Demanding Democracy

New chapter in struggle against dictatorship

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Demanding Democracy
by NASSER SHIRAKBARI
12-Feb-2011
 

The 1979 Iranian Revolution was supposed to be such revolution, which was hijacked by the most organized, radical and ruthless Islamist who at the time appeared to be benign and on the side of the people. Their success in coming to power brought awe and admiration to all oppressed people in the world and rang a bell of hope that brought deafness the ears of those who stood too close in guard. It soon became apparent that the Iranian people were taken for a ride into a prison of their own making.

All aspirations of democratic freedom of individuals, of the press, of equality for women, Intellectualism, and other fruits of freedom were dashed in a matter of few years. Now Iran is ruled by an uneducated religious few, under the boots of Islamic military, IRGC, and club-wielding thugs called the Basij.

The people in the Islamic World watch with great interest to see where the Islamic Republic of Iran was headed. They saw how this government alienated all other Iranians in the political process, closed down all opposition newspapers, routed out all people in government service that were not affiliated with their clan, imprisoned, and executed anyone that were perceived to be a threat, persecuted Bahais, Jews and Christians and made a fool of themselves in the world community with stupid statements and uncoordinated dealings with international problems.  

Islamic Republic of Iran has become a model of <strong>what not to be</strong> in the Islamic World. Even Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt is trying not to be compared or viewed in association with the Islamic Republic of Iran. Any such view would be a devastating blow to this religious entity that carries 30% of the votes and held 20% of Egyptian Parliamentary seats in 2005.

The Islamic Republic leadership has been worriedly watching the Egyptian revolt for its lack of religious or Islamic fervor. The Muslim Brotherhood’s lack of up front presence in all the demonstrations has dampened the hope for the rise of another Islamic Empire that could join Islamic Republic of Iran in its quest of world dominance of the Islamic world. They attribute this to lack of leadership and express that Ayatollah Khamenei should be the inspiring leader of the religious revolution.

The IRI hardliners like to receive credit that the Tunisia and Egypt revolts were modeled after Iran’s Islamic Revolution.  Ayatollah Khamenei referred to it, continuation of 1979 Revolution of Iran, as a result of humiliation brought by their leaders being lackey of the U.S. and Israel.  The Muslim Brotherhood responded immediately by saying “Egypt revolution is a people’s revolution with no Islamic agenda.” Khaled Hamza, chief editor of the Brotherhood’s English Website said, “The Egyptian protests are not an Islamic uprising, but a mass protest against an unjust, autocratic regime that includes Egyptians from all walks of life and all religions and sects.”

The Muslim Brotherhood is somewhat of an enigma to many of us outside Egypt. According to a statement by a member of the group's Guidance Council, Essam El-Errian, the Brotherhood is committed to liberation and democracy, application of a gradual reform and nonviolence. The banned organization was exonerated by an administrative court in 1992. They recently participated in talks with Vice President Omar Suleiman. They have no agenda of their own, but that of the people, inclusive of all and not just the Brotherhood or  Muslims.

“In Egypt religion continues to be part of our culture and heritage. Moving forward, we envision the establishment of a democratic, civil state that draws on universal measures of freedom and justice, which are central Islamic values. We embrace democracy not as a foreign concept that must be reconciled with tradition, but as a set of principles and objectives that are inherently compatible with and reinforce Islamic tenets,”  El-Errian wrote.

It is obvious that the Brotherhood has been part of political system of Egypt and will have a roll in the future of a new or reformed government. From the latter part of the above statement, it seems they have the ambition of making democratic principles “inherently compatible” with “Islamic tenets”.

From this author’s point of view the Islamic justice of “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” is absolutely incompatible with democratic justice that “you are not guilty until proven guilty by a jury of your pears”. And that is the root of the problem in Islamic Republic of Iran, where they do not respect individual rights when exercising  sharia laws. There are arbitrary arrests, courts behind closed doors, trials without defense lawyers and executions without due process.

The leaders of the Islamic Republic see the Egyptian revolt more in light of the 2009 post-election in Iran. The Egyptian military appears to have behaved as protector of the people, while in Iran Islamic goons arrested, beat, shot, and killed protesters and raped detainees without any reservation. They can see a smoldering fire that could be ignited at any time.

In reality leaders in Iran fear that the Egyptian uprising might bring a democratic revolution against the Islamic Republic and not other way around. That is why they are anxiously hoping to see some element of religion in the front rows of the Egyptian revolution.

The 1979 Islamic Revolution turned out to be an unfulfilled promise of freedom and democracy that Iranians have longed for since the 1906 Constitutional Convention. One tyrant after another smashed these dream for their own gain.  It is my hope that the Egyptians do not fall under the rule of hovering vultures, waiting for the death of democracy so they can clean the carcass, as they did in Iran.

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more from NASSER SHIRAKBARI
SOS-FREE-IRAN

Iran's google billy married a Brit and gave his $1b to UK

by SOS-FREE-IRAN on

Where is Iran's google billionaire? He divorced his Iranian wife and fled to Britain with his British wife, Gisel Hiscock, a New York-based finance director for the company. and his billions. He moved his $1 billion from American banks to Bank of England and has disappeared. While his British wife is still a Google employee and is all over the news. 

//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omid_Kordestani

//valleywag.gawker.com/#!317881/billionaire-google-sales-execs-in+house-romance

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=M68U5TXXOMs

Where is Omid Khordestani these days? What is he doing? Is he pregnant and in hiding?


Mash Ghasem

Rozbeh jan, thank you for your comment

by Mash Ghasem on

You're always ( seimpre) my best "Reality Factor" in here, tashakor.

Very nice blog, thank you sir.


Roozbeh_Gilani

"No Egyptian shortcut, please"

by Roozbeh_Gilani on

If executing them every 8 hours does not work, if ridiculing their martyrs calling them drug dealers, and north tehrani homosexuals dont work, then ask them politely on internet, using a misleading avatar, it might work! 

A very good blog, Thank you sir! 

"The people, United, will never be defeated."


G. Rahmanian

...

by G. Rahmanian on

Sorry, double post!


G. Rahmanian

Mash Ghasem:

by G. Rahmanian on

Shah is dead, too.


Mash Ghasem

Bazargan is dead, Bani Sadr is in France, Sazgara & Ganji might

by Mash Ghasem on

be more accessible, perhaps? Cheers.


G. Rahmanian

Agreed!

by G. Rahmanian on

A great idea. I am also for a class action suit against all those from right to left, especially Bani Sadr, Bazargan and whoever sided with Khomeini in establishing the Islamic Republic.


Mash Ghasem

North Africa seems to be in a vanguard position,like Iran in '79

by Mash Ghasem on

Algeria to Egypt, and all around them, they're once again leading.

Don't know why can't get keep Franz Fanon out of my head these days? His take on Collective Unconsciousness is very original.


comrade

"WE HAVE A VERY, VERY LONG WAY AHEAD"

by comrade on

Indeed. No Egyptian shortcut, please!

Never increase, beyond what is necessary, the number of entities required to explain anything.

 


Mash Ghasem

A people's revolution, with built-in capacities for religious

by Mash Ghasem on

forces, created by the monarchy, SAVAK,...

In retrospect it should be very obvious, even to those with IQs lower than room temperature.

The Monarchy by eliminating the Nationalist and Leftist narratives and forces in Iran, paved the way for the Clregy and Mosques, Hossainiehs, Mahdeihs, Sepah Mazhb (part of Shah's own  "White Revolution") to fill in the vacume created by the collapse of Shah's regime. 

The fact that after 33 years we still have to go over such basics points, like this, means  that our collective understanding hasn't advanced all that much.

WE HAVE A VERY, VERY LONG WAY AHEAD.  

P.S. A class action suite could be considered a contribution towards such better understanding. 


comrade

"the 1979 revolution was not a people's revolution"

by comrade on

There's no such a thing as an "unnecessary" revolution. No revolution is necessary until it becomes inevitable, said so a big thinker way before the Pahlvis started their corrupt and criminal rule over our beloved land.

Our so-called monarchists/Pahlavists who act as if they owe a peacock throne to RP, whose IQ is lower than room temperature, should instead feel robbed and violated by the unlawful actions of the filthy Pahlavis which at the end brought about the abolition of the centuries-old tradition of monarchy in Iran.

A true monarchist, if I cared, should therefore feel owed by the Pahlavis and might as well consider filing a class action suit against them.

Remember then: the Great Revolution of 79, was indeed a "people's revolution" by all means. 

 

Never increase, beyond what is necessary, the number of entities required to explain anything.

 


SOS-FREE-IRAN

you have bought into the British propaganda against our King

by SOS-FREE-IRAN on

You sir, have been duped by the British-Khomeini propaganda against our king. You are repeating Mr. Khomeini's Blood libel attacks on our kind and benevolent monarchy during which time we had political freedom, religious freedom, ideological freedom (if we didn't how is it that a communist-anti-pahliav woman like Shirin Ebadi is nominated as judge; if we didn't why was Mr. Milani allowed to teach; if we didn't why was the assassin of the shah forgiven?)

Mr. Shirakbari, you are ignorant moron. You need to get educated. 

Corruption is everywhere even here in America. Is it the reason for a revolution? no. 

Even here in america, there are limits to political freedom. If you don't know that by now, you must have had bad professors or you are living in a bubble.

Lets be truthful and real in our assessment of our Pahlavi Kings. 

What did the British gain? Iran's oil. Don't you know that? or has your pseudoprofessors told you to dismiss anything involving the Brits as "conspriacy theory"? well, this is no "theory", it is a fact that Iran's oil has subsidized the British economy, lavish luxurious lifestyle over the past 32 years - the Brits are glowing with petrodollars - they are the fat cats with trillions and trillion and zillions of petrodollars in bank of England. 

Who are you fooling? where did you come from?


NASSER SHIRAKBARI

SOS-Free-Iran

by NASSER SHIRAKBARI on

 The 1979 Iranian revolution was a populist, Nationalist; people’s revolution that centered on Khomeini’s up front resistance to the government of the Shah.  The religious entity in Iran was most organized and was most trusted.  One element of why the revolt came about was rapid Westernization of Iran in terms of education (I am a product of that modern education), industrialization, and militarization.  Not mentioning the harsh social justice (Savak).  He was oppressive, brutal, corrupt and extravagant.  Its overly ambitious economic programs cause economic bottleneck, shortages and inflation.  Yes Iran’s revolution was a popular across the board revolution.  Mullahs in my days were people in the fringes of the society(Although powerful and organized). I, as a teenager looked at them with disdain, when my mother had then come to our house once a month for “Rozeh Khooni”.  Now tell me, what was the purpose of the three powers to help install the Islamic Regime on Iran.  Looks like they turned out to be bigger looser aside from the Iranian people.  Why would they want to cause themselves so many headaches, as they are experiencing today.  What did they have to gain?


SOS-FREE-IRAN

Our country was hijacked in 1979; we didn't need a revolution

by SOS-FREE-IRAN on

Here we go again..with another fake spin on Iran in 1979. the 1979 revolution was not a people's revolution but the revolution of radical islam, its luminaries and the communist party in Iran. It was an unnecessary revolution. Iran under the Pahlavi Monarchy was a secular prosperous democracy. However, with the help of British-Americans, the radical element in Iran, was able to force the benevolent king out and let the radicals take over...Mr. Khomeini was identified as a terrorist in 1963, possibly earlier, a well known mohreh  to British MI6 and CIA. So, Mr. Khomeini and his accomplices, Mr. Mousavi's plan for Iran had already been rubber stamped by the British/Americans. Mrs. Shirin Ebadi was a known communist, anti-Pahlavi character despite all the political freedom she enjoyed during the Pahlavi Monarchy. Mr. Milani was also a known communist, anti-Pahlavi subversive character, despite being hired on as an instructor at a university, this goes with most of these communist-CIA-MI6 trained radical intellectuals whose aim was simply to overthrow the Monarchy and install this radical Islamic regime for their masters. So, Lets be truthful. The 1979 revolution was not highjacked. It was unnecessary. It was forced onto the unsuspecting Iranians by an expert group of radical revolutionaries trained in foreign lands, namely Britian-America-Israel.

Why was it unnecessary for a revolution in Iran in 1979? Well, look at America, until 1913, senate seats were purchased - i.e. only the rich could become senators. Did the Americans opt for a revolution? no, they amended their constitution.

//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seventeenth_Amendment...

So, could we have amended our constiution in 1979 to give whatever political representation we needed? of course.

Was there political oppression and censorship in America during 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60, 70s? Absolutly. Did Americans overthrow their government and put a bunch of radicals and terrorists in charge? no. 

1917 - espionage-sedition act - anyone who opposed  world war I was arrested. anyone who published anti-british press was arrested in America. Anyone who  supported bolsheviks/socialists was arrested and fined. 

30s - same as above

50-60s - Red Scare - MaCarthyism - all communists were arrested, barred, harrassed, not given jobs. 

1964 - race riots - which resulted in passage of civil rights act -giving blacks equal power.

Did the Americans revolt? no. they simply amended their constiution.

So, in 1979, did Iranians need to revolt? was there an economic incentive to revolt? no. was there a social incentive to revolt? no.

Islamic Regime was installed by our Islamic luminaries, pseudointellectuals, Qajaris (sworn enemy of Pahlavi), and of course British-Americans. How many people did these radical mercenaries represent? less than 0.5% of the population. However, with daily blood libel spewing out of BBC, voice of AMerica, Israel, and various media,  a secular democratic monarchy was replaced with a radical terrorist islamic regime. 

Shame on you people who keep saying it was hijacked. The revolution was not hijacked, our country was hijacked by these bastards like Milani, Kazemzadeh, Ebadi, et al. 

 


AlexInFlorida

New chapter in struggle against dictatorship

by AlexInFlorida on

While you are right about Khameneii being a dictator, your above comment shows you are completely ignorant of the definition of dictator, 

Do you even know what a dictator is?  Or are you clueless like most iranians?  Please pick up a dictionary and get yourself educated.  It is embarrassing to have to correct you or your clueless article.

How could this site place such factually incorrect articles up is shocking and on the front page.  Disgusting really.


NASSER SHIRAKBARI

Vilemose

by NASSER SHIRAKBARI on

Thank for correction.  I discovered it after it was too late.  I hoped that JJ catch it and make the change.  My fault for getting in a hurry.  Thanks again for your positive response.


vildemose

outstanding post.  Just one

by vildemose on

outstanding post.  Just one correction: I think it should be 'jury of peers' NOT "Pears".


NASSER SHIRAKBARI

Maryam Hojjat

by NASSER SHIRAKBARI on

Thank you Kindly


norooz

Soon Egyptians will be

by norooz on

Soon Egyptians will be forced to unite with Iran, but the force will not be applied by Iran, it will be by Israel. Unless Israelis change course and stop the settlements, stop their genocide and go back to 1967 borders, they will unite Egypt and Iran because Egyptians and Iranians have the same opinion about Palestinians.

Number of military men in Egypt are becoming presidential candidates. Egyptians seem to be making the same mistake again. A military man is a dictator by nature. What they need is a civilian such as Mohamed El Baradei or even better, a law man, a respectable judge as president.  


pedro

Where is our google leader.

by pedro on

Isn't an Iranian a hot shot in google. What has he done for his country and his people? What a crying shame.

Couldn't even get google to recognize Nurooz.

Stop Execution of Iranians in Islamic Prisions


Maryam Hojjat

great article

by Maryam Hojjat on

with facts.