Blur - Chemical World
Where to begin? Yesterday Ayatollah Khameini got up and basically said, "I approve of the election results, they are divine and wonderful, and if any of you no-goodniks continue to stir the pot, we can't be held responsible for the violence inflicted upon you." I do believe he actually mentioned the possibility of bloodshed, too. Now, based only on what I've read from history (I'm no Supreme Leader myself), it's usually not a good idea to say to a crowd of screaming, angry masses, "Go ahead, punk, make my day." To complicate matters further, Khameini called out Mousavi specifically and basically threatened him pretty harshly if he kept stirring up the protesters to go out and tear it up even more. So Mousavi's choice yesterday was this: Give up on those in Iranian society wanting reform, who had already been deeply disappointed by Khatami's presidency 10 years before to keep his political career, or press on in direct, full opposition to his own government, basically presenting a challenge that must result in the death (either political or actual) of one of the two sides. Mousavi announced his choice on his campaign's official Twitter page:
"I am prepared for martyrdom, go on strike if I am arrested."
Wow. So I guess he is going to take this thing as far as it will go. I myself have no opinion about what anyone should or shouldn't do because I don't know all the details, except for that the government is digging itself deeper and deeper in with its continued use of violence. There are some pretty downright gruesome videos and photos circulating around from today, including a particularly horrendous one of a woman being shot through the chest and bleeding to death right on the pavement as protesters shout around her. Now, thanks to modern technology, these kinds of images can definitely be expected to reach the masses, and now that Mousavi has publicly announced that he is basically willing to die for the people and their cause, I believe this probably gives him a certain kind of status among his numerous followers that makes disposing of him much more difficult than it would have been a few weeks ago. What I mean is, if he is killed or imprisoned by Khameini's government, that will certainly push the people to their breaking point and then there will be no turning back. Mousavi, like the fictional hero shown below, might become even more powerful in death than he was in life:
"If you strike me down, I will become more powerful than you can possibly imagine."
Ah, I believe that properly elucidates the matter in a way my high school self would have highly appreciated. In addition, I want to applaud Barack Obama (because I know he checks this site impulsively) for continuing not to heed the calls of Republican politicians who for some reason want to give the reform movement in Iran the kiss of death by giving it official US support. It's so strange, because it's actually in Republican politicians' every interest to see a reform movement take hold in Iran, but they seem to be working so hard against it. Just don't make no sense. Anyway, we'll see how things unfold tomorrow.
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