Is this who they're shooting at?

Mousavi

I do not know much about the man whose supporters are rallying in the streets of Tehran. I know he promises change, which the people seem to want; he promises equal rights for women, which, one assumes, we all want; and he seems to be quite the political strategist, which I can respect. With all this in mind, I think I like him. It's hard not to like a man who (perhaps not single-handedly) has inspired the people of his country to rise up for democracy and freedom. Mousavi's supporters are solid proof not only of the resilient and brave nature of humanity, but also of the fact that belief in God can inspire as much good as bad. Their freedom cry, "Allah Akbar," takes on a very different meaning than it would in the west. In America, "God is great" is, in essence, the call of the right. It is the call of those who want to deny and prevent freedoms. In Iran, however, it is a call for social justice. It's easy for me to see whose idea of God more closely resembles my own.

But, back to Mousavi. I've been feeling tentatively positive about this man, but have tried to reserve judgment as I do not have the background knowledge (nor the ability to see the future) that I would need to assess his quality as a leader and as man. That was, of course, until I saw this:

Mir Hossein Mousavi's "The Queen's Park" (1972)

And read this:

A believer that art plays a secondary role to political engagement, Mousavi once wrote that “the paint brush will never take the place of the communal struggle for freedom. It must be said that the expressive work of any painter or artist will not minimize the need to perform his social responsibilities. Yet it is within the scope of these responsibilities that his art can provide a vision for a way of living in an alternative future.”

And now one thing has become abundantly clear: I like this man. I want him to be a world leader. I want him to speak for the people of Iran. I want him to win. Allah Akbar.

I hope you understand that I am currently unable to blog, talk, or think about anything but Iran

So, we'll return to our regular programming when this situation ends or comes to a standstill. In the meantime, here is a moving letter from Grand Ayatollah Montazeri, an Iranian religious leader (via Andrew Sullivan):

In the name of God

People of Iran

These last days, we have witnessed the lively efforts of you brothers and sisters, old and 210px-Montazeri young alike, from any social category, for the 10th presidential elections.

Our youth, hoping to see their rightful will fulfilled, came on the scene and waited patiently. This was the greatest occasion for the government’s officials to bond with their people.

But unfortunately, they used it in the worst way possible. Declaring results that no one in their right mind can believe, and despite all the evidence of crafted results, and to counter people protestations, in front of the eyes of the same nation who carried the weight of a revolution and 8 years of war, in front of the eyes of local and foreign reporters, attacked the children of the people with astonishing violence. And now they are attempting a purge, arresting intellectuals, political opponents and Scientifics.

Now, based on my religious duties, I will remind you :

1- A legitimate state must respect all points of view. It may not oppress all critical views. I fear that this lead to the lost of people’s faith in Islam.

2- Given the current circumstances, I expect the government to take all measures to restore people’s confidence. Otherwise, as I have already said, a government not respecting people’s vote has no religious or political legitimacy.

3- I invite everyone, specially the youth, to continue reclaiming their dues in calm, and not let those who want to associate this movement with chaos succeed.

4- I ask the police and army personals not to “sell their religion”, and beware that receiving orders will not excuse them before god. Recognize the protesting youth as your children. Today censor and cutting telecommunication lines can not hide the truth.

I pray for the greatness of the Iranian people.

Those of us who pray should all pray for that.

Of all the images I've seen today of the revolution in Iran...

...This photo, of a protester rescuing an injured riot policeman from the crowd, is the most meaningful.


That's definitely what Jesus would do.