Why Iran Is Hard to Revolution
On May 5 I attended the conference “Open Mic: Death. Defiance. Democracy. Messages to the Middle East”. It was a great event where many people could express their opinions. There were many interesting speeches, e.g. that of Professor of Psychology who dwelt upon Middle East revealing major issues, or the speech of Robert (our TA) who read the Poem. However, I was most impressed by a speech of a student who claimed that Revolution in Iran is impossible.
I find this claim feasible since the situation in Iran though being quite difficult is not likely to end in a revolution. It is necessary to point out that many people in Iran are not satisfied with the policies of the present president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Many accuse him of trying to expand his power. He is also said to lose “his favored-son status among the ruling clerics” (Associated Press). Many analysts assume that his time has gone.
However, it is also important to point out that people of Iran are not ready to use violence to get rid of the president. Notably, the major powerful groups of the country (ruling clerics and Revolutionary Guard) would rather support the regime than an individual (Associated Press). Therefore, dissatisfaction of people and ruling groups has the same vector. Admittedly, in such situation there can be no revolution since revolution presupposes at least two groups which have different visions. In Iran there is only one person who is losing any support from ruling groups and people of the country.
Hopefully, people of Iran will find the peaceful way to overthrow the president who has lost people’s trust. Fortunately, there are no the necessary premises for the revolution in Iran.
9/11 and Its Outcomes
At the conference “Open Mic: Death. Defiance. Democracy. Messages to the Middle East” held on May 5 the issues concerning 9/11 were also discussed. Several female students considering 9/11 terror claimed they were happy because of Osama’s death. However, one male student from Middle East considered the issue from different perspective. I was impressed by his speech where he stated that in the USA (after 9/11) many Middle Eastern people experienced prejudice, bias, and racism.
Before I comment upon Muslims living in the USA, I would like to dwell upon the feelings of average Americans who had to reconsider their values and views after 9/11. Admittedly, all Americans were terrified by the horrible terroristic attack. They acknowledged that the war was not anymore something distant. We got to know that the war reached the boundaries of our country. This understanding consolidated Americans.
Of course, they were frightened. However, it is easy to understand the fear of people who witnessed such a horrible catastrophe in their neighborhoods. The news that the man who made the entire nation terrified is now dead led to a breakthrough of various feeling. Of course, people were glad that the evil was punished: people chanted, laughed and celebrated (Baker et al. A1). However, the celebration is not a result of vicious nature of Americans it is simply an extreme form of expressing relief.
The same can be regarded in attitude towards Muslims. Americans were frightened because some Muslims caused many deaths and a lot of destruction. Extreme form of defense is attack, and that is why some Muslims were attacked by Americans (“To Lead the Faithful”). Admittedly, attacks took place but this does not mean that the entire nation is eager to start the war with Muslim world. Admittedly, we all long to live in peace and brotherhood, even though sometimes it can be difficult to achieve mutual understanding.
Work Cited
Associated Press. “Iran’s President Faces Tough Final Years in Office after Political Blows.” Washington Post. 2011. Web.
Baker, Peter, Helene Cooper and Mark Mazzetti. “Obama Says Bin Laden Killed in Operation Inside Pakistan.” New York Times. 2011 New York ed.: A1.
“To Lead the Faithful in a Faith Under Fire.” New York Times. 2010. Web.