به زبان فارسی
PICTORY
LATEST MUSIC
SEARCH
Shut Up and March, Shirin!
23-Dec-2011
Shirin Ebadi was in Warsaw, to attend the European Union's "European Development Days", one of those weird European trade shows, the ones without the actual tradeshow exhibits. But nevertheless primarily this forum is geared towards promoting and increasing trade with the EU countries.
Baffling because Ms. Ebadi, or apparently now we are supposed to call her Banoo Ebadi, asked the attendees whose entire job and main focus is to increase EU business, to instead, stop doing business, specifically with Iran.
OK so I'm going to have to pause here, and try and explain things mostly to myself (because you never listen), to rationalize and avoid my head exploding.
Here's the deal as I see it. The government of Iran is starting to falter. The ridiculousness of the constant mantra of "Just Have Faith in the Islamic Republic", is now starting to even bore the poor who have been paid to be faithful all these years. Ironically the very act of paying the poor off, has in fact filled their stomachs so that they aren't hungry anymore, and with that, a low tolerance of the same day in day out repeatedly boring bullshit. So far the Great Satan hasn't flown in at night to steal and eat their children. But that new iPhone looks really cool. And the poor who aren't poor anymore, really want one.
The success of the Islamic Marxist redistribution of wealth has only created a very large Yawn. And an increasingly annoyed populace who don't want to hear about shortages and sacrifice, when in 32 years the Americans still haven't attacked.
So the Supreme Bluff played by the Supreme Leader is like this close to being called.
All that remains to screw it up though is for the US to attack Iran. Correction, for the US to fall for one of Iran's continued attempts to goad it into attacking. For if the US would just do that already, the Iranian government could probably squeeze at least another 32 years of "shut up and believe", out of the Iranian people. With just one continuous loop of, "I told you so!"
So anything, ANYTHING that would play into the hands of the Iranian government's ongoing 32 year lie, like sanctions, or an attack as surgical as it might even be, plays into their hands. And further commits the Iranian people to a life sentence of oppression, just as they are about to come up for parole. Nevermind that they never committed the crime in the first place.
back to banoo...
So here we have MS. Ebadi, barely visible above the big boys' podium in Warsaw, who in spite of the size of her melon, doesn't seem to want to get what her role as an oppressed Iranian woman is, asking the EU, the EU mind you, the EU that is not about to turn away ANY deal that might help turn around it's own riches to rags story, "Uh, Hey, is this thing turned on? Uh, yeah, so Don't do business with Iran. OK. Bye."
That's it? That's your big idea? Are you shitting me?
Shirin Ebadi has the potential to be the perfect storm at the perfect time. The storm is to champion women's rights and injustice.
Instead of trying to convince everyone what a good moslem she is, she should be tearing out the pages of the Qoran that insult and oppress Iranian and all women.
Instead of playing by the rules of an unjust Islamic court, she should be tearing out the pages of the Qoran that go against time and Greek philosopher proven regular proper law.
Instead of sitting on couches and chairs and squirming in her pantsuits answering the same tepid questions by her fans who pretend to be reporters, she should be standing and screaming bloody hell.
But instead of standing, I really think that Ms. Ebadi actually needs to be marching. She should find Iran's Selma and march to Iran's Montgomery. I'm not sure if the equivalent is Qazvin to Karaj, but it certainly could be.
Martin Luther King, marched from Selma to Montgomery 3 times. On March 7, 1965, known as "Bloody Sunday" MLK and 600 marchers were stopped the first time, by police beatings and police dogs. That Tuesday, MLK marched again, this time with 2500 marchers, crossing the Edmund Pettus bridge just outside Montgomery, then abruptly turning back. The 3rd and final march started on March 16 and a week later, and the marchers made it all the way to Montgomery ending at the state capitol building. The third march was escorted by the police and national guard.
There is NO reason why an act of civil disobedience of this same nature, would not work in Iran. Women are the much deprived, second, some even say third class of citizen, regulated, and prohibited from the most basic human and equality rights. Iran has imposed the Nazism of physically tagging women with clothing rules, and the most dehumanizing segregations of Apartheid, blended into a deadly concoction of slavery mislabeled and sold as an ideal intellectual concept of "Hejab".
Indeed the ruse has worked so well, that around the world, modern Islamic women accept this lower being status and rank, some even defend and cherish and willingly choose it. Usually they are ugly though. Uglier when the they try and justify why the hejab is good.
Ms. Ebadi however, remains blissfully clueless in all of this. Her substantial intellect apparently missing the key gene that triggers the obvious action she should have taken by now.
But, like rooting for the San Francisco Giants there is always pain, and there is always next year. Mostly though there is pain.
The upcoming election in Iran, with Ahmadinejad thankfully unable to pollute the air with his voice anymore, except for his continued breathing, the window for objection is wide open. The opportunity to expose the sheer ridiculousness of Iran's presidential election, and entire voting system and the fraudulent bases of candidacy and campaigning, too perfect not to seize.
Here's hoping that Ms. Ebadi wakes up from her Cyrus coma, and recognizes that when you win a Nobel prize, you are kind of expected to live up to it.
But seriously, peeking out over the podium and asking the EU to not invest in Iran is pretty funny and kind of cute and somewhat adorable, now that I think about it.
| Recently by bahmani | Comments | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Argo Reform Yourself! | - | Oct 28, 2012 |
| US Iranians Should Vote Locally, Nationally we're moot. | 9 | Oct 28, 2012 |
| Mirkarimi Win Bittersweet for Iranian-Americans | 5 | Oct 10, 2012 |
RECENT COMMENTS
IRANIANS OF THE DAY
| Person | About | Day |
|---|---|---|
| نسرین ستوده: زندانی روز | Dec 04 | |
| Saeed Malekpour: Prisoner of the day | Lawyer says death sentence suspended | Dec 03 |
| Majid Tavakoli: Prisoner of the day | Iterview with mother | Dec 02 |
| احسان نراقی: جامعه شناس و نویسنده ۱۳۰۵-۱۳۹۱ | Dec 02 | |
| Nasrin Sotoudeh: Prisoner of the day | 46 days on hunger strike | Dec 01 |
| Nasrin Sotoudeh: Graffiti | In Barcelona | Nov 30 |
| گوهر عشقی: مادر ستار بهشتی | Nov 30 | |
| Abdollah Momeni: Prisoner of the day | Activist denied leave and family visits for 1.5 years | Nov 30 |
| محمد کلالی: یکی از حمله کنندگان به سفارت ایران در برلین | Nov 29 | |
| Habibollah Golparipour: Prisoner of the day | Kurdish Activist on Death Row | Nov 28 |
Reply to: Hooshang TG
by bahmani on Tue Dec 27, 2011 02:43 PM PSTYes, we actually need a full list to track status and situation and so on. Otherwise it becomes a useless martyr list. That's not effective or productive. If we have a full list, we can trace and track and focus one each one's case, and so on.
I'm asking for more pragmatic reasons. Of course we must spiritually and morally support them and make sure no one forgets.
It's just really hard when we don't have a complete list of who's in jail right now, and why.
I'm working on this. Will let you know what I can find out.
To read more bahmani posts visit: //brucebahmani.blogspot.com/
Anahid
by Azadeh Azad on Mon Dec 26, 2011 02:08 PM PSTI did not ask you to shut up or not to make comments. These are simply YOUR misguided readings of my comment. (I laughed at your comparing me to male chauvinists, while in your previous comment I was an "extremist" feminist. Yeah, yeah, I know, now you'll say that they are both the same. LOL.)
What I'm asking you is to be aware that you can learn from those who know more than you about certain subjects, as we can all learn from you about certain other subjects. I know that it is our national shortcoming - especially among the middle class - to think that we know everything and that each of us is a physician, a lawyer, a cook, a sociologist, a historian, and an engineer, allowing ourselves to express "opinions" regarding any subject under the sun. But I thought you might be insightful enough to understand my point that my statements regarding women's issues are often scientifically-based, while yours are often unfounded and misguided (this soesn't diminish you, as my not knowing about engineering doesn't diminish me). Once again, you proved me wrong regarding your abilities.
I have tried to make you understand that you often don't understand what's going on and have difficulty connecting the dots (such as your recent criticism of my criticizing Hossein Bagher-zadeh's male chauvinism, referring to his article against an Iranian feminist). But to no avail.
So, I leave you at that and PROMISE not to make any further attempt at enlightening you regarding women's issues.
Cheers,
Azadeh
RG you give a very good argument
by Veiled Prophet of Khorasan on Sun Dec 25, 2011 11:26 AM PSTI have to agree with you what Shah took away did the biggest harm. I know many educated intelligent Iranians who left because of the Shah. No they were not in trouble with SAVAK. They just did not like repression.
The mere thought they may be picked up at him whim drove them out. My own father often said he felt safer in Europe than in Iran. There were a great number of Iranian intellectuals who left. They were not radicals but moderates. They wanted to help but did not want to "fight to death". That left Iran with only radicals. By driving away all the moderate and sane elements Shah left Iran only with the nuts. The rest decided to move and make a life somewhere else.
I know some would say they were not "dedicated". But another name for dedicated is "kaleeh khar". But here we are having what we got. How do we move on?
BTW regarding: "Personal business must yield to collective interest."
I disagree 100%. That is what Shah thought also. Put away the person and you got nothing. We must value a person and let them chose whether they want to put others first or themselves. Or we got a totalitarian regime,.
Merry Christmas....
Shah gave Iran a lot more than SAVAK and Restakhiz....
by Roozbeh_Gilani on Sun Dec 25, 2011 07:37 AM PSTHis governments support of the worst, reactionary elements of Islamist Fascism, such as Hojjatieh society, (with notable alumni's as Ahmadinezhad and Masoud rajavi..) paved the way for the nightmare of Islamist so called republic, Iran is dealing with today.
But what Shah took away from us should be of more concern, His taking away from Iran the brightest and best of a generaion of Iran's intellectual, secular youth . Hence leaving the satge open today for the third rate survival expersts such as Dabashi, Pasdar Ganji, Kadivar and like to become the "intellectuals" of the opposition
Make no mistake, Iran could suffer for generations to come for deeds of Shah and his SAVAK
"Personal business must yield to collective interest."
Azadeh, your comment to me is
by Anahid Hojjati on Sun Dec 25, 2011 03:43 AM PSTvery interesting. even though you complain about sexist men all the time, in your comment, you display same style of arguing that a sexist man would use. rather than showing strength of your reasoning, in your comment, you did at least couple things. first you implied that i better shut up regarding social issues since i don't have a degree in sociology. this is such an old fashioned argument. i don't see others on this site advising other contributors not to express their opinions regarding an issue just because they don 't have a degree in that field. this style is like men telling women that they shiould shut up since men are traditionally the more educated ones, father knows best and so on. another tactic that you use in your discussions with others on this site is that you distort their positions and then you win the argument against that distorted position. you did that in your comment addressed to me too.
Ah
by MRX1 on Sat Dec 24, 2011 09:23 PM PSTThe beauty of this Iranian republic is amazing that monarchists can never come up with anything as good that's for sure!!!! Nothing is funnier or more pathetic than iranian jomhorikhah, but then again the joke is on them.
Ebadi for president and dabashi as vice president now that get's my vote.!
Monarchist hallucinations (again)
by Hooshang Tarreh-Gol on Sat Dec 24, 2011 05:36 PM PSTThe only thing shah "gave" Iranian people was SAVAK, Hezb Rastakhiz,...
All of this 'giving' was in return for the power he illegally and immorally took, by the help of the US, from the legal government of Dr. Mosadegh.
You people been hallucinating for the past 32 years, might as well keep onhallucinating for the next three decades as well. Maliat keh nadareh!
It's over
by MRX1 on Sat Dec 24, 2011 05:06 PM PSTEbadi's 15 minutes of fame is over. she once had an opportunity to make a huge difference but she blew it. When the ears and eyes of the world was on her, she talked about gitmo, palestine and the usuall shit you hear from liberal idiots in U.S and Europe. (Not one word about Iranian political priosner's, women and students) As if all this was not embaressing enough, she bad mouthed previous regime and shah of Iran (You know the same regime that gave her voting right, education and made her a judge in the court! some thing she can't do now under this rapist republic). So my friend the train has left the station and at this juncture no body gives a hoot about this woman and what she says...
I think you said it best and it's fairly obvious:
"Ms. Ebadi however, remains blissfully clueless in all of this. Her
substantial intellect apparently missing the key gene that triggers the
obvious action she should have taken by now."
For Anahid
by Azadeh Azad on Sat Dec 24, 2011 03:19 PM PSTDear Anahid,
You say you are capable of understanding [social issues]. Really? How is it that I, a sociologist and an independent scholar, am not capable of understanding engineering stuff, but you, an engineer of some kind (computers?), are capable of understanding social issues that takes sociologists, historians, anthropologists and other social scientists years and years of studies and debates to come to understand?
There are a very few individuals on this site who think within a specific scientific framework. The great majority of the commenters just throw out ideas as if human society is a subject that is different from physics or chemistry and anybody could come and express an "opinion” about any social issue. It is good to have freedom of speech, but I don’t think freedom of expressing baseless or misguided comments called “opinions|” take us anywhere.
Difference of opinion is not the same as not understanding and not knowing. I can easily distinguish between the two. In your case, because you don't know (like the majority on this site) the ABC of how patriarchal societies work, when it comes to male-female relationships, you make comments that are not opinions, but just bits of impressions that often show your lack of grasp of the functioning of social systems such as patriarchy. (Plus you have a personal tendency to support the male chauvinists of the site and be a helping tool for their backward ideas, whether you are aware of this or not.)
Following my having read your comments for a couple of years, I have the impression that you have been the sympathizer of some leftist of organization in the past (maybe the Toudeh Party).This makes me think that you probably know enough about capitalism to have a meaningful discussion with someone regarding the world capitalist economy today. Now, imagine that someone, who has absolutely no clue as how capitalism works, begins expressing “opinions” that don’t hold water. Would you say that you have a “difference of opinion” with her? Of course, not. I am sure you would say, “She has no clue what she is talking about”.
There is also, I think, the problem of your mixing social sciences principles with those of pure sciences with which you are familiar. I’d give you one example of how you think that social sciences follow the same criteria for validity as pure sciences. Once when I wrote about Patriarchy, I mentioned that it includes patrilineality (children taking their names and inheritance from their fathers) as well as patri-locality (children living in the residential locality of their father). Your reply to my presentation of patriarchy and its institutions was something like this: “But I know of a family who lives in the city where the wife /mother’s relatives lives. What do you say about that?” Well, this shows that you are applying the principles of pure science (with which you are familiar) to social science. In pure sciences, the observations and the results of science must be *repeatable, testable and confirmable by other scientists*. Social concepts, institutions and practices do not follow these criteria. It is because we are dealing with human beings and not objects. Social institutions and practices are changeable according to social and historical and even individual contexts; they are subject to many other social factors in specific situations and thus not absolute and repeatable at all times. There are also always exceptions that confirm the rule, such as your example of your relative living in the locality of his wife.
Anahid jan, I would like to suggest that you do some research on the Internet about social sciences, Patriarchy, feminist philosophies and varied concepts, or take one or two courses in Women’s Studies. I myself am an eternal student and often take one or two courses in varieties of subject I’d like to understand better. There is absolutely nothing wrong with not knowing. What is wrong is refusing to accept that one doesn’t know and not be willing to take steps to learn. There is nothing more pleasurable to me than having an exciting exchange with someone who knows a subject and makes me reflect on her insights.
Wishing you happy holidays and a Happy New Year,
Azadeh
"Where is the full list of political prisoners Iran is holding?"
by Hooshang Tarreh-Gol on Sat Dec 24, 2011 11:48 AM PSTIs this suppose to be a rhetorical question?
Do you need a "full list" to support Political Prisoners in Iran.
Name recognition is not the ultimate social resource for freedom struggle in Iran. There are also other resources such as: community support, community organizing, community reach,...which makes political prisoners in Iran probabaly the most important community to pay attention to and support.
IC's initiative to post the profile of a political prisoner for each day, is a great new addition, and many thanks to everyone responsible for the idea and actaully doing it. Yet, even this great idea seems to fall on deaf ears, or is it blind eyes?
Afsos, o sad afsos.
Don't blame me for being bored
by bahmani on Sat Dec 24, 2011 11:07 AM PSTI agree, we Iranians tend to almost immediately yawn when faced with a choice to change.
Since you said you are yawning, here's the Wikipedia definition:
"Yawning is commonly associated with tiredness, stress, overwork, lack of stimulation and boredom. In [Iranians], yawning is often triggered by other[Iranians] yawning and is a typical example of positive feedback. This "infectious" yawning has also been observed in chimpanzees and dogs."
Not to suggest you/we are chimps or dogs, but seriously we should all stop yawning so much.
To read more bahmani posts visit: //brucebahmani.blogspot.com/
List of Political Prisoners
by bahmani on Sat Dec 24, 2011 11:01 AM PSTIf your assertion is true, where is the full list of political prisoners Iran is holding?
I often wonder if we should have a special site dedicated to them, so that people could find lost ones, and there could be more easier focus on them.
I agree, they are important, but as you can see, they don't tend to draw as much attention as a Nobel Prize winner.
Hence my point Ebadi should be doing much more than signing books.
To read more bahmani posts visit: //brucebahmani.blogspot.com/
Dear Faramarz
by Veiled Prophet of Khorasan on Sat Dec 24, 2011 03:29 AM PSTThank you for your kind words. Merry Christmas to you as well! I assure you I have always been 100% opposed to IRI. I realize I argued some odd positions at times but my real position is anti-IRI.
Regarding NIAC: yes I changed my mind on NIAC. I wanted to have an open mind and make an informed decisions. After a year of watching them I decided they are not acting in a way I could support. It is a shame but that is reality.
PS: I am heading to the home of my America ex-wife for Christmas dinner with the kids tomorrow. Taking my stocking with me! Kids are spending the night there because they got a chimney and their mom's tree is bigger than mine :-)
HTG: regarding Political prisoners….
by Bavafa on Fri Dec 23, 2011 05:11 PM PSTAnd I suggest;
shame on us, IC members, as there has been an array of “political prisoner of the day” every day for the last week and few have expressed their solidarity and support for them.
We certainly seems to have a very misplace priority in our fight and/or support
'Hambastegi' is the main key to victory
Mehrdad
...
by Hooshang Tarreh-Gol on Fri Dec 23, 2011 05:03 PM PSTPolitical prisoners have a much higher tactical, strategical value than any one-single personality, or march; non-violent or otherwise.
Political prisoners are the real weak link of Islamic Republic, and our motors of change.
Reply to bahmani: yawn
by Bavafa on Fri Dec 23, 2011 05:01 PM PSTP.S. Should you decide to use logic, common sense that is, wake me up so we can continue.
otherwise... happy holidays
'Hambastegi' is the main key to victory
Mehrdad
Reply to: Bavafa
by bahmani on Fri Dec 23, 2011 04:46 PM PSTDon't mix articles. :)
The government of Iran (not the people) should eat it's Goh, and stop developing nukes in order to avoid the US/Israeli bombing they have warned Iran about.
The people of Iran, especially Ebadi, need to take a lesson from MLK and fight for human (in this case women's) rights.
2 different topics dude.
PS who told you my nickname is Khoroos? :)
To read more bahmani posts visit: //brucebahmani.blogspot.com/
Reply to: Bavafa
by bahmani on Fri Dec 23, 2011 04:42 PM PSTYou're not getting it. OF COURSE EBADI IS BETTER THAN ME.
That's why I am suggesting she should march.
As has been so correctly stated by REA, "who has heard of bahmani?"
I'm just a poor son of a Ghashghai shepherd, and while I am not deluded enough to think that my marching would work, I am also not stupid enough to actually go out and do it just so that REA can say, "See! Didi behet goftam nemisheh!" Of course me marching would be ludicrous. Which is partially why I don't do it. Partially.
Of course it is easier to sit and lob ideas for others to do. But sitting and lobbing ideas is also better than nothing. I wish I had the courage to do more. I don't. Having only one life to live (sorry I don't buy the re-birth bullshit) this is all I can offer at this time in my life.
Do I wish I had not chosen my current life and devoted myself to freeing Iran from this Tyranny? Absolutely. I blame my parents for not letting me follow my dreams and making me follow a career. I'm sure you and many Iranians carry the same blame. The proof is, that most Iranians don't do anything, that's mostly why we are here in this situation.
All I know now is that He who survives wins, so while I'm not stupid like HODER to actually go back to Iran and get caught, I don't mean to imply that getting caught is necessarily dumb. It is however, highly ineffective. Especially when you don't matter. HODER matters. But HODER matters less than EBADI.
Nothing against the other esteemed Iranian Prisoners of the day. But none of them too, especially the men, matter like EBADI matters.
A) She is an Iranian woman, acutely aware of what it means to be oppressed. She has details. Women's oppression in Iran is the Apartheid issue of the day. It is also the weakest link in Iran's chain. They don't have a good argument for it, and this is the best place to start. Certainly better than marching for Moussavi.
B) She has won the Nobel Peace Prize. This is possibly even more important than being an Iranian woman. You might not think this is important, maybe you discount it because of it's low dollar value, but this prize makes her notorious internationally. And were she to be arrested, international outrage and pressure would be high. This makes her far more valid and valuable than me, or any other Iranian, or any Iranian prisoner in jail today, that I can think of. Certainly it makes her more important than any Iranian man.
Can you name one Iranian prisoner whose name sits beside MLK, Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, who fought for and won human rights?
Again nothing against Iranian prisoners of the day. We must always remember them and never forget them. But behind bars, with no Nobel Prizes to wave, they are hard to rally behind.
The odds are against it.
To read more bahmani posts visit: //brucebahmani.blogspot.com/
بهمنی جان، قسم حضرت عباسترو قبول کنیم یا دم خروس رو
BavafaFri Dec 23, 2011 04:26 PM PST
On one hand you are (rightly) telling us of MLK and his resolve who stood against an unjust system, on the other hand you suggest Iran, by definition Iranians, should eat it’s Goh.
You losing it man!
One wonders what would have been your advice to the black of sixties, “keep riding in the back of the bus, drink water where dogs drink and if you are submissive enough maybe KKK will have mercy on you and won’t whack you, by definition hang you from a tree or drag you behind their truck”
'Hambastegi' is the main key to victory
Mehrdad
Merry Christmas VPK!
by Faramarz on Fri Dec 23, 2011 04:08 PM PSTI really want to say his to you.
You have gone through a major transformation my friend. Nowadays when I read your comments I say to myself, “yeah, that’s what I would say!”
This was not the case before. Before this transformation or whatever it is that you have gone through, you would pick on little things to fight about, the hikers, NIAC or whatever and your comments were not sensible. Now, you talk with logic and reasoning on your side. What has happened and please share your wisdom with the rest of us. And I say this with my utmost respect and sincerity.
It is good to have you back and happy holidays!
Here is what I listen to nowadays; Sasi Mankan and the song Gooshvareh!
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykNvAgiT1Rw
Reply To:VPK
by bahmani on Fri Dec 23, 2011 04:08 PM PSTYou are correct. RP needs to march too. Anything else is mental masturbation waiting for the US to put him back on the throne.
Also, no one is suggesting going back to Iran without a plan. Of course risk of arrest has to be put into the contingency.
Arrest and what to do about it, is part of the strategy.
You're suggesting this:
"Nah, notch notch notch, Nemisheh digeh, bebin ta pato bezari to Iran migiranet va mindazanet to zendoon, va kar tamoomeh... Ah! too bad keh nashod, fekreh khoobi bood..."
NO, given the obvious response, what would you do to get around it?
THINK! FIGURE IT OUT! SOLVE X FOR Y!
Come on it's not harder than the concours exam you aced, is it?
To read more bahmani posts visit: //brucebahmani.blogspot.com/
Reply to: Bavafa
by bahmani on Fri Dec 23, 2011 04:01 PM PSTLove your name BTW!
As much as I hate to admit it, I have to say, I'm standing by my words you so generously chose to quote.
I think that being pragmatic and understanding exactly where you stand in an equation is a critical requirement of both sanity, and more importantly survival.
The insane thing, the irresponsible thing, the wrong thing to do when you will ONLY lose, is to go up against the US, or insist on some sort of retarded moral high ground.
Remember, Iran is defending it's "right" to develop a Nuke. I know in response to this, you will certainly argue the jury is out on Iran developing weapons, but come on, it's just us on a slow Friday afternoon before Xmas break, seriously? Iran is developing electricity?
Good, if you agree it isn't. Now back to whether Iran should eat it's Goh, swallow what little pride it has left, and stand down from this ridiculous position. Uh, Yeah, again, I stand by my words. Iran should.
If you know you're going to get whacked and don't stop doing that thing that is going to get you whacked, you're the stupid one, not the whacker, who warned you repeatedly not to do the thing.
Especially with innocent women and children involved, it's even more stupid and reckless.
Look, it's not like this Iran gives a damn about the mighty Persian Empire and Iranian pride. They have done EVERYTHING to separate Islamic Iran, and bury Ancient Iran, so exactly what pride and principle in the end, would you suggest is worth arguing to this horrible end result? Islamic Iran's right to what?
A) Islamic Iran is an oxymoron
B) There isn't anything nuclear that Iran needs
C) "Doth Protest Too Much" proves Iran wants weapons.
To read more bahmani posts visit: //brucebahmani.blogspot.com/
Relevance ,,,
by Veiled Prophet of Khorasan on Fri Dec 23, 2011 03:48 PM PSTI don't know how relevant this blog is; some of the points are good. But the measure of a good idea is not how many people know the writer. To me it is whether the ideas are good. These seem impractical.
I tell you people the standard "intellectuals" are a non starter and go nowhere. Of all of the well known only RP seems truly intelligent. Might as well put our hopes on someone whose heart is with us. Instead of begging Ebadi to change her mind.
Regarding the Nobel Peace Prize: I view it more as insult than a plus. With the sorry record of many of its recipients it means nothing. I advise all self respecting people to reject it.
"Repeating the march until it succeeds, a very good way
by Hooshang Tarreh-Gol on Fri Dec 23, 2011 03:39 PM PSTto wear down the opponents."
That's the basic idea, protracted warfare. Jang Farsaayeshi.
So, all we gotta do is:
1-Convince Ebadi to start a campaign about going back to Iran and getting arrested.
2- Line up another 100 Iranian women behind her volunteering to do the same thing.
3- Mobilize an army of media around these returns and arrests.
One, two, three simple steps! And you thought it was so complicated.
P.S. Instead of "Freedom Summers," we could call it "Freedom Springs," or "Freeodm Winters," depending how fast it get off the ground.
Freedom Summer//www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5_YAnqc29k
Who's ever heard of BBahmani in Europe ?
by Rea on Fri Dec 23, 2011 03:05 PM PSTYet, even the least educated European has heard of Shirin. Goes to say how relevant this blog is to the average European.
مرگ بر همسایه خوبه
BavafaFri Dec 23, 2011 02:38 PM PST
"If you want to be freed from the 3rd class level you are on right now, nevermind achieve equality, you need to actually march for it"
Some one needs to put his question to Mr. bahmani himself, when are you going to put your money where your mouth is and march for it?
Maybe a bit less nag on IC and actually support those who have been fighting IRI, it would help a bit with saving face. There has been a daily "perisoner of the day" of those who have been fighting IRI and paying a hefty price yet not one word of support from Mr. bahamani.
You know, I am just sayin!!!!
But I guess you are not here to support those who have been fighting IRI, are you??????'
'Hambastegi' is the main key to victory
Mehrdad
Azadeh,
by Anahid Hojjati on Fri Dec 23, 2011 04:14 PM PSTi am perfectly capable of understanding. it is just you and i have difference of opinions. i read your articles and even though you have good points but you are a bit too extreme for my taste. i agree with some of your positions and don't agree with some and this happens all the time. you would be hard pressed to find writers on ic who agree with each other more than 80 percent. so rather than trying to get me agree with you all the time, it might be better to get some agreement from others who are more opposed to your ideas. if you can do that, that will be the real honar.
Mr. bahmani has not been shy about his position or loyalty ….
by Bavafa on Fri Dec 23, 2011 02:21 PM PSTAnd for that I applaud him. After all, what else can we expect from a person who believes (paraphrasing here) Iranians are inherently inferior to the “Giants” Western/Americans/Israelis and therefore it is natural to expect inferior people should just “shut up”
Not all of us subscribe to that line of thinking though.
You may find the relevant info in this exchange with Mr. Bahmani who think Iran should just kiss up to US with the hope of one day to become cool.
//iranian.com/main/2011/nov/wow-trita-parsi-makes-sense
“Most of the time, nerds stay nerds, and the cool kids stay cool. Forever. Occasionally a nerd that befriends a jock, and buys beer for him, becomes cool.
Iran acts like it thinks it is cool, but in fact Iran is the uber-nerd of the world today. When that happens in high school, almost always the uber-nerd will get a wedgy.
So, if basic standard high school rules apply here, Iran (nerd) will be bombed (given a wedgy) by the jocks (US/Israel) if it doesn't back down soon.
I'm in the audio-visual club (or a friend to both) and am trying to avoid that. By asking NIAC to lobby Iran to retreat back to it's position as the nerd.
You're treading far dangerous waters insisting that the nerd-Iran should not back down and even rule the jock-US/Israel.
Ain't gonna happen my friend. It's almost 3:30, 7th period is about to end, and then the teachers and principal will be gone, and it will be just Iran and the US/Israel left alone in the playground.”
'Hambastegi' is the main key to victory
Mehrdad
Thank you Bruce Bahmani
by Azadeh Azad on Fri Dec 23, 2011 02:06 PM PSTfor your excellent response to Anahid Hojjati. Indeed, as you say, in Iran “men have it too good now” and “most Muslim men love it the way it is.” The difference in genders' positions regarding the IRI, and vice versa, has been a social issue I have tried to make Anahid Hojjati understand, to no avail. I have now given up on that.
In fact, I argue that the most important factor of the perpetuation of the Islamists' rule in Iran has been, and continues to be, the collaboration of the masses of Iranian men (and their alienated female relatives) with the Islamic regime (more important than the collaboration of the Western governments and corporations). The male middle-class university students are just a minority.
Finally, I agree that Shirin Ebadi is a great disappointment for the Iranian women and the whole nation.
Azadeh
Reply to: Hooshang TG
by bahmani on Fri Dec 23, 2011 01:54 PM PSTCertainly MLK's strategy as implemented in 1965 needs a major facelift given Twitter, FB and cellphone reporting.
But the fundamentally weakest point of the government's claim to power, is women's rights, and their oppression.
This is what baffles me about Ebadi's lack of effective action. She has the right issue, the right podium, and the right sex to fight the right fight that she can easily win. From a moral standpoint. And honestly I don't see even this government beating women who state at the beginning their intention to march peacefully in simple objection. Maybe even silent objection would be cooler. Because there could be no mistaking that for inciting a riot. The next move and mistake would be the government's to make. Having it recorded on video and so on, even more of a bonus to the cause. Repeating the march until it succeeds, a very good way to wear down the opponents.
One thing I just thought of, is that in order to arrest everyone, since men cannot technically touch women either, makes an all-woman march even more attractive. even if the government sent in women to arrest them, I doubt it would turn into anything too violent. either way, the march succeeds, the government looks the fool.
The other reason it could work, is that this government is not one to fall for such ploys, and would not want to appear to be oppressive towards women. Their claim is the opposite. that they revere and respect women so much, they cannot possibly let them have equality. Hence the policies. All of which are supposedly there to "protect" women.
Ebadi though, can argue the argument, that the Qoran does not specifically say it, then argue that it is only this way for tribal or traditional, and mostly Arab reasons, and then argue that it is logically, scientifically, and even morally objectionable and the real source of Eslam's current failure to communicate without the real and induced fear of apostasy.
Because as it stands right now, especially with things like drawing pictures of Mohammad, all they have, in order to hold onto complete control and full power over the people, is the fear of death, uncharged incarceration, and torture by Basiji, that comes from the slightest rumor or charge of apostasy.
That has to stop, and if it is stopped, will begin the next necessary process of reformation. If not, eslam will continue to struggle in the Spanish Inquisition phase that it is stuck in now.
Which by the way is also a very natural and common stage of any religions evolution. Part of the reason why Eslam hasn't evolved is that the West hasn't allowed it to.
I often wonder what Shiism would look like, if the Shah had allowed Khomeini to speak freely, then reformed as directed, and took the wind out of Khomeini's sails by arguing back that while it might be fun, that no one actually wants to go back to the 14th century and then proceed to out argue the preposterous suggestion. Point by point by point.
What would Iran look like today, if Khomeini had managed to convince the Shah to reform? What would there be for the Mollahs to do today?
To read more bahmani posts visit: //brucebahmani.blogspot.com/