© the eyeranian: Don't Waste Your Vote!

February 17, 2004

Don't Waste Your Vote!

It seems that suddenly every so-called “reformist” in Iran is up in arms about elections becoming based on appointments and basically a “selection” now that they have been excluded from participating. I’ve got news for you friends; this is the way it has been for 25 years.

First prominent example of excluding candidates based on their opinion and political stand happened very early in the revolution days. When most of the nationalist, socialist, communist and generally left-leaning organizations backed the candidacy of MKO’s presidential candidate Massoud Rajavi to become the first president of Iran (I know, a scary synopsis on its own right), it took an edict from Ayatollah Khomeini himself to exclude him from the ballots. His reasoning was Rajavi’s non-approval vote on the newly drafted constitution.

This process of eliminating candidates based on their beliefs is then the tradition of Great Leader himself and has been practiced time and time again in every election held since. You don’t sincerely believe Iranians would vote even for a “reformer” like Khatami if they were free to choose from a wide selection of candidates who represent their society more effectively, do you? They just have been forced between either completely avoiding the shows referred to as “elections” or participate and choose between the lesser of the evils allowed to be on the ballot. This explains Khatami.

But now, the process of separating “us” from “them” has gone one step further and has included banning some of the most loyal and foot-soldiers of the “us” team. Thus the attempt to make a big hoopla about all of it.

To show what a non-issue this all is, let’s try to imagine this; even if you managed to elect a parliament full of very progressive socialists tomorrow and chose a communist president tomorrow, will it make an iota of difference in the way this country is run? Will they be able to initiate or implement one single piece of legislature that could be considered significant or valuable? Not a chance.

So, I’ll be staying away from this election, like every other “selection” held by this regime this far. The change will not come through the ballot boxes in Iran, as the issue is not with the people who may or may not get elected. The challenge is how to put the larger dilemma on the table without providing an opportunity for the fanatics on both sides to start the expected bloodshed.

Posted by Pedram at February 17, 2004 10:52 PM

Comments

WHY DO YOU NOT RISE UP AND DEFEAT THE IDIOTS WHO TAKE AWAY THE FREEDOMS OF YOUR VERY LIFE?? DESTROY THE DESTROYERS!!

Posted by: gary at February 19, 2004 05:26 PM

Gary,
That's very easy to say when you sit behind your table, somewhere in the US, and check the news on the net. I wonder what could be your opinion if you have been born in a dictatorship of Mullahs.
I have an advice for you: take care of protecting your own freedom. The gang in power in your country are establishing a police-state when you are to busy with "Friends" and Janet Jackson's breast.

Posted by: The Other at February 19, 2004 07:48 PM

You are absolutely on point. Even the first time people were given the right to vote under this regime, it was obvious where the so-called Imam was heading the country. You could only vote "yes" or "no" on Islamic Republic, and no other choice was give. The ballot cards were printed on big sheets, where half of it was in green saying "yes" and the other half was in red saying "no". The trash can was completely see-through, so everyone could see whether you are trashing the red portion or the green portion.

Do they really think that people would elect any of the so-called reformers if they were given real choices? This is just a big web getting smaller. It is so funny that most of those in power are either related by blood or by marriage.

Posted by: Kaveh at February 19, 2004 10:51 PM

Despite income from its oil reserves, the rapid growth and implementation of technology, and a highly educated populace, Iran's participation in global terrorism will keep that nation in the dark ages. Once again, Iran and most of the Middle Eastern countries are on the wrong side of a movement (to destroy terrorism) that has been embraced by intelligent, free world nations. Nobody can force Iran to make the decision to join the global community, especially when there is so much at stake. Living in America, my observation of Iran has been filtered through western media who have their own agenda of what the world should look like. I do not like their view(s) so I looked deeper, and here is what I have determined: Iran has, by sitting on the wrong side of the issues (religous freedom for all, equality for women) become dangerously close to falling behind as the future takes shape. What a shame! I wonder how many wonderful people with their fresh ideas are being stifled by a small minority of religous fanatics.

I'll pray for you Iran, but nothing will change unless your people stand for themselves. God will help you, but must learn to help yourselves. Remember, nothing is free, God will do the hard part. But you have to show some initiative of your own. Do you remember when Jesus raised Lazarous from the dead? He performed the miracle of returning life to a dead body. But notice that he did not roll back the stone of Lazarous' grave. Jesus made his followers roll back the stone. My point? You will still have work to do even as God, who shall be forever praised, does the impossible.

Iran, you are in my prayers.

Posted by: MIke at February 20, 2004 04:25 AM

It's sad that even here I find more USA arrogance and Christian propaganda. I came here to see the current state of the modern Iranian under 40 'underground' thinking. The thoughts expressed here represent the future generations of socio-political leaders after the current generation have passed on. The moral dillema that the Iranians and other Muslim nations face is how to integrate fundamental Muslim beliefs with a modern international world-view. Obviously the Western world will not simply vanish because terrorist or muslim fundamentalists wish it would. and at the same time, Muslims will not simply allow their beliefs and life-styles to become empty rituals in the face of the spread of Western cultural values.

The point of this blog is 'to not waste your vote'. If an election is rigged or completely censored or dishonest, then the best protest is not voting and letting the lack of voter turn-out speak for itself. If only 20%(for example) of the 'below 40 group' votes, it shows clearly to the world that the younger modern generation has no confidence in the older leadership. This od course, will cause the more conservative elements in the government and mosques to more vigorously enforce rigid controls so as to break the spirit of the 'misguided' youth. But time is on your side. No-one can fight old age. Someday, you that write your thoughts here, will become the leaders of Iran, and if you can stay true to yourself and patient through the next 20 years, then the steering wheel of your country will be handed over to you. If you take to the streets in protest instead, then matters will only become far worse and destablization of Iran is an unhappy possibility.

Good luck. All good things come to those who wait...Wait until their guard is down and your numbers are in the majority. Then the transition will be bloodless and it's honor unstained.

Posted by: Kurt at February 20, 2004 05:30 AM

First,Let me say WHAT I KNOW ABOUT IRAN IS NOT FILTERED THRU WESTEREN MEDIA,AS I READ EVERY THING I CAN GET MY HANDS ON...SECOND,WHEN PEOPLE HEAR THE WORD TERROR THE FIRST THING THEY THINK OF IS IRAN,YEMAN,SUDAN,LEBANON,SAUDIA ARABIA!! SO,YES YOU MUST STAND UP AND QUIT TALKING ABOUT HOW TERRIBLE A DICTATOR GOVERMENT IS AND TAKE IT RIGHT TO THE EVIL ONES DOORSTEP!! NOW!! NOT TOMMOROW,NOT NEXT YEAR BUT NOW!!!!YOU SAY I DO NOT HOW IT IS?YOUR RIGHT!! I ONLY KNOW HOW IT CAN BE FOR YOU!! FREEDOM TO GO WHERE YOU WANT,TO READ WHAT YOU WANT!! TO HOLD (AND KISS) YOUR WIFE!! IN PUBLIC(OOOHHH NOOO!!(: HOLD HER HAND AND TELL MY DAUGHTERS THEY CAN BE SOMEONE AS GOD ALLMIGHTY CREATED THEM ALSO!! SO QUIT TALKING RISE UP AND CLAIM YOUR GOD GIVEN RIGHT..FREEDOM!!!!

Posted by: gary at February 20, 2004 07:02 AM

PEOPLE OF IRAN,MY HEART ACHES FOR YOU!! LOVE,YOUR AMERICAN FRIEND,GARY.

Posted by: gary at February 20, 2004 07:05 AM

I am not wishing for bloodshed, but gary did have a point in that, from here, it looks like there is not going to be change in Iran for a long long time. Now is the time when Iran is filled with young restless people to take some sort of action. You can feel this in every blog and every conversation. They want change badly.

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