Topic: iRan (Read 9806 times)

Arc · « **Reply #60 on:** June 19, 2009, 10:13:40 PM »

Quote from: Brentai on June 19, 2009, 08:30:27 PM

I'm just going to aim these guns at you, and if you get killed by them it's yoooooour fault!

Islam, Jews, British, BBC, Islam, Jews, Jews, Jews, British.

The Great Satan wears a monocle and sips Earl Grey.

sei · « **Reply #61 on:** June 20, 2009, 03:41:51 PM »

The revolution will not be televised. It will be blogged on HuffPo.

Mongrel · « **Reply #62 on:** June 21, 2009, 07:25:02 AM »

Looks like they'll use any site they can get pictures on.

They'll have to block the whole internet, really.

Mongrel · « **Reply #63 on:** June 22, 2009, 02:58:21 AM »

A portrait of Mousavi.

Pretty decent snapshot. Reminds us that he's far from being some kind of pro-western angel.

Bal · « **Reply #64 on:** June 22, 2009, 03:30:02 AM »

My impression is that these demonstrations stopped being about Mousavi quite awhile ago.

Mongrel · « **Reply #65 on:** June 22, 2009, 06:15:56 AM »

You are nominally correct. However, should the protestors achieve even a nominal measure of success, it is Mousavi who stands to gain.

Doesn't mean he's necessarily going to be another auto-autocrat and shit all over the reformists as soon as he's in power, but it does mean that we can't really say what he'll do for sure. Again, this is not really an Orange Revolution. If we're lucky, it will be the day that most Persians figured out that a sham democracy is no democracy at all.

Brentai · « **Reply #66 on:** June 22, 2009, 07:03:39 AM »

Think they've caught on to that one already, yeah.

Mongrel · « **Reply #67 on:** June 22, 2009, 10:24:09 AM »

Well, the main thing is if they remember it.

I know you're thinking "with the bodies of their friends lying in the streets, yeah, they damn well better remember.", but the Young Revolutionary is a fickle fellow. Sometimes appeased by the smallest of things, sometimes unappeasable by even the most sensible responses.

Mongrel · « **Reply #68 on:** June 22, 2009, 11:54:44 AM »

Quote

On Sunday, acting joint chief of the armed forces Gen. Gholam Ali Rashid issued a thinly veiled warning to Mr. Mousavi, saying “we are determined to confront plots by enemies aimed at creating a rift in the nation."

Annnnnddd there's the regular army weighing-in.

Shinra · « **Reply #69 on:** June 22, 2009, 05:15:05 PM »

I wouldn't count the army out just yet. Militaries tend to be instruments of totalitarianism, but they know which way the wind blows. If there is a solid chance of regime change, I would expect them to support it even if they don't want it, simply to insure that they can enjoy their current quality of life. Right now though, I think it could go either way and making the mistake of siding with those not in power could cost people their lives.

Mongrel · « **Reply #70 on:** June 22, 2009, 05:18:09 PM »

I don't know, it seems like the moment has passed. A lot may depend on what Mousavi decides to do next, or if it gets away from him again.

The one young fellow quoted as saying "The fire is out, but the coals are hot." probably has the most accurate view.

Brentai · « **Reply #71 on:** June 22, 2009, 06:48:13 PM »

Generally when the chaos recedes rather than intensifies when people start getting killed, it's a sign that the movement is quite stoppable.

Mongrel · « **Reply #72 on:** June 22, 2009, 08:25:47 PM »

Exactly.

Of course, the 'optimists' would tell you that things have quieted down because Mousavi asked them to, but YEAH OKAY GUYS.

Shinra · « **Reply #73 on:** June 23, 2009, 03:02:36 PM »

I don't really know if you can call "can't get on the internet because it's all been blocked" quieting down - there's still protesting going on, there's still rioting in the streets, there's still plenty of mobilization and now groups of clerics are throwing in their lots with the protestors. It's not exactly surprising that a nation with a secular, isolationist government that controls it's media is... being a secular, isolationist government that is controlling it's media. A lack of communication from the protesters does not mean the protests aren't going on.

The reason that we're not seeing giant 500,000 people clusters of protesters probably has something to do with riot police on motorcycles firing tear gas into any group of people larger than 5.

Mongrel · « **Reply #74 on:** June 23, 2009, 03:27:10 PM »

Quote from: Shinra on June 23, 2009, 03:02:36 PM

secular

Shinra · « **Reply #75 on:** June 23, 2009, 07:18:46 PM »

Yeah, that was a dumb choice of words on my part.

Büge · « **Reply #76 on:** June 25, 2009, 08:28:37 AM »

From Feministing:

Quote

My heart hurts for my people

Iran is a beautiful country and I couldn't be more proud of my people. Writing this post is bringing tears to my eyes. For the past few days I saw video after video of my brothers and sisters slaughtered in the streets. More than anything I saw the courage of my friends insisting on peacefully demanding justice in the face of violence. And I learned to be brave for them.

Iranians went out to protest when they knew they might die. This is not a stupid frivolous act. This is a very concious decision. The young woman who writes in her blog that she will listen to all her favorite music today because she doesn't know whether she will be alive tomorrow, is not stupid. She is strong, she knows the risk she is taking and she is still wiling to do it, and she knows why she is doing it.

I saw photos of Neda dying on the street. I can't see the video. You all should. I don't need to. Neda was a 27 year old woman, a university student of philosophy. And she had come out to protest with one of her professors. She was shot by a government thug militia f***er on a motorcycle right in the heart. She died within minutes.

It breaks my heart.

It crushes me and turns me into a ball of darkness and despair.

Most US media reported (incorrectly) that Neda was "a 16-year old philosophy student who was standing next to her father". The level of incompetence is unbelievable. Neda wasn't a 16 year old girl, she was a full grown woman who did not want to stay home and let a bunch of thugs roam the streets. She came out to peacefully insist on her presence in the streets that belong to her, to be present so they know she is there and she is not ok with what's happening.

The government made Neda's family bury her body only if they do it hastily, without telling people, and with the presence of security forces. They did not allow them to have a memorial service. They told ALL the mosques in Tehran that they are not allowed to let Neda's family hold a memorial service there.

Meanwhile the conservatives are using her death for their political gain, and the muslim world stays quiet and watches us get killed. For shame. For shame. For shame.

Brentai · « **Reply #77 on:** June 25, 2009, 08:31:33 AM »

Quote from: Beta Ray Büge on June 25, 2009, 08:28:37 AM

Most US media reported (incorrectly) that Neda was "a 16-year old philosophy student who was standing next to her father".

Her age and occupation were correctly reported, as was the fact that the Iranian government was not allowing mourning for her of any sort (a ridiculous Final Fantasy Evil Empire act if you ask me, but nobody did.) Fair to say that the poster is probably not hearing what the US media is reporting first-hand.

Ted Belmont · « **Reply #78 on:** June 25, 2009, 09:37:00 AM »

They've also evicted her family from their home and (maybe) told them she was killed by a hitman hired by the BBC.

Oh, and they're showing Lord of the Rings on TV to try to keep people indoors.

Brentai · « **Reply #79 on:** June 25, 2009, 10:28:59 AM »

Because when you want to dissuade a populist movement, a story about the littlest person toppling the greatest of evils is the way to go.

also christian parable lol

News:

Author Topic: iRan (Read 9806 times)