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More on Iran
Jun. 18th, 2009 11:21 amI am still absolutely fascinated with the protests in Iran. Seriously, this is amazing. Again, whether or not these protests will lead to any sort of change is unknown. But one item I pondered this morning is that if anything, these protests will change the way people view Muslims. Rather than being viewed as stereotypical uneducated, terror-spreading monsters, these marches in Tehran show the peaceful side of Islam that has always existed but unfortunately has been overshadowed by the fanatics. Someone said it better here:
This editorial hits on something else which may cause an attitude adjustment in regards to how people view Islam:
Granted, that link has a conservative bent that I don't wholly agree with, but this argument above? THIS is what is giving me hope. Islam is not a religion of violence or hatred. (There are just as many crazy nutjob Christians out there as there are crazy nutjob Muslims. Just look at James von Brunn and Scott Roeder.) Muslims want a happy family, they want to be treated well, they want to be respected. Despite the differences in Eastern and Western culture and religion, when you get down to the smallest unit, the person-to-person comparison, it's easy to tell that we all want the same things from life. I'm really hoping that these protests help to prove to the world that the people of Iran, and Muslims in so many other countries, aren't the boogeymen the stereotypes have made them out to be. They're just people who want the same chances at a good life as everyone else.
Finally, check out this image of street art as a form of protest. I love this photo.
ETA: Some U of Chicago students set up an anonymous fax line so that people can send message from inside Iran (now that other means of communication are being blocked.) They have a website where they'll be posting the faxes. So far there's only one, but it's interesting to read an eyewitness account.
These silent demonstrations of values, faith, and politics ring louder than any protest or sermon. If the Iranians continue to guide this thing down a righteous path they will make history even if they don't overturn the election. And their representation of their faith will rank with that of Ghandi's Hinduism and King's Christianity. I have my doubts, but a reformation of Islam--at least Iranian Shia Islam--could be at hand.
This editorial hits on something else which may cause an attitude adjustment in regards to how people view Islam:
The protests for Mr Mousavi do not just expose the lie of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's landslide victory. They expose the lie that there is something Western in wanting democracy and human rights.
Granted, that link has a conservative bent that I don't wholly agree with, but this argument above? THIS is what is giving me hope. Islam is not a religion of violence or hatred. (There are just as many crazy nutjob Christians out there as there are crazy nutjob Muslims. Just look at James von Brunn and Scott Roeder.) Muslims want a happy family, they want to be treated well, they want to be respected. Despite the differences in Eastern and Western culture and religion, when you get down to the smallest unit, the person-to-person comparison, it's easy to tell that we all want the same things from life. I'm really hoping that these protests help to prove to the world that the people of Iran, and Muslims in so many other countries, aren't the boogeymen the stereotypes have made them out to be. They're just people who want the same chances at a good life as everyone else.
Finally, check out this image of street art as a form of protest. I love this photo.
ETA: Some U of Chicago students set up an anonymous fax line so that people can send message from inside Iran (now that other means of communication are being blocked.) They have a website where they'll be posting the faxes. So far there's only one, but it's interesting to read an eyewitness account.
