So last week's huge protests in Iran saw many calling for an end to theocratic rule there. Protesters waved flags without the Islamic symbol on them and burned pictures of Ayatollah Khomenei. A video of this brave act has been shown on IRIB - state run TV.
The two prominent opposition figures, Mousavi and Karroubi, have denounced it and accused the state broadcaster, IRIB, of fabricating the desecration of Khomenei's image to discredit their supporters. They're afraid of a harsh crackdown - as if there hasn't already been one. These two reformists are part of the system. They are trying to change it as much as they can, which ain't much, from within while preserving it's Islamic nature. Good luck with that.
Many younger Iranians, and Iranian students, have no such allegiance to Khomenei, have no loyalty to the Islamic system and want the entire corrupt, fanatical, Islamic Republic overthrown. Good on them I say.
As noted in this piece, this growing segment of the population, this group of 'radical" protesters, who are really the liberals among them, are calling "Islamic democracy" an oxymoron.
While not all Iranians remember Khomeini fondly, and most of the youth barely remember him at all, the late Ayatullah seems to be inching closer to the center of the political crisis in Iran. This is likely because, as with most revolutionary leaders in history, what Khomeini symbolizes to the country and its political system has become more important than what he actually did.
For conservatives, Khomeini represents unfolding loyalty to the religious hierarchy and the main institutions of the state, even at the expense of public opinion. For reformists and even some young Iranians, Khomeini's promised benefits of Iran's 1979 Revolution can only come true if a genuine democratic government is allowed to emerge out of the current system. And then there is the Khomeini as seen by a third and growing segment of Iranians: those who are disillusioned with any notion of Islamic democracy — an "oxymoron" for some of the Tehran students who spoke to TIME. They expressed little anger at the video of Khomeini's image being torn, fake or not. They had no real feelings for him.
http://www.time.com/...
I can't embed it, so here's the link to the videe. It came from The Guardian
Note that Khamenei and A Jad are also going up in flames.
Khomenei photo getting burned video
This sort of "radical", which is really liberal, stance rarely gets a public airing in Iran. As I noted in my last diary:
Was that a smart move by the state? Mightn't the showing of the desecration of Iran's holiest dude spread that kind of thinking throughout the masses. I assume it was broadcast to try to discredit these liberal protesters, but as the saying goes, "any publicity is good publicity", and perhaps the state has just ignited a spark!
One can only hope.
Power to the people!
moon