Comments on: It is in the “We”

By: Pedestrian

Pedestrian — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 14:28:19 +0000

YOU’RE BACK

By: homeyra

homeyra — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 10:55:34 +0000

Great post P.
Obama always reminds me of our Khatami era. Going to link to this one.

By: Naj

Naj — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 04:02:34 +0000

“Shah was deposed without a shot being fired.”

Not true! Shots were fired, people were imprisoned and tortured (far less than those killed and tortured by Khomeini though), cinemas burned (with people in them; men got executed without trial … Iran’s revolution WAS a bloody one!

By: MarcLord

MarcLord — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 23:47:01 +0000

Our president-elect passes these tests. Obama is outside the main circle of wealth, and he chose a VP who also is. They are the two poorest Senators. So they’ve got a chance, even if they haven’t felt secure enough to unveil their full vision.

I remind my fellow citizens now and again that the Shah was deposed without a shot being fired. Khomeini is not my brand of progressive, but he fit the description.

By: Pedestrian

Pedestrian — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 08:02:10 +0000

But I think the term is an oxymoron: “rich progressives”. Sure, some of them hold considerable financial wealth, but – one of the – characteristics of all progressive movements (whatever they may be, as the definition in and of itself is a vague one) is that they are outside the main political machine. They are outside the main circle of wealth.

But nor is dying an option – at least on its own. Whatever route they take, it must be an opening, an event with lasting impact … and not one that will fire up a people for 2 days … and then all is forgotten.

I think one of their greatest failures is that these movements have failed to forge a link with the inside establishment. Those few candidates who have been able to slither inside at defining moments in history, have failed to stay the course, … or have been unable to stay the course.

By: MarcLord

MarcLord — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 07:39:53 +0000

Cool! Pardon me for forgetting.

The basic paradox with progressive voices is that, in order to succeed in a profound way, they have to be sane and yet crazy enough to die for their convictions. Or rich enough to employ other people to do so.

By: Pedestrian

Pedestrian — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 01:27:34 +0000

Thanks Marc! I was ahead of you … I found you on Naj’s weblog before you found me!

I think we are also similar in that the progressive voices in our societies have not/could not/will not take more fundamental steps in cementing their place … They just haven’t been able to; for a myriad of reasons.

By: MarcLord

MarcLord — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 23:29:30 +0000

Pedestrian,
I found your site through Naj, who keeps me on my toes and has given me delightful windows on Iran. This post is remarkable at explaining the political mirror image between Iran and the United States. Of course the mirror is distorted in its ways, but we both suffer from the fundies and their collective power in exercising democracy. And from the fact that only about one-half of one percent of people in the US realize that Iran conducts elections, that it is a democracy.

I would like to post a portion of the above on my blog, and add you to my blog roll.

By: Pedestrian

Pedestrian — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 06:14:18 +0000

And I don’t mean that to sound bad!

By: Pedestrian

Pedestrian — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 01:11:11 +0000

Hi Niki! Thank you for reading! And writing! You’re already on my blogroll because I visit often …

You can not imagine what a joy it is to read an Iranian blogger who writes so well … who doesn’t just bash & trash Iranian politicians because the rest of the world likes it! … someone whose brain doesn’t smell of rotted cheese!