A few tentative, uninformed comments re the Tehran electoral crisis:
–Some of the theorizing about a fraudulent election seems as persuasive to me as, say, the theorizing that Syria knocked off former Lebanese P.M. Rafik Hariri in 2005– and occupies the same mental category for me: I want to believe it, but it's still largely theoretical.
–Bush/Gore in 2000, another disputed election, reflected a vast cultural schism in the American polity. Red states/blue states. Something of the same opposition is obviously occurring in Iran between a more traditional society (red state) and a wealthier, more highly educated society (blue state).
–Just because I'm on the blue states' side doesn't mean they won. Isn't this a conceptual trap for anyone considering the Other in international politics, and America too? As Mohammad of Vancouver, an artist who is not religious himself, pointed out here the other day, Iranians are religious by and large. So, goddamn it, are Americans. Lately Obama changed America by mentioning "non-believers" in his Inaugural, and I applaud him.
Are we wishing our own reform/progressive movement on other countries? Yes; because we are elitists at heart. But that is a dangerous game.
–The object of a democracy is to resolve revolutionary forces in the political process. Reagan. Obama. If we are for democracy in Iran, don't we hope that it will become more transparent and now give a voice to the tremendous forces in the street–and not hope that there is a violent revolution?
–Ali Gharib talks about conspiracy theories in Iran, and says they have some legitimate basis in reality. Yes and what about actual conspiracies in American politics? Good for her, Anne Flaherty of AP describes the hand of the Israel lobby in today's House resolution which condemns the Iranian crackdown:
Democrats, who typically are quick to voice their support for Israel anytime the Jewish state is seen as under siege, easily agreed to push through the resolution.
I'm also against the Iranian crackdown; but I am wary of the portrait of Iran that is offered in the U.S. by pro-Israel forces.
–Just to get back on my hobbyhorse, all these folks who are so concerned about regularity in Iranian elections, you would advance your case if you called for the application of international law to the slaughter in Gaza 6 months ago.
By "these folks", you are referring to pro-Israel commentators? It might be true that Ahmenidijad won. Its just that its impossible to know.
It wasn't also so easy to know who won in 2000/2001 in the US. Or what exactly happened in Ohio 2004 (was it?).
Iranian elections are the business of Iranians. Political corruption in the United States is entrenched to the point to make official American opinions meaningless. Our corrupt two-party system alone, makes official American concerns about other nations suspect at best.
Well said, Phil
I think in this post you have shown that you are continuing to freely think Phil, Bravo! I hope that you will continue along the same path…. I would like to add to your suggestion, "Just to get back on my hobbyhorse, all these folks who are so concerned about regularity in Iranian elections, you would advance your case if you called for the application of international law to the slaughter in Gaza 6 months ago." with the following suggestions, you would also advance your case if you called for an investigation into the regularity and fairness of U.S. elections, and you would advance your case even more if you were to call for an honest evaluation and revision of our double standard foreign policies…
"Are we wishing our own reform/progressive movement on other countries? Yes; because we are elitists at heart. But that is a dangerous game." No, Mr. Weiss, the dangerous game is moral relativism. I am Iranian and I support my people wholeheartedly in their struggle against a dictatorial, brutal regime called "Velayat-e Faqih." I also earnestly support the Palestinian and Israeli peoples in their struggle to establish a democratic state in Palestine that is based on non-religious, non-racist principles. Why is it so hard for some members of the American left to see that criticizing proto-fascism in Israel and criticizing proto-fascism in Iran are not contradictory?? Is it just because the U.S. is "friends" with Israel and has, historically, been an enemy of Iran? Have some nuance, jesus. This line of morally relativistic, quasi Ahmadinejad apologia is so depressing and makes me think that Americans are stupider than they seem. I used to love Mondoweiss because of its strong, principled stance against the disastrous human rights violations of Israel's colonial settler state, and its strong stance against American coverage for it. Now, seeing so many people here questioning the legitimacy of the longstanding, long-suffering movement of the Iranian people for democracy, I am disgusted. All you see is your own goddamn domestic agenda. You don't care at all about the people suffering and dying in Iran and dare to compare the situation, in such a banal way, to "red states" vs "blue states." The Basiji thugs killing people in the streets are not Rush Limbaugh fans! This is a horrible brutal regime we're talking about. Just because I sometimes agree with Ahmadinejad's stance against US intervention and Israeli policy does not change that! Just about EVERY IRANIAN, including Ahmadinejad, Mousavi, and myself, is against US intervention and Israeli policy!! Truly sad. Tomorrow is likely to be bloody Saturday in Iran, and all some people can do is worry about how this effects the Israeli-Palestinian debate.
I like many of your posts here on Mondoweiss. I'd just like to debunk your statement here that most religious Iranians support Ahmadinejad. My family is an extremely large, very traditional one: several members have held very high-ranking positions within the Tehran religious community, and some still lead services. In my entire family — which consists of dozens and dozens of individuals, I can only name one, very distant relative who is voting for Ahmadinejad. The rest are staunch Mousavi supporters. And yes, they pray regularly, wear chador, the works. Please do not make such strong statements without concrete knowledge, experience, or other evidence. This is a sort of insult to Muslims, unintentional as it may be. Thank you.
You haven't actually debunked anything. But it's great to read your perspective -thanks very much for that…
three cheers Todd! Why the hypocrisy about Iran when worse hsappens in Saudi Arabia – the fount of wahhabi fundamentalism? dorothty powell jones I know – i work as a a maid in the gulf
taking issue, Why should we believe that you are in fact Iranian? But I will give you the benefit of the doubt and ask you if you believe your family is representative of a majority of Iranian families? In other words, does your family represent the poorer majority of working class families that primarily supported Ahmedinejad or the upper middle class minority families that primarily supported Moosavi?
For what it's worth, the Saudis catch far more flack in the U.S. than Israel does, and Israel is far more of a threat to world peace than either Saudi Arabia or Iran is–and each offers much more to the world in the form of oil than Israel ever could. Maybe Saudi Arabia will come uder fire after Iran is subdued?
Why would I pretend to be Iranian? Yes, my family represents a wide spectrum of the socio-economic spectrum in Tehran — working class to upper middle class. Like I said, it's a very large family. Please read this excellent article written by Hamid Dabashi about how the conflict is not based on class issues here: http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/06/22/dabashi...