In times of stress I always like to read poetry, so I’ve been turning to the Poem of the Day in the Tehran Times, the English language daily here.
This is a paper which carefully toes the government line and favours not-so-subtle and sometimes bizarre unstated comparisons – there was a front page story today about the aftermath of the European Parliament elections in Britain, in the light of the far-right BNP winning two seats, entitled Living in a Pressure Cooker.
Anyway, I think the person who does the poetry section is trying to tell us something about the current situation. Here are his choices for the last three days.
Tuesday
Now, while thou hast the power of utterance,
Speak, O brother, with grace and kindness
Because tomorrow, when the messenger of death arrives,
Thou wilt of necessity restrain thy tongue.
(Sadi)
Wednesday
Beware of the smoke of internal wounds
Because at last an internal wound will break out.
Forbear to uproot one heart as long as thou canst
Because one sigh may uproot a world.
(Sadi)
Thursday
Hafez, thy praise alone my comrades sing;
Hasten to us, thou that art sorrowing!
A robe of honour and a harnessed steed
I send to thee.
(Hafez)
Ah – whatever a government does to try to stop people speaking their minds, there are always ways…
Commentsoldest first
Ah – whatever a government does to try to stop people speaking their minds, there are always ways…
Lindsey come up to
Ah – whatever a government does to try to stop people speaking their minds, there are always ways…
Lindsey come up to Scotland and see how the British state pulls out every trick in the book to stop Scotland going for independence……it isn’t working anymore.
Regards
Clydebuilt
Iranian people wants one thing “freedom”
Lindsy If you went out today you could see milions of people from different part of our society in emam squere in tehran , they want to say that IRAN is alive and ahmadi nejad cann`t show himself as our president becuse he is the president of hammas & hezobollah….
our sunrise is close……
I am an Iranian who took part in a lot of student activities during last uprising thirty years ago. I think the current what we are witnessing is again another uprising, stemmed from the economic pressures exerted on normal people in Iran. Iranian people, in the absence of any organisation and leadership apparatus are reaching out to reclaim what they couldn’t have thiry years ago. DEMOCRACY and FREEDOM. I think they should be supported by all the governments and any free and democrat organisation against the regiam of terror and dark agaes. They have done nothing but to suppress all the democratic forces within and outside Iran. This movement is unique and it shouldn’t be allowed to be hijacked for another thirty years from all the Iranian freedom lovers and fighter like the fenatic islamics did thirty years ago, by organising the movements of people through mosques and molahs at their disposals. Help all the Iranian to keep the momenum going, we need to be networked and keep our voices to be heard. This is a historic time in all Iranians history of democratic movements.
We should irradicate movement of people under the slogans of Freedom and democracy for everyone.
Gohar Farhoodi
Please arrange more interview with Oppositions around the world , apecialists like Prof. Ali Ansari, Please help to keep the movement alive by making it possible the voice of all the silent Iranian to be heard. They need help in their quest for freedom on the streets of Iran.
Dear Lindsey, Iranians crossed the red lines of this crule and dark regime so there will be no force in the future can stop them from demonstrations and it is clear that the unelected supreme leader confessed that Iranians are angry and with the help of imported hezbolah from lebonan he is willing to kill more people if he needs to(friday prayer 19th june) and he wont stand down as unwanted leader even if he gets killed,,,,,, we heard this befor! havnt we? shah used to say that but eventually they will have to say bye to the power and dictatorship.
Dear Lindsey
If being British is evil then all praise to evil. All praise to the world-wide-web, honour and praise to the mobile phone, a thousand blessings on internet access and e-mails – the pen is mightier than ths sword. Arise Freedom on soaring wings and glide over beautiful Iran suffering the oppression of the brutal, hypocritical clerics, secret police and a fear stricken population intimidated by “crackdowns” “live with the consequences” and other threats from the so-called religious leader and his henchman of some Iranians.
We who live in the “evil” west know you freedom loving people of Iran are there. The flame of liberty will not be blown out by an immoral bunch of clerics and politicians who weald their power over you because they think they know what is best for you. You who seek freedom in Iran – your salvation is coming and your oppressive leaders will be broken and overthrown by those who showed their sickening, insincere public mourning with their crocodile tears. As someone who lives without threat of death or torture from this “evil British Government” I praise the freedom loving people of Iran and wish them courage. The Soviet Union and its satellites went in the twinkling of an eye, dealt with a blow internally, Hitler was destroyed, Franco finally went, Pol Pot – soon and very soon Iran will experience the freedom they deserve. A loving hand to the brave protesters in Iran.
Again where are you peace loving Muslims, you Islamic States who use pretty words of peace and friendship without lifting a hand to help the freedom of others. Your religion is a sham and you are brutal cowards not lifting a finger to help Iran. You point the finger at the West, particularly the United States and Britain but three fingers are looking back at you. No wonder you are afraid.
Stay safe Lindsey. Thank you for your impartial reporting, no matter what they say in Iran.
Winstone Perrotton – Tufnell Park
Thank you Winstone. Your words are a comfort to all those brave people in Iran who are now fighting for their basic human rights.
Mullahs are responsible for killing Iranian people; they will be hanged one by one after the revolution
everyone knows for sure Britain is one of the best if not the best country with the best human rights record and nobody has the right to call it evil.
Mr khameneyi (so called supreme leader) must remeber sadam hussein’s destiny and know that iranian’s will hang him and get their 30 years of injustice.
Which part of NO to DICTATOR is hard to comprehend.
Lindsey Glad to see you are back home safe.
Re Hidden Messages! Note reply to “At 11:02 pm on June 19, 2009 Winstone wrote:”
I think its a sign that you show *that* Video. Now that we know her name!
Trending No 3 on Twitter! That Voice ندا -now forever silenced – may just overthrow an old revolution with a new one. One of those epochal moments in history methinks. Have courage C4 Editors! #IranElections #Neda
Dear Lindsey,
Thank you so much for your great reports from Iran. You are the BEST! it so sad that they made you leave the country.
Please keep supporting us,
Thanks again
Dear Linsey
I would like to thank you for bringing us all the latest news from Iran. I know it is hard enough to document and report on statue quote, but it will make a lot of different if we know more about the organised oppositions, but this will more clarification and help to a lot of people. I do think that Iranian smply shouldn’t choose between bad and worse and their movement should be promoted and directed by a better alternative which they deserve.
As you all may know the world is undergoing the worst and prolonged recession that all the economists can ever remember. The reflection of this is thousands time worse on the economy of courtiers like Iran and the life of ordinary people in dependant countries.
The economic pressure coupled with lack of any social and political freedom and democratic rights of people is the ingredient in bringing all these masses out to the street. However, at the same time lack of any organized and progressive organization in leading and offering leadership to people causes either people choose between bas or worse, like they are doing now, or undergo under any fanatic undemocratic alternative like they did thirty years ago!
I think it is duty of any Iranian anywhere in the world to ask the world for support of the movement in Iran. At the same time ask and support any alternative progressive opposition whom will support democracy in Iran and offer separation of religious from constitution of the country and social life of people.
Gohar, Oxford
The unfortunate reality is that for you to be HEARD and for your deaths to be avenged, the only way that the Iranian government to be removed is if the people start fighting back. Peaceful demonstrations against an Islamic regime is futile. They will use whatever is at their disposal, and your voices will not be heard.
I say this because I teach Counter-Terrorism and Counter Insurgency (Currently directed at the Taliban), and Strategic Studies.. I know that the only way for any success, irrespective of any ethical considerations, is for a violent uprising. The momentum is there. But in such a case it can die down as the regime begins to use greater and greater force. DO NOT let the momentum die down. People begin considering thier own circumstances and then participation is reduced. Be careful not to fall into this trap. Move forward. Let the momentum carry you. Freedon is not won without sacrifice. Be FEARLESS in the face of tyranny.
Be STRONG and Courageous. Let YOUR SPIRIT Move you forward.
Let the revolution start. But for any success, strategy has to be used, and that may mean targeting the leadership. Look at their Hypocricies, look at their dishonesty. CHALLENGE THEM.
I am with the PEOPLE of Iran. I am for freedon. FREEDOM. Freedom is yours for the taking. Do Not let your Deaths and sacrifices go without Punishment.
THANK YOU for your excellent reporting and happy that you are back safe. Canadian journalist George McLeod was detained and beaten up. Others have disappeared for days.
apparently helicopters are spraying chemicals onto the crowds. lights are shut down and Basij smash people’s homes and arrest them. (source, Latest protests on iranian.com)
The country’s highest electoral authority, the Guardian Council, acknowledged on Monday that there were voting irregularities in 50 electoral districts.
Over 3000,000 votes exceed the population of 50 different cities. Iranian Governments Acknowledges this but claims the 3000,000 votes does not change the outcome of this election.
Latest I’ve read from Deutsche Welle
http://www.dw-world.com/dw/article/0,,4414609,00.html
Dear Lindsey – Glad but sad you are back. You most likely wish you were back there in Tehran as a true witness of the oppression blessed by the Ayatollah Khomeini, a so-called man of religion, who, I assume, believes to “save one life is to save the world” – yet another expression that many Muslims often quote. Tell that to the Taliban, Hizbollah, Al-Qaida, the Muslim Brotherhood and the rest of the trash that hide behind their own interpretation of the Qur’an who terrorise Muslims (some of them accept it willingly) and try to intimidate and frighten the rest of the world. The world all know who Neda Salehi Agha Soltan is and she represents the innocent who are oppressed by the so-called religious Leader of Iran, who behind his beard and turban calls protesters against STATE TERRORISM terrorists. One day, Ayatollah Khomeini, you will have to face Allah after having to face those you and your henchmen in robes, turbans and beards, have oppressed. Your position reminds me of one of the rebukes of another of your prophets, JESUS, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean.”
Peace and blessing on all you Muslims who fight for the freedom of all men and recognise the dignity of each individual but again I call on all Islamic States to come out from hiding, you individual Muslims living in the West, who must be appalled at the oppression in Iran and elsewhere done by your Muslim brothers, to speak out against the injustices of the Ayatollah Khomeini and the attrocities being carried out in Iran and elsewhere. Yes, the eyes of the FREE WORLD are looking at you all and are asking “How can we trust Islam?”
Winstone Perrotton – Tufnell Park, London – a citizen of this Evil Britain
I am really surprised that C4 and BBC are playing in the hand of illegitimate government of Iran!!! Why suddenly they have stopped all the news …. During the last few days, the dictatorial regime in Iran has committed untold atrocity to its own citizens and all the worlds is turning a blind eye on their actions and have been intimidated by their bullish actions!!! The regime has declared unofficial curfew after 8.00 pm and they disperse any group gathering of more than 4-5 people at all time and anywhere. They have been arresting people and keeping them without trial and people have been disappearing after their arrests with no traces from their homes.
The real reason that they have banned all the channels of reporting and foreign journalists is that they couldn’t hide behind the excuses of legitimacy of their existence as they have done during last thirty years.
However, if a government is backed by the strong will of its own people and based on strong foundation which is rooted in its constitution / liberty and democracy, they will not be afraid of free speech and a report here and website there, revealing any other issues deep inside that society. After all DEMOCRACY and FREEDOM is what any society need in today’s’ world in order to flourish and create a better and just world.
Dear Gohar
I believe your comments are correct. Hopefully Lyndsey Hilsum is monitoring the situation through her own sources of information and that the free world media are waiting to take up the cause of Iran very soon. The fact that no public mourning is going to be allowed for those who have been killed is yet another minus point for this fascist regime. If you are a freedom loving democratic Muslim then please don’t feel included in my personal tirade against Islamic countries worldwide. Which one of them is helping Iran? Love to you Gohar. Winstone Perrotton – Tufnell Park – a citizen of Evil Britain.
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