Wow. I have one honest question, though. Does it really matter who wins the election when Khomeini has all the power? Or is this a real revolution in the making? Seeing the comments from Iranians was more moving than the pictures, which were incredibly moving.
We're witnessing something incredible right now. Iran is supposed to be part of the axis of evil; it's supposed to be a closed society, shut off from the west.
Technology is blowing the doors off of those ideas. Look at the people; look at how modern they are, and young.
Looking at all those pictures, I get the impression that the theocracy there is hanging on by a thread. Either they will collapse under the weight of all of the digital evidence that is pouring out of their country, or they'll get even more repressive and violent. The pendulum is swinging towards the latter, by the looks of it.
What's so great about this is that all of this information and knowledge is pouring out Iran like never before. Finally the people in one country get to see what's happening in another, almost in real time, without the media interpreting or shading or doing whatever it is they do.
vikingvistaJune 15, 2009 at 9:17 pm
We know from the Internet and expatriots that there is a large suppressed liberal movement in Iran. The only allowed candidates are ones picked by the mullahs, but such a passion against the incumbant accompanied by cries of "Dictator!" suggest to us what these demonstrations are really about–rising up against the government in the only way available to a suppressed sophisticated freedom-longing people.
Where is the leader of the free world?
GilJune 15, 2009 at 10:02 pm
I thought Libertarians would be cringing as they hate the mob and mob rule (democracy).
vikingvistaJune 15, 2009 at 10:07 pm
Isn't it common knowledge that libertarians' first priority is liberty?
RafiJune 16, 2009 at 12:20 am
Yes but not by any means necessary – although the basiji (sp?) did initiate force.
Daniel KuehnJune 16, 2009 at 10:18 am
re: "Isn't it common knowledge that libertarians' first priority is liberty?"
I don't know if I'd agree with Gil's lead in, but I think it's common knowledge that libertarian's first priority is to oppose the government. It's also common knowledge that this is conceived of by libertarians as supporting liberty (and certainly in many cases it is – which is why I'm not a huge fan of government), but I'm not sure it's common knowledge that there first priority is liberty per se.
DouglasJune 16, 2009 at 10:20 am
Powerful pictures, but to what end? What if the protestors were successful and Iran got the other candidate hand-picked by the mullahs? How much of a victory for liberty is that, really?
That said, these Iranians are learning that they can fight back, which could be a great thing. Then again, the last time they fought back they overthrew the Shah (ruthless but Western in his outlook), to replace him with something far more totalitarian, and an absolute enemy of the West.
This isn't Berlin.
DouglasJune 16, 2009 at 10:29 am
One more optimistic thought. In Iraq, Iran has tried to exercise influence and terror to defeat the United States and rule supreme over the region. If the surge had been defeated in Washington they would have been successful.
Now, however, they've been defeated in Iraq and the backlash is being felt within their own borders. For all the talks in State Department circles about the glories of stability, instability is looking a good sight better at this point in the game.
MnMJune 16, 2009 at 1:20 pm
Some of those photos at the end are going to keep me up at night…
K AckermannJune 17, 2009 at 11:09 pm
If the people of Iran succeed in rising up, then history shows that the US will have to find another dictator for that country.
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{ 13 comments }
BEAUTIFUL!!!! Godspeed!!
Wow. I have one honest question, though. Does it really matter who wins the election when Khomeini has all the power? Or is this a real revolution in the making? Seeing the comments from Iranians was more moving than the pictures, which were incredibly moving.
More at Faramarz's Photostream at Flikr.
Courtesy Virginia Postrel
We're witnessing something incredible right now. Iran is supposed to be part of the axis of evil; it's supposed to be a closed society, shut off from the west.
Technology is blowing the doors off of those ideas. Look at the people; look at how modern they are, and young.
Looking at all those pictures, I get the impression that the theocracy there is hanging on by a thread. Either they will collapse under the weight of all of the digital evidence that is pouring out of their country, or they'll get even more repressive and violent. The pendulum is swinging towards the latter, by the looks of it.
What's so great about this is that all of this information and knowledge is pouring out Iran like never before. Finally the people in one country get to see what's happening in another, almost in real time, without the media interpreting or shading or doing whatever it is they do.
We know from the Internet and expatriots that there is a large suppressed liberal movement in Iran. The only allowed candidates are ones picked by the mullahs, but such a passion against the incumbant accompanied by cries of "Dictator!" suggest to us what these demonstrations are really about–rising up against the government in the only way available to a suppressed sophisticated freedom-longing people.
Where is the leader of the free world?
I thought Libertarians would be cringing as they hate the mob and mob rule (democracy).
Isn't it common knowledge that libertarians' first priority is liberty?
Yes but not by any means necessary – although the basiji (sp?) did initiate force.
re: "Isn't it common knowledge that libertarians' first priority is liberty?"
I don't know if I'd agree with Gil's lead in, but I think it's common knowledge that libertarian's first priority is to oppose the government. It's also common knowledge that this is conceived of by libertarians as supporting liberty (and certainly in many cases it is – which is why I'm not a huge fan of government), but I'm not sure it's common knowledge that there first priority is liberty per se.
Powerful pictures, but to what end? What if the protestors were successful and Iran got the other candidate hand-picked by the mullahs? How much of a victory for liberty is that, really?
That said, these Iranians are learning that they can fight back, which could be a great thing. Then again, the last time they fought back they overthrew the Shah (ruthless but Western in his outlook), to replace him with something far more totalitarian, and an absolute enemy of the West.
This isn't Berlin.
One more optimistic thought. In Iraq, Iran has tried to exercise influence and terror to defeat the United States and rule supreme over the region. If the surge had been defeated in Washington they would have been successful.
Now, however, they've been defeated in Iraq and the backlash is being felt within their own borders. For all the talks in State Department circles about the glories of stability, instability is looking a good sight better at this point in the game.
Some of those photos at the end are going to keep me up at night…
If the people of Iran succeed in rising up, then history shows that the US will have to find another dictator for that country.