A friend of mine wrote this letter to the Iranian people and I am publishing it. What makes me happy is that he is not Iranian himself. He is an American caring for people thousands of miles away from him. Thank you Jack.
There comes a time when a people of any great nation must look at what is going on, and must step back for a moment to see the real horrors. I speak not of simply looking at the big picture and shrugging it off, and I speak not of abandoning your daily life to rail against a malevolent power. Instead I ask of you to step for a moment, outside your normal box of needs, wants, and fears – although I know there are many – and look instead at the greater picture of the current situation that all are suffering.
The election was and is quite a controversial subject, and it has sparked much anger in the communities of those who supported the opposition. When this anger was voiced, things started to grow out of hand. The government and the government backed forces began to shoot upon unarmed civilians voicing that most dear and precious of human rights – their ideas. When anyone tries to control your ideas, whether it is a legal, illegal, or otherwise stable government, they are stepping on your very right to be a human being. We saw this with the many left dead, wounded and bleeding on the streets, the horrific videos of the young woman bleeding after being shot – completely innocent of any crime. We see it today, with the fear to leave the house, the fear of a knock on the door, a fear that someone, somewhere will name you as a conspirator to be shot.
This is wrong.
It is wrong that anyone should have to fear their government.
It is wrong that anyone should have to fear if their brother will be shot, or sister, or their child.
It is wrong that an ideological disagreement results in death instead of debate.
It is wrong that the people’s voices are ignored.
It is wrong that everyone must bow down like dogs! Humans are not dogs, and throughout history, anyone attempting to make us like dogs, like cows, like sheep, have always lost power. It may seem that your own leaders have turned against you, calling for the end to protests, that your brothers no longer support you, that you have no choice but to bear it, and to live in fear, in helplessness, in the horrors of today.
I am here to tell you that you do not. You are not dogs, cows, sheep, or anything else. You are honorable men and women, who have had enough of the lies, deceit, and corruption, who see what is wrong and wish to fix it… and fix it you shall. Do not go out in the streets to be slaughtered in small groups, do not do things alone, and do not act alone. You are not alone, and therefore should not be alone.
There are many of you, many people, who have yet to have the thoughts make actions – as mine have finally done – to write something down. It is not through power, violence, and bloodshed alone that freedom of being alive is gained – it is through ideas, words, and text. Today we have a technological revolution right under our noses, a way to communicate anonymously and safely, to organize and to act. However you must do one thing… one thing alone more than anything else.
When your fears of the gunshot are highest, when your fears of the knock on the door take grip, when you find yourself feeling hopeless, just know that you are not alone – and there is hope. There is hope of a better future for Iran, for all Persians, be they of any religion or political ideology, hope for your children to grow up, and have their own children. Hope for being able to talk and express ideas freely in debate – and not fear a bullet. Hope is the driving force that binds you, and as long as you have hope, your brothers and your sisters will have hope.
Move in numbers. Wear masks. Hide who you are from those who would hurt you. Gather quickly and quietly before any actions. For peace to come, peace everlasting and complete, there will be trials to earn it, remember everything is a test in its own way, of you, of your brothers and sisters, and of the nation as a whole. Don’t get so caught up that rage takes you wholly – forgive those who act against you – they are just as afraid as you are. Forgive those that would hurt you, for they know not the evil that posses them. Forgive yourselves for anything you may have done in your past, and finally peace be upon you and your family, and eventually with enough effort, the nation that is Iran.
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Tags: iran election, iran protest
