Troubled Tehran on Twitter

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Ult_Sm86
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Troubled Tehran on Twitter

Post by Ult_Sm86 »

So you know it was only a matter of time, and here it is.

First let's look at some sources. Up to date ones. (as of 6/22/09)

Huggington Post discusses Police Action against a memorial for those killed.

PBS NewsHour discusses the Iranian Crackdown

An article on the admittance of voting errors, but apparently this makes no difference.

Also, I suggest the NewsHour Podcasts and On-Point podcasts.

Regardless of your political take on this, this entire ordeal is a shame. What is basically happening here is an election in Iran has clearly gone awry, where balloting is done by hand, and results were announced about 90 minutes after. There is no question that there is some kind of fraud, "tinkering at the least."

Another point here is that Twitter, Youtube, Facebook, and the likes are taking a strangely prominent part in these events, laying the groundwork for the first ever mass-media coverage of a story via social-networking of this degree.

That is to say,
Twitter is breaking news stories where the news reporters cannot.

Strange times we live in, especially when standards that ignorant Americans have (admittedly, even those like myself) , when we act dumbfounded that Iranian people not only know about Youtube/Twitter, etc... but have become acutely perceptive in using it to their needs when their other source of information is cracked down on and becomes unusable as the state television has in Tehran and the rest of Iran.

A far more stunning realization is that regardless of how this turn out is, one thing is very clear. No one (in the U.N. that is) is getting near this with a nine and a half foot pole.

Find this month's TIME on newsstands soon to see the article on these events and naturally next weeks Newsweek.

-Ult:spidey

[Edited on 22/6/09 by Ult_Sm86]
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Troubled Tehran on Twitter

Post by Starfish »

I've been following the events in Iran since the beginning of the unrest via Twitter and other online media sites, not only because the more traditional news sources became ineffective after the Iranian government stepped up the censorship, but also becasue they provided a platform to directly interect with the affected people in Iran.

Personally, I find these events to be very emotionally moving. Never before have I felt that connected to the fate and suffering of the people of a foreign country. And apparently I'm not the only one, as solidarity with the protestors' struggle has spread around the world.

It shows that there are much more things that unite us, than divide us: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UnXP89jlcc

I think the importance of these events can hardly be overestimated, no matter how they might eventually end. The protests have moved beyond the vote fraud (which becomes more and more evident) and Mousavi, but have revealed a young Iranian generation that is simply fed up with their quasi-theocratical regime. The election has merely been the last catalyst.

A lot of it has been summed up in this column by Roger Cohen: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/21/opini ... .html?_r=3

Regardless of what's your personal opinion of him, Senator McCain recently spoke about the newest developments, mainly the killing of a young woman during the protests in Theran: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irvwOHZS6mk

All in all, the unrests in Iran have put me in a conflicting mood for over a week now, as I feel torn between horror and hopefulness. Horror about the people who are killed, hurt, imprisoned and suppressed by a regime that dropped any pretense of being a democracy last Friday. Hopeful about the historic events taking place this very moment, which may change the Iranian nation and much of the Middle East. Maybe not in the near future, but the foundation has been laid.
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Ult_Sm86
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Troubled Tehran on Twitter

Post by Ult_Sm86 »

I think the article in Time, which will be out very soon, will help our nation and other readers, get a good grasp at the "political" breakdown (which in essence turns into a fucked up religious hierarchy) that is the Iranian government.

Clearly the people are not ignorant to this. An Iranian called in NPR RI (WRNI) and told the woman;

"You are assuming we are ignorant. You are assuming the Iranian people are just now realizing that there is a problem with their politics, a problem in their leadership. We have known, we have always known. We have always wanted to embrace change but it is not something easily done in a country as spiritual and conservative as Iran. But we are aware of these problems and now we have something to point at and say 'see? This is where your poor politics and your poor choices got you! This is your fault!' "

(Obviously the last part is directed to Ahmadinnajad & The Supreme Leader or whatever his title is.

Obama on Iran

Don't buy the title of that video, he doesn't ever actually say "The election was rigged".



[Edited on 24/6/09 by Ult_Sm86]
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The Drastic Spastic
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Troubled Tehran on Twitter

Post by The Drastic Spastic »

I saw a protest for this outside my apartment yesterday! I walked out and there were a dozen security guards lined up watching five people with signs and candles.

Thus begins and ends my interest in the topic. Twitter is so annoying.
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Troubled Tehran on Twitter

Post by Jeremus »

As far as I remember, while other people were dancing in the streets in celebration, the Iranians were the only middle-eastern country that I know about (other than Israel), whose people went out into the streets and had a candlelight vigil for the innocent American victims of 9/11. I will never forget that.
Most of those people who showed up to support the Americans were young people. Probably many of them are protesting now. My heart goes out to them. I wish I could do something to help them. All I'm doing now is driving with my lights on.....big deal. But what else can you do?
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Post by Ult_Sm86 »

You can voice your concern to your senator or congressman?? :smirk
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Post by Jeremus »

Yeah....maybe I'll write them a little note. Not a bad idea. I know at least one of my senators is already vocal about supporting the Iranian protesters. Still, an email couldn't hurt.
:)
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Troubled Tehran on Twitter

Post by The Drastic Spastic »

Really big protest today. Not as loud, but lots of people and a bus full of cops. One of the cops gave me a friendly wave from the bus when I went by. LOL!
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Ult_Sm86
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Troubled Tehran on Twitter

Post by Ult_Sm86 »

So, this is pretty big....



Apparently the clerics are not in agreeance with Ayatollah. This is a huge deal, the fact that they are saying that the head of the religious/political world of Iran, the official string puller, has made a faulty political decision, and the fact that this is being said by the religious council of Iran.... is a huge deal. This is exactly why religion and politics should not mix :LOL!

Regardless, I think they're on the precipice of Civil War here...
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