The Uprising is Spreading to the General population (Iran)

Zagros ^ | Saturday June 14. | Inaz

[Eala]

(can't spell tehran)

LOL. You did.

[Eala]

I hope I am wrong. When I was in school in the 70's there were about 25 Iranians in our dormitory, one or two of whom were OK. In general they were the biggest bunch of jerks I ever met in my life. They have no respect for the rights of others, no understanding of the notion of rule of law or of limited government.

This is so unlike any of the Iranians I've known; they have all been friendly, courteous, thoughtful people. My wife, who lived in Iran for a time (and who speaks Farsi), tells me that the Iranians I've met are very representative of the populace in general.

It sounds like, perhaps, you encountered the spoiled rich.

[telebob]

The turning point will be when the Iranian military decides which way to jump. So far, they seem to be nuetral.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Poland was one of the most civilized and cultured countries in the world when it was raped by Germany and the Soviet Union. Iran has changed little since the centuries when Persian Shahs kept the stuffed body of Emperor Valerian in their court.

[Eala]

it would only take a polite invitation to close the deal.

Agreed -- given a polite invitation to lend a helping hand, we should. This keeps it as their revolution.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

It sounds like, perhaps, you encountered the spoiled rich.

Well, it was during the time of the Shah. BTW, one of my best friends at work was Irani-born, went to High-School in Germany, college in California. He thinks the US is "about as good as it gets." I still fear the problem for Iran is a lack of tradition of rule of law and respect for the opinions and rights of others. I truly hope I am wrong.

[FITZ]

Persians I've known seem pretty cultured and civilized ---of course I don't know all of them. I know one interesting thing about their culture ---if you say you like something they have, they try to give it to you. You have to be very careful when admiring their stuff because they're very generous.

[Eala]

I know one interesting thing about their culture ---if you say you like something they have, they try to give it to you. You have to be very careful when admiring their stuff because they're very generous.

I will confirm this. Over at a friend's house recently (I was working to fix a problem with his computer), I made the mistake of admiring the artwork of an inlaid pen and holder, made in Iran. He asked me if I liked it. I said, "It's beautiful." Suddenly it was mine...

[Eala]

I still fear the problem for Iran is a lack of tradition of rule of law and respect for the opinions and rights of others. I truly hope I am wrong.

I think we all hope this. But yes, there is definitely reason for concern here. Even after the Shah was gone things were in quite a state of choas until the mullahs got control.

One counter-balancing element could be the ex-pat community here. I know some who will move back once the mullahcracy is gone, and these would be bringing this tradition.

[Sci Fi Guy]

The mullahs had been quite unsuccessful in their opposition to him at least from the early 60s. It was the socialist students, the Tudeh party backed by the Soviet Union, that got the traction that led to the revolution (which the mullahs then hijacked).

Actually the CIA had some of the Mullahs on the payroll. It was Jimmy Carter, who decided to stop supporting the Shah which allowed his overthrow. Carter was upset that the shah had some political prisoners, so he allowed him to be replaced by a gov't with ten times as many political prisoners.

Kinda poetic how Carter's betrayal of an ally led to his own defeat a few years later.

[lilylangtree]

Ansare Hezbollah--Is this the same group as the terrorist group in Israel? Also, Hezbollah means "Party of God". With the people uprising, does that mean the Party shouldn't make God angry?

[Libertarianize the GOP]

http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/bump-list

[Lawgvr1955]

I made the mistake of admiring the artwork of an inlaid pen and holder, made in Iran. He asked me if I liked it. I said, "It's beautiful." Suddenly it was mine...

Was it a space pen used by the astronauts? Your friend isn't Jack Klompas is he? Whatever you do, don't let him drive the Cadillac after you buy it back from him.

[Eala]

Huh? No, my friend is Persian.

[tet68]

since the centuries when Persian Shahs kept the stuffed body of Emperor Valerian in their court.

Do you think we could do that with Clintigula?
Maybe in the Rotunda, pointing the way to the men's room?

[Lawgvr1955]

Was it a space pen used by the astronauts? Your friend isn't Jack Klompas is he?

Huh? No, my friend is Persian.

I was just joking. Check out the Seinfeld episode "The Pen". Jerry makes an admiring comment on Jack Klompas' pen, the one NASA gave the astronauts so they could write in space, upside down, under water, etc. Klompas insists on Jerry taking the pen, then tells everyone that Jerry made him give it to him. Later Klompas drives Jerry's just purchased Cadillac into a swamp. Guess you had to be there to appreciate it.

When I was in college I became friends with an Iranian student. He was a decent fellow. After the Shah fell, he managed to get back to the US where he started a computer company. I would be interested in finding out his take on the current situation.

[AD from SpringBay]

...hands full of stones...

Think about that.

[McGavin999]

I was in a rug store the other day that was owned by a Persian. We got to talking about what's happening over there and he was really excited.

My favorite thing to say when I meet a Persian is "thank you for giving the world roses". Never yet met one who didn't know exactly what I was saying and never fail to get a big smile.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Do you think we could do that with Clintigula?

The Shah Shapur I, who captured Valerian, used him as a footstool to mount his horse when Valerian was alive. The possibilities are enticing. BTW, Caligula appointed his favorite horse, Incitus ("sexually aroused") to the Senate. See how much wiser was Caligula than the people of New York, he appointed the entire horse.

[jackbill]

A prediction: No one alive today will live to see what we call civil government in Iran. The placed is doomed to be a mess forever.

I strongly disagree. Before Carter, the Shah attempted to bring his country into the 20th Century. The company for which I worked had large contracts to set up electronics industries in Iran (watch, radio and TV factories). Friends of mine spent years there, and still have fond memories of the Iranians.

It was working out beautifully. The Shah figured he had only a few decades of oil and he wanted to make sure that his country would have something beyond oil. A group (minority?) of fundamentalists caused the Shah to be repressive, via his secret police. It ended up with the revolution, and Carter abondoning the Shah.

For some reason, the young people of Iran (who are the majority) seem to remember how it was back then, and that's what they seem to want. And, if we give them a modicum of support, I think that they can get it.