Why I am Green for Iran
I bought green shirts and I am wearing them. I have turned my twitter icon temporarily green. I keep getting up from the middle of other tasks and checking on events in Iran, even though I am usually far more disciplined. But I thought I should write down some reasons since my family asked, and since it’s useful rumination.
- The futurist in me is totally fascinated by the role social media and worldwide transparency are playing.
- The writer is fascinated by the stories and raw emotion. Everyone is emotional. I cried when I saw Neda’s death. How pointless.
- The American in me does not believe religion and government should be all mixed up together. Both are better and stronger if separated.
- Watching the unrest in Iran is being part of something, perhaps something big, that is happening in the world.
- There is a bit of adrenaline in this. Just being honest.
- I am hopeful for positive change. Ahmadinejad with nukes is scary. I would like Iran to be a country I am not afraid of.
- (And I think this is the biggest one for most Americans) – I believe in freedom, and I believe that freedom needs honest elections. If – at the core – that is what the Iranians are fighting for, it is worth it to me.
- I have found Iran interesting since I read two books. One was “Reading Lolita in Tehran, by Azar Nafisi” and the other was “The Ends of the Earth: From Togo to Turkmenistan, From Iran to Cambodia, a Journey to the Frontiers of Anarchy, by Robert D. Kaplan“
Some things I am not “For”
- Formal government action by the US. This is not ours to solve. It would probably backfire. Read some of the posts at the Tehran Bureau if you don’t agree – they are in first person and more eloquent than I could be on this subject. We can help and we can cheer, we can retweet and write, but there is no other useful role for us.
- I am not particularly “for” Mousavi. Nor against him. My vote is irrelevant on this issue, as it should be.
I hope my support is useful to even a few Iranians, or that it helps keep the attention here on the events there. This is worth watching and helping where we can, as individuals.
What do you think?
2 Responses so far
Leave a comment
1. Joyce Reynolds-Ward on Jun 22nd, 2009 at 5:34 am
My reasons are very similar to yours, but I have an additional one–I was asked to teach a technology class to middle school students this fall, touching not only on computer software and keyboarding but on 21st century technology skills above and beyond the computer. However this unfolds, I know I’d be remiss if I didn’t address the events in Iran and the role tech is playing in it in some manner.
And yes, I am planning to use Cory Doctorow’s Little Brother as part of the class!
2. G1 Phone Case on Jun 23rd, 2009 at 4:03 pm
I had no idea this was going on. Thanks for letting us know.