Disparate Perspectives and Priorities
From the sublime to the ridiculous. From rather simple political dissent, to dangerous manipulation of world events conspiring to utterly destabilize global politics and destroy the balance of nations. This modest dissent on a local scale weighed against the potential disaster on the world stage owes its predicament-presence to an ambitious hierarchy of Iranian Ayatollahs. And where a fanatical speedball like Mahmoud Ahmadinejad fits into their grand scheme of future events is somewhat puzzling.On the one hand, he is most surely an embarrassment to the clerics whose collective hand truly steers the Iranian ship of state. On the other he mouths statements of intent that they support. While at the same time seeming to understand that his utter lack of restraint and complete disdain for the impact his convictions of entitlement unleash leading to a lack of respect from the world outside which cocks its collective head in censure.
So, all right, we know about some of the human rights abuses taking place in Tehran; arresting and incarcerating too-vocal critics of the state, along with citizens pretending to be homosexual, knowing that such abhorrent practises are aligned with the West, not Islam, which does not recognize homosexuality as an option. Young men and women sufficiently brash to clothe themselves inadequately or inappropriately are taught to mind their social manners.
Dissent of any kind is simply not tolerated. It is rude behaviour, making those taking part in dissent unwitting tools of the West. The use of recreational drugs is unknown in Iran. Alcoholism is another social disease not known to exist there. There is no maltreatment of women, since women know their place in the theocracy. There is no mistreatment of outlawed religions, simply because they are outlawed; the Baha'i are a Western problem, not an Iranian one.
Still, you can't please everyone, and a gathering of students outside Tehran University chanted "Death to the dictator" outside a hall where President Ahmadinejad spoke. Their surprisingly outspoken censure reminiscent of the president's own student past in declaiming "Death to America" was met by students in support of the president, shouting "Revolutionary president, we support you", pushing back the gathered hundred-strong dissenters.
One hundred protesters? In a country where we are informed occasionally there is much unrest with the current administration, dissatisfaction with its deliberate isolation from the West, and concurrent lapsed opportunities to resuscitate its languishing economy? An administration keen to drain as much of the country's economy as possible to fund terrorist militias, to encourage violent jihad.
Yes, news is strictly controlled in that country; an arm of government. But there are most certainly other methods of news gathering, of making oneself informed. That Iranians don't harbour much respect for their president, that they consider his rantings to be ravings of an unsettled mind, not to be taken seriously (by them) is likely also true. I've had surprise e-mail exchanges with a young Iranian man - abruptly cut short, to be sure.
Iranians are a proud, traditional and historic people of intelligence and good faith, for the most part. They must surely, we reason, chafe at the strictures which bind them. They must, most certainly feel degraded as a civilized community by the fanatical outbursts of their president. Well, do they, or do they not? We have no outward signs of such dissatisfaction. A paltry hundred protesters, what kind of significant outcry does that represent?
And before leaving the campus of the university, some professors presented their president with the gift of a carpet to indicate the esteem in which they hold him, and their appreciation of his having delivered a speech in New York, at Columbia University last month. Despite that the university's head introduced Ahmadinejad as a "cruel dictator". Of which event Mr. Ahmadinejad considers this to have been a rude display to a guest. Right he is on that score.
Is this crazy, or not? A totalitarian figurehead for a fanatical theist regime tut-tuts about the rudeness of a university administrator. It's the little things that count.
Labels: Middle East, Political Realities, Religion
posted by Pieface @ Tuesday, October 09, 2007
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