Basic rights, but suspicious contradictions
When people are being killed as they try to protest, you know it's a bad situation. And that's what we're seeing in Iran at the moment. These people are being killed for something we take for granted.
In the USA, we really do have it good. Want to protest a government? Make sure you have permits and you're good. In China, Iran and other countries, you're looking at harassment, arrest, and possibly death.
In the USA, we take freedom of speech for granted and complain about wanting other rights. Last night, I watched a documentary on Saddam Hussein's regime. It was brutal. And I thought, "Wow, we are so fortunate to be able to live as we do. Not everything goes our way, but we're not facing torture or execution for it."
The people of Iran deserve to be able to protest, to want the freedoms we have. I don't blame them. And they've used the world's interactive media to get their protest out.
But the story of 'Neda' has me concerned. Certainly, I was among the millions horrified by the death of an innocent. She was a face and a name. The story went that this 16-year-old girl was standing at one side with her father, merely watching the protests, when a member of the IRG aimed directly at her and shot her in the stomach. And did you know that her name means 'voice.'? Wow, how symbolic.
The more I hear, however, the more I'm not sure of the validity of the murder. Oh, I've no doubt that this person was murdered, just as I've no doubt that many others have also been murdered in Tehran for daring to protest. But there are a few things that just don't add up.
First, her name. How coincidental is that? Granted, I dismissed it at first. There was always the possibility that she had been given a false name to protect her family from harm from the IRG, baseej and others. But there's more coming out and I'm now beginning to wonder about why that particular name.
Second, her age. When the story first broke Neda was 16. The world was horrified at the death of a teenage girl. Now, the consensus seems to be she was actually 26. Was something lost in translation or was it to play on the world's emotions?
Third, who was she with? First reports said her father. Now her fiance says she was with a music teacher.
Fourth, the circumstances. Initially, she was watching the protest from the side of things. But now her fiance says that wasn't the case. She was in a car, stuck in traffic. It was hot. She got out of the car for a few minutes. She was accidentally caught up in the protests.
So, what is the whole truth? Will we ever know? The story has tugged on our heart-strings, as it was no doubt meant to do. Senseless death, regardless of the circumstances, will always do that. I know that this woman's death need not have happened. Neither should the deaths of any protestor. I'm just wondering if this death has been used to gain sympathy from the world.
In the USA, we really do have it good. Want to protest a government? Make sure you have permits and you're good. In China, Iran and other countries, you're looking at harassment, arrest, and possibly death.
In the USA, we take freedom of speech for granted and complain about wanting other rights. Last night, I watched a documentary on Saddam Hussein's regime. It was brutal. And I thought, "Wow, we are so fortunate to be able to live as we do. Not everything goes our way, but we're not facing torture or execution for it."
The people of Iran deserve to be able to protest, to want the freedoms we have. I don't blame them. And they've used the world's interactive media to get their protest out.
But the story of 'Neda' has me concerned. Certainly, I was among the millions horrified by the death of an innocent. She was a face and a name. The story went that this 16-year-old girl was standing at one side with her father, merely watching the protests, when a member of the IRG aimed directly at her and shot her in the stomach. And did you know that her name means 'voice.'? Wow, how symbolic.
The more I hear, however, the more I'm not sure of the validity of the murder. Oh, I've no doubt that this person was murdered, just as I've no doubt that many others have also been murdered in Tehran for daring to protest. But there are a few things that just don't add up.
First, her name. How coincidental is that? Granted, I dismissed it at first. There was always the possibility that she had been given a false name to protect her family from harm from the IRG, baseej and others. But there's more coming out and I'm now beginning to wonder about why that particular name.
Second, her age. When the story first broke Neda was 16. The world was horrified at the death of a teenage girl. Now, the consensus seems to be she was actually 26. Was something lost in translation or was it to play on the world's emotions?
Third, who was she with? First reports said her father. Now her fiance says she was with a music teacher.
Fourth, the circumstances. Initially, she was watching the protest from the side of things. But now her fiance says that wasn't the case. She was in a car, stuck in traffic. It was hot. She got out of the car for a few minutes. She was accidentally caught up in the protests.
So, what is the whole truth? Will we ever know? The story has tugged on our heart-strings, as it was no doubt meant to do. Senseless death, regardless of the circumstances, will always do that. I know that this woman's death need not have happened. Neither should the deaths of any protestor. I'm just wondering if this death has been used to gain sympathy from the world.