(Our apologies to Arthur for not posting this piece in a timely matter. He penned this June 22nd, and my how news changes rapidly in our times. His comments are very important, however, and worth reading. We've included an update at the end. Ed.)
I have probably bored everyone with my musings on the Iranian election already. Now I am going to bore you some more. Something seems to be happening in Iran that may, just may, bring substantial change to one of the world's largest theocracies. In theory a religious state might strike some people, like Mike Huckabee and Sarah Palin, as a really blessed state. In practice, religious political systems quickly are taken over by political figures adept at giving a nod and a wink toward sacred teachings, while busily stealing from the treasury whatever they can steal. Cynical? Naah, I base that on my knowledge of Tibetan history, both the most religious and the most dangerous government of the 20th century. A friend of mine's father was in the government, in a senior post. He told his son that his greatest accomplishment was to have held his job for sixteen years without getting killed. So much for Shangri-la, the mythic kingdom.
In Iran the theocrats, or, call them "the Mullahs" if you want to do some Iran-bashing, are Islamic leaders who like power and money. It is an open secret that if one gets into the upper reaches of ecclesiastic power in Iran that money magically seems to flow towards you and your extended family. What a miracle! What a blessing! Be assured that if we ever get a Huckabee or Palin into power in our country the exact same thing would happen. Mike Huckabee is Ayatollah Khamanei, without a beard. A strong comparison? Sure, but I firmly believe that if we let jive-talking fundamentalist nutbags like Huckabee into control of our government our country would look a lot like Iran within a few years. And boy would he and his family be "blessed" by amazing financial good fortune. A scurrilous claim? Look at Huckabee's tenure as Governor of Arkansas and you will find the account of a big dispute over his acceptance of "gifts" from his "grateful citizens". Trust me, Huck makes Clinton seem like a choirboy.
And now, will Iran bust free? Well, an important religious authority just admitted that in 50 districts there were more votes recorded than there are registered voters. That's not good. Important religious figures and bodies are starting, step by step, to turn away from the current "Supreme Leader" and even question the position itself, suggesting that replacing the position with a group might be a better idea. The current Supreme Leader is said to want his 40-something year old son to replace him, in an eerie echo of monarchy. Perhaps the Iranians can remember all too well how that worked out for us? or how much that reminds them of the Shah? The current Supreme Leader is said to have cancer, is not thought likely to survive the year, so this election dispute may be no more than a pantomime, with a more important succession drama playing itself out in the background. Support for Ahmadinejad may be intended to buy his loyalty to guarantee a line of succession.
Meanwhile young people are coming out on the streets, as young people are inclined to do, and some of them will be killed each day, in hopes that their voices and their sacrifice will spark a change in their nation. It's very gutsy. Could I have done it when I was twenty or so? I'm not sure, but I applaud their courage and their conviction. I hope it is not in vain. The great thing is that the entire dispute has already served an important purpose, to humanize and personalize the Iranian people in a way that all of our government's Iran-bashing had almost managed to make impossible. In order to destroy a nation one has to first turn it into a cartoon boogeyman, peopled with dupes and thugs. We have tried to do that to Iran, but the Iranian people have broken free of that stereotype. They are no longer faceless fanatics, but they are now imprinted on our minds as brave young men and women, passionate about their votes being counted and their voices being heard. I was stunned and impressed that there were as many women, of all ages, in the demonstrations as there were men. Incidentally, President Ahmadinejad recently proposed a change in Iranian law that would permit a man to divorce his wife without notifying her first. Gosh, wonder why those women were out in the streets in such numbers? Do you suppose there is some connection between the two things?
Arthur
Click HERE for update
I have probably bored everyone with my musings on the Iranian election already. Now I am going to bore you some more. Something seems to be happening in Iran that may, just may, bring substantial change to one of the world's largest theocracies. In theory a religious state might strike some people, like Mike Huckabee and Sarah Palin, as a really blessed state. In practice, religious political systems quickly are taken over by political figures adept at giving a nod and a wink toward sacred teachings, while busily stealing from the treasury whatever they can steal. Cynical? Naah, I base that on my knowledge of Tibetan history, both the most religious and the most dangerous government of the 20th century. A friend of mine's father was in the government, in a senior post. He told his son that his greatest accomplishment was to have held his job for sixteen years without getting killed. So much for Shangri-la, the mythic kingdom.
In Iran the theocrats, or, call them "the Mullahs" if you want to do some Iran-bashing, are Islamic leaders who like power and money. It is an open secret that if one gets into the upper reaches of ecclesiastic power in Iran that money magically seems to flow towards you and your extended family. What a miracle! What a blessing! Be assured that if we ever get a Huckabee or Palin into power in our country the exact same thing would happen. Mike Huckabee is Ayatollah Khamanei, without a beard. A strong comparison? Sure, but I firmly believe that if we let jive-talking fundamentalist nutbags like Huckabee into control of our government our country would look a lot like Iran within a few years. And boy would he and his family be "blessed" by amazing financial good fortune. A scurrilous claim? Look at Huckabee's tenure as Governor of Arkansas and you will find the account of a big dispute over his acceptance of "gifts" from his "grateful citizens". Trust me, Huck makes Clinton seem like a choirboy.
And now, will Iran bust free? Well, an important religious authority just admitted that in 50 districts there were more votes recorded than there are registered voters. That's not good. Important religious figures and bodies are starting, step by step, to turn away from the current "Supreme Leader" and even question the position itself, suggesting that replacing the position with a group might be a better idea. The current Supreme Leader is said to want his 40-something year old son to replace him, in an eerie echo of monarchy. Perhaps the Iranians can remember all too well how that worked out for us? or how much that reminds them of the Shah? The current Supreme Leader is said to have cancer, is not thought likely to survive the year, so this election dispute may be no more than a pantomime, with a more important succession drama playing itself out in the background. Support for Ahmadinejad may be intended to buy his loyalty to guarantee a line of succession.
Meanwhile young people are coming out on the streets, as young people are inclined to do, and some of them will be killed each day, in hopes that their voices and their sacrifice will spark a change in their nation. It's very gutsy. Could I have done it when I was twenty or so? I'm not sure, but I applaud their courage and their conviction. I hope it is not in vain. The great thing is that the entire dispute has already served an important purpose, to humanize and personalize the Iranian people in a way that all of our government's Iran-bashing had almost managed to make impossible. In order to destroy a nation one has to first turn it into a cartoon boogeyman, peopled with dupes and thugs. We have tried to do that to Iran, but the Iranian people have broken free of that stereotype. They are no longer faceless fanatics, but they are now imprinted on our minds as brave young men and women, passionate about their votes being counted and their voices being heard. I was stunned and impressed that there were as many women, of all ages, in the demonstrations as there were men. Incidentally, President Ahmadinejad recently proposed a change in Iranian law that would permit a man to divorce his wife without notifying her first. Gosh, wonder why those women were out in the streets in such numbers? Do you suppose there is some connection between the two things?
Arthur
Click HERE for update
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