watch the re-run.

Wasn't there a supposition that I was either a Shahi or MKO?

MiNeum 71

How would you know if I live inside or outside Iran?
In any case, your logic is flawed: Iranians living abroad do get affected by what goes on in Iran directly and indirectly. Some more, some less. Think about it.
More, they have the right to vote as Iranians, meaning that's actually one thing the IR hasn't taken away from them. Are you saying let's take that away so votes and non-votes don't count there? That would mean you have an even more repressive line than the IR does!

More, it's a fallacy to believe and make people think that all people in Iran will be voting. There will be a lot of boycotters inside Iran too.

See ya.

Power of Negative

Nosratallah

Iranian in general like NOT TO DO whatever is that they are ordered to DO. This article's title is putting people in a position to DO VOTE ...  for the candidate by sugesting DO NOT VOTE ...

Nice try Mr./Ms. campain manager, it is an old trick we all know about it. This time we all might actually follow the suggestion and DO NOT VOTE ...

Have a nice day

Nope

Didn't make any "suppositions", just clarified my reference for you.

Did you watch the Mousavi/Ahmadinejad debate?  Who won?  :)

Big Boy

I actually am a Mossadeghi, so that should tell you something about your initial supposition. :)

Yeah, Parham

I will not start a 100 comments thread, so this is my one and only respond:

As long as you are living abroad, you are not part of the population of Iran (nothing to discuss about, population is the whole number of people or inhabitants living in a country), therefore neither you not I (also living abroad) are entitled to choose the next president.

We can't sit here enjoying the different freedoms and giving advises to Iran-Iranians, because we don't suffer the pains they do. It simply is true, we are fair-weather Iranians. I believe, you suffer a lot seeing the circumstances in Iran as I do, but this is not enough, living in Iran is like living in hell.

I have no big head, I respect the opinion of my relatives living in Iran, I vote for the person they want me to vote for, and they will vote for Mousavi. This sounds intelligent to me.

By the way, no non-voter could give me a witty answer, which solution they provide. Non-voting is a vote for Ahmadinejad, also the silliest person in this world can realise this.

Its really working

I just got back from a trip to Iran. The country is quite different than when I grew up there. The girls are gorgeous, the way they wear there rossari and roupoush is actually very nice and its an art to itself. What I am trying to tell you is the ingenious nation of Iranians are reinventing themselves. The four choices are actually very stark. For the record I liked Karubi, because he has guts, I also think it will be an upset if he finishes better than 4th. The choices are between people who want change and the guy who told USA to stick it where the sun never shines. Its a great election and I think it may have some unintended effects. The Iranians will make it better by being Iranian, they already have. I think they made Americans look at Ahmadinejad and see George Bush.

The fact is that most people

The fact is that most people on Iranian.com are a bunch of Iranians living abroad debating in perfect English over issues that do not effect their lives in any significant way. That's why they attach so much importance to the "symbolic" interpretations of participating or not participating in elections.

People who live in Iran know best what's good for them. And that's why the majority of them are participating in the elections.

DO NOT VOTE!!!!

It is truly a sad day when the victim gives in to the abuser and lives life as dictated within the abuser's realm of reality. When a system is corrupt within its foundation, when elections are a sham and candidates are a different shade of the same color... how can one vote and feel that they have actually helped in a positive fashion. Civil disobedience is within itself a means of fighting back... voting on the other hand is a confirmation of a system. For one to vote, they either have to be delusional to expect change within this corrupt system or truly believe in this establishment. I am neither. I believe Iranians should gather outside of every voting station and sit on the ground and not move... this should be a multi-million symbol of civil disobedience. To so ignorantly or intentionally encourage individuals to vote is similar to forcing a man to decide what method of torture he prefers... after all he might be lucky and get the whip instead of the hot poker.

Learn from history.

Hahah...no Parham, just an observer of history.  You know, the Shah was thrown out because he was a brutal dictator, hence the reference to Mossadegh.

مینوم خان گل

به حرف این آقا پرهام و آقا ایرونمن (اینم اسم شد؟) گوش نده. این آقایون شبیه من و تو تحصیل کرده نیستند، شرط میبندم تا بحال اکابر نرفته‌اند. فقط ما میتونیم به این و اون بگیم چکار کنند، اینا هیچ غلط اینکار را ندارند. اینا یک بار دیگه حرف زدن تو یه فحشی بارشون کن منم انگشت میکنم تو چششون. من یکی‌ که از خوشحالی تو پوستم نمیتونم بگنجم که رای بدم. خدایا این کروبی را رئیس کن، این پنجاه تومن گیرم بیاد.

.

Big Boy

So, like, you're a "Mossadeghi"? :)

To khaliband

Of all the questions that I asked in my comment, you did not respond to ONE, and the only comment you made was a personal attack on me!

What a big achievement.

MiNeum71

- You grow up
- I am part of the population of Iran
- What Iranians want to do will have direct impact on my life and my family's
- What do you mean "judge on people's opinion"?
Where do you see that here? And why wouldn't I do it?

Feeling left behind and irrelevant?

The change in the political environment in Iran is unreal compared with a few years ago (the blind won't see it, because, well, they're blind as in Shahi or MKO types).  Never has there been so much discussion about the future direction of the country, so much criticism of policy, so much open debate...even the Shah never allowed it (dictator?).  Talk about sham elections look at Iran's history all the way up to 1979 (What did they (Shah) do with Mossadegh)? 

But all that is history!  Iran is looking forward and this is quite possibly the most open election in the entire history of the country and man am I excited about this.  A win for Mousavi will set the country on an entirely different path.  The future looks promising.  Get on board or get left behind...in LA and in Paris.

Dear "eroonman", Dear "Parham",

What's your problem? Why does it bother you what Iranians want to do? Why do you presume to have the right to judge on people's opinion?

Only the population of Iran is entitled to decide, which person should be voted for. I respect them and help them with my vote.

Never thought of growing up?

eroonman

One small disagreement: I believe Khatami only stepped in and out in favor of Mousavi -- meaning it was just a show to gather momentum for him.

IT'S VERY SIMPLE....

the mullahs are making a feeble attempt to convince iranians and the rest of the world that they have "free" elections....GIVE ME A BREAK!!!
this akhoondism is a tree that has rotten roots which was planted by force 30 years ago! nobody wants these butchers and thieves to rule iran for 1 more day.....they will do anything to keep their status quo going- to keep raping iran, and shutting up anyone who questions their crimes.
what is the point of an election when a bunch of stinky footed mullahs pick who can and cannot run...
if they have true cojones, then they would let everyone run, and even leave a challenge open to change the regime, so they can run back to qom or switzerland with their billions of stolen wealth!

and btw, the pictures of these "candidates" makes me laugh so much, they look like hendoneh salesmen or abdarchees in schools before the fiasco of 79....what a disgrace to have morons like these running our beautiful vatan!