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“Neda”: Iran’s rallying cry
A young Iranian woman was shot to death on Saturday while reportedly attending a protest with her father in Iran. While few details are available about who shot her and why, the young woman has been dubbed “Neda,” which means “the call” or “the voice” in Farsi, and has emerged as a rallying symbol for Iranians opposed to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Footage of the gruesome shooting quickly appeared on YouTube and other internet sites. WARNING: The content of the video is graphic; YouTube requires that you verify your age before viewing it. CNN, meanwhile, links to a video that reportedly shows “Neda” and her father at the protest before the shooting. And over at Twitter, her death (#neda) has became one of the top “trending topics.”
TIME notes that even though it is ”not yet clear who shot ‘Neda’ (a soldier? pro-government militant? an accidental misfiring?), her death may have changed everything.”
back to top47 Comments to ““Neda”: Iran’s rallying cry”
While Obama plays golf people die.
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This young woman’s death will leave no one “neutral” about the Iranian struggle. She may wind up as the Tehran equiv of Emmet Till or the little Birmingham church girls whose deaths finally prompted action.
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I cringe when BHO refers to the Iranian Supreme Leader.
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Wonder if the Iran situ will cause more theaters to show “The Stoning of Soraya M.?” She was buried up to her neck in sand. Then stoned by a mob. Her adulterous hubby got a corrupt judge to conspire and convict HER of adultery. This was in the early years of the Khomeini regime, approx 1980.
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Obama said nothing about the crisis in public on Sunday, although a spokesman said he discussed Iran with foreign policy advisers in the Oval Office for more than 30 minutes. He later went golfing in Virginia.
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Gee our pusillanimous president might have thought about the problem for HALF AN HOUR !
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When are we going to go to war with Iran?
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While people bleed in the streets of Iran, people like Monty capitalize on their suffering by whining and complaining about Obama–showing yet again how utterly impotent Conservatism in general has become, and Christian Conservatism in particular. Impotent to offer anything of real value. Just a sickly whining sound.
Pathetic.
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The only solution to the problem of a world full of problems caused by millions of people with incompatible beliefs offered by the conservative Christians at worldmagblog is to convert everybody else to their system of belief.
The world of Dr. Strangelove comes closer and closer. Humans are the equivalent as the child playing in the attic with a loaded gun.
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DJ
you seem to think you know something about something. You show yourself to be the intellectual eunuch when you attack me because i truly give a ( deleted) about Iranians. How many Iranians do you know? Personally? How much Farsi do you speak? Face it. We have the worst president in office in the history of the country. And his stupidity is causing people to die. If you can’t see that then you are worthless. That is not a personal attack just an astute observation.
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There’s nothing astute about your observations Monty. Oportunistic–that pretty much describes your posts. I’ve read your posts and I seriously doubt that you give a rip about anyone but yourself. And whatever I know about Iran —however much or little—isn’t to be spilled for the likes of you. You deserve no such confidence.
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Gee, and I thought it was a reminder that leftys mocked GWB for playing golf ….
I would not accuse you of not caring Monty, but what do you really want Obama to do? If he acts with gusto, we are interfering and this gives the mullahs ammunition to crack down even more. There should be a combined statement with the Europeans that this vicious nonsense in the streets is unacceptable. Obama made that statement.
Do I think at his core he’s gutless? Probably so. But we handed freedom to the Iraqis on a silver platter and look what they’ve done with it? Whoever ends up in power in Iran, it won’t be a democracy like ours. We had English history behind us — a progression towards freedom, Magna Carta, etc. The Iranians went from the Shah to just a different kind of dictator. If they want their freedom, they have to fight for it, they have to do the work, and then they have to change — and changing away from that Islamic brutality is not going to be easy. Just look at how easily the Republican Guard and the Basij take orders.
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7. Kind of like the way liberals dealt with Katrina by sending out anti-Bush E-mails. That saved a lot of people.
Anyway I agree with NJL, what do you want him to do?
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I still remember scenes from movies I saw on TV as a toddler; gladiators and soldiers thrusting their spears and swords through their enemies. The blood gushing out of Neda’s mouth and nose gives me the same, nauseous feeling. Unfortunately, more and more people get a thrill running up their leg to see such carnage. There is a series called “Faces of Death” that has a following. Terrible stuff.
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#12 Exactly. Showing yet again that most intensly partisan people (left and right) are tiny children in grown up bodies. And we should want them to run the country why?
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Fish is unhinged. Not quite so badly as Llama was, but pretty close. Calling anyone “worthless” for simply disagreeing is a good sign of Fish’s inflated self-importance.
On topic … I really do hope Neda’s death proves to be a strong enough rallying point for the dissidents to carry things through. I was enraged when I saw the video of what happened to her, just an idealistic kid trying to have freedom.
It’s been exciting watching a nation rise up and demand fair treatment and a democratic process, and even if they don’t unseat the regime they’ve gone a long way toward delegitamizing it. I pray there won’t be more bloodshed, but if ever a country was ripe for a real revolution, that’s it.
And Obama’s being quite wise to not give the mullahs an excuse to dismiss the dissent as just US-fueled discontent.
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SteveG , it follows that DJ has no sense of what is really happening. So ergo the worthless comment. Apt and appropriate. Those who can’t see that the words and actions of the US president have influence beyond just heating up the local air just don’t have a clue as to how the world works. I am by no means unhinged (which by the way should qualify as a personal attack) I am dead on accurate.
And Obama’s being quite wise to not give the mullahs an excuse to dismiss the dissent as just US-fueled discontent.
Pure nonsense.
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There is no discernible leader to this “revolution.” Tune in further down the road for the next episode of Iranian uprising. I’m predicting this round will go to the mullahs.
Freedom will ultimately prevail, but unless there is a break within
the ranks of the military, don’t count on students with rocks and tweets.
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As for what Obama should do. Listen to the protesters in Westwood. Some of them make good sense.
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DJ,
“The likes of you” . Frankly DJ, you deserve yourself. It is the worst I could wish for you. So stop with the personal attacks. I certainly don’t deserve the attacks you have made on me.
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As an aside, it’s odd you speak about Llama — what he always said “don’t listen to what they say, watch what they do” is shown on a Republican ad for governor here criticizing Corzine every day.
And what do the protesters say?
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Nothing personal Monty. But your posts are often very vitriolic. I didn’t take you for one with a thin skin or I would not have said what I did. Don’t dish it out if you can’t take it.
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SteveG
Llama displayed a good measure of real intelligence and knowledge about the markets. I still miss that, even though some of his other rhetoric was hard to take.
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Ladies and gentleman! Let’s be civil.
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#17 No discernible leader? Is that necessarily a bad thing? In the age of Twitter and other networking systems, perhaps we no longer have need of a central committee or man on a white horse. I’m honestly surprised Moussavi hasnt been taken out by a sniper or car bomber to be honest.
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And don’t engage in civil war.
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#23
That’s the best idea on this thread so far. I’ll go for it.
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Revolution. Most of the Christians here are conservatives. Generally, conservatives don’t like revolutions. However, the American Revolution was a good revolution. The French Revolution was a bad revolution. The attempt to secede from the American union which we now call the Civil War was a bad revolution, though some here claim it would have been a good revolution for states rights and would have eventually ended slavery on its own.
In Iran, the revolution that overthrew the Shah was a good revolution, or so the current Iranian leaders say. Now people are revolting against them, it is a bad revolution. People at wmb think it is a good revolution but even if the current revolters overthrow the current Iranian government, the winners would not be conservative Christians. What would be the point of that?
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#24 That’s a good point, Sawgunner. My husband said almost exactly the same thing. Sometimes you just make yourself a target by standing up and calling attention to yourself. The people don’t seem to be having an organizational problem that would be solved by Moussavi or anyone being out front and center all the time. Not at this time, anyway. And if they get new elections, new leadership will be legitimized by the vote. Though if the government waits too long, new elections may not satisfy the crowd.
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#24 Sawgunner: I believe it is a bad thing as a vacuum of leadership creates an environment for anarchy. At the very least a lack of leadership will result in a number of factions creating a multi-faceted civil war. Even if Khameini falls, who would take his place? A rift is being reported among the mullahs, but how accurate is this information?
Tweets and You-Tube videos are very difficult to discern as to date, time, accuracy. In fact, many are suggesting that the most descriptive are not coming from Iran at all but from sources in the West.
As I stated before, I think this is going to turn out to be Irans Tianenmen. It may result is some gains, but look for another period of rule by the mullahs until the next “uprising.”
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Random,
The point would be that Iranians would be deciding their own fate politically. Some people think that the power of self-determination has real absolute value. This is a fundamental difference in Christianity and Islam. Christianity demands that you personally choose. In Islam personal choice is not required, and if you were born into it, choice is not even permitted, sometimes under pain of death.
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Metanoia, I agree wholeheartedly with you. A leadership vacuum is a bad thing. Having a leader who is a coward or liar or murderer or buffoon is also a bad thing. Obama and Ahmadinejad are both bad things.
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I heard Moussavi said he was ready to be martyred, so maybe that’s why he hasn’t been shot.
I wouldn’t be so quick to decide that Islamic dictators are the same as Chinese communist dictators. They may employ the same brutal tactics, but the ideas behind these “revolutions” are not exact, any more than they follow what we wanted. There are different histories here and people have different ideas of what freedome is.
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Montyfisher:
I don’t remember you on this blog back in September-October ‘08, so I’m not sure of your position on this, but I sure am curious.
At that time you might remember there was a push by many on the Right to bomb Iran to keep nuclear technology out of its hands. Were you in favor of bombing Iran to keep it from developing nuclear technology?
I ask because I find your professed sympathy for the Iranian people to be at odds with many of the militaristic positions (especially regarding the Middle East) held by many on the right. If we bombed Iran in ‘08, we would have a dozen civilian casualties for every Neda killed in the protests, and we may even be at war with them right now, leading to tens or even hundreds of thousands of civilian casualties (like Iraq). Did you “truly give a (deleted) about the Iranian people” back then?
I guess I just find your sympathy with the Iranians and frustration with Obama to be so politically convenient that it raises my doubts.
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How many of us are remembering Tehran in 1978? I don’t think this is quite the same thing. I also don’t see a leader for the protestors side–which would make it difficult to coalesce behind anyone. For all the great protests that accomplished change–think of Khomeini, Lenin and who in the US? Paine? Washington? There needs to be a rallying center, not just vague protests.
Tianamen Square is another example–okay, the students didn’t bring down the government (it wss never going to happen, anyway), but change occured and Christianity now flourishes in the land twenty years later.
I don’t know what will happen in Iran–but it’s a country to watch carefully. And they’re smart.
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Stick to arguing the topic while not directing your comments at each other. For some of you, this is not your first warning. And if you continue, I’ll be forced to take action and ban you from the site.
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Sorry Mickey. I should not have personalized my post #7. I apologize for my part in stinking up the thread.
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I feel so sorry for the Iranian people. But there is little we as a nation can do. What those of us who are true believers in Christ should do is pray for our leaders. Every since Harry Truman authorized the use of atomic weapons against the empire of Japan, foreign policy has been the responsibility of the President. So I would admonish my brothers and sisters to pray for the president and his staff.
I would also encourage my brothers and sisters to pray for the Iranian people. We should let them know that we are praying for them and for their safety.
Many Iranian young people are fed up with the hard line Islamic rulers, and I sympathize with them; but, from what I have seen on the news, throwing rocks at the police and the use of mob violence will not accomplish much. What I fear is that another “French Revolution” is taking place. So pray for the Iranians is what I see is needed right now.
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And does anyone think Iran will be any different with either man in power if you are Baha’i, Jewish or Christian? Islam is written into that nation’s constitution (sadly just as it is in the Iraqi and Afghan constitutions)
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The crackdown continues. Guns, tanks, batons and tear gas are winning over tweets, youtube and rocks. The gatherings are getting smaller, the military, police and Basiji presence is getting bigger. This uprising will be relegated the the inner depths of seeting anger until someone courageous enough (and it probably won’t be a politician, or well known individual) becomes the rallying point for the population.
Let’s not forget that although the cities favor some greater measure of “democracy” the countryside of Iran is firmly siding with the Islamic fundamentalists, Khameini and Ahmadinejad.
You don’t have a revolution without a focal point of personality or ideology. There has been no mention in today’s tweets about Neda. A poor young girl who seemed to have been at the wrong place at the wrong time.
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Of course not, if you look at their worldviews. So, who do Americans associate with the “good guys,” Ahmadinejad or Mousavi?
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hey dj,
While people bleed in the streets of Iran, people like Monty capitalize on their suffering by whining and complaining about Obama–showing yet again how utterly impotent Conservatism in general has become, and Christian Conservatism in particular. Impotent to offer anything of real value. Just a sickly whining sound.
Pathetic.
how quickly we forget how bush was slammed for what happend that couple minutes during 911. its not exactly the same but you get it. I think obama’s to afriad of people not liking him to do anything.
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KardKid 74,
I supported Bush. He still has 10x the class that his VP ever had.
I think you’re wrong about Obama. As far as I can tell, his response is strategic. If he just wanted to please people, nothing could be easier; he’d have roundly condemned Iran and would have used much firmer rhetoric before now. He’s been trashed as ignorant, naïve, a secret supporter of extremism and a coward all because he has chosen to make very specific and restrained responses based on what’s happening on the ground in Iran, rather than some outburst of self aggrandizing support.
By contrast, John McCain shows up on tv regularly now urging strongly worded. unequivocal support for people he would have cheerfully bombed just months ago (remember “bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran”). The man has no shame. And Obama need not take advice from him or anyone like him. Nor does he have to please them.
I think slow and steady wins the day on this one.
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I’m thinking somewhere in between Obama and McCain.
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#11 NJ Lawyer
“…what do you really want Obama to do?”
I heard that the government of Iran announced that Ahmadinejad had won by 65% before the polls were closed. If this was so, I would have hoped that Obama would have answered a reporter’s question with a nicely phrased quip about counting your votes before they’ve hatched or some such.
I think that a joke at the expense of the Iranian election would have been a good way to handle it. It would have been repeated and the USA would have looked good. The kind of humor would have been extremely effective. Further questions should have been met with a a smile and a wave of the hand as the President walked away. (Can’t you see Reagan waving and walking?)
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Bob,
Humor is hard enough to pull off with some humorless English-speaking folks. I’m afraid much would be lost in translation. On the other hand, the kind of joke you’re talking about would probably have helped Obama with his PR problem here, even if it did nothing whatsoever over there.
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On the other hand, the kind of joke you’re talking about would probably have helped Obama with his PR problem here, even if it did nothing whatsoever over there.
Nah. The same people complaining that he didn’t use humor would be complaining that he did.
If he had used more tough-talk, the same people complaining that he was too soft would be complaining that he was too firm.
For some people, if Obama says or does it, it’s wrong. No matter what it is.
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