Iranians like Americans Part II (based on Iranian election article I wrote in 2007)

Two years ago, I wrote an article for the International Middle East Media Center regarding the 2007 elections in Iran (‘Iranians like Americans show their discontent in Elections’ http://www.uruknet.info/?p=29163). The article took a look at how both Americans and Iranians had, through the ballot box, started to change their government. In both countries, the governments were in their “off” election years where the presidents were not up for elections, but their policies and actions, were on trial at the polls, based on the results of the local elections.

On the American side, that mid-term election signaled that Americans were through with the Bush-Cheney mentality of might means right. Americans started looking at how racist and unfair we were treating the Muslim community, took a new look at Israel and Palestine and our role in that conflict, and realized that as far as being on the side of right, we were on the wrong side. We took a good hard look at our foreign policy and those things our government was doing in this world in our name, and decided that the actions of the government did not represent the people. When democratic governments no longer have the support of the people, then we have a way of handling that. Not that our election process is perfect, far from it. With contributors, and lobbyists of all shapes and sizes, and minimized turnouts, the best person does not always get elected, but we were not to be denied this time.

In the presidential election in the US, it was a hands down, no brainer, that Obama was going to walk away as President of the United States. It was clear that this was the sentiment of the majority of voters in the US, and any attempt to put McCain and Palin in the White House, would have led to a situation far worse than we saw in Iran. BUT, that did not happen in America, because the electoral process was relatively fair and the person who was elected by the majority of the people is serving their time in office, as should be in a republican style of government.

On the Iranian side, the mid-term election showed that Iranians did not view the government and their pursuit of nuclear technology and the ongoing isolation of Iran as the way to go. In 2007, the Iranians, as stated in my previous article… “In a surprise embarrassment to the Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the political opponents of the president made a very strong showing in local and community elections, according to CNN.com. Moderate conservatives in the Iranian political structure flexed their muscles in the local election and former President Hashemi Rafsanjani, collected the most votes to a key Tehran Assembly position.” I could not have said it better myself, even though I was the one who said it. It is clear to see now, but the voters were already choosing sides.

In the 2007 Iranian election, the hard-liners, and Revolutionary Guard members obviously saw the writing on the walls. In 2007, they started laying the ground work, appointing their individuals to key spots, and putting into place the framework necessary to steal the election in 2009, should they actually lose. I don’t truly think we will ever know who won that election, I don’t believe the votes were really counted, but I do believe that everything from the announcement of Ahmedinejad as president to the round up of political opponents was pre-ordained by the individuals who had the power in 2007 to make sure they didn’t lose power in 2009. It also finally gave them the opportunity to eliminate those who had too much power to stop them from running for office, as opposed to those they just did not give permission to run.

Here in America, we are now just crawling out from under the international disaster and national economic turmoil left by our previous administration. Every country in the world, Iran included, has to admit that the US has made a huge about face, changed the way they deal with individuals of the Islamic faith, and stopped the biggest bully on the block mentality and used their power and resources to assist any and all countries who wish to deal with America in a fair and honest manner based on mutual respect and dignity. I was raised to believe that this is how we are in America, and thank goodness that the majority of Americans feel the way I do and therefore, we were able to create CHANGE.

In Iran, sadly it is a different story. They are heading down the same road to confrontation that their people did not want. They ignored their own election results, reined in power from those who would change the way Iran deals with other nations, and how transparent they should be with their nuclear program. Ahmedinejad continues to ratchet up rhetoric regarding the Holocaust, America, Israel, his opponents and everyone else he desires to hate (which happens to be quite a number of people these days).

I think the biggest disappointment for myself and most Iranians is the Supreme Leader. Supposedly above the fray, supposedly as honest in dealings and actions as the prophet Mohammad (PBUH), and the ultimate authority in finding common ground and the right path to follow for Iran’s people regardless of the external forces upon him. Unfortunately, the external forces upon him are the infrastructure of the Revolutionary Guard that has taken over every aspect of the average Iranians life, and he did not have the backbone to resist. From running the country, its economy, its defense, its judicial systems, the Revolutionary Guard Council has its finger in every part of the Iranian pie. The Supreme Leader, under incredible pressure from the Guard, announced Ahmedinejad’s presidency before the votes could have even been physically counted. He has given tacit authority to destroy the lives, families, and allow torture to death to be committed on his watch. He has allowed men and women to be raped in prison to death without his protection and he has allowed his own brothers, who stood with him, beside Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, to be completely stripped of power and authority, tortured, beaten and put on a show trial within the Iranian Republic. He has even forced the family of the Revolution’s leader, its force for right, out of Iran because they refuse to go along with the corruption.

Like America, Iran had the opportunity to reinvent itself in the world. Just as every nation reached out it’s hand at President Obama’s invitation, just as every country walked the walk with America and said, we were wrong and we want to fix it, just as every country embraced the new America knowing we would never return to that kind of leadership again, Iran could have and should have done the same thing. However, absolute power corrupts absolutely, it doesn’t matter if you declare yourself a Jewish state, an Islamic state, a democracy, a theocracy, a republic or whatever you want to call it.

Absolute power has turned the Iranian revolution upside down and all the reasons for overthrowing the Shah have been exhibited by those in power in Iran right now. Unlike in America, Iran can not be fixed at the ballot box, and those in power do not want it fixed at the present time. But every person in the world, every person in Iran, knows that Iran is no longer true to its revolutionary values, it no longer abides by Islamic law, it does not espouse the values of a republic and that the nation of Iran was just stolen from its people by people who are just like the Shah, but in different clothes.

The Quran teaches it is right to fight and die to take back that which has been taken from you. It is the right and duty of every Muslim and Iranian to do as the Prophet (PBUH) would have done, and to fight and die to get back the country that the Revolutionary Guard has stolen from the average Iranian. Just as it took the last time, just like in America, when those in power rule without honor, dignity, respect for and a mandate from its people, the will of the people will overrule absolute power.