Archive - Jul 2009 - Article

Where is my democracy?

What strikes one as profoundly important is the participation of ordinary Iranians en masse in what is nothing less than a demand for authentic democracy. “Where is my vote” is the question that Iranians are asking. If we deconstruct this question into its constituent parts, we have before us some of the critical components of liberal democracy, a la “the West.” The “my” represents the individual citizen who, after actioning her/his faith in the power of the vote, now demands to reap the benefits. The “where” represents that streak of unrelenting, yet reasoned skepticism that is the patrimony of open societies that are not averse to questions and questioning>>>

مبارزه بي خشونت

مبارزه ء بی خشونت بر اصل ساده ای استوار می شود و آن نافرمانی است. اصلی که به ما می گويد مردم هميشه اوامر حاکمانشان را اجرا نمی کنند و گاه قادرند به کارهايی دست بزنند که بر ايشان ممنوع کرده اند. زيردستان از قوانين زبردستان تخطی می کنند. کارگران با اعتصاب خود اقتصاد را فلج می کنند. بورکراتها از انجام دستورات ساده سرباز می زنند. دانشجويان از خطوط قرمزی که برايشان معين شده عبور می کنند. نيروهای انتظامی از سرکوب خودداری می ورزند و حتی دست به شورش می زنند. وقتی همه ء اين اقدامات با هم رخ می دهند مردی که تا مدتی پيش از آن شاه يا ولی فقيه بوده در اندک زمانی تبديل به شهروندی عادی می شود. قدرت سياسی وقتی مردم حمايت خود را از آن دريغ کنند به سرعت از همان می پاشد>>>

Meeting Mahbod

Last Friday, I visited the “Book Soup” on Sunset Blvd in Los Angeles to attend a book reading by Mahbod Seraji, the author of Rooftops of Tehran. Given the recent events in Iran, the atmosphere at this gathering started off somber. However, the heaviness melted just as soon as Mahbod took to the podium to tell us about his journey from a young reader on the rooftops of Tehran, poring over Jack London, to a writer of his first novel which promises to become a bestseller. Mahbod’s positive energy and impeccable delivery put me at ease immediately. Together with Sepi Seraji, his better half, the couple managed to inject just enough genuine camaraderie to the atmosphere in order make it an enjoyable evening for all>>>

Simplistic and shallow

During this highly emotional and volatile period in our history “Stoning of Soraya M” is released and what a timely arrival as if Hollywood had possessed a looking glass into the future. At the first glance, a movie that exposes the brutality of theocratic regime and its repressive laws and customs must be welcomed by all freedom loving Iranians, but the whole project reeks of an odious distortion. Presumably, in pursuit of freedom and justice we must embrace any document that exposes the brutality of evil and dark forces that extinguishes life and liberty. But the film makes rather spurious presumptions, and that is precisely the problem with the film; Iran is an arid land dominated by forces of darkness and evil doers>>>

Facts and Beyond

The disputed Iranian election of June 12th returned Ahmadinejad to office with a huge margin of votes over his main rival, Mousavi. Given Ahmadinejad’s track record for the past four years, there is a fear that he may interpret his official victory as an unconditional mandate to continue business as usual contrary to the demands of the opposition: an opening up to the West, more freedom, cutting back on handouts, and more. There is no hard evidence to either support or dismiss the official results. Recounting the votes will not resolve the dispute as a suspicion will always remain as to whether some of Mousavi’s votes were discarded. Rerunning the ballot vote has been ruled out by the ones holding the power>>>

Last night

I need ample shoulders
For this last night

I need new eyes
To stare at death

I need a caring friend
To tell the pain >>>

گفتی - گفتم

گفتی کودتا می کنم
گفتم برای من فرقی نمی کند
گفتی باتون یا گلوله می خواهی
گفتم  انتخاب با توست
گفتی اعتراض می کنی؟
گفتم اعتراض را قبول ندارید >>>

از چنگالش خون باز هم

حقه‌ها در حقه ها
مردان زنان حتا کودکان
را لحظاتی بی حس
اما آفتاب فصل بیداری
و مردمی مقاوم باز هم
ایران زنی با ندای آزادی
در هم میشکند
اسارت از رژیم تازی
>>>