The Dead are a very Lucrative Business
Mar 24th, 2010 by pedestrian
The Iranian side of Blogistan is abuzz with the news of Caspian Makan’s travels to Israel and his meeting with Peres. Makan, the self-proclaimed “fiance” of Neda Agha Soltan whose real name is “Alireza” and I’m not sure how it got switched to “Caspian” though it does make for a nice name for a talented showman.
Rah-e Sabz is featuring articles on how he wasn’t even her fiance (in an email to the reporter, her sister writes that he and Neda were only dating for a short time and had broken up when Neda died. She also writes that the family was shocked when he released photos of their time together to the media after Neda’s death), how he’s no representative of the green movement, etc.
From the beginning, it was quite obvious to many of us that this man is nothing but a charlatan, and I just hope this is a lesson for a lot of people. He shouldn’t have even become an issue or a name in the first place. Anyone using the dead, or the green movement to get themselves some time on the air, or a lucrative job at a right wing think tank, shouldn’t be taken too seriously. The movement in Iran and the dead and dying have become a very profitable business, and anyone serving as a CEO or deputy in the enterprise might be in it for reasons other than altruism.
Individuals are of course free to voice their own opinion. But anytime you have someone claiming to speak on behalf of an entire nation, or an entire movement, or someone long dead and unable to speak at all … you should raise an eyebrow.
One eyebrow?
If I had ten, I’d raise them all.
christinA, I agree! But we’ve had a hard time getting people to raise even one … so I guess I meant at least one eyebrow!
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Yes, Reminds me of Muhammad Sahimi’s “Shades of Green” and those opportunists. We know who the most (in)famous are; I shan’t sully this site with their names.
And, “Caspian”? Sounds like he wants a Tehrangeles Pop star career. More subtle than “Curveball”, though.
twitterdom has been holding him in such high esteem over the last few months….and it’s been driving me insane. It almost seemed as though no one was allowed to ask any questions that could be perceived to be in any way negative about him…and yet, to me there were so many questions to be asked…..I know it sounds awful and I really don’t mean it to be….but I found it all somewhat self indulgent……….and drifting somewhere that felt quite uncomfortable. ………I’m not suggesting he hasn’t been through a whole load of trauma………….I’m just not sure that he should be the focus….
like most everyone, I couldn’t stand this guy from the beginning and I hope it’s the last time we hear from him . But Neda’s mother , in her interview with BBC , does confirm that this miserable lad was in fact Neda’s fiancé which contradicts the article in Rahe Sabz !!! http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/iran/2010/03/100324_makan_neda_israel.shtml
This doesn’t add credit neither to Masih Ali Nejad nor to Rahe Sabz !
Ped,
Can you confirm that all of these accusations against Caspian “Alireza” Makan are true? Neda’s mother did confirm that they were dating and were planning to get married didn’t she? It seems that all of this uproar is in response to him traveling to Israel and speaking with the president. Don’t you think that it shouldn’t be a surprise that the Mousavi camp would make such accusations against someone for simply visiting Israel? I mean Mousavi at one point did call Israel a “cancerous tumor”, and at times during his speeches he does seem like he is not interested in defecting from the theocratic establishment, so why wouldn’t the reformist leaders who themselves have at one point or another toted the same Ahmadinejadesque anti-Israel rhetoric make accusations against him? If that is the issue at hand, I find it ridiculous that they have once again bring up Israel and Palestine in Iran issues.
I don’t see how someone who apparently was arrested, tortured and in the end had to flee Iran would be doing all of this for fame.
Please don’t view my comment as antagonistic, I’m only asking questions. Personally, I’ve grown suspicious of the true motives of Mousavi and his Green Movement, that is all.
-Hamid
first of all, let me start by saying I love to read your blogs. always very interesting and mostly we seem to have the same opinions. I think it’s disgusting ppl are trying to get to a better place by abusing the dead and dying in Iran. This kind of ppl should be put on their rightful place. Poor parents and friends of Neda. this way Neda is being killed over and over again and there is no closure. It must be horrible to see and hear this guy talking about Neda, as if she were his, instead of theirs….. Keep up your good work, as always looking forward to your next blog.
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Peace, I sadly agree. Why all these different stories? If I were to guess, I would guess that since Neda’s mom can’t say that she and Makan were simply “dating” – given the red tapes and that her family is already under pressure – she has to say that they were engaged. But yes, this story is indeed turning out to be a weird one, for all the wrong reasons.
Hamid, I always like a good argument
… As you may have noticed, I didn’t talk about his visit to Israel specifically – exactly because where he traveled or didn’t isn’t my primary issue. It’s this constant use of the dead that has become sickening. And mind you, the Ahmadinejad camp is doing it too. I don’t care who is doing it, it’s just wrong.
If he were traveling to Israel as yet another brutalized protester, that would have been different … EVEN then however, I don’t think that it would have been a wise move. I think we fundamentally might disagree on this, but I agree with a lot of the IRI’s stance on Israel as an apartheid state. What I abhor however, is there constant use of Israel as an excuse to hide their own abusing and terrorizing of their own people. Of becoming an apartheid state of their own and constantly pointing fingers at others. Hearing people shout “mardom chera neshastin, Iran shodeh Felestin” is a perfect depiction of this.
interesting?
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tehranbureau/2010/03/a-step-too-far.html
noooooooooooooo noooooo not you too!
I have been very aggressive to any friend who has given this stupid case any spotlight
Tabloids should be left alone; to die their natural rapid death
I know you would say that naj
… what really made me want to write a post was Neyestani’s picture. I loved it so much, I wanted an excuse to use it.
naj, what was that guy, the “journalist”, Meir Javedanfar, doing in all the photo ops? I think these incidents reveal more than one tabloid lover.