Since this appears to be another petition signing day, I figured I should cook up a petition of my own and ask for support. Here it is:
Since 1979, the Islamic Republic has been engaged in committing various crimes against humanity in Iran. It has executed tens of thousands of Iranians, imprisoned hundreds of thousands of others, tortured just as many and forced an equal number into exile. In the past thirty three years, the Islamic Republic has killed, tortured and imprisoned a large number of Iranian scientists, intellectuals, political activists and even children in a similar manner. By now, it is clear that this is a systematic campaign with political intentions. Media reports and political pundits attribute these atrocities to the Islamic Republic.
If public reports are true that these crimes against humanity are orchestrated by the Islamic Republic, in order to maintain its hold on power, and to loot Iran’s wealth, then we petition the Islamic Republic to stop these atrocities –a tactic replacing political engagement with executions, imprisonment, torture and terror at the expense of innocent civilians. If allowed to continue, these crimes against humanity provide the Iranian authorities with the tools needed to continue to suppress voices of dissent, even on the Iranian nuclear issue, to arrest and imprison political opposition, and to further curtail the activities of human rights activists.
Moreover, the Iranian regime has engaged, in the past 32 years, in a campaign of bellicose warmongering, which has included, but has not been limited to, attacking and occupying foreign embassies and diplomatic missions (one as recent as a couple of months ago), taking foreign diplomats hostage, promising to wipe other nations off the map of the world, threatening to close international waterways, supporting terrorist groups around the world and engaging in clandestine nuclear activities in violation of the Non-Proliferation Treaty and United Nations resolutions. All of these activities have brought crippling sanctions upon the Iranian people and have brought the country to the brink of a devastating war, which is the Islamic Republic’s ultimate goal.
As academicians, writers, human rights activists, and intellectuals, we condemn these atrocities. Such belligerence on the part of the Islamic Republic, its crimes against humanity and its warmongering can only escalate the internal tension and regional conflicts toward a military clash or war. Regardless of where we stand on Iran's nuclear program, we find these atrocities outrageous because they target the Iranian society without due consideration for human rights, due process of international and national laws, and lives of innocent individuals caught in the crossfire.
These types of killings have to stop, not only because they harm a nation in every possible way, but also because they build a deep psychological scar on the nation's public mind prompting it to ask for revenge in kind. We hope we are living in a better world than that. Killing innocent or even allegedly guilty people without consideration for their human rights and due process, by any force or government anywhere and anytime, is an outrageous act to be protested by all. If murderous dictatorships become the order of the day, no one will be safe in this world.
The following individuals have not yet signed this petition. But judging by their level of concern for the Iranian people, I am sure they will sign it once they notice it. So, I ask these find young men and women, especially the poets :-), to join me in condemning the Islamic Republic. I will look forward to their support:
01. Arshin Adib-Moghaddam, SOAS, University of London
02. Masih Alinejad, Journalist
03. Asieh Amini, Journalist and Human Rights Activist
04. Fariba Amini, Independent Journalist and Writer
05. Hooshang Amirahmadi, Professor, Rutgers University
06. Richard P. Appelbaum, Professor of Sociology, University of California at Santa Barbara
07. Rahim Bajoghli, Human Rights Activist
08. Darioush Bayandor, historian, author
09. Asef Bayat, Professor, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
10. Iris Bazing, MD, Baltimore, Maryland
11. Maria Bennett, Poet, New Jersey, USA
12. Mohammad Borghei, Strayer University.
13. Mehrzad Boroujerdi, Professor, Syracuse University
14. Juan Cole, Professor, University of Michigan
15. Shirindokht Daghighian, Independent Scholar & Author
16. Mehrdad Darvishpour, Lecturer at the Malardalen University, Sweden
17. Lucia F. Dunn, Professor of Economics, Ohio State University
18. Goudarz Eghtedari, Ph.D., Voices of the Middle East
19. Mohammad Eghtedari, Economist, Washington, DC
20. Nader Entessar, Professor of Political Science, University of South Alabama
21. Amir Fassihi, Nowruz Foundation for Nonviolence, CA
22. John Foran, Professor of Sociology, University of California, Santa Barbara
23. Ali Fathollah-Nejad, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London
24. Yoshie Furuhashi, Editor, MRZine
25. Alexandra Gallin-Parisi, Professor, Trinity University
26. Amir Hossein Ganjbakhsh, Senior Investigator, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD
27. Reza Goharzad, Journalist, Los Angeles
28. John L Graham, Professor Emeritus, University of California, Irvine
29. Hossein Hamedani, Professor, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI
30. Nader Hashemi, Professor, University of Denver
31. Esmail Hejazifar, Professor of Physics, Wilmington College, Ohio
32. Paula Hertel, Professor of Psychology, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX
33. Mohsen Heydareian, Ph. D, Political Science, Sweden
34. Fredun Hojabri, Retired Professor of Sharif (Aryamehr) Univeristy of Technology
35. Angie Hougas, Human Rights Activists, McFarland, WI
36. Noushin Izadifar Hart, M.D., Radiation Oncologist, Reston, Virginia
37. Azadeh Jahanbegloo, Sociologist, Wright State University, Ohio
38. Jahanshah Javid, Editor, Iranian.com
39. Hasan Javadi, Retired Professor of Persian Language, University of California, Berkeley
40. Mark C. Johnson, Executive Director, Fellowship of Reconciliation, NY
41. Yahya Kamalipour, Chair, Global Communication Association, Purdue University
42. Aziz Karamloo, MD, Faculty Member, University of California, Los Angeles
43. Mahmood Karimi-Hakak, Professor of Theatre and Film, Siena College, NY
44. Liam Kennedy, Community Board Member,CCPB, UC, Irvine
45. Fatemeh Keshavarz, Professor, Washington University, St. Louis
46. Nanette Le Coat, Associate Professor, Modern Languages and Literatures, Trinity University
47. Arturo Madrid, Professor, Trinity University
48. Ali Akbar Mahdi, Professor Emeritus, Ohio Wesleyan University
49. Azita Mashayekhi, Industrial Hygienist, International Brotherhood of Teamsters
50. Rudi Matthee, Distinguished Professor of Middle Eastern history, University of Delaware
51. Farzaneh Milani, Professor, University of Virginia
52. Yaser Mirdamadi, Independent Scholar
53. Ziba Mir-Hosseini, CMEIL, School of Oriental and African Studies
54. Ida Mirzaie, Ohio State University
55. Valentine M. Moghadam, Professor of Sociology, Northeastern University
56. Mahmood Monshipouri, Professor, San Francisco State University
57. Akbar Montaser, Professor, Department of Chemistry ,George Washington University
58. Reza Mousoli, Canterbury Christ Church University, UK
59. Baquer Namazi, Retired UNICEF Country Representative & Civil Society Activist
60. Arash Naraghi, Assistant Professor of Religion and Philosophy, Moravian College
61. Mohamad Navab, University of California, Los Angeles
62. Farrokh Negahdar, Political Analyst
63. Mohammad-Reza Nikfar, Independent Scholar and Philosopher
64. Azam Niroomand-Rad, Professor Emeritus, Georgetown University Medical Center
65. Farhad Nomani, Professor of Economics, American University of Paris
66. Mehdi Noorbaksh, Associate Professor, Harrisburg University of Science & Technology
67. Trita Parsi, President, National Iranian American Council, Washington, DC
68. Richard T. Peterson, Professor of Philosophy, Michigan State University
69. Davood Rahni, Professor of Chemistry, Pace University, New York
70. Farhang Rajaee, Professor, Carleton University
71. Asghar rastegar, MD, Professor of Medicine, Yale School of Medicinek
72. Thomas M. Ricks, Ph.D., Independent Scholar
73. Mahmoud Sadri, Professor of Sociology, Texas Woman's University
74. Muhammad Sahimi, Professor, University of Southern California in Los Angeles
75. Hamid Salek, D.D.S. University of Southern California , Los Angeles
76. Reza Sarhangi, Professor, Department of Mathematics, Towson University
77. Mehrdad F. Samadzadeh, University of Toronto
78. Gabriel Sebastian, Author, Futurist
79. Ali Shakeri, Community Board Member, CCPB, UC, Irvine
80. Evan Siegel, Ph.D., Independent Researcher on Iran & Azerbaijan, Adj. Mathematics Prof., CUNY
81. Arman Shirazi, Senior Scientist, CSM North America
82. Sussan Siavoshi, Professor, Trinity University
83. Mark D. Stansbery, Iran Action Network
84. Sussan Tahmasebi, Women's Rights Activist
85. Mohamad Tavakoli-Targhi, Univeristy of Toronto
86. Bahram Tavakolian, Willamette University
87. Farideh Tehrani, Ph.D., Middle Eastern Studies Librarian, Rutgers University, NJ
88. Mary Ann Tetreault, Cox Distinguished Professor of International Affairs, Trinity University
89. Nayereh Tohidi, Professor, California State University, Northridge
90. Patricia Trutty-Coohill, Professor of Art History, Siena College, NY
91. Farzin Vahdat, Research Associate at Vassar College
92. Bill Wolak, Poet, New Jersey, USA
93. Leila Zand, Program Director, Middle East Civilian Diplomacy, Fellowship of Reconciliation
94. Hamid Zangeneh, Professor, Widener University
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Sadegh
by Veiled Prophet of Khorasan on Tue Jan 24, 2012 12:34 PM PSTI don't work for you or morality police. And I got better things than to go point by point to your posts. If and when I got time I will respond.
As for expat others have already been responding to him/her.
Sadegh Bozorgmehr
by expat on Tue Jan 24, 2012 08:34 AM PSTI wouldn't worry too much about VPK's accusations of being an Islamist. He does this whenever somebody posts something that he doesn't agree with. Either that or being a member of the Baseej/supporter of the IRI.
Just giving you a heads up :)
VPK, you can do better!
by Sadegh Bozorgmehr on Mon Jan 23, 2012 10:48 PM PSTYou dodged my 3 points.
If "many" Westerners have read your posts and they approve, then it should be easy for you to give us at least a handful of samples where they have indicated that they approve.
Second, it's one thing to say that you 'think' or 'suspect' that someone is an Islamist, but what you did was state the accusation as fact.
Lack of accountability is something our community seriously suffers from, and you're making it acceptable, and I'm going to fight it. That is why this is so important.
I will skip the conspiracies of yours, but I would ask one last time to at least address point #3, which you completely ignored. Do you admit that in that instance you lied?
Thanks Faramarz
by Anonymous Observer on Mon Jan 23, 2012 03:28 PM PSTSaw them. And deleted the comment as promised.
AO
by Faramarz on Mon Jan 23, 2012 03:23 PM PSTLook under the name below and you will see material in Farsi
رحیم باج اوقلی - عصر نو
Ari - I have to admit that I didn't read the "publisher's note"
by Anonymous Observer on Sat Jan 21, 2012 11:06 AM PSTat the bottom of the article. I certainly don't agree with it. That being said, the note doesn't take waya from the fact that the Namazi family is involved (Siamak Namazi was director) of the Atieh Bahar organization in Iran. The document may very well be accurate. Atieh Bahar has numerous connections to the Iranian government, including joint ventures, etc.
//www.iranian-americans.com/AtiehBahar-3.pdf
While the link above also connects to a site that also appears to be of Daieslam type, the facts mentioned in it are facts, and cannot reallly be argued with. It cites all its sources.
While I am no big fan of Dai, didn't Trita Parsi lose his "defamation" lawsuit against him? I think he did. If he did lose, doesn't that mean that it was proven in a court of of law that Dai did not lie?
The problem with Hassan Daioleslam is
by Veiled Prophet of Khorasan on Sat Jan 21, 2012 12:44 AM PSThe got no credibility so he actually discredits the case more than help.
Sadegh
by Veiled Prophet of Khorasan on Sat Jan 21, 2012 12:40 AM PSTIf I give you names of Westerners how would you verify them? You don't have to beleive me.
Regrding Islamism and BBC I am vocing opinion. I base my opinion on patterns. As well as history
As for scientific all in caps I have no idea what you are talking about. Nor do I have much interest.
So the author is Hassan Daioleslam?
by Disenchanted on Sat Jan 21, 2012 12:09 AM PSTVenomous! One wonders who is this guy? His family name translates: "the inviter to Islam"! How appropriate! ;-)
Thanks Ari for the heads up!
Disenchated
by Ari Siletz on Fri Jan 20, 2012 11:53 PM PSTAO recommended the link in this blog in his comment titled, "OMG - Look at this other "peace activist"
What?! Ari could you explain please about the link!
by Disenchanted on Fri Jan 20, 2012 11:42 PM PSTWho wrote that text about Iranian.com and jahanshah Javid?! Where did you see that? Thanks.
wow!
AO your link came through
by Ari Siletz on Fri Jan 20, 2012 10:50 PM PSTSuspended judgement on its content until I came to this statement:
"(Publisher’s Note: This article is published in Iranian.com, a pro
Reformist fraction of IRI website and a front business for Hezbollah,
published by Jahanshah Javid an opportunist Ex Fundamentalist Hezbollah
and present Reformist Hezbollah in America.)"
Second rule of persuasive writing: If you want to be believed, don't lie.
VPK, I would LOVE to
by Sadegh Bozorgmehr on Fri Jan 20, 2012 10:08 PM PSTThis is based on just the few posts I've read from you:
1. You claim "many Westerners do read my posts and approve." I asked you to show proof. I give you another chance to show proof. 2. You claim with certainty that I am an "Islamist." If you are so certain, please prove it.3. You stated "you admit to not reading my posts then make comments on them." This is a lie. My exact quote was "I haven't read many of your posts."
The only other place that I recall reading what you wrote you came out AGAINST scientific evidence, dismissing science, and you suggested that the BBC is behind some strange conspiracy.
Of the 3 points I mentioned, one of them was a blatant lie by you. If you cannot prove the first 2 points in your next post then those too must be considered lies too.
:)
Fine Sadegh
by Veiled Prophet of Khorasan on Fri Jan 20, 2012 04:10 PM PSTWhy do you not tell me about the misinformation I said. Go on, please tell us!
VPK, It's really nothing personal
by Sadegh Bozorgmehr on Fri Jan 20, 2012 02:04 PM PSTWe suffer from a lack of accountability in our communiy.
Just in your response to me here you made 3 baseless claims. In my one other interaction that I had with you, the same thing happened. It may be impossible for me to keep up with all your many posts here, but when I can, I'm going to catalogue the lies and misinformation. Again, not because I have anything against you, I really don't. But people like you who just say whatever they want without evidence must be held accountable. I intend to do that with you so that Iranian.com can be a forum to discuss serious issues based on the facts. :)Sadegh
by Veiled Prophet of Khorasan on Fri Jan 20, 2012 05:05 AM PSTYou admit to not reading my posts then make comments on them.
have read haven't reflected well on you.
Great; I am honored to not fit your idea of a good person. I don't have much to say to you. It is an honor to not be liked by people like you.
or the crack-pot conspiracy theorist that I suspect you are.
There you are with insults again; what conspiracy did I mention? You talk and behave like one as they say "walks like a duck; quacks like a duck". In your case all the signs post to an Islamist specially misuse of Cyrus banner.
Ball's in your court, VPK
by Sadegh Bozorgmehr on Fri Jan 20, 2012 04:29 AM PSTVPK, I haven't read many of your posts, but the few posts I have read haven't reflected well on you. In another comment elsewhere, you said some things and could not prove them.
So since only facts matter, please give us some proof that I am an "Islamist" and "Many Westerners do read my posts and approve." I would love to see if you're a serious person that speaks with evidence, or the crack-pot conspiracy theorist that I suspect you are.Sadegh
by Veiled Prophet of Khorasan on Fri Jan 20, 2012 03:59 AM PSTPeople like VPK are laughing stocks and thank goodness we don't have kharejis reading their stuff and thinking all Iranians are like that
Good Islamist; running out of arguments attack the person. If you read my post you would see I explained why Israel would do this. I did not deny it but explained the reasoning behind it. But of course you did not bother to read my post.
I use logic and reason to figure things out. And unlike you I do not mock our ancient symbols. You an Islamist use a banner of Cyrus as a form of mockery. The only one you mock is yourself.
thank goodness we don't have kharejis reading their stuff and thinking all Iranians are like that.
Many Westerners do read my posts and approve. I was told by Americans they are glad to see sane Iranians like me. Before meeting me they thought all Iranians were Islamist West haters. But knowing me showed we have reasonable Iranians.
Conspiracy theorists at it again...
by Sadegh Bozorgmehr on Fri Jan 20, 2012 03:08 AM PSTHow many time does Israel's Likud and defense establishment have to suggest they were behind these assassinations for our crack-pot conspiracists to believe them?
Yes the IRI is a savage regime, but with some people here will even blame bad weather on the mullahs. People like VPK are laughing stocks and thank goodness we don't have kharejis reading their stuff and thinking all Iranians are like that.Regarding Killing Roshan
by Veiled Prophet of Khorasan on Fri Jan 20, 2012 03:03 AM PSTThis is not about justice it is about other things. Depending on who did it their reasons may differ. I will do my best to respond to Ari. But my disclaimer is: I am not approving just analyzing.
Ari says: A vigilante judge/executioner would have higher moral grounds if he went after a Baseej from that list.
Yes but assume it was a foreign government. They are not out for vigilante justice but go after targets of value. A run of a mill basiji has no value; is not a danger to them and is simple to replace. But Roshan has much higher value.
An Iranian opposition also gets more publicity by taking Roshan. Just victims families may pick the basiji. They probably would also prefer a higher profile operative. Maybe not Roshan but one from the ruling group.
Responses
by Veiled Prophet of Khorasan on Fri Jan 20, 2012 02:41 AM PSTAO
by Ari Siletz on Thu Jan 19, 2012 10:39 PM PSTI wondered about that too. In the old days if you had a driver you also had a fancy car to match.
My computer couldn't connect to your link. Can you check the link please?
OMG - Look at this other "peace activist"
by Anonymous Observer on Thu Jan 19, 2012 09:53 PM PSTThis one takes the cake so far. He's straight out of IR's mafia:
Baquer Namazi. Read this:
//iranpoliticsclub.net/movement/money-trail/index.htm
And look at his connections to Trita Parsi.
Ari, have you ever pondered why
by Anonymous Observer on Thu Jan 19, 2012 09:41 PM PSTa 32 year old supposed nobody like Roshan would have a personal driver taking him to and from work? He didn't happen to be someone of importance, did he? :-))
AO
by Ari Siletz on Thu Jan 19, 2012 02:14 PM PSTWe agree on IRI needing to stop it's warmongering. The posture is not only threatening U.S. economy and Israel's security but Iran's territorial integrity.
We disagree as to what to do about it. Tit-for-tat terrorism, preemptive attacks, and revenge killings are not only morally difficult to justify but play into the IRI's hands because such broad attacks don't just threaten the Regime but the nation as a whole. This weakens the IRI opposition inside Iran who can no longer confront the Regime without losing support. Additionally, execution and imprisonment of dissidents will cost the Regime much less political capital when the nation feels threatened from the outside.
Regarding Iranian law: we have two constitutions that have never been followed. Even the IRI's own constitution makes it illegal to commit the crimes that the Regime has committed.Working for a nuclear program is not against the law; beating, raping and murdering protesters is against Iranian law as written.
.
Profile of another "peace activist" who signed the original
by Anonymous Observer on Sun Jan 22, 2012 09:42 AM PSTpetition which I parodied. Azadeh Jahanbegloo, professor at Wright State University. She appears to be another rabid, America hating Iranian. Here's what some of her students had to say about her:
This lady is ridiculous. One of the most ignorant, rude, unintelligent professors I have ever had. DO NOT TAKE HER. Unless you are a strongly liberal person who hates America, you and her will not get along. I could not stand going to class because of how intolerable she is.
//www.ratemyprofessors.com/ShowRatings.jsp?tid=364900&page=4
This class was ridiculous! At the beginning she stated that she would listen to the students ideas, instead many were told they were wrong and she said one kid was stupid. Also, for living in America she sure does seem to bash and hate it a lot. She seemed awfully close minded to be a sociology prof to me. I do not recommend!
//www.ratemyprofessors.com/ShowRatings.jsp?tid=364900&page=7
And here's another:
Professor is from Iran and frequently makes subtle Anti-Christian and Anti-Semitic comments. She tells to Students to "Leave [their] religion at the door," but does not practice what she preaches. If you question what she say she thanks you for your opinion and then tells you nicely why your an idiot for thinking that! Easy, but frustrating class!
//www.ratemyprofessors.com/ShowRatings.jsp?tid=364900&page=8
A lot of these signatories seem to have a common trait: hating America. And mind you, I just took a couple of these characters at random and Googled them. We can only imagine how much fun we can have with the rest of them.
But Ari
by Anonymous Observer on Thu Jan 19, 2012 12:48 PM PSTyou were talking about Iranians pursuing the regime under Iranian "law." How's that possible? VPK has a point about foreign courts. But IR's "judicial system????!!!!"
As for Roshan, was involved in IR's nuclear program. The IR has threatened to wipe other nations off the map and destroy others, implicitly by WMDs, which include nuclear weapons. If one of IR's targets got to this guy before he could implement his apocalyptic ideas, it's fair game. The IR should stop its warmongering if it doesn't want its nuclear scientists killed. Example of IR's warmonegring and threats:
//iranian.com/main/news/2012/01/18/gen-commander-iran-army-it-will-take-us-11-days-wipe-israel-out-existence
Responses
by Veiled Prophet of Khorasan on Thu Jan 19, 2012 11:13 AM PSTVPK
by Ari Siletz on Thu Jan 19, 2012 10:36 AM PSTI agree that getting a conviction for Baseej crimes has to happen through a different channel than the regime's own judicial system. Most likely courts will be held once the IRI is overthrown. However, we have also seen that IRI's internal politics does sometimes lead to scapegoat convictions of lower level Baseej criminals in the apparatus.The Chain Murders convictions being an example. On the outside chance that Reformists come to power again, I would expect to see investigation of lower level Baseej involved in putting down the election protest--even though the IRI is still technically in power.
AO: Names, pictures and videos of Baseej actually observed to have committed crimes against Iranians were published on the internet. A vigilante judge/executioner would have higher moral grounds if he went after a Baseej from that list. At least there's rudimentary proof of guilt in those cases.Where was the proof against Roshan (and his driver)?
Vildemose: Your "benefit of the doubt" is irrelevant. This is not a popularity contest.
Agreed dear AO.I give
by vildemose on Thu Jan 19, 2012 09:55 AM PSTAgreed dear AO.
I give him the benefit of the doubt...
However, on those who seek any sort of artificial two-sides-of-a-story “balance” ; This sort of “balance” would require that the allegation that cigarette smoking causes lung cancer be offset with a denial of this simple and well-established fact. This pernicious game played on MSM, CNN, Fox news, etc.... A variety of points of view is all to the good, but a mere opinion not backed up by facts, reasoning or analysis is unlikely to resonate with those who are not driven by dogma or a praticular ideology.
A state of war only serves as an excuse for domestic tyranny.--ndr Solzhenitsyn.