You Can’t Put Out This Fire, Ayatollah
June 20, 2009
It’s late Saturday night, and (shockingly!) I’m home for once, and I’ve been itching to say this all day, but it looks like Iran’s government is about to come crashing down.
Yesterday, Ayatollah Khameini decided to outright threaten the protesting Iranians by promising bloodshed in the streets. There was bloodshed in Tehran today, but the protestors aren’t backing down, and good for them. Moussavi himself has said he is ready for martyrdom if it is necessary, and boy, over there, that’s the ultimate sign of commitment. Through Twitter, through word-of-mouth, through silent marching against the Basij, much as Reverend King led African-Americans through Birmingham against the violent police led by Bull Connor, they are winning over the nation and the world.
I don’t think the Supreme Leader gets it. Skippy gets it insofar as he’s backed down on the rhetoric, because he participated in the revolution of 1979 at street level, but too many of these clerics at the top are so far removed from reality and are so used to getting their way that they just don’t realize what’s going on. A groundswell of support this large, that refuses to back down in the face of guns, batons, beatings, arrests, that will march in silence with fists clenched, claiming God as their right to do so, it’s incredibly powerful in the Muslim world and especially so in Iran.
This has morphed from just being about the stolen election into the idea that the very system of government in Iran has lost its way and needs to go. Khamenei is shooting a gun loaded with blanks and the protestors know it. When there is no fear, dictatorship crumbles. It is only when fear is in place that dictators can maintain their power, but if there are enough people who don’t listen, who don’t fear repercussions, and are willing to die for their beliefs, then the whole thing starts crumbling down.
I must say, I’m excited. I was born in the year in which Iran released our hostages, and almost 30 years later, we’re on the verge of a new, freer, Iran, thanks to a brave group of people led by our generation. Forgive me for taking this liberty, but to use two terms from two different languages, “Insh’Allah, vive la revolucion en Iran!” As long as brave people are willing to fight, then there is hope for the future.
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June 21st, 2009 at 8:24 am
Hope this is another good call. I also hope there are enough brave people here in the US willing to fight for our freedom. My fear is there may not be.
June 21st, 2009 at 2:08 pm
allahu akbar baby, allahu akbar;
i am sure the financial solons that rule this world are also quaking in their boots….
God i wish the internet had existed in 1938….
June 21st, 2009 at 4:41 pm
Amen, ADN.
Thad, once again I find we agree on something. I simply cannot watch the videos coming out of Iran without tearing up. May the Lord bless the courageous people of Iran, and make their desire to overcome oppression succeed. Today, all true freedom loving Americans are Iranians, too.