a little perspective on democratic traditions in Iran....
Elections do go back quite some time in Iran. Back in the day the Iranians elected a fellow by the name of Mohammad Mosaddeq. Mosaddeq wasn't a hardcore fundy muslim but he was a bit of a lefty who got a little to cozy with the commies before nationaizing the oil fields....
big mistake....
So the United States of America did what empires on the rise are wont to do, it flexed a little muscle and rid itself of the troublesome democratic government of Iran in favor of a fascist dictator by the name of Reza Shah or something like that (aka, the Shah of Iran). This dude was a prick, maybe not top 10 crazy evil but an anti-democratic autocrat nonetheless. Most importantly, he was our dude so the oil started flowing again and everybody was happy (well...not the iranian people who supported Mosaddeq and certainly not the Shia who got the shaft by the Shah, but you know what I mean..."everybody" meaning the US and British Government).
Then along come mullahs, who are more than just a little sick of the US puppet government in Iran, and they kick our asses out....sort of....they take a bunch spooks and "diplomats" hostage first, but sooner or later the ragheads were in and we were out.
Not too long after the mullahs kicked us out, Iraq invaded Iran so
we ran to help our man Saddam by giving him some WMDs and stuff, but that's a whole 'nother episode in US duplicity.
anyhoo....like I was saying, Iran has had a long history of holding democratic elections and the US has had a long history of thwarting democracy in Iran in pursuit of our national interests. Everybody on earth is well aware that the US has actively and forcibly fought the rise of democracy in the mid-east and especially Iran ... at least everybody on earth who hasn't been burdened with a US public education.
We the people are for the most part quite ignorant of our history of opposition to democracy in Iran, but in the media they know it but manage nonehtless a daily display of doublethink (to forget any fact which is inconvenient). On those rare occasions when the real events are recalled....
Well...consider Barrack the Absurd's remarks in Cairo:
Quote:
|
...Iran has defined itself in part by its opposition to my country, and there is indeed a tumultuous history between us. In the middle of the Cold War, the United States played a role in the overthrow of a democratically-elected Iranian government. Since the Islamic Revolution, Iran has played a role in acts of hostage-taking and violence against U.S. troops and civilians. This history is well known. Rather than remain trapped in the past, I have made it clear to Iran's leaders and people that my country is prepared to move forward.
|
How dare those bastards play a role in acts of violence against US troops who just happened to be admiring the scenery in the heart of mesopotamia!!! That's a bit like saying "there's no fighting in the war room" only without the dark and sardonic sense of irony. the unmitigated gall...it's kind of like he's saying, "I know we bent you over and raped you hard, but we're willing to forgive the fact that you fought back while we were raping you. It's time for you to quit being such haters."
Nowadays in those rare times when someone (some neocon) does acknowledge our past history in the mid-east, they generally attach a "but we made mistakes in the past and we're not doing that any more" type of qualifier to our role as benevolent hegemon. This is complete bullshit, but at least it's a start.
anyhoo...this is why they don't hate us for our freedom, they hate us because we're full of shit and they know it. That we don't recognize it of ourselves makes us more full of shit and easier to hate.
addendum...
Quote:
|
It's good to see the people of Iran stand up for freedom and what's right.
|
I can readily imagine how an iranian, knowledgdable of the history, might respond. Something like...."Who the hell are you to talk to me about standing up for freedom and what's right? Go get a f____ clue and then get back to me you ignorant piece of s______."
Sorry to pick on you jr, I understand you're probably ignorant as a stump of the history of the US in the mid-east, but this sort of attitude is precisely what I meant when I said that we don't recognize how full of shit we are makes us even more full of shit and easier to hate. Arrogance born of abject ignorance is not an attractive quality.