The Shapour Bakhtiar Blog

The Shapour Bakhtiar blog (most discussed) was just closed for good reasons.  I was a  participant on this thread  but I had to stop for two days and it closed before I could make a couple of comments to the bloggers. I think it was a very important thread. But I haven't really been able to read the numerous comments of the past couple of days so I want to just say what I thought was most important about the discussion as I left it:

--David ET's reminder not to get caught in the past. Do something now. Human rights campaigns are an excellent idea

--At the same time the past must be scrutinized together or, in my opinion as an observer, you will never be able to fully live with yourselves (much less with each other). I thought the discussion on the referendum of '79 was excellent because it is both so LOADED and so SPECIFIC at the same time. In other words, it is MANAGEABLE.

--at first I thought the idea of working on a MODEL referendum for the future  was silly. But thinking about it it's an excellent idea because it would bring people here together, force you to look at the past in the context of the future as opposed to being stuck in it, and force you to iron out your differences and agree on something important and concrete about the future. For those who are truly dedicated to the process and hang in there.

Would it make you relevant to the future of Iran? This point was justifiably brought up on the blog that you the expat community may NOT be relevant at all. Maybe, maybe not. But at least it would help heal the wounds in yourselves and between each other.

Anyway, I think you SHOULD be relevant. So who knows? You might even come up with something that will be respected and valued by the people in Iran when the time comes so it DOES make a real contribution. In any case one thing that's sure is that it will be difficult for you to be relevant until you heal the wounds with each other. So why nto give it a shot? Could only help and can't hurt.

Also I think this website can and should be used as a vehicle for more concrete activism. Otherwise a lot of its potential is being wasted. So to work on this project together is as good a place as any to start.

--Irandokht says new blogs, new blogs. NEW BLOGS should come out of this specific discussion on the Dr. Bakhtiar thread. Otherwise Souri is right. You wasted your time.. (oh and ARTICLES too. Don't forget that the general readership very often DOES NOT READ BLOGS...)

I am sorry I have had to write this very hurriedly. I hope it makes some sense to you.  Finally I wrote a poem for you inspired by our conversation. I was going to direct you to it on the blog itself but it was closed. I am posting it now. Please don't polemicize it. It's only a poem.

I want to thank the people on the thread who thought I was important enough to include me as an equal. As an onlooker all I can do is ask questions. But sometimes it helps to have a simpleton in the crowd.

Peace,
Robin