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Amanda Roraback's World in a Nutshell |
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Articles Can the West destroy Iran's nuclear capabilities?
Sanctions Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) (new 03/27/07)
Notes from Iran Is the US planning to go to war with Iran? ISOG (Iran Syria Operations Group) Iran's Military Op-Ed Iran better served by peace in Iraq Documents |
United we will be Free!
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Iran in a Nutshell
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Demonstrators against Iran's presidential race compete in West Los Angeles. To spectators approaching the Federal Building in West Los Angeles, the gathering of Iranians protesting the vote in Iran looked well-coordinated. Cars honked, placards waved in the air and passionate Iranian-American citizens bellowed political chants. But upon closer view, there were differences. Flags were flown only on the eastbound side of Wilshire. And the folks demonstrating on the westbound side were bedecked in green. Split by a busy boulevard, the two groups represented two camps of Persian immigrants in Los Angeles. The older Iranians on the south side advocated the complete destruction of the Islamic regime and the return of the Shah (or rather, the son of the Iran’s pre-Islamic leader, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi). On the other, more lively, side of the street, younger immigrants − many who voted for Iran’s president at polling stations in L.A. − wore green headbands, green shirts and even green shoes in support of reformist candidate, Mir-Hossein Moussavi. Rather than boycott the election, a form of defiance exercised in past elections, these Iranians sympathized with millions of their countrymen who came out in droves to cast ballots for change only to be shocked and disappointed by the result. A young recent immigrant expressed his frustration with a small but poignant placard with just two symbols, a question mark followed by an exclamation point. “We told them their votes wouldn’t count,” said one of the shah supporters. “Now they see that the government is corrupt.” “They’re in favor of the Islamic regime − they’re pro-mullah.” On the “green” side, one woman said “I was on that side 20 years ago. But now I see that they’re deluded. They want to go back to Shah times − but you can’t go back into history. We need to go forward.” Indeed when pro-Shah camp tried to cross the street with their lion-emblazoned flags (the flag flown by Iran’s former regime), they were turned away. “It’s a generation thing,” said an activist on the south side as she looked at the Moussavi crowd across the street. “They think Iran can change under the Islamic regime. But look at Khatami [Iran’s former “reformist” president], he couldn’t do anything.” Ultimately, both sides agreed that the “dictatorship” must go. They both despise Ahmadinejad, the conservatives, and everything they stand for. They all wish that Iran would become free and democratic. After three hours of division. Some demonstrators began chanting United we will be free (“Etehad Azadi”). In a dramatic gesture, the younger “green” crowd crossed the street en masse to join the older anti-Islamic Regime group. Green banners and shah-flags flew together as the LAPD worked to keep the burgeoning crowd of peaceful demonstrators out of busy traffic lanes. With differences resolved, at least for a few good photo-ops, the Iranians began to make their way back to their cars. Over chelo kebabs and doogh, they hope that their small contribution will help their beautiful country one day be free enough to allow all people to express themselves publicly, a country where police officers are deployed to ensure everyone’s safety − not to throw demonstrators in jail.
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