gitdoun ver.2.0

I have read a lot on this issue on this site,

and off, and here many people will tell you that Khomeini made a lot of false promises and they were young and swept up like leaves by the winds of Revolution. And this is true to a certain extent.

But it's also true, demonstrably true, that some leaders knew about Khomeini's book on Velayate Faghih and intentionally suppressed the information, but other people found it out anyway but no one wanted to know. And it's also true that no one has ever successfully addressed the question I've asked in various ways: how could the best educated, most sophisticated sector of society in the Middle East not bother to ask what "according to Islamic law" meant? Khomeine promised what I call "beach parties under Islamic law". Islamic law MEANS Shariah. There are no beach parties under Shariah. And no one seems to want to admit that that failure to ask was not being 'swept up' by something, it was a dereliction of duty to themselves and others. Failure of the individual will and responsibility. They were plenty educated enough in critical thinknig to ask and figure it out. There were plenty of other countries 'under Islamic law'. Even some of their grandparents from villages had to have known what it meant.

I think the Iranian people have a very deeply ingrained religious paradigm of the coming of the Twelfth Imam. Shiism is the Islam that never was but will be when 'someone who is not like anyone" (fourough) comes along. So Khomeini was the Imam Zaman they were subconsciously waiting for, even, and maybe especially, some of the most ardent secularists, because atheism is a religion too.

Another thing, one of the first things Khomeini did was summarily execute so many of the Shah's army officers and functioniaries. A lot of those people were just trying to serve their country and/or earn a living, they had not been complicit in any torture or corruption, nothing like that. They had no trial and people knew about it and they looked the other way. When all your age old cultural yearnings and adolescent fantasies (they were one and the same) seem to be being fulfilled, it's easy to look the other way.The next thing they knew it was their cousin at the firing squad. I think that's also part of why you just say the words Reza Pahlavi here and you will get a most discussed thread mostly full of unbridled venom. I think some of these people feel guilty about what they did by self-deluding and looking the other way. So they project their guilt and anger at themselves onto him.

But I also think that this recent history has laid a very hopeful foundation for one of the best democracies the world has ever seen in Iran. Your generation, the people who marched, part of 80 percent of the Iranian demographic (under 35) , learned thard lessons the hard way from their parents' mistakes. That's why you're asking your question. They are asking and learning too.

However unless they have also gotten over the Iranian allergy to spirituality these past 30 years due to its conflation with religion (even though actually velayate faghih is a POLITICAL system, not a religion), the same mistakes will be repeated from the other side. Like when you see people here talking about hang all mullahs when the great secular democracy comes, andand nonsense like that.  Your generation has to remember that the great social and politcal movements have always had great spiritual leaders (King, Gandhi, etc.) But I think they can do it. I think they already are. Myself, my guess is give it one generation, then these young people will be of age to assume the mantle of authority when the old men die out.  And they will be ready and the mantle will be ready for them, And some people here will be very pleasantly surprised. The key is patience.

Well I am not an Iranian so pretty much I saok up everything everybody says here  like a sponge, and that's my squeezing out the water I've accumulated over two years in answer to your question and related points. Which by the way was THE SINGLEMOST IMPORTANT one that I had too about the history of Iran.

Anyway I thought you might be interested in this article and thread from two years ago here. Separating the wheat from the chaff on a pretty crazy old thread, there are a few posts which directly address your question from the generation of the Revolution, as well as challenges and rebuttals to them from your generation so you can compare your ideas to those of your peers.

Take care.

//iranian.com/main/albums/bacheh-enghelaabi

Some Did See

*gitdoun ver.2.0* - Your question is not naive or stupid.  I don’t usually make comments about the ’79 revolution but since I feel your quest to gather pertinent information is sincere, I give you this bit of information.  I’m not bashing anything and please don’t think that I’m using this opportunity to advance an agenda or put a good word in for anyone; just sharing some facts with you.

Now to your question asking why the older generation Did Not See…?  I remember it very well and here’s one answer for you.  Hundreds of thousands of Baha’is (largest minority – then & now) did not participate in that famous YES/NO referendum.  They did foresee what was about to come.  So I guess, at the time, there was sufficient information available for everyone to make a choice.

Anvar