Saturday, June 13, 2009

Iran ( and he ran, she ran, we all ran)

Hello Good People:

Despite my avowal to not discuss politics, events of the last couple of days have jolted me from my old recliner with an urge to comment.

I am speaking, of course, of the Iranian Election , just concluded.

I can only imagine how disappointed and angry the people are in Iran who are just as tired of Ahmadinejad's ranting and raving, as are the people of the civilized world. Now I should hasten to mention that most decent, freedom loving people believe Iran IS a civilized nation, (Wrong!) In no civilized nation does a small coterie of "Religious Leaders" hold veto power over any Election results. I think this just reinforces the sterling judgement of our Founding Fathers in insisting on a seperation of Church and State.

I have known a couple of Iranian people, one very well, and one not so well, and I have to say that I hold a high regard for both. The man I knew well was one of the nicest and most obliging people I have ever met. Sure there were cultural differences, but all in all, he was just like anyone else.. One thing I vividly recall him saying that Iran would never join the society of Civilized and free nations until they (the Iranian People) came to their senses and kicked out the raving lunatics,( "those damned Mullahs") in his words. He said the Iranian people, in the majority, love the American People and the American way of life, but are constrained from saying so because of fear of the "Religious Police". And make no mistake about it, these goons really do exist and have the authority not just to stop and lecture a person who doesn't fit their mold, but also can beat or jail offenders guilty of such a Heinous Crime as having one's Girlfriend sit in the front seat of an automobile, beside them, instead of the back seat, where they are convinced she belongs . As far as I can tell, these Nutty Mullahs will never be satisfied until a Taliban-like, 12th century country takes the place of Iran. I guess I am always rooting for the Underdog, but I truly hope that sometime in the not too distant future, there will be a "Velvet Revolution" in Iran whose first action will be to draw an uncrossable line between the Mosques and the Government. Until then, about all we can hope for or do, is to keep a soft spot in our hearts for the Decent, Average, Iranian People.
I have a photograph on the wall above my computer, taken in Tehran six or eight years ago, and in that Photograph is an elderly man, sitting in what appears to be a narrow street, with his back to a stone wall, with a pair of crutches leaning against the wall beside him, and on his knees rests a woven basket, with two fish he is trying to sell. I think that says a lot for Iran, they've spent Billlions of Dollars in their Nuclear Quest, but cannot feed their people.

Lets all hope and pray that someday, we'll all wise up.

Inshallah

TOP

No comments: