Posted on 07/09/2009 8:08:41 PM PDT by bruinbirdman
The Iranian regime warned that any demonstrations would be mercilessly crushed, and meant it. As darkness fell on baking, dust-shrouded Tehran last night an army of riot police and hardline basiji militiamen used batons, gun butts and tear gas to beat back thousands of Iranians converging on the city centre.
"The security presence was massive. It was like a military occupation," one witness told The Times. "They were clubbing the hell out of people."
The greater victory belonged to the demonstrators, however. Male and female, some quite old, they came armed with nothing more than a burning sense of injustice. They defied the risk of serious physical injury, and the very real possibility of arrest, incarceration and torture. They did this to show the world that their resistance to Iran's brutal and illegitimate government has not been extinguished.
"We went today to show them that we are still here and are not going away and they can’t talk or scare us away. And we'll be back every time there is an occasion to commemorate or when we're asked to," said Maryam, a young female office worker nursing an arm injured by a baton blow. “We want to be heard. We are not going to let the regime ignore us,” said Ahmad, a young man in his twenties.
The demonstrations were the first since the massive street protests that followed Iran's hotly-dispute presidential election were finally suppressed nearly two weeks ago.
They were called to mark the tenth anniversary of the student uprising which erupted in 1999 after hundreds of basiji stormed the University of Tehran following a demonstration by reformists. That uprising was the most serious challenge the regime had faced since the Islamic Republic was founded in 1979, but it is dwarfed by the turmoil that has engulfed Iran
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
He snorted at the idea of an armed citizenry protecting itself against excessive government.
Iranian police and militiamen attacking unarmed protesters??
zer0 heading out for ice cream in 3...2...1...
>The greater victory belonged to the demonstrators, however. Male and female, some quite old, they came armed with nothing more than a burning sense of injustice.<
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Carrying a burning sense of injustice is a victory? That kind of victory will not get them anywhere but a chance to become a corpse lying in the street. As long as one remains unarmed, there is no chance to fight against any despot.
Too bad. As noble and brave as it is, they have no chance of success
I do not know about the Iranians but if you hit me with a club a few times and I’ll find a way to cut your heart out or slit your throat or beat your head in with rocks or clubs.
I’m sure that is coming.
Hey you “mullah bastards”, ya sleeping well at night?
My senetiments exactly. If the Iranians could overthrow the Shah, they can overthrow the mullets.
Hello bro! My name is eeyore and I run a website called "defeatists are us!" We are always looking for folks with the right attitude, and you fit the (jello) mold. Perhaps you would like to embellish your comments with a statement that darling Neda's death was in vain. I wish you all zee best.
In re-reading my post I think it missed the mark. Let me be more direct-while these brave souls shed their blood so that others may live in freedom, you peck away on a keyboard in the safety and sanctuary of a still relatively free country. GET OFF MY LAWN!
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