Angry

I know being angry is only useful insofar as it serves to push you to redouble your efforts to achieve the thing the lack of which angers you.  Otherwise it is just destructive.  I know that there are people who “never” get angry, or are efficient at suppressing it and channeling it elsewhere or whateverthefuck (sorry for expletive, I told you I was angry).  But I am not one of them.  At all.  Thankgodforblogs.  That having been said, I wrote the below in response to a Washington Post piece by Afshin Molavi entitled “Who Will Stand with Iranians Struggling for Freedom?“

It is totally unpolished and I expect to come back soon to clean it up a bit, but I did not want it to get lost out there in the WaPo jungle.  I could have written the Molavi piece, save for any bits on Iranian culture or history.  I have expressed precisely the same frustrations to some people who I thought would understand – people who drove from state to state to state to campaign for Obama, after 8 years in the wilderness of OUR OWN AMERICAN THEOCRATIC DICTATORSHIP from which we thankfully recently emerged.  What did I get?  Blank stares.  “Iran?  Oh, I think what they are doing is really cool, but whatever.  Tee-hee!”  Smoke curls from my ears.  I do not understand why they do not understand.

For the love of god, I thought that the people who were killing themselves to campaign for Obama were doing it because they loved and valued the idea of democracy and unity that Obama was offering to America.  Now I wonder – was it really all mass delusion?  Or are we in America content, once we get what we want for our own comfy lives, to sit in front of our 367 zillion satellite TV channels or our Wii systems (whateverthehell they are) and just not give a damn about what is happening in the rest of the world?  When our sisters and brothers in Iran are begging us to listen, sending a million digital messages in bottles out across dangerous seas, praying for us to see them, witness, respond, stand up.  America, if you believe in standing for democracy for yourselves, then you must also believe in the rights of others to be equally free.  And if you believe that others also have the right to be free, and yet they are not, and they are taking bullets and bludgeoning to be free, and they are CALLING out for you to witness – how can you do nothing?  What does it cost you to do something that nevertheless has enormous symbolic value, such as going out on a march or being present at a candlelight vigil?  How can you stay home from these things?  Why are we not using our organizational skills that the Obama campaign taught us – hell, we can still use his organizing tools!  Anyway, I could go on, but I have other things I need to do tonight and have already spent too much time on this.  I just needed to vent a little and I hope to come back and edit.  Below is what I wrote in response to the Post article.

As a American of Western European descent who participated both as an Obama volunteer and as someone who stand and marches for Iranian freedom, I have been disappointed at the turnout of American citizens at these protests against this murderous Iranian regime – especially given the active networks that were established during the Obama campaign – it should be EASY to do this, people! Instead what I see is everyone is acting the voyeur – drama on tv, right in your own living room – hey, there’s even blood!. Everyone has their cameras out to take photos of the green sea as it surges along the sidewalks and streets, but no one joins in the march! Maybe folks are shy, maybe they think that they might not be welcome – PEOPLE, YOU ARE WELCOME! The reign of terror that rules over Iran right now is more real than you know. They are executing people RIGHT NOW. Right now. EVERYONE must stand up with our sisters and brothers in Iran – and we need to do it NOW.

Aiding & abetting dictatorship…

Looks like Nokia Siemens is not the only one who takes profit regardless of the blood on the dolla-dolla-billzya’ll.  (Hint: who do you think provides the high-end routers, satellites, and other communications equipment that the Iranian dictatorship needs to do its dirty work?)  More to come on that later.

To keep you engaged in this line of thinking, please view the following AP newstory, posted at MSNBC.  Bottom line: some US corporations have been supplying Iran with material goods that aid and abet the Iranian dictatorship.  That’s called blood money, my friends.

IF YOU KNOW ANY US CORPORATIONS OR CORPORATIONS BASED IN COUNTRIES WITH UNITED NATIONS MEMBERSHIP THAT ARE SELLING TO IRAN, PLEASE PROVIDE INFO IN COMMENTS SECTION.

(Humanitarian exports to Iran are allowed, however.  For more details on US trade restrictions on Iran, please see: Regulations from the US Office of Foreign Asset Control, US Dep’t of Treasury; specifically see sections 560.203, 560.204, 560.205 & 560.206)

In the Spectator, June 29 2009: Western firms mustn’t help the Iranian regime repress the Iranian population

Suggestions for corporations that need a “Corporate Profile of Shame”:

(note: for now links are to articles that summarize corporate relationships with Iran; more detailed profiles will be posted as they become available)

Germany: BayernGas, helping Iran transforming gas stations to Compressed Natural Gas

Germany: Steiner-Prematechnik-Gastec (SPG), selling three gas liquification facilities to Iran

Germany: Linde, developing a project with the National Iran Oil Co. to liquefy natural gas; earned a total revenue of 91 million euros from Iran in 2008

US: Halliburton & GM

Finland/Germany: Nokia Siemens

STAND UP: Write to Senators re Iran

Those of us in the U.S. can support our sisters and brothers in Iran by using our individual and collective voice to advocate within our own political system.  Your voice matters more than you know.

Activity: Writing a letter to key Senators

Purpose: Giving voice to the Iranian people that are struggling in Iran to have their voices heard around the world

Recipients: Senators McCain, Graham, Kerry and Feinstein

Call on U.S. lawmakers/politicians to:

*NOT use the Iranian crisis and sacrifice of the Iranian protesters to score political points. ASK their colleagues in Congress to stop using the Iranian crisis as a domestic political football.

*REMEMBER that words of U.S. lawmakers have deep and strong historical meaning in Iran. Ask that they BE CONSCIOUS of the Iranian government’s accusations of Western meddling in its internal affairs and allegations for domestic and international consumption.

*NOT allow their words as an American leader to be used against the people in Iran. REJECT these allegations forcefully.

*SUPPORT President Obama’s measured and strong words of support for the human rights of the people of Iran. ASK that he take a stronger position in condemning the violence, killings and human rights abuses.

*CONTINUE highlighting the human rights violations of the Iranian security forces and their proxies, the Basij militia forces.

*NOT press President Obama to take drastic political action or make statements that will strengthen the hardliners and allow them to justify their brutal crackdown.

Sample Letter:

Dear Senators McCain, Graham, Kerry, Feinstein

As an Iranian American with family in Iran [or: As a concerned American], I have been glued to the news like many people around the world and horrified by the massive human rights violations and grotesque brutality of the Iranian government’s security forces on its own citizens.

But my horror is too often turned to deep concern when I see my elected officials turning this struggle for the realization of universal human rights into a political football to score partisan political points. Please do not use the sacrifices of the Iranian people as an excuse to attack the President. I urge you to work with your colleagues in the Senate to support President Obama’s measured, forward-thinking and sophisticated approach to handling this very challenging situation.

While the United States must be careful in its public statements, it has an important role to play. It must continue to condemn the lethal violence being perpetrated against the people of Iran and the violations of the right to freedom of speech and freedom of assembly. The Unites States must not take any sides in the political conflict inside country, but only urge Iranian authorities to respect the basic human rights of their citizens – as universally defined by international law.

Most importantly, the United States should work with other countries to ensure that those that have leverage with the Iranian government use it to achieve the best outcome for the Iranian people. We urge you to work with your friends in Latin America, Europe, Africa, and Asia to pressure the Iranian government. Now is not the time to invoke our own rich history of defending human rights and democracy and try to join the struggle. The temptation is great, but keeping our eye on the prize is far more important.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Name

Email/Phone

Address

Contact info for Senators:

Senator McCain:

web: http://mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm

snailmail: United States Senate, 241 Russell Senate Ofc. Bldg. Washington, DC 20510

Senator Graham:

web: http://lgraham.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=contact.emailsenatorgraham

snailmail: United States Senate, 290 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510

Senator Kerry:

web: http://kerry.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm

snailmail: United States Senate, 218 Russell Bldg., Second Floor, Washington D.C. 20510

Senator Feinstein:

web: http://feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactUs.EmailMe

snailmail: United States Senate, 331 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510

Tips for letter-writing:

*Always remain respectful. Never use foul language. Do not exaggerate or give any false information. Don’t use ALL CAPS. It is fine to show emotion but don’t be rude or demanding.

*Include personal stories. Have you talked to/have family in Iran? Are you reading blogs or twittering? Glued to your computer or TV for news? Have you become politically active for the first time? These types of personal stories are the most compelling and have the farthest-reaching impact.

*Use your own words and write in your own voice. If possible, don’t just copy the talking points or the sample letter – use it as a guide for your own work.

These materials were shared at protests organized by the Iranian American community in Washington DC.

Invictus

OK, I know that Iran has its own amazing poets, but, as I was thinking of the struggles there, and messages of hope and fortitude to send them, I thought of this poem.  It’s too long to tweet, so I am putting it here.

Invictus

William Ernest Henley. 1849–1903

OUT of the night that covers me,

Black as the Pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be

For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance

I have not winced nor cried aloud.

Under the bludgeonings of chance

My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

Looms but the Horror of the shade,

And yet the menace of the years

Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll,

I am the master of my fate:

I am the captain of my soul.

Restarting the engine.

Thought a million times that I should start a blog but didn’t because of lack of time and because of fear of getting fired from my job if I should say publicly what I think sometimes (and I, um, have a big mouth and don’t self-censor well).  But this thing in Iran has gotten me all introspective and thoughtful again (oddly, my work, which requires actual thought, doesn’t have a charge code for “thinking,” so I hardly have the opportunity to get into any deep thoughts while working).  Anyway, there are some things about Iran that just can’t be encapsulated in 140 chars.  And I kind of enjoy knocking the rust off the hinges on the door to the thoughtful (rather than just functional) part of my brain so… here we go.