Is this a revolution?

A question that everybody seems to be asking: is the conflict in Iran the early stages of a larger revolution?

The answer: yes and no. I wouldn’t be so quick to jump and call it a revolution just yet. It has only been 11 days and these protests really started out very small — the ayatollah could have easily put an end to this by simply declaring the election invalid and calling a new one. When on Friday, he didn’t do this, and in fact dared the Iranian people to defy him — this is where the problems began. Never before have the Iranian people defied the ayatollah, but his refusal to support their right to a fair election brought human rights issues that have been simmering for decades have finally been brought to the surface.

Iranians seem to be realizing that this is the best, and perhaps only, chance they will have to create a true democracy. Their protests are no longer just about the election. The problem is that they do not have a leader. Mousavi is not their leader, if anything the people are leading Mousavi. They have no formal support system and must battle not only the Iranian government, but also the basij and the revolutionary army. Because of this, I am beginning to think that if the Iranian people want a revolution they can not succeed without a leader and some form of militaristic support.

In the end, this will only be a revolution if the Iranian people want it to be.

More on Iran…

I’ve been following the uprising in Iran quite closely over the last few days. I think one of the most interesting things I’ve noticed during this conflict is how interested and involved Americans seem to be. I think that’s great and it is inspiring to see people half a world apart show such solidarity with the people of Iran. But I also think it’s important for people to know and understand the issues and history of the Iranian republic and what led to these peotests — not just jump blindly into a cause simply because CNN is showing images of people dying. Hundreds of people are dying in Pakistan and in Palestine. What is it that is drawing Americans so passionately to this cause?

Barack Obama issued another statement today declaring that “[t]he Iranian government must understand that the world is watching” and “[w]e call on the Iranian government to stop all violent and unjust actions against its own people.” This, to me, is a much stronger statement than what he’s said previously, and this is enough. It is not the American government’s place to interfere in what, at this time, is strictly a domestic affair. It is absolutely ludicrous for John McCain to critisize Obama for his weak stance on Iran. Mousavi and the Iranian people have made it clear that they do not need or want any external support. If the US was to take a firmer stance, they would become the issue and it would give the Iranian government an ‘out’, so to speak — a way for them to deflect blame for the protests and place blame on the US.

It’s a difficult event to watch on TV and Youtube and to read the updates on Twitter. I honestly wish that I were in Iran to experience this moment in history, a protest that may soon become something much bigger. I do stand in solidarity with the Mousavi supporters, though I do not necessarily support Mousavi as a strong leader of Iran. He is an accidental figurehead and had he been elected, I don’t believe that he would have reformed Iran’s policies in any significant way. After all, it is not the president who holds the power in Iran — it is the ayatollah.

protests in iran

I really don’t have too much to say on these events that hasn’t already been said. But I thought I should just make a brief comment nonetheless.

Yes, I do believe that the election was rigged — Moussavi supporters are right to protest. However, I am not a Moussavi supporter. I really don’t feel that his givernment would be any better or worse than Ahmadinejad’s. The more important issue, one that Iran has been struggling with for decades, is the corruption, censorship and human rights issues that the government has supported regardless of which government was in power.

The problems lie deep within the core of the Iranian government, not with any one political leader (though having an egomaniacal lunatic as president definitely doesn’t help the situation). I’m still carefully watching everything unfold, and to be honest, I actually hope that this is the start of a larger uprising. The people of Iran deserve to have a governement that works for them, protects their rights, and gives them free speech and access to unbiased media.

Speaking of the media, it’s important to remember that none of us can really comment on anything that’s happening in Iran without gaining first-hand knowledge and experience. Otherwise, the only information you’re given is diluted soundbytes filtered according to each publication’s respective bias and market.