DEMOCRACY

“Our people are trying to break the bond set by God. That is human conceit rising against God. In this connection we must warn the Führer, that the adoration frequently bestowed on him is only due to God. Some years ago the Führer objected to having his picture placed on Protestant altars. Today his thoughts are used as a basis not only for political decisions but also for morality and law. He himself is surrounded with the dignity of a priest and even of an intermediary between God and man. We ask that liberty be given to our people to go their way in the future under the sign of the Cross of Christ, in order that our grandsons may not curse their elders on the ground that their elders left them a state on earth that closed to them the Kingdom of God.”

Martin Niemöller could have been an Iranian speaking today! He was a German anti-Nazi theologian and Lutheran pastor who lived through the Nazi years and only died five year after the inception of our version of Nazi-Islamic regime in Iran. He fought, lived and witnessed the deserving collapse of the Nazis; many were not so lucky, but their memory has lived on and shall never be allowed to be forgotten, for humanity’s sake.

Our case is hardly any different! The Nazis did not make it to a decade; our Islamic-Nazis however, have gone on for over three decades of their murderous reign. Hundreds of thousands of Iranian men, women and even children have perished at the hands of our version of God’s representatives on earth since 1st February 1979. Their memories too, shall never be forgotten.

The world is only too familiar with the fate of dictators; some acting like autocrats, others in their own tailor-made fascist methods. No matter how they rule, they all eventually fall to the wishes of their people. Of course in each scenario a slow and painful path has to be taken, but the end result is always - with no exception - the triumph of light over darkness. Why the despots don’t learn from history? That question deserves to be researched by sociologists and psychiatrists.

Today a new dawn, a new era, is prevailing over the shores of Middle East and North Africa. It feels like a new life, a new beginning, even though for us Iranians our path may be longer to reach the dawn. Nevertheless, the end of this long, dark and torturous night is near. Soon everyone will witness the rays of the rising sun in the East.

The recent out pours in the Middle East and North Africa for democracy are perhaps the result of what brave and undeniably courageous Iranians did in June 2009 - standing up against the most brutal regime, our region has ever seen. Finally this 32 year fermentation process seems near completion.

This awakening owes as much to technology, as to its technology savvy youth; who ask for nothing more than what they recognize as their most basic human rights: the right to live their life the way they choose but also to leave one behind for the future generations, better than what they inherited from their peers.

The new generation in Iran inspired by universal values: human rights, freedom of expression, secularism – and beyond all the out-dated isms - lives today in a ‘global village where frontiers are fading in a greater speed than one could expect from history. Recent surveys, reportage and statistics reveal that no place in the Middle East enjoys a larger and more vibrant population than Iran. Thus, it’s not surprising to see Persian reported to be the 3rd language on blogs on the Internet. But beside all facts and statistics, there is one major difference among the youth of this region to that of a generation ago. Unlike their parents who believed nothing can happen nor change is possible unless the great powers were involved or behind it, today’s generation understands that everything is possible, once they will it.

For so long the West banked on autocrats, despots and brutal regimes, not only in our part of the world, but throughout the developing countries to secure their interests, despite their continuous verbal diarrhea of rhetoric ranging from human rights to fight against international terrorism. Nevertheless, today I am optimistic. Perhaps I believe, they will now realiz that their lives too, and their ways of living, will not be safe if they do not support the same values for other nations that they safeguard for themselves.

My compatriots in Iran, especially the generation that has only heard or seen how its society used to be through the tales of their parents, or their photo albums, must remember that the future of Iran belongs to them and to their children. You have lived through the darkest period of our history and not only have survived but have flourished. In these last hours of this barbaric and inhumane regime, your unity and stamina is the only tool needed to destroy those whose intentions are to destroy everything that belongs to you and hence, to Iran. No power however, can stand against your will, and no bullet can kill the spirit that lives in you.

This regime with its ideology extracted from the abyss of man’s mind, is doomed to fall. You have already hit them hard, they have already lost the battle and feel dizzy, even if physically seem to still be standing or thriving. Victory is not far, and we as a nation no matter where we live have a responsibility and a duty.

No one claims that victory will easily be achieved. We will suffer – as we have, far more than other revolutions in the region. This Islamic Republic will shed far more blood than the world can imagine. They have everything to lose, hence, they will fight to the end. But so shall we. And when that day comes, it will seal for the last time so that such a clan can never exert any influence on Iranians lives ever again.

We are not weak and life is worth living. Sitting here writing these lines, I suddenly remembered the words of a man who made the world laugh! Charlie Chaplin in 1952 in one of his most famous movies Limelight to the question “what is there to fight for” replied: “Life is a beautiful, magnificent thing, even to a jellyfish. ... The trouble is you won't fight. You've given up. But there's something just as inevitable as death. And that's life. Think of the power of the universe - turning the Earth, growing the trees. That's the same power within you - if you'll only have the courage and the will to use it. To those who can hear me, I say - do not despair. The misery that is now upon us is but the passing of greed - the bitterness of men who fear the way of human progress. The hate of men will pass, and dictators die, and the power they took from the people will return to the people and so long as men die, liberty will never perish.”

But we have not given up, we have begun this fight and shall honor the blood of all young friends of ours who have died for liberty. They believed in these words: better to die than to live on your knees.

The leaders of this republic know very well, no matter how many they kill, they cannot kill all Nedas! If these criminals are intelligent or if they have the slightest human dignity, they will not stand to the end. We know that they are neither intelligent nor are familiar with humanity. Therefore, we know that they will not give up. Nor shall we!

But for those who have not yet joined this struggle, I remind them of Martin Niemöller’s most famous lines:

When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.

When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.

When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.

When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I wasn't a Jew.

When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.

Remember this!

This regime will fall, and we will establish whether in the form of a republic or a constitutional monarchy - which we will decide, a secular, democratic and a just government. A new system that will respect human rights and abides by all international laws. However, the culprits of this Islamic establishment should bear this in mind: those of you who have committed crimes, will not be forgiven! You will be brought to justice, no matter where you go on this planet, no matter how many decades it takes, we will trace you down and we will punish you!

Justice has always prevailed or as we say in our Persian literature: the moon will not always stay behind clouds. For justice to prevail however, we should believe in our power, in our intelligence and let our desire bring that better life that we so deserve.

Together, we can do it!