I have been unable to un-glue myself all four days and I dunno how many nights from Twitter. It seems like this is an event that is monumentous in scope for the meaning for polical movements, media partcipation (or lack thereof), and empowerment of computer geeks all over the world.
No matter what you think about the Iranian election and its aftermath. No matter what else comes out of this situation, one thing is assured, Iranian people will never be thought of the same for our population.
I have no illusions that Mousavi would not be greatly different than Ahmadinejad. No one knows where this unrest will lead, not even the leaders and organizers. All they know is that they want some form of democracy. Iran is the third largest country of bloggers. It is almost like hearing a Who in Whoville for us. We have not thought of these people as a country of modern, educated moderates that have a deep sense of faith but also an understanding of what it takes to get along in an interdependent world. The Persian bloggers fully understand their place in this war.
IRAN: A Nation Of Bloggers from ayrakus on Vimeo.
Twitter is the only outlet right now with any ability at all to get information out.
The information is spotty and a lot of it unconfirmed.
The Freedom Twitters is what they are calling themselves. They are playing a a dangerous cat and mouse game with the regime. They are moving often and at great risk, because if they are caught with a laptop or a camera they will be beaten and perhaps arrested. The situation has gotten so bad that teams of people all across the globe are setting up proxies and using secure emails to get them inside to the Persian Freedom Twitters.
Nico Pitney has been live blogging for three days straight with perhaps a few hours here and there for some rest. Andrew Sullivan has become well known the the Freedom Twitters too and they have been sending him some film that he is broadcasting. That is the important thing, the persians must keep broadcasting and in turn these journalists must spread the information. As long as they are broadcasting then there is some hope.
Truth is revolutionary right now. Truth will also keep the people a little safer.
The Persians are being beaten and hit with electric batons. The Basij are coming into their homes and tearing them apart looking for internet users and satellite dishess. They are destroying a lot of private proerty going in and out of neighboorhoods and the state media is telling people that the demonstrators are doing it. The government have told the ambulances to take the injured to military hospitals. They have stolen the dead from hospitals before the medical teams can get their information for the families.
These Freedom Twitters are the ones being hunted most right now. the situation is critical and the support they need has to only come from reliable sources from contacts made earlier in this struggle. They must stay ahead of the regime or we will lose any reliable source for information.
The most circulated email today was asking people to keep their door open for those escaping from riot police
The people of Iran are resiliant and strong. Their countries recent past is at the forefront of their minds and they have been building up to this moment.
One of the articles that the Freedom Twitters seemed to like and agree with is by a woman named Gwynne Dyer that I found quite fascinating.
The rules for street demonstrations are different in Iran. Even in the most oppressive states the rulers know that outbursts of popular anger should be contained with as little violence as possible, but elsewhere the authorities always see deadly force as the final resort. However, in Iran, killing demonstrators practically guarantees that the authorities will lose in the end.
I recommend the entire article but her understanding of the culture and religion of Iran is quite apt here.
Most Iranians are Shia Muslims, and Shias have a great reverence for martyrdom. Kill a demonstrator, and you create a martyr. Kill a hundred, and you create a revolution.
That was how the Shah was driven from power 30 years ago, and everybody on both sides in Iran should remember that very well.
So now we wait and watch and hope....
Here is a great link to support a site that supports Iran Freedom
Pirates Bay