Anyone in the Middle East who might have thought an Islamic State modeled on Iran was a good idea is getting a good example of the opposing argument now. Your peaceful protesters after the election showed the world a new Islamic face. One that didn't play into the violent stereotype that too many have of Muslims.
Then your current regime decided to bloody it's hands. This behavior is as un-Islamic as any terrorists. They are responding as dictators and oppressors, not Men of God. Supreme Leader Khamenei forgot he was wearing a turban and mistook it for a crown.
Everything I have read of the role envisioned of the "Supreme Leader" was that he stays in the background and tries to keep things according to Islamic belief. I remember reading about the "Standards and Practices Censors" in the old Hollywood days, and kind of pictured his role like that. Although a lot more
powerful, with people that have big guns backing him up.
So I was completely stunned when he jumped right in and declared Ahmadinejad the winner of the election. Based on results announced just a few hours after the polls closed. Then he tried to throw his "Holy Role" into the mix, stating that the election results were divinely inspired.
When the people of Iran exploded, Khamenei backtracked a bit. Announced that they'd look into these voting irregularities. The streets were filled with peaceful demonstrators. It was an incredible testament to their belief in the system. As an American, I was both filled with admiration and deeply embarrassed. Why didn't we have such courage when our own election was stolen in 2000?
The pictures showed all ages, all backgrounds. It was hard not to admire the people of Iran. They had wrested their destiny from the hands of a cruel Shah and created a government that suited their cultural needs. Now they were behaving as any people would when they thought their rights had been violated. They were showing that they believed in the system of their Islamic Republic.
Yet, rather than respect that his fellow Iranians were exercising their Constitutional rights, Khamenei continued making conflicting statements. The only consistency was that they were becoming uglier, more threatening, and blatantly more political.
On Friday, his pretense ended. He pretty much said "my will is God's will and if you don't like it we'll get rid of you" to his countrymen. And the ugliness began. And escalated. To the horror of today--where people are dying and suffering tremendously. There are reports that even those yelling "God is Great" are being abused.
The threats, imprisonments, mass killings, the horrible beatings---Muslims killing Muslims-- exhibit that this Islamic government is just as ugly and greedy and power hungry as any other. It's almost as if all the hope they dangled in front of your people was a trap. Anyone that nibbled was marked for death, imprisonment or exile later.
Is it too late? Have too many been traumatized? Will you lose all of this generation? Will all the dead be martyrs for a new revolution?
Here is my thought. Announce to the world that the "Supreme Leader" was discovered to have a brain tumor. That it made him act out of character. He's been removed from power. A new election will be held next week. International observers are welcome. Instead of spending money to hire thugs, 'blood money' will now be spent to reimburse all of those hurt, harmed, killed or financially devastated by the horrific affairs of the past ten days.
It's a feasible way to get out of this horrendous situation while you still have a country intact. As we all know, revolutions are very very bloody. I would hate to see more of your brave people suffer and die.
Please...stop the killing. Stop the torturing. Set an example for the world of how true Muslims behave.