I intend not to turn this weblog to a political forum of the old country because these are personal notes which barely anyone reads and I write them just for myself and my goal is to discuss the things that I experience at this side of the globe, not the other side. However, what happened in Los Angeles a few days ago, made me write the same thing that at times I tell Iranians when I bump into them:
The problem in Iran is new. It's just been felt more recently! When I was there, nearly 25 years ago, when an opportunity existed, told them that voting for anyone who works and represents Islamic Republic was wrong because the very nature of Islamic Republic was and still is wrong. Not many people listened and the one who did gave me just a big smile. The reason is that the majority of people were doing fine, financially, at the time and that's all what matters to most people everywhere, especially in a country like Iran which consists of the most individualists of all, in the entire world.
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| Khatami in military uniform in the 70's. Millions voted for this guy to become the President of the Supreme Leader, nearly 25 years ago(!) not understanding that any vote in the system, is an approval of the system! The funny thing is this guy blamed the recent demonstrations on foreign countries' meddling! |
Everyone seemed to be doing okay. Youth was very DiCaprio T-shirts(!), there were a few newspapers which people could express themselves freely. That, however, was calm before the storm. The government had something for them in its sleeve. Newspapers were shut down, authors, writers and people who spoke freely and criticized the system were assassinated, prosecuted and jailed. Many fled the country but that didn't have any impact on the average Joe! The majority of people stay uninvolved or non-compliant as long as they have things to feed their belly and below it. Nobody made a move. I got the hell out of these and at the time I was so pissed that I got a one way ticket. The decline or perhaps I shall say the nose-dive started there. The national currency started losing its value gradually, month after month. I was away and busy starting my life at this side of the globe and I don't know much detail but I think there were two things which resulted in the above:
1) Meddling in the region's stability through proxy groups which grew every year.
2) Nuclear ambitions.
There was so much back and forth but the ultimate verdict was strong economic sanctions by the European Union and the United States, mostly. That was when people started to feel the pain.
Being selfish and caring for nothing but their own and to be specific, their own food and biological needs, led to what we have here now in nearly 25 years. People have no respect for other people's opinion and the concept of disagreement without hostility is not known and appreciated.
That brings us to this U-Haul incident in Los Angeles, earlier this week: Someone who was protesting against the theocratic government of Islamic Republic drove a truck by a number of demonstrators who were mainly supporting the former Crown Prince of the country. The guy had banners on the truck, denying both the Islamic Republic and the former Pahlavi Royal Family. It was simply a peaceful expression of ideas but the crowd didn't like it and thugs attacked the truck. They broke the mirrors, the windshield and tore the side banners. I think the driver was lucky that LAPD officers were there, or he would have been killed!
People have no understanding that other people have different ideas. Respect them. What is the difference between the group who destroys a property which simply represent a different view and the government that jails, tortures and hangs its opposition?!
(Photo: A mob of Iranians attack the peaceful demonstration of a different opinion than most of the people in the crowd)
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