On the one hand, it is often best if the United States, Russia, England, France, the Greeks, the Arabs, the Mongolians, and all other outside forces stay out of Iranian politics. I have maintained that fairly consistently over the years. But I started thinking about things today after watching this video:
Today in the streets of Tehran, on the anniversary of the taking of the American Embassy in Tehran (now 30 years ago) the Green Wave chanted on the streets “Obama! Obama! You are with them or you are with us.”
Might Obama, now that he is a Nobel Peace Laureate, be seen more than just the President of the United States, but a symbol for the aspirations of all the oppressed? Might it be that the President is in a unique position to do something more than voice gentle opinions?
I honestly don’t know, but would love to hear what you all think out there on the interwebs.
The New York Times’ lede blog has just posted fresh footage of protests from Tehran University. The struggle continues for the Green Wave both at home and abroad.
For those of you wondering how to get involved in the protests tomorrow in New York you might want to check out Voices for Iran which has been tirelessy organizing here in New York City in preparation for Ahmadinejad’s arrival to attend the United Nations general assembly. (they also have information about chartered buses from Washington to New York)
As Gary Sick has noted, the New York Times blog has written today about the masses of Iranian activists who are coming to New York from across the United States and Canada to protest the Iranian leader. It seems this time around the Iranian diaspora is finally united (despite a few old school protesters and their kids) in its hopes for reform over revolution.
The qizilbash team hopes to bring live coverage tomorrow from the event. So check early and check often.
The Empire State Building will be bathed in green lights.
And the display will come at the same time as Iranian activists stage protests around the city over Ahmadinejad’s appearance at this week’s opening of the U.N. General Assembly.
As The Wall Street Journal explains, the owners of the building are not endorsing the activists’ movement. In fact, a request from some activists to have the green lights turned on this week was turned down by Empire State Building Co.
But — and here’s where what the activists believe is a good omen comes into the story — the owners did approve a request to turn on the green lights this Thursday in honor of the 70th anniversary of film The Wizard of Oz.
It’s been a while I know. But as Master Yoda once said, “always in motion the future is.” Indeed this has been very true of Muslim societies throughout the world.
So let’s start QB up again with a special song for a certain Middle Eastern\Asian (take your pick) leader who has recently said less than intelligent things about a certain World War Two event continuing to give the world that his nation (and Muslim societies) are filled with buffoons and raving racists.
Hava Nagila, by Dia Prometido. Spanish Nationals who lived and recorded in pre-revolutionary Iran and recorded on Iranian instruments.
(update: I can’t get the NPR embed to work…if anyone has any clue as to why it won’t please let me know…otherwise, please click on the link above for the song, which is pretty cool.)
Iran is not some banana republic. The events since the night of June 12 have been a shameful interlude. Iranians have not digested this grotesquery.
No, Iran is not a banana republic. It’s a sophisticated nation of 75 million people. It pretends to a significant role in the affairs of the world. It’s a land of poets who knew how to marry the sacred and the sensuous and always laughed at the idea of a truth so absolute it would not accommodate contradiction.
Former Iranian President and one of the most famous figures in the Iranian reformist movement, Mohammad Khatami has called for a Referendum on the legitimacy of the current Iranian government.
As word of Mr. Moussavi’s planned appearance spread, opposition supporters vowed to show up in large numbers to the vast prayer hall where Friday’s sermon will take place. There were reports that green prayer mats — the color of Islam and of Mr. Moussavi’s election campaign — were sold out across the city.
It is our hope that Qbash becomes your go-to blog for all things related to the Middle East and other Muslim societies. With any luck qbash will bring out the 16th century militant Sufi mystic in you (in a peaceful way)!
