Exchanging monarchs for monsters? Hell NO!

Please join me in giving a round of applaud for this concise and compelling report that questions legitimacy of MKO (Mojahedin Khalq Organization) on what they argue that they are a democratic and hence suitable substitute for current Iranian government. I always liked to hear these words from an independent voice cause when Iranians condemn this group they receive the accusation of supporting Iranian government. What if we do not like to endorse any of these two? I feel really sorry to see that a group of European parliament members and some American congressmen are calling for removal of MKO from the list of terrorist organizations. I feel it is a very ugly view that “The enemy of my enemy is my friend”(Do not forget that “Taliban” is Afghanistan were US friends when they were fighting Soviet army!). MKO calls itself  “Government in Exile” but no one knows who else apart from its supporters voted for it! They praise their leaders JUST like the way supporters of Iranian leadership do for theirs and “Obey without questions” is a conspicuous fact and is carefully applied to the unfortunate members. They are as religious as Iranian leaders, as strict as they are and they do love taking revenge from whom they dislike in a savage way. I feel sorry for thousands of Iranians who got killed or adopted a perished life because they became member of militias supporting either MKO or Islamic revolutionary guard! I should tell those EU/US representatives who call for removal of this bloodthirsty group from the list of terrorist organizations to open their eyes and see that they are putting the eggs of human right swan in the dark den of dragons.

Comments

[KL]

Anyone/group who stays outside their country and shouts for democracy or regime-change, etc, are corrupt and not courageous. If they were true freedom-fighters or believers in their cause, then they were going to be courageous and return home or stay-in-home to fight for their cause, like what Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, etc, did, or what various organizations/individuals (staff of Red Cross/UN, HRW, Doctors Without Borders, etc,) do in various war-torn, dangerous places of the world when huge harm can come to them because they believe in their cause of serving humanity. However, what do you expect from governments/politicians? Otherwise, they were going to show their full support for all the Iranian students (especially those who participated in 1999-demonstrations) and bloggers.
You might already know this, but just thought of sending you: http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=8557600
Oh forgot to mention another nice article to you: http://www.newtopiamagazine.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=56&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0&POSTNUKESID=f6bbfce7d2c7113c8bdd25214a5ca575
Hope you don't mind. Thanks.
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Mr.Behi says: Thanks for the links. I did not see them before.

[Behnam]

KL - what does courage have to do with being democratic or having a good program for Iran's future? If some exile shouts for Iranian democracy, he may have better ideas than all the people inside of Iran who may want to vote for Khatami for exmaple.

This cultural backwardness that only "courageous" people have a right to speak or only "courageous" people can be right is called the culture of martyrdom and has brought us this 30 years of dictatorship and before that another detested monarchy that demanded sacrifice for the "Mihan".

Lets not make a religion out of opposition to the regime, because we have had enough religion in Iran. Neither loving Iran and Iranians is a religion or a religious duty.

If I want to fight for democracy outside of Iran, it is none of your business, and I will do it the way I find best.

What an imbecile.
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Mr.Behi says: Please calm down! and try not to use offensive language. It is not the language of peace. All the point of views are welcomed here but first try to understand others and admit that there are ideas that you may not like. No one is trying to present what is right and I am keeping the comments open to make tha talks happen. Thanks for commenting

[Behnam]

Dear Mr. Behi - The essence of democracy is participation and pluralism. When somebody self-righteously comes and says "if you are not inside the country then you are corrupt" - he is not a democrat. He is another religionist, except his religion is different from the mollas. This is the backward culture of dictatorship that is now masquerading in the name of democracy in Iran. The essence of democracy is liberalism. If you cannot tolerate others, and their ideas, and their methods, then you are not a liberal democrat.

I had expected that you would understand such issues, and fault Mr. KL with his nonsense.

Unfortunately KL is not alone. He is as bad as the MKO. He wants to go and grab power and then arrest people because they are "not courageous". He wants to repeat 1979. As much as I hate the mollas, I am not sure if Mr. KL is any better.

regards
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Mr.Behi is sorry about all this and says:NO one here as a commenter is to persuade others with what he/she says. I am not opening comments for that. One aspect of participation is that all of the views to be respected. Do not assume that people of other parts of the world should have your social and cultural background on an issue. Calm down in case of KL! She is a very calm Indian girl and I recommend that you read some of the various comments that she has kindly put in this blog. In fact she is very much concerned about difficulties we have in Iran which is admirable for someone who has not have her root here. Comments are open to all and others will judge your theories by the way you present them. I have readers with many different backgrounds and from many different parts of the world. Many of them make their debates via e-mail and I enjoy reading their views. Respect for others is my view of making my words heard. I have felt with my bones like you that the problem that you are complaining about in Iran is exactly on this basis that some religious people imagine their perception as the only true one and force many others to obey and I am glad that you also agree that being democratic is to let everyone have their words and not to condemn their ideas so please do not use offensive words. EVERYONE is welcome here and comments are for you to have your views and I DO understand you are fed up with ideologies as they are practiced by people in power in Iran but there are people who do not have that experience. Like KL, they are from other nations (I have been to India and have seen how relaxed people are living in peace with other beliefs). Let's be open minded! We shall not shout at other people because of the disputes we have in our land. We are talking not marching against each other. Please if you can not help it not using offensive words, talk freely in your own blog. Apologies to you for my words and to KL for yours.

[Behnam]

Dear Mr. Behi - I commend your openmindedness.

However, you should take a stand against those who say "if you do not sacrifice yourself and show courage for Iran, then you got to be corrupt".

This is the language of dictatorship and you know it as well as I do. It is this culture of martyrdom that has brought disaster upon Iran.

The result is that MKO can come and say - "well we sacrificed so much and Rajavi lost his son, therefore we are fit to rule, and if you disagree, we will arrest you."

This is backwardness in its essence. This culture of Qeirat and Shahadat must be smashed. There is not a single dictator or autocrat that does not believe he is doing his atrocities for the good of his country and his people. Even Saddam thought so.

This culture of "I have to sacrifice for my people" is what creates disasters and ideologies.

No, people wish to live happily and they wish to improve their society and they wish to progress and enlighten. That is what drives history. And not "I want to sacrifice myself for the country and if you don't, then you must be corrupt".

I think KL should go and read a little about the Enlightenment and about the Social Contract and Civil Society and stop writing how people should be filtered based on their sacrifice and not be allowed to compete based on their merits, and stop writing on how to discover (and eliminate?) the corrupt people. Its amazing that she has roots here, but has never been rebutted on these "aqaboftAdeh" ideas.

Frankly, she has the right to say what she wants and I will defend her right. But I will also reserve the right to criticize her ideas.

This is a very interesting discussion. In my opinion, members of a society are obligated to participate in governance. Iranian society has members throughout the world who subscribe to a wide variety of politics. Participation, particularly the participation of vocal opposition [including the MKO] is essential to influence, acquire and maintain liberty inside Iran. The quest for and maintenance of liberty is everyone’s responsibility. It is not a function of nationality, gender, religion, race, caste or location.

Contrary to the opinions of a previous post, participation cannot be a function of location. Governments are an intellectual creation. Like a mosque or a university, one must separate the material aspects of these institutions from their intellectual and or spiritual purpose.

The power and authority of any government exists in the minds of its citizens. Our intellect is not subject to time or space, cannot be imprisoned nor can it be banished. However it can be silenced by censorship. In Iran, it appears as though anything that threatens authority is censored.

I am under the impression that the political platform of the MKO is censored in Iran, Is this correct? Would the existence of this blog be threatened if it were to perform a comparative analysis between Iran’s current constitution and the political platform of the MKO?