In 1979, a revolution erupted in Iran that lead to the current repressive regime that is being protested by the Iranian youth wanting freedom.
Ayatollah Khamenei on Friday, June 19th gave a sermon rebuking the actions of those who had been protesting the June 12, election results for the prior week. “Death to America! Death to England! Death to Israel,” are among some of the chants that were heard during the Friday prayers in Tehran. The Ayatollah did warn of a crackdown on further protesting, and he followed through.
When the protests began on Saturday, June 13, after the election, they were peaceful protests demanding that their votes be counted. The Iranian election had a record turnout of over 32 million. In most parts because many disagree with the way that current President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is running the country. The reformist candidate, Mir-Hossein Mousavi had grown increasing popular, especially among the under 30 demographic which compiles over 60% of the Iranian population. Hence, the ones out protesting are people our age wanting their votes to be counted.
When the results were released only hours after the polls closed, people questioned how could 32 million ballots be hand counted in just a matter of hours? The answer and the belief by the Iranian people who have taken to the streets, is that the election was rigged and the results do not reflect the will of the people. After the sermon when the Ayatollah rebuked the protests and warned of the crackdown, those protesting began to chant, “Death to the Ayatollah.”
The Iranians are fighting for freedom now. Over the week of protests, those protesting peacefully were provoked and dozens were either shot, beaten, or jailed. This isn’t freedom, this is oppression.
President Obama has made a number of statements but none to add to the words of his speech in Cairo where he spoke of freedom:
“...you must maintain your power through consent, not coercion; you must respect the rights of minorities, and participate with a spirit of tolerance and compromise; you must place the interests of your people and the legitimate workings of the political process above your party.”
These people are hungering for freedom. Over the last several years of witnessing their neighbors in Iraq and Afghanistan participating in the democratic process and having the freedom to do so, they want to be a part of that. As I said, many of these protesters are those under 30 who have been subject to this oppression where men and women get stoned or lynched in the streets.
Regardless of what the outcome of this may be, should the American President rise in solidarity with those dying in the streets for a taste of freedom? That is a tough question because currently we are being blamed for meddling in Iran’s internal affairs. This is where it would be great to have President George W. Bush back in office, because part of the “Bush Doctrine” was seen as spreading democracy throughout the Middle East. Or like I implied earlier, maybe it was due to our actions in Afghanistan and Iraq that lead to the current desire for freedom in Iran.
George W. Bush would come out against Iran without any equivocation or a sense of appeasement. Courage and moral clarity is what is needed and the actions of President Obama over the past two weeks in regards to Iran have been all but that. The leadership of the greatest country, the greatest super power must be stern and stand behind those who seek liberty and freedom.
Marching down the streets with signs written in English and tweets on twitter proclaiming the evils that are happening, it is a cry for freedom and must be heard.
Article as written in The Shorthorn
A Response in The Shorthorn regarding this article
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