One could speculate that the Iranian Government led by Ayatollah Khamenei and President Ahmadinejad must be feeling a sort of kinship with the Republican Party here in the United States just about now. You see, in both cases, the people of their countries just do not trust them.
We here in the United States can look at polling numbers that tell us what the people are thinking, and at this very time the Republican Party is polling at 21% Favorable and 73% Unfavorable. The American people simply do not trust them.
In Iran, no polls could be found to quote, therefore we have to let actions speak louder than polls in order to figure out the mood of the people today.
Jump on down with me.
Ayatollah Khamenei and President Ahmadinejad are beginning to feel the full court press that is being put on them by not only the people of Iran, but also some of the most important politicians in their country.
As we heard yesterday, former Iranian president, Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani blasted the Iranian Government for handling the post-election turmoil very badly. He was joined at the University of Tehran by other leaders including Mir Hussein Moussavi, the leading reformist candidate that many speculate actually won the popular vote for President of Iran.
Mr. Rafsanjani was also joined by tens of thousands of Iranian citizens who again showed their tremendous courage as they once again clashed with the Police and the Basij militia, encountering beatings and tear gas in order to show their displeasure with the outcome of the election and the reaction of the government to their grievances.
From the New York Times:
Mr. Rafsanjani, speaking to a vast crowd at Tehran University’s prayer hall, advanced the cause of Iran’s beleaguered opposition, saying doubts about the disputed June 12 election "are now consuming us" and calling for a new spirit of compromise from the government.
"A large group" of Iranians, he said, have doubts about the election. "We should work to address these doubts," he said.
His appearance emboldened opposition supporters, who asserted themselves more aggressively than they had in weeks. Tens of thousands of people converged around the prayer hall, witnesses said. Police officers beat back large crowds of chanting protesters with tear gas and truncheons. There were reports of at least 15 arrests.
The speech was a turning point for Mr. Rafsanjani, a powerful government insider who previously had operated cautiously and mostly behind the scenes during the worst political unrest since Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution. It seemed another sign that the hard-line leadership’s repression had not yet extinguished smoldering opposition.
What is even more telling that the people of Iran do not trust their government any longer is that it is traditional after any such type of speech is given in Iran for the government to begin the call to the people to chant "Death to America." Instead, the people or Iran, incensed with the quickness that the Russian government accepted Ahmadinejad’s election victory began chanting "Death to Russia."
As the speech ended and traditional calls to chant "Death to America" came over the loudspeaker, many in the crowd instead chanted "Death to Russia." Many opposition supporters are angry about Russia’s quick acceptance of Mr. Ahmadinejad’s election victory.
When in the United States of America the people begin to wise up to the fear of those brown people attacking them and killing them that was being pushed by the Republicans, the Republican Party was finally exposed for what it is. A group of liars and profiteers.
It would seem that in Iran, when the people lose their fear of that nasty old United States of America whom during the Bush Administration they fully expected TO be attacked, they also begin to see their current government for what it is. A group of liars and profiteers.
Elections have consequences. We have heard it a thousand times recently, but in this case it could not be more correct. Without the election of a reformer, President Barack Obama here in the United States, the people of Iran would still fear an impending attack from America. With the stolen election of their reformer candidate, Mir Hussein Moussavi in their country, they are now rising up and identifying with the people of the world that are free. Two elections, different consequences. Hopefully both sets of consequences will come to bear good fruit for the people of both counties in the end.
Follow the above link to the story. You will get a real feel for the consequences of elections in Iran and what the people are saying, even without the poll.