JJ jan: Sorry, that was not

JJ jan: Sorry, that was not an article. It was a comment posted on under dr. Sahimi's article at PBS>

I'll be more careful. Chashm.

Hitler too had numerous followers!

Millions of Germans supported Hitler and the Nazis while only a small German minority opposed them. So were those millions right because they were far greater in numbers? Many of them would later tell you that they were tricked and lied to and they were ashamed of the support they gave Hitler.

The ignorance of the masses should not be an obstacle or a reason to stop striving for a fair and democratic Iran. They will in time realize that they were nothing but pawns in the dirty hands of the present rulers.

More People?

Iraq , Germany, North Korea, Taliban, ....

yes of course they are/were people  

حق با تو بود اگر

Articles in comments

vildemose, I have asked you via email before. I ask you again: Please do not post articles in the comments section. In very rare cases that's ok, but in general the comments box is for comments only.

Mamnoon misham :)

""The only governments that

""The only governments that fear their "governed" are ones based on repression and oppression of people's rights which the enlightened among us regard as universal.

That repressive regimes can last for decades is proven by the instances of the Soviet Union, the People's Republic of China, North Korea and Myanmar.

You can only keep the lid on such a society as long as you maintain a coopted segment of society by dispensing government largesse, ideally to include the military, and employing censorship and strict policing of people's everyday lives who, though not recipients of windfall payments, are in one or more ways economically dependent on the government in power to live day-to-day.

The only people who laud these repressive societies, with their tight control of everything from what you are allowed to do for a living to what to wear and what to say before you urinate or as you breathe your last are those who benefit materially from them (the "more equals" among the masses of "equals"), or people who can't deal with unstructured environments, as for example our Muslim brothers in Western Europe who are woefully under equipped, both in terms of practical education and mindset, to succeed in a free society,

where at once the individual is both free and required to make these choices for themselves. Those who can't seek out "authority figures" to decide for them. See North, Central and South American criminal gangs for plentiful examples of this type of person, who longs for the structure and sense of belonging to something bigger than yourself offered by a gang (or by analogy, perhaps, by the Basij or fundamentalist jihad groups?) or life in a maximum security prison.

Eventually the costs of maintaining strict control over all aspects of society bring about the failure of these oppressive regimes; the only matter is how long it takes, depending, among other reasons, on the revenue flowing to the government - when your country is awash in oil export revenue, controlled by the government, ""

by Homayoun

source: Comment section of

//www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tehranbureau/2010/02/-opinion-many-had.html

pahlevonb: you are too

pahlevonb: you are too transparent dear...May you always ride your donkey...

thexmaster: Yes, you are

thexmaster: Yes, you are absolutely right.

Democracy means protecting the right of minority. What I was talking about was a hypothetical scenario wherein  the militant evangelical are in a position of power to change the constitution of the US over night. I know it will never happen.

 but I guess its just so

 but I guess its just so hard for you to conceive that there exists Iranians that don't support the government but give credit to the people living Iran to make their own decisions. 

Did you give credit to people who were fighting and dying on the streets of Iran just to have some freedom you and I take for granted?  Of course not.  You signed up here just to come to the rescue of these poor victims of the scourge of freedom of speech and internet opinions.  You must feel so righteous.   But it takes a special kind of person to state the obvious that the people living in Iran will decide the future of Iran.  Great job.  You must feel proud, and i'm sure pro-government people owe you and other unbiased pro-IRI supporters a great deal of gratitude.  

vildemose

Even if the Limbaughs and Palins became the next leaders, they cannot take away the civil liberties of people.  Freedom of speech, press and religion are protected.   And they will certainly not take away freedom to bare arms.  There is rule of law in the US, which protects the minority.  It's not just written, but it's practiced.  It may not be perfect, but it's very dynamic and changes with the times.  The IRI has been the same stinking turd as its inception.  They tried to make reforms, but the murderous thugs did not allow it.  And they still carry out the same deceptions, bussing in people, handing them flags and pictures until the job is done, then herding back into the busses. 

mollah nassradin: I think

mollah nassradin: I think you shouldn't leave your camel alone for a donkey...

You're just another IRI

You're just another IRI supporter playing pretend unbiased guy.  We already have one of those, and that's Sargord Pirouz.

Here you go with the labeling again, I'm not, but I guess its just so hard for you to conceive that there exists Iranians that don't support the government but give credit to the people living Iran to make their own decisions. 

Anyways gotta go back and ride my donkey.

thanks Iraj

Another great cartoon.

#best regards

pahlavonb

The ignorant mob in power in Iran are Iranian teabaggers, the Rush Limbaugh, KKK, and Sara Palin type. Imagine if Sara Palin and Rush Limbaugh become President of the United States and the Evangelical Christians take over the military and the army completely. Imagine militant evanglical christians, KKK, and the Pat Robertson type running America. The first thing they would do is to change the constitution into bible scripture...

There will be a mass exodus out of the US if that ever happened and in a few years there will nothing left of American economic power..

But guess what, this will never happen in America because everyone has access to guns equally and there will be a civil war before the democrats and other patriots allow their country to reach that point.

More disingenuous comparisons ala Pirouz

Try burning a trash can in US during a protest and you will also get an ass kicking.

If people were allowed to peacefully assemble and protest without being succumbed to tear gas, guns and batons, then there would be no need for burning trash cans.  But continue on with your poor comparisons.  We've heard them all before.  

Shall we decide what type of

Shall we decide what type of government they should have since we are so wise? Shall we just ignore what they have to say all together?

What the hell are you babbling about?  They're the ones who've been saying it, shouting it for the IRI in the past 31 years.  They've been shouting down anyone who thinks differently with their death to this and that slogans.  They're the ones in control and being controlled and here you are acting like they're the victims because some people on an internet forum made some negative comments.  How dishonest and weak can you really be?

pahlvonb: As I said before,

pahlvonb: As I said before, the ignorant mob in power only cares about staying in power at the expense of destroying the country.

Thank you for proving me right.

pahlevonb: The ignorant mob

pahlevonb: The ignorant mob are the basij, IRGC, Aabadgaran and their associated family members and beneficiaries. They have the guns. That's the only way they can stay in power. They are the rapists, torturers, interrogators, baton weilding, rent-a-mob mercenaries to terrorize the rest of us who don't agree with their violent ways.

Disarm the ignorant mob and end their welfare and see whether they support the IRI???

Pahelvonb

 last time I checked most governments do exactly that except they do it with a suite and tie, are you decent?

Which free and democratic governments arbitrarily arrests protesters, even before a protest?  Which arrest their families?  Executes protestors?  Arrests reporters?  Shuts down newspapers?  Breaks up memorial services? Threatens to kill 75,000?  Rapes?  Tortures?  Which one? Perhaps you are comparing the IRI to China, North Korea, Egypt...then yes, there are similarities.   

You claim you're not an IRI supporter, yet you use the same weak and  intellectually dishonest arguments.  You claim my "opinion" isn't the voice of the people, yet there are people in Iran who say the same as me and others on this site.  Are they not the voice of Iran as well?  

You're just another IRI supporter playing pretend unbiased guy.  We already have one of those, and that's Sargord Pirouz.

Pahlavonb: We should disarm

Pahlavonb: We should disarm the ignorant mob. That's the first thing we should do..

Here is Thomas Jefferson on

Here is Thomas Jefferson on being ignorant and incompetent. As you can see this is also true here in America especially during the Bush era.

 When people are ignorant enough to elect Bush, then they will have to suffer the consequences; as they are now with 17% unemployment, forclosures galore, one out of 8 children in the US below poverty line and so on...

This is the price of ignorance and ignorant people running any country. However, Iran pays a much more higher price for this ignorance because we don't have the industrail and technologica know how of the western societies to fall back on... We are so much more behind...That is why we can't afford ignorant people to determine the future of Iran. That is if we care about future generations of Iran and the very existence of Iran as a viable country.

"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, it expects 
what never was and never will be.   
Thomas Jefferson

Here 'free' in the context of Iranian society means more than freedom of hejab or not hejab; it means economic and physical security and social justice including 'human rights' NOT just the 'religious rights'.

' Ignorant' in the above statement,  also encompasses incompetence and lack of required credentials...

 --------------

Let me get this right, your basically saying here that these Iranians (Pro IR) are ignorant and that they deserve the government that they have due to their ignorance?

What do you suggest we do with all these ignorant people? Shall we tell them whats good for them since they are so incapable? Shall we decide what type of government they should have since we are so wise? Shall we just ignore what they have to say all together?  You tell me my friend. 

Pahlavonb

Enjoy the donkey ride while you can.

pahlevb: If "they are Iran",

pahlevb: If "they are Iran", why do they have to use brute force to rule over Iranians? Level the playing field and let the best man win.

The government of Iran does a lot of things that are wrong, using force being one of them. Try burning a trash can in US during a protest and you will also get an ass kicking. The difference is that Iran's government is more extreme, however, it doesn't mean that it doesn't have a large number of supporters like the ones in this image, my point is that they have more say than you and I and to question them is to question the exact thing your fighting for, democracy. Just think for a second, you may be wrong and they may be right. You couldn't imagine it could you?

Your people are in power and are abusing their power through murder 

MY PEOPLE? whos said they are MY PEOPLE. This is just another example of how you assume things!

 You are selfish at best and a traitor at worse.

 Selfish and traitor for saying that these are Iranians and they deserve to have a say in the land they live in and not to be labeled as ignorant just because they don't believe the same thing as you, someone who doesn't even live in their land??? Come on. 

Don't speak for other Iranians

I don't, and you shouldn't either! That's exactly what I'm trying to say. At least we agree here. 

Your equivalency argument (all governments are corrupt, rape, murder their own citizens) is also fallacious

I have yet to see a government that hasn't done the things you mentioned, please tell me which government your talking about, I would like to go live there. 

Get off your high horse and stop playing the victim card and accept the truth about the nature of the mob and their supporters in power.... 

I'm actually riding a donkey not a horse, but I guess in your part of town everybody rides a horse and look down upon the ones that ride donkeys. The point here is that your actually considering yourself the educated wise authority figure that can decided that these people, these Iranians that are supporting their government are "Ruthless and immoral"

Long story short buddy, wake up and see the complexities within Iran, its not filled with a bunch you's and me's, they are there own people and I respect their decisions, not yours.  

Baradar Iraj, cheh qadr gharbzadeh shodi

Akheh mostazafin mesl-e shoma keh kartoon nemikeshand. Fekr mikonam keh shoma bish az had dar fesadat-e gharb zendegi kardind. Mostazafin mesl-e shoma bayad beravand beh jebheh va shahid beshavand. Shenidam keh jebheh-yeh hazer dar jonoob-e Lobnan ast. Ghol midam keh biayam sar-e ghabr-e shoma dar Behesht-e Zahra va sineham ra bezanam barayeh shahadat-e shoma. 

Send it to Kayhan Iraj

I am sure Shariatmadari publishes it in the first page and you will receive favours from IRI for such service. They may give you some of the oil money. Who knows?

BTW, where did you meet your models?

Lets ask saadi....

سوال کردی که آدم که نیست.   سعدی مگه:

تو كز محنت ديگران بي غمي، نشايد كه نامت نهند آدمي.

حالا خودت حساب کن تو که به حل اونهایی که می‌‌خواهند مخلفت با
دیکتاتور بکنند و یا تو خیابان کتک می‌‌خورند یا تو زندان شکنجه مشن و تو
از محنت اونا به غم هستی‌.  حالا ترا خدا وکیلی اسمتو چه باید گذشت؟

IRI abuses their pure love & innocence to stay in power!

They are good human beings, they are just being abused by these bastards in power. They are being mislead. So please don't insult them as they are the regime. Educate them!

This is the danger when a regime uses the religion to stay in power! Destroys the religion and religious in the process. I thought that you are the smarter ones, then prove it by showing a deeper understanding rather than insulting them! Be kind!

Pahlavonb:  Here is

Pahlavonb:

 Here is Thomas Jefferson on being ignorant and incompetent. As you can see this is also true here in America especially during the Bush era.

 When people are ignorant enough to elect Bush, then they will have to suffer the consequences; as they are now with 17% unemployment, forclosures galore, one out of 8 children in the US below poverty line and so on...

This is the price of ignorance and ignorant people running any country. However, Iran pays a much more higher price for this ignorance because we don't have the industrail and technologica know how of the western societies to fall back on... We are so much more behind...That is why we can't afford ignorant people to determine the future of Iran. That is if we care about future generations of Iran and the very existence of Iran as a viable country.

"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, it expects
what never was and never will be.  
Thomas Jefferson

Here 'free' in the context of Iranian society means more than freedom of hejab or not hejab; it means economic and physical security and social justice including 'human rights' NOT just the 'religious rights'.

' Ignorant' in the above statement,  also encompasses incompetence and lack of required credentials...

Pahelvonb: The tryannical

Pahelvonb: The tryannical mob does not care about Iran or its well bing, they only care about remaining and maintaining the status quo because they are they enjoy a parasitic life at the expense of Iranian resources and national wealth without ever thinking about serving Iran only themselves...

No, sir, The majority tyrannical mob will be stopped one way or the other... because they are a danger to themselves (being ignorant) and to others and the rest of the world.

pahlevb: If "they are

pahlevb: If "they are Iran", why do they have to use brute force to rule over Iranians? Level the playing field and let the best man win.

Your people are in power and are abusing their power through murder, corruption and at gun point. If they were secure about their support of the masses, they would not crack down so severely on their own people at the expense of their entire regime's legitimacy. Something that they will not be able to restore once you lose it.

As an Iranian, you set a very low bar and standard for your country...I think it must be  the geda parvari and heghart and Ghane parasti indoctrinated in the population has done its job. You are putting your desire to remain in power before the well being of your nation. You are selfish at best and a traitor at worse.

We deserve better....Your statement about unethical and immoral behavior of corrupt government only reveal your own value and belief system. Don't speak for other Iranians...They are not immoral and unethical and ruthless people who can't see the injustices done in their names ... Your equivalency argument (all governments are corrupt, rape, murder their own citizens) is also fallacious, demogaugic and deranged designed for your own self-deception...

The tyrannay of the mob...will not give us prosperity, justic, economci seurity or any decent future...

Get off your high horse and stop playing the victim card and accept the truth about the nature of the mob and their supporters in power....