Pedestrian

When we have kids like this?

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Here is a video uploaded by Mousavi’s facebook page (which is open to nonfacebook users). The Sharif dormitories tonight were showered with cries of “Allah o Akbar” and “down with dictator” – perhaps in solidarity with Mahmoud Vahidnia’s long night in prison?

Near the end, the student is suggesting, “let’s say: Mahmoud Vahidnia, the pride of Sharif students.”

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I’m sure by now you’ve all heard about the student who got up yesterday in a meeting with the leader and criticized IRIB, the aftermath of the election, and the fact that the leader could never be critiqued.

I didn’t think much of it the incident, because I have seen the leader tackle tough questions before. He can sound genuinely concerned, and you have had people in the past asking him “taboo” questions. But then, it’s all over and nothing comes out of it.

I wasn’t even sure if the incident was completely “natural” or maybe staged. I also had no information as to who had been invited or how.

This was a a meeting for “academic elites” and I thought the selection process would be purely political. But I was wrong. According to my friends who have received invitations, this is how it was: top Olympiad students (those who had won medals) were sent an email asking if they wanted to join the session. If they responded, they then got a username and password that would give them access to the information about the meeting.

Thus, the selection process was largely academic and not political (although weird nonetheless).

On balatarin, it is also rumored that Mahmoud Vahdnia (the student who spoke) was a member of Mousavi’s campaign at Sharif University where he studies.

Mahmoud’s friends wrote on their weblog today that he was taken into custody by the sepah [IRGC] and has not been heard of since.

[This news has since been disputed. There are other reports that people simply don't know where he is.]

I see some really surprising reactions in the students sometimes. They disappoint me, and frighten me. But then I see things like this student, or Kalhor’s daughter (the daughter of the Ahmadinejad deputy who went on to seek asylum in Germany), which makes me feel confident again. If you have not seen the video of Narges Kalhor, do so. She’s so calm, so collected, and so peaceful, it’s very humbling. Compare the rhetoric of Kalhor the daughter with Kalhor the father.

We’ve come a long way indeed.

Lastly, my friends are so scared. As 13 Aban is approaching, they say the atmosphere of their schools feel very tense and bitter. The universities’ basij organizations are handling out more leaflets everyday, and the Muslims Students Associations (the pro-reform organizations at unviersities) are under even more pressure.

Sibestaan had a very interesting analysis of the events of yesterday. He begins by praising Mahmoud’s soft, unthreatening tone. Here are snippets from his wonderful (albeit too optimistic) post today:

“From the perspective of this movement and this generation, everything is interactive – from weblogs to the leader! This movement and this generation has taken been to reflect its attributes in every inch of its endeavors, and has been able to get everyone to follow, even the leader. For the first time, the leader has opened the door of debate in his meetings and has for the first time tried to answer questions, that were initiated by Vahidnia. That is to say, this generation has done something that newspapers, NGOs, political parties and other elites have never been able to do. And this will naturally result in change. Mr. Khamenei himself understand this when he says: “you can not stop the young from doing what they want to do.”

The second thing to note is the leader’s answers. With his answers, the leader shows that he is locked in that old mindset. It doesn’t matter what you ask, he speaks of his own viewpoint. You ask: why does IRIB smear people and does not give them a chance to defend themselves? And he says: “yes, IRIB must learn better propaganda.” Or he says: “but I’m not responsible for IRIB’s content” and these sorts of answers. Does the leader really hold himself accountable? Of course not! But what does this mean? From my viewpoint, it seems that the leader wants to make the atmosphere attractive to the young, but he doesn’t know how. He wants to have intelligent youngsters like Vahidnia as his followers too, but he doesn’t know how to do that. He’s so deeply drowned in the praise of his entourage that it is very difficult for him to join a real debate. Thus, the debate is only superficial. He plays the role of that wise old man who can’t let out all his secrets, but if he could, he could get everyone to follow him. He thinks that’s enough to either intimidate the young or get them to surrender.

The leader of Iran can not join a debate because the essence of his position is based on age and obedience – and not debate.  He knows it’s impossible to stop the young. He knows that the basijis they place among the audience to chant for him and to attack critics are not enough to persuade the young. But he has no other way. This is the only way he knows to rule. If he attempts to change, everything will change. He knows this well.

For Mr. Khamenei, the world is as it was in the old days. He thinks these young kids are the villagers of 30 years past who would do whatever they could to get to meet Ayatollah Khomeini. Seeing the leader was in and of itself enough for them. But the world, people and society have changed. These are experienced youth, and inquisitive. This inquisition requires leaders who have the ability to give answers. Leaders who have this bidirectional ability to simultaneously communicate with the society and with the young.  The green movement is the start of a bidirectional path in the politics of Iran.”