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Reza Joon, man up or get out!
21-Mar-2011
On March 6th at 12am, a BBC reporter slipped into the city of Zawiya under heavy fighting between the Libyan government forces and the rebels. As he wondered the streets, the BBC reporter came across a rebel fighter who was walking about, smoking a cigarette. The reporter stopped the rebel and asked him who and where his leader was. The rebel pointed at the sky and said, “God. He is up there somewhere.”
Just like the Libyan uprising, the Iranian democracy movement is pretty much in the hands of fate. With no cohesive strategy, mixed signals, characters with questionable pasts, infightings and conflicting reports of whereabouts of green movement leaders, the people’s demands for that illusive democracy is again grinding to a halt.
As the green movement’s leadership goes MIA and its organizational structure falters under the weight of IRI pressure and self-inflicted wounds, Reza Pahlavi finds an opening to fill the vacuum. Pahlavi in recent weeks has stepped up his efforts to repaint a new image of himself among Iranians. Pahlavi, who understands the value of good PR, has been making the rounds in Iranian satellite TV circus, answering questions that have been haunting him for the past thirty years. This sudden shift of strategy is helping his image and keeping him in the loop as a possible contender.
RP is taking a page from the US political playbook. His strategy is simple. Wait for the right opportunity to throw jabs. He comes in to political forefront every time the green movement suffers a setback. And during the green movement’s occasional moments of glory, he fades into shadows and waits for the next opportunity. This strategy keeps him around as a relevant player without exposing him to too much risk. RP is betting on the possibility that the green movement will eventually evolve into a secular movement with nationalistic connotation, and if that happens, he will be the VIP guest at the party and most likely at the top of the leadership food chain.
But Reza is committing a serious miscalculation. He does not quite understand the mentality of the very same people his father and especially grandfather ruled for many years. Reza Pahlavi is betting his money on a few westernized, educated Iranians who embrace and understand the structural hierarchy of a sound political system. That strategy is a big failure. Iran is a heavily traditional society. A society that heroism and valor is embedded in its DNA.
The very fiber of Iranian society is made from what Fereydoun Hoveyda called “Rostam Syndrome.” Iran is a country that its core population embraces leaders who display selfless acts of bravery... leaders who are willing to sacrifice everything they have to fight against what they believe are direct attacks on the good of the society. Now, that has not always paid off for our people. We often end up with leaders who hurt us more than they help us. Nevertheless, we are who we are.
Reza Pahlavi’s grandfather is a good example of Iranians’ infatuation with bravery in leadership. Reza Khan was a commander that led from the front. He repeatedly displayed courage under fire as he stored his dominion. He began an all-out assault against tribal bandits who terrorized the Fars province. He personally battled the tribal leaders, killed the bandits and stored order in a region that had never heard of the word: law. He then went to war against mullahs and did something unheard of before him. He intimidated, harassed and hung mullahs from ropes. That was challenging the status quo with courage not words... something that Iranians had not experienced much during the reign of the Qajar Dynasty.
Unlike Reza Khan, his son was not exactly what you call the icon of bravery. He repeatedly fled the country during the times of crisis and hardly ever showed any acts of selfless courage. Khomeini on the other hand, driven by paranoia that crusaders were still at war with Islam, and Israel and the US were on the path of destroying the very fabric of the Islamic values, showed courage by standing against shah and the imaginary forces behind him. Khomeini did not carry much credibility with Iranians at the beginning of the revolution but his status was elevated to Rostam when he intimidated shah to pack and leave.
Reza Pahlavi so far has shown no such courage. He has repeatedly missed opportunities to capture his people’s imagination. He seems to be relying too much on good old lip service (I volunteered to go back to Iran as a pilot to fight against Iraq’s invasion) instead of showing true courage through actions.
Pahlavi strikes me as a person who genuinely believes and respects personal freedoms. He displays a high degree of intelligence and great love for his country. He also seems to be an opportunistic politician who gets his moments in the spotlight as they come. He is not a risk-taker and does not seem to have the killer instinct that his grandfather had. And ultimately, he does not strike me as someone who can satisfy Iranians’ “Rostam Syndrome.” Maybe someday he will prove me wrong... but it’s highly unlikely.
Now, some say that Reza has chosen the path of nonviolence. So did Gandhi and Martin Luther King. But what separates them from Reza and people like him is the simple fact that Gandhi and MLK never hesitated to put their lives, families, fortunes and comfort in jeopardy for their people. Courageous leadership like that inspires people.
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Esfand
by Veiled Prophet of Khorasan on Wed Mar 23, 2011 06:50 PM PDTYour ridicule of RP is neither funny nor cute. You say "everything is sacred" then make fun of RP. By doing so you are making fun of yourself. If you really think everthing is sacred then stop making fun of RP.
If you do not then stop putting that comment at the bottom of your post.
PS: A person weight has nothing to do with their ability. There are plenty of fine and honorable people who are overweight.
MM
by Veiled Prophet of Khorasan on Wed Mar 23, 2011 06:45 PM PDTI very much agree with your positions and ideas. RP has in fact done many of the things you said. But it would be best if he went all the way.
To heck with the Gajar constitution. Let us have a modern Secular constitution. I am fine with having a ceremonial monarch him being RP.
I was having this discussion with my family this Nowroz. They are not very supportive of RP. However I pointed out that he is the best we got. Among the realistic options RP is by far the best one. He has everything it takes. Let us see: MKO; Mousavi or RP? I take RP in a minute. We have to get together and join our forces. No one is better suited than RP to be the focal point. There may be better people in theory but in reality he is the best.
Bahmani maybe "if" we stand up?
by Esfand Aashena on Wed Mar 23, 2011 02:29 PM PDTI take it you think the uprisings in Iran 2 years ago was a St Patrick's Day Parade!
Prince Chubby is what he has always been, consistent, consistently doing nothing!
Who said anything about "waiting" for a hero (much less Prince Chubby :-) to do anything? No one is waiting for anyone except those who are "waiting" for Prince Chubby to do something!
Everything is sacred
Sossan Khanoon monarchy is different from velayat Fagheeh
by Siavash300 on Wed Mar 23, 2011 01:48 PM PDT"Monarchy and Velayat-e-Fagheeh is basically the same ........" Sossan Khanoom
No, they are NOT the same.
A. Velayat fagheeh belong to lizard eater arabs and monarchy belong to Persians.
B. Velayat Fagheeh belong to 1400 years ago and totally barbaric and savage. Monarchy kept it's modernity from it's ancient time. U.K , the most democratic, modern country on the face of earth runs by monarchy.
Can't have it both ways...
by bahmani on Wed Mar 23, 2011 01:41 PM PDTYou can't blame RP for not being a Rostam. Then demand that he become one.
RP is the RP he has always been. In fact one of the best things about RP is his consistency.
While Rostam indeed saved the day for Iran, many times in the Shahnameh, maybe the real message we must take from Ferdowsi is that maybe, just maybe we the people of Iran are collectively the Rostam we have been waiting for.
Maybe if we stand up, the Rostam within all of us will also arise to save Iran once again.
Waiting for an actual hero to come out of the smoke and fire, is not the solution we need. If that is confusing, maybe we need to burn the Shahnameh along with the Ghoran.
Dear Joe L.
by Siavash300 on Wed Mar 23, 2011 01:26 PM PDTLet's me and you and crown Reza Palavi, and all people who love Iran work together and make it happen. All together, shoulder to shoulder working to rebuild Iran. How about that?
Payandeh Iran
RP2 can be a positive force - Enough speeches, time for action
by MM on Wed Mar 23, 2011 08:47 AM PDTBased on Reza Pahlavi's name recognition / funds / contacts, he is in a position to actually do something positive for all the opposition forces around the globe. Certainly, I hope he has more chutzpah to garner more meetings than what MKO has accomplished lately. My suggestions:
1. Announce a platform (others suggested it too) based on the numerous speeches he has delivered. Furthermore, as the head-monarchist, he should produce and sign amendments to the 1906 constitution (part of his platform) to remedy its faults (*), such as:
a. freedom of speech/expression, info., .....
b. equality of races, religions, genders, ....
c. separation of religion and government
b. government based on elections & not selections/pre-approvals
e. full implementation of the UN charter of human rights
f. .....?
2. Announce gathering of all opposition forces (monarchists, secular, federalist, ........) to strategize a unified approach towards democracy in Iran. Monarchism/jomhoori/federalism can be decided later by the people of Iran. No need to select a leader now, but a central committee for coordination.
3. Outreach to opposition inside Iran to coordinate protests/strikes/.... Of cource, outreach to anyone in particular inside Iran means a death sentence, so this may have to be an outreach to the masses and the real armed forces of Iran.
(*) Actually, I do not understand why the monarchists insist on referring back to the faulty Qajar 1906 constitution as if they want to revert back to secular dictatorship w/ Ayatollah-type needlings, again. By amending the 1906 constitution, Reza Pahlavi has a chance to make the Monarchist constitution his own, as well.
Parachute the King
by alimostofi on Wed Mar 23, 2011 08:23 AM PDTSounds crazy, but it will work. I have studied the King's horoscope. He has the power to act but it needs to happen intuitively. He really doesn't know it. Ok, hear me out. How many films have you seen where the most unsuspected person ends up doing the most incredible feat. You know that film Avatar, ..... think of that guy who ends up on that big red bird. That is the way we've got to get him to act. So guys and any strong girls, this is what we need to do. Kidnap him, put him in a plane, and parachute him into Persepolis. It will work. There is a magical force there that will take over him, and the people in Iran will rise. Any volunteers?
Ali Mostofi
//www.alimostofi.com
Hamsade: cheeky monkey,
by alimostofi on Wed Mar 23, 2011 07:35 AM PDTHamsade: cheeky monkey, there are ladies present and the King would not approve your etiquette. A bit of home work for you:
//www.theroyalarticles.com/articles/65/1/Prot...
Ali Mostofi
//www.alimostofi.com
i see reza joon as the
by hamsade ghadimi on Wed Mar 23, 2011 07:26 AM PDTi see reza joon as the reluctant heir to the defunct pahlavi "dyansty." he doesn't seem to enjoy his role but is playing his part for the monarchists and perhaps in a minor part for his mother and sister. as the monarchists are clapping and singing "reza joon bayad beraghseh," he shyly gets up and does a little gher.
ali, a bit of astrology for you: this months the full moon was 14% bigger than usual and it seems that uranus is about 50% bigger than usual. same goes for reza joon's.
siamack joon, your blog was as incoherent as ever. while you infuse some historical facts in your blog and urge reza joon to do something, you don't tell us what you have in mind. even if not palatable, at least esfand offers some suggestions.
Ali jaan "supposed" to do, yes. I don't suppose he cares!
by Esfand Aashena on Wed Mar 23, 2011 07:11 AM PDTسال نو برای شما هم مبارک باشد!
Everything is sacred
Esfand: I actually point out
by alimostofi on Wed Mar 23, 2011 07:08 AM PDTEsfand: I actually point out what a King is supposed to do, and has done on this planet. Salenomobarak.
Ali Mostofi
//www.alimostofi.com
علی جان چرا شما انقدر تو این مقاله شلنگ تخته میندازی؟!
Esfand AashenaWed Mar 23, 2011 06:47 AM PDT
Ali all of your comments are really out of this world, looks like literally as well!
Monarchists keep asking him to do "something" like building a platform or as you say a trip to an Iranian port in Persian Gulf to see if he really wants to be the king! But guess what, he is not going to do anything! The only platform he is interested in is a diving platform for his pool!
People put Qorans on their 7S tables all around the world by the millions! Khamenei is issuing Fatwa after Fatwa every year banning Wednesday souris and Norooz celebrations or 13 bedar, but no one cares!
There isn't anything Prince Chubby has ever done! Zilch! Nada! I even suggested as a minium he starts a cologne called Pahlavi but he is simply too lazy to do anything! Yet you keep jumping up and down about King this and that!
I am willing to bet his daughters will have much more tangible accomplishments in their lives than him. The only thing he has accomplished is to have a family, not a small feat but certainly nothing unique.
Everything is sacred
A good time for the King to
by alimostofi on Wed Mar 23, 2011 06:24 AM PDTA good time for the King to act. As Hirre pointed out I write about Astrology. We have at the moment a rare moment. The Sun is getting very close to Jupiter. It is a lucky moment for all. Set up your main plans in the next week. So the King must show his actions. Aries is all about action. Enough said. Move!
Ali Mostofi
//www.alimostofi.com
The King and Noruz at
by alimostofi on Wed Mar 23, 2011 06:07 AM PDTThe King and Noruz at Persepolis: here is a statement in a very good article about how Iranians built Persepolis for Noruz and the King's duty:
"A recent research shows that it was a very special occasion. On that day, the first rays of the rising sun fell on the observatory in the great hall of audience at 06-30 a.m., an event that repeats itself once every 1400-1 years."
//www.zoroastrian.org/articles/nowruz.htm
Ali Mostofi
//www.alimostofi.com
Soosan Khanoom: so you did
by alimostofi on Wed Mar 23, 2011 05:56 AM PDTSoosan Khanoom: so you did celebrate Noruz. Good. Well the Ayatollahs tried to ban it. Now the people want to have a mass gathering in Persepolis and the IRGC could not stop it.
Ali Mostofi
//www.alimostofi.com
ok i am back and just
by Soosan Khanoom on Wed Mar 23, 2011 05:06 AM PDTok i am back and just because I said I will .......
I was dancing and partying with a few of my friends in an event that Iranian Student Association held in the college that I used to attend ... The student had set up a little sweet haft seen and had invited some American Christians and Chinese Buddhists too .....
ok now .......i am still having hard time grasping your funny question ..... oh well .... . enough laughed already ... got to go back to work
Folks: it has been an
by alimostofi on Wed Mar 23, 2011 05:04 AM PDTFolks: it has been an amazing thirty odd years as we all have learnt how dear Noruz is. Our political activists, religious activists, have all realised that the fundamental thread that binds us, is this simple act of observing the moment of Noruz. So if anyone ever says that Iranians are never united, tell them that they are wrong. No other social system has managed to connect so many people for thousands of years.
Ali Mostofi
//www.alimostofi.com
Soosan Khanoom: your
by alimostofi on Wed Mar 23, 2011 04:50 AM PDTSoosan Khanoom: your flippant insincerity says enough about you.
Ali Mostofi
//www.alimostofi.com
I swear i will answer you
by Soosan Khanoom on Wed Mar 23, 2011 04:44 AM PDTI swear i will answer you as soon as I stop laughing ...
please give me some time ..
.... should send this to someone to make an sitcom out of it ... like " my life as persian "
LOL .. Rolling on the ground now .
will get back to you soon
Soosan Khanoom: I will ask
by alimostofi on Wed Mar 23, 2011 04:39 AM PDTSoosan Khanoom: I will ask you politely in another way. What were you doing at Sale Tahvil or the beginning of Spring at 23:21 GMT on Sunday 20 March, or at 02:51 Tehran time Monday 21 March? Btw I have not asked you this on any other day. You see, two hundred million people in eleven countries were together at that exact time. Every one right now is asking this question. If you ask an American Christian or a Chinese Buddhist they would think you are mad. Where were you? Or do you think I am mad? Keep your answer simple and polite.
Ali Mostofi
//www.alimostofi.com
you guys are so funny ... LOL
by Soosan Khanoom on Wed Mar 23, 2011 04:19 AM PDTyou keep asking me do I celebarte nowrooz or not? This reminds me of IRI asking anyone before a job offer that if they go to Namz jomeh or not ?
I am laughing my butt off and can't even sit straight to type ....
that is ridiculously funny
I am sorry that I have robbed sleep from your eyes ....... come on relax ....... I am one of the Seen on the haft seens ........" Soosan " ... duh
still LOLING :)
Soosan Khanoom: I was asleep
by alimostofi on Wed Mar 23, 2011 03:48 AM PDTSoosan Khanoom: I was asleep and you made some wrong statements. First of all did you celebrate Noruz?
Ali Mostofi
//www.alimostofi.com
Responses
by Veiled Prophet of Khorasan on Wed Mar 23, 2011 02:12 AM PDTSiavash Jan:
I agree with much of what you said. But I think Reza Shah should have kept his son right next to him. People will learn more from their own parents than any school. He could have taught much to his son.
ELS Jan:
You let out a MOOSE in women bath!! Shame on you :-)
Anahid Jan:
I give up on Soosan Khanoom. VF is evil; rotten and alien. Monarchy for all its issues is a very important part of our nation. I think even those opposed to Monarchy need to respect its history whilst VF deserves no respect.
Anahid jan .
by Soosan Khanoom on Wed Mar 23, 2011 12:39 AM PDTI agree .. I always say the worst type of the dictoterships is the religious one ....... but Siamck brought up Reza Shah the grandpa as well as khomeni ......... They were both guilty as charged when it comes to the women rights Reza shah beat the hell out of women and force them to not cover and khomeni beat the hell out of women forced them to cover .....So it depends how you as a woman want to be dressed then you can categorize one or another as being worse ......... .. I say and i am sure you agree now that to force a woman and tell her what to wear or not to wear is basically the same in that respects ........
other wise I also think Velayt Faghee is worse and that is because they sadly do it in the name of God ........
Soosan khanoom, velayat faghieh is worse than monarchy
by Anahid Hojjati on Tue Mar 22, 2011 08:55 PM PDTIn your comment addressed to me, you wrote that monarchy and velayat faghieh are basically the same. This is not true. I don't remember during Shah's time, any one told me to cover my hair or I had to worry if I walked with a non relative guy. We can be opposed to monarchy but we have to be fair: Monarchy and velayat faghieh are not the same. velayat faghieh is worse.
Mina jan, Sale no mobarak
by Anahid Hojjati on Tue Mar 22, 2011 08:30 PM PDTIt is good to see you here. My best wishes for you and your family to have a fantastic year.
Bah bah Mina khanom aziz
by Souri on Tue Mar 22, 2011 08:19 PM PDTWhere have you been my dear? You were missed here.
I was asking friends about you. I'm so glad to hear from you now. Wish you the best year ever, full of love and health and happiness.
And please don't walk away too far this time ;-)
Souri Jan/All the other Iranian.com participants
by minadadvar on Tue Mar 22, 2011 08:12 PM PDTSalam and Noroozeh Shoma Mobarak.
.........
by Souri on Tue Mar 22, 2011 07:54 PM PDTخدا پدر این رضا پهلوی رو (که شاه سابق باشه) باید بیامرزه، چونک هر وقت صحبت این بابا میشه، حد آقل دو سه هزار تا کلیک به این سایت میرسونه !!!
حالا چرا هی بهش فحش میدین....واسه سرگرمی شماها که بد نیست، کار و بار بیزینسی ایرانیان دات کام هم خوب میشه. خوش به حالتون که انقدر انرژی دارین به خدا..........هر دو سه هفته یه بار، یک بحثی در مورد این بابا راه میندازین و همون حرفهای تکراری دوباره شروع میشه، همون افراد همش میان و هم همون بحثها رو با هم دوباره شروع میکنن..........