On My Advice for the Government of Iran (and a Prediction): Chill Out (Things Gonna Change)
By george wesley dannells on Apr 5, 2009 in All categories, Blogs, Persecution
When I read the following paragraph in the current post on Iran Press Watch, the song title to one of my a favorite songs comes to mind, “Chill Out (Things Gonna Change)” by John Lee Hooker. My advice to the government of Iran is … “Chill Out.” My prediction for that country which I dearly love is … “Things Gonna Change.” -gw
…times have changed. In the 1980s, when these crimes [the putting to death of Baha'is] were committed against a defenseless community, there was no internet and no social networking sites. Thus, the infrastructure for grassroots movements was not nearly as robust as it is today. Therefore, while the Islamic Republic could come out of those unjustified killings relatively unscathed, it is now becoming virtually impossible for them to continue that practice. Every time a Baha’i or any other Iranian is arrested on unfounded charges, the news is global within hours. Thousands of concerned citizens from all walks of life and different corners of the earth stand up and demand justice in a wide variety of forums and blogs. Thus, the cost of administering injustice is becoming prohibitive. Regarding the Baha’i “dilemma”: while the official policy of the Islamic Republic has been to “fight their cultural influence” both inside and outside Iran, in reality this is proving to be a losing battle. The clerical establishment began its anti-Babi, anti-Baha’i activities over 160 years ago. If the most brutal and inhumane killings of thousands of members of a relatively small population of Babis and Baha’is across Persia in the 1800s and early 1900s could not “solve” this “dilemma”, then where does the optimism to wipe out a now global community of 5-6 million people come from?
