24 June 2009

Revolt and Repression in Iran: a socialist analysis

| Passy
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Support the mass movement against the Iranian regime. Protest at noon Friday 26 June Iranian Embassy, 25 Culgoa Cct O’Malley ACT.

John Passant is talking this week at the regular Socialist Alternative meeting on Iran: from rigging to revolt. It’s at 6 pm on Thursday 25 June in room G039 of the Copland Building at the ANU. Ring 0422984334 for more details.

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I agree with #9

As someone of Iranian background, I know that the MAJORITY of ppl in Iran are opposed to their Islamic rulers and seek a democratic secular state. THIS is the fundamental issue the protesters are ‘revolting’ against now. The whole system is undemocratic and for ppl who choose to cast a vote it’s a choice between bad and worse (ahmadinejad). The ppl are now just rallying as this provides an EXCUSE to protest and seek to overthrow the regime, you’re less likely to be shot or jailed if you are protesting the election result than if you are caught openly revolting against the islamic republic. Irrespective of the socialist flavour of this protest on June 26 (which I don’t particularly support) I would really encourage other canberrans to come and show their support to the Iranian people . Sadly, the Australian government seems too busy discussing ‘utegate’ than taking any interest in this issue. What they dont seem to realise is that nurturing a democracy in Iran is the best political option to ensure stability in the middle east.

peterh said :

Woody Mann-Caruso said :

Doesn’t stop you self-linking, apparently.

perhaps you can never leave the RA….

In Socialist Russia, RA leaves you!

A Noisy Noise Annoys An Oyster3:52 pm 24 Jun 09

All these sour grapes whingers in Iran remind me of the people who always complained about the “gerrymander” whenever Sir Joh won in Qld claiming he stole selections. In each one of those polls, when the number of votes were added up in a “one vote, one value” tally the Nationals always won with the assistance of the Liberals. In not one of those elections did Labor get more votes than the coalition. I suspect the same is true in Iran.

I don’t think this election was stolen any more than the last one (and the candidate apparently everyone is rallying around was Iranian Prime Minister from 1981-1989, and so was personally at war with Saddam Hussein for almost a decade. It was a stalemate of cruelty, in case anyone forgot.)

What seems different is that the illusion of choice was removed from the voters, and lots of people have discovered that political reality isn’t what their pre-election idealism and naive hope helped them to believe.
Remember: Hope can be dangerous if it clouds your objectivity. Moreso when your blossoming hope encourages the person standing next to you to take a bullet through the heart.

Woody Mann-Caruso said :

Doesn’t stop you self-linking, apparently.

perhaps you can never leave the RA….

Woody Mann-Caruso1:13 pm 24 Jun 09

Doesn’t stop you self-linking, apparently.

hang on, didn’t passy self moderate and leave?

Trunking symbols11:56 am 24 Jun 09

I think this so-called “revolt” in Iran will be as successful as the 1989 Tianenmen Square protest in China.

They want to replace the mullahs’ repression with a little of their own.

Viva la gulag!

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