Seeing those signs being held high in the post-election protests in Tehran brought back a lot of the pain and confusion I felt 4 years ago after dubya got re-elected.
I wondered the same dang thing. Culturally, Americans don’t “take to the streets” unless its something seriously important. Like winning a basketball game or something. Ok I’m being cynical, but ever since the 60’s came and went, political protests in this country have always been too little, too late in my opinion.
Not that taking to the streets does anything to change the status quo in this day and age. It did look like it might have had an effect in Iran, but the latest news coming out from there says newp, nope; ya had yalls chance to vent now go home and get over it.
Of all things in the world, this type of thing really saddens me. Because as I mentioned before, I have felt that same pain and confusion. There were charges that Bush snagged the election through means not completely Democratic, and I am in total agreement with that analysis.
To my dying day I’m never going to go back on my belief there were some shenanigans going on in that election.
Lastly, while I try to show tolerance to all religions and their leaders – my Quaker upbringing – umm dude? The ayatolla whosits carrying with “death to USA, death to Britain, death to whoever” – I mean DANG.
Can we express ourselves with a little bit more dignity and understanding? I know its a cultural thing to call death down and all that, but its also a tad old school, neh? Language is important. You can express anger, disappointment and so on with world wide countries in a more modern parlance, I believe.
The Buddhist in me shudders at the kind of karma generated by calling death down on folk. Its not as if the Middle East can afford any more funky karma goin on.
I’m just sayin, like.
Anyhoo. My heart goes out to the supporters of the opposition party in Iran.
I feel your pain. I been there too.
