Youth: Iran's Hope For Liberty
Two-thirds of the Iranian population is under 30 years of age.
According to BBC News, "many of them are fed up with the restrictions on their daily lives."
This is the hope of those Iranians in "exile," that is, those who have family and friends in Iran but who live outside the country. These patriots for liberty spend countless hours attempting to free those caught in the Islamic legalism of Iranian tyranny.
Such groups as Student Movement Coordination Committee for Democracy in Iran (SMCCDI) work day and night through various endeavors to bring the freedom light to Iran, particularly via the nation's young. See http://www.daneshjoo.org/
"A whole new generation has been born and grown up since the previous generation helped bring about the Islamic revolution 21 years ago," according to BBC News.
The youth now have access via cyberspace to how the free world lives and enjoys and thrives on personal liberties. Therefore, the Iranian youth are hankering for more than "honor killing" and stoning those accused of adultery and flogging those caught stealing a few fruits from the market bins.
The devilment of Islam holds no magnetic enticement for thinking young adults especially. They are not into the bloodletting of the elder Iranians who still hold tenaciously to the killing and torture passages of the Koran.
Such web sites as SMCCDI daily give out detail regarding the rebellion for freedom within Iran. For instance, a recent news item related how those in soccer bleachers displayed banners and flags giving forth liberty symbols. There were chants. There were demonstrations demanding personal liberties from the Islamic legalism and the political regime endorsing that legalism.
The news report stated that frequently sports events are used as political rallies for freedom. Then the youth in particular are accosted by the government-sponsored police. Mayhem ensues but the freedom bearers get across their message time and again. In other words, there is no stopping the ardent ambassador for a free republic. And there are countless numbers of youth who actually believe that a change will take place in Iran.
At the same time we have a bombastic individualistic ranting new Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
who thrives on center stage attention globally. With his outlandish claims and brash political diatribes, one wonders how the youth will deal with such a demonic charismatic leader in league with the traditional Koran legalism.
BBC reports incidents such as these: "The (youth) helped vote the reformist university president Mohammad Khatami into office in a surprise landslide victory nearly three years ago
Continue reading this article below
"At Tehran University, students are still hurting after the incident last July, when riot police and right-wing vigilantes stormed and ransacked their dormitory.
'''They came with violence, they broke everything they could,' says one student. ‘On that night, the dignity of the University of Tehran was broken.'
"Several days of rioting followed, ruthlessly put down by security forces. President Khatami did not intervene. But students do not necessarily hold that against him.
'''We must pay for everything we get, and that was the payment for liberty,' says another student whose belongings were burnt in the attack.
"That student says they want more freedom and believes most students think Mr. Khatami is the man to deliver it."
Then there are those who are suspicious of the University President. They are not sure if he is really on their side for freedom's sake. That is the quandary in Iran. The winds of change are sometimes quite exciting. At other times, they are interpreted as mere illusions.
"Many young people say they are disappointed with the slow pace of reform.
'''Khatami doesn't really believe in any change,' says a second student. 'The way the president speaks has changed. But nothing really has changed. I still can't have so many obvious things - basic human rights. I believe even Khatami and the whole system knows that even a minimum of freedom being given to people could sweep them all away, not just conservatives but all of them, Khatami included.
'''That's why I say nothing has really changed, because Khatami himself believes that nothing should change.'"
Time will tell. Perseverance over time will tell. There are other students on campus who actually believe that there are minimal changes but they are actually superficial, as if to placate those anxious for full-fledged liberties.
"'I think they've been given as just sops,' a student states. 'We have a freer press, but even these people writing in this freer press still have some links with the regime, or a good revolutionary record. But people belonging to the unofficial opposition or other nationalist groups are as unprotected as before. They are arrested as usual, they get disappeared as usual.''
Not good. Yet there is a longing within the human being for personal freedom that will keep the dream alive. That in itself cannot be thwarted by the tyrannical despots. Yet the journey of course can be strewn with blood from the innocent and brave.
The BBC reports: "If there is one word that sums up young people's demands, it is freedom.
"On Friday, the Iranian weekend, hundreds of young people go up to the mountains overlooking Tehran. Up there they can find a freedom which they lack in the big city. There are boys with long hair, mingling freely with girls whose headscarves tend to slip more than a little. But even up there, the freedom they find is relative."
It's a longing but it's not for long and not deep. There are also spies among the freedom-hungry. The spies report and all of a sudden certain persons disappear--forever. They are arrested and moved from the liberty breezes potential.
'''A lot of people bring musical instruments, they dance and sing. But if the policemen come, they confiscate the instruments, arrest people. We've come here, young people, who have no other fun. But they follow us and try to restrict us.''
According to BBC News, "many of them are fed up with the restrictions on their daily lives."
This is the hope of those Iranians in "exile," that is, those who have family and friends in Iran but who live outside the country. These patriots for liberty spend countless hours attempting to free those caught in the Islamic legalism of Iranian tyranny.
Such groups as Student Movement Coordination Committee for Democracy in Iran (SMCCDI) work day and night through various endeavors to bring the freedom light to Iran, particularly via the nation's young. See http://www.daneshjoo.org/
"A whole new generation has been born and grown up since the previous generation helped bring about the Islamic revolution 21 years ago," according to BBC News.
The youth now have access via cyberspace to how the free world lives and enjoys and thrives on personal liberties. Therefore, the Iranian youth are hankering for more than "honor killing" and stoning those accused of adultery and flogging those caught stealing a few fruits from the market bins.
The devilment of Islam holds no magnetic enticement for thinking young adults especially. They are not into the bloodletting of the elder Iranians who still hold tenaciously to the killing and torture passages of the Koran.
Such web sites as SMCCDI daily give out detail regarding the rebellion for freedom within Iran. For instance, a recent news item related how those in soccer bleachers displayed banners and flags giving forth liberty symbols. There were chants. There were demonstrations demanding personal liberties from the Islamic legalism and the political regime endorsing that legalism.
The news report stated that frequently sports events are used as political rallies for freedom. Then the youth in particular are accosted by the government-sponsored police. Mayhem ensues but the freedom bearers get across their message time and again. In other words, there is no stopping the ardent ambassador for a free republic. And there are countless numbers of youth who actually believe that a change will take place in Iran.
At the same time we have a bombastic individualistic ranting new Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
who thrives on center stage attention globally. With his outlandish claims and brash political diatribes, one wonders how the youth will deal with such a demonic charismatic leader in league with the traditional Koran legalism.
BBC reports incidents such as these: "The (youth) helped vote the reformist university president Mohammad Khatami into office in a surprise landslide victory nearly three years ago
Continue reading this article below
"At Tehran University, students are still hurting after the incident last July, when riot police and right-wing vigilantes stormed and ransacked their dormitory.
'''They came with violence, they broke everything they could,' says one student. ‘On that night, the dignity of the University of Tehran was broken.'
"Several days of rioting followed, ruthlessly put down by security forces. President Khatami did not intervene. But students do not necessarily hold that against him.
'''We must pay for everything we get, and that was the payment for liberty,' says another student whose belongings were burnt in the attack.
"That student says they want more freedom and believes most students think Mr. Khatami is the man to deliver it."
Then there are those who are suspicious of the University President. They are not sure if he is really on their side for freedom's sake. That is the quandary in Iran. The winds of change are sometimes quite exciting. At other times, they are interpreted as mere illusions.
"Many young people say they are disappointed with the slow pace of reform.
'''Khatami doesn't really believe in any change,' says a second student. 'The way the president speaks has changed. But nothing really has changed. I still can't have so many obvious things - basic human rights. I believe even Khatami and the whole system knows that even a minimum of freedom being given to people could sweep them all away, not just conservatives but all of them, Khatami included.
'''That's why I say nothing has really changed, because Khatami himself believes that nothing should change.'"
Time will tell. Perseverance over time will tell. There are other students on campus who actually believe that there are minimal changes but they are actually superficial, as if to placate those anxious for full-fledged liberties.
"'I think they've been given as just sops,' a student states. 'We have a freer press, but even these people writing in this freer press still have some links with the regime, or a good revolutionary record. But people belonging to the unofficial opposition or other nationalist groups are as unprotected as before. They are arrested as usual, they get disappeared as usual.''
Not good. Yet there is a longing within the human being for personal freedom that will keep the dream alive. That in itself cannot be thwarted by the tyrannical despots. Yet the journey of course can be strewn with blood from the innocent and brave.
The BBC reports: "If there is one word that sums up young people's demands, it is freedom.
"On Friday, the Iranian weekend, hundreds of young people go up to the mountains overlooking Tehran. Up there they can find a freedom which they lack in the big city. There are boys with long hair, mingling freely with girls whose headscarves tend to slip more than a little. But even up there, the freedom they find is relative."
It's a longing but it's not for long and not deep. There are also spies among the freedom-hungry. The spies report and all of a sudden certain persons disappear--forever. They are arrested and moved from the liberty breezes potential.
'''A lot of people bring musical instruments, they dance and sing. But if the policemen come, they confiscate the instruments, arrest people. We've come here, young people, who have no other fun. But they follow us and try to restrict us.''