My Internet Jewish friend Ari Bussel writes about Iranian
expatriates living in the USA demonstrating in support of the brave souls protesting
the Mullah regime in Iran.
You might find it interesting a pro-Israel Jew is standing
with Iranians in America protesting against the Islamic Republic of Iran’s
repressive regime. After all it is Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
and his predecessor Khomeini, call Israel little Satan and America Great Satan.
The Iranians living America are protesting the Mullahs as
exiles that fled Iran after the fall of the monarchy of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.
These protesting Iranian had become used to the
In full disclosure the Shah was no modern saint. The Shah
had a secret police organization called SAVAK that was quite brutal
toward the Shias that resisted Iranian modernization. The Mullocracy secret police (or whatever they are called)
make SAVAK look like kindergarten bullies controlling the school yard.
According to historian Ervand
Abrahamian, “Whereas less than 100 political prisoners had been executed
between 1971 and 1979, more than 7,900 were executed between 1981 and 1985. . .
. Prison life was drastically worse under the Islamic Republic than under the
Pahlavis. One who survived both writes that four months under [the ayatollahs’
warden] took the toll of four years under SAVAK. In the prison literature of
the Pahlavi era, the recurring words have been ‘boredom’ and ‘monotony.’ In
that of the Islamic Republic, they are ‘fear,’ ‘death,’ ‘terror,’ ‘horror,’ and
most frequent of all ‘nightmare.’” READ ENTIRETY (Iran: The
Truth about the CIA and the Shah; By JOSH GELERNTER; National
Review; 7/24/15 3:34 PM)
JRH 1/9/18
**********************
Dear Zohreh
Iran Demonstration - Los Angeles, Sunday, January 7,
2018
By Ari Bussel
Sent 1/7/2018 8:10 PM
Totally immersed
A lot of work went into it. For the ten days preceding
the demonstration, all I heard from you was “flags,” “posters,” “coordination,”
“permit,” “notices” and "press outreach.” So many details, so much
effort beyond the technical aspects.
The situation in Iran so occupied your mind and being, that
there was no time left for anything else, and yet, on Shabbat you were at Shul
(our synagogue) and after Shabbat you went to visit the sick.
Even then, you could not resist, walking from Century City
to Beverly Hills with the Iranian flag; a solitary march, in preparation for
today.
Futility?
I discounted the entire affair; for what good would it do?
For the young Iranians in Iran are well educated, with relatively good
access to the West (a mutual acquaintance of ours raised and spent tens of
millions of dollars of the American tax payer money to ensure exactly that).
They were all born into the regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
They know nothing different, would not remember with great admiration the
late Shah, the same way I do, and if Iran is pushed or attacked, their loyalty
will be with Iran; only with Iran.
Are they dreaming of an “Iranian Spring?” To what end?
Replacing the Mullahs with a dictator of a different persuasion?
Allow me to remind us all - this happened once before, in 1978-1979, when
Ayatollah Khomeini took over following President Carter’s pressure on the Shah
of Iran.
Today’s kids, youth and young Iranians know nothing better
or different, and their aspirations will be quashed most harshly, in a similar
manner to the way the Green Revolution ended, about some nine years ago, or to
the manner in which some one million Syrians have received the blow from the
current regime - murder, rape, torture, imprisonment.
And yet, it is good to dream; even when it is evident the
support of Hizbollah, Hamas and global terrorism will not lessen; on the
contrary, it will only intensify.
Iranians
Against Terrorist Islamic Regime
PST (Persian Standard Time)
Sunday, 1PM in front of the Federal Building in Los Angeles.
You intended to arrive half an hour early, to bring the flags you bought
and the signs you printed. You and I have often arrived early to events,
at times being the first to arrive. Not today.
In front
of the Federal Building in Los Angeles
When I arrived at 12:30, there were already a few hundred
demonstrators, with flags and signs (one in particular caught my eye: “Make
Iran Great Again”). Alas, “Persian Standard Time” happened in the reverse
today. For the next three hours, there will be a non-stop stream of
people, adding up to some 2,500 strong.
The Absent Youth
Noticeably absent? Children and youth. There was
one infant, two kids, another youth and later a handful of others. Not
even 1% of the attendees.
What was visible are the real Iranians; those who had to
flee and can only dream of going back. They came dressed immaculately,
some with walkers, others with canes, still others on wheelchairs or being
supported by a spouse. They carried on with dignity and a sense of
purpose. Their children, themselves parents now, came in droves.
They remember Iran of the Shah, and they grew up on their parents’
upbringing, where Iran was the essence of life. But their kids, those “30
year after,” did not bother to show up.
People
Have Spoken: Iran-- No Fascist Theocracy - YES Secular Democracy
(Iran) was vandalized and later the Jews targeted.
That ended 2017, and 2018 began with protests that spread throughout
Iran, then were harshly quashed, as expected.
But those in their 30s, those already born here, stayed at
home. It is Sunday after all, and there are more important things to do
on such a beautiful day.
For them, Iran is part of their cultural heritage, but
definitely not the meaning of life. They are similar to young American
Jews who see themselves as Americans first, and if Israel ceases to exist, the
world for them will not come to an end.
And herein lies the real danger. Young Iranians in
Iran are very focused and loyal, no matter how “difficult” the present may
seem. Their counterparts who were born and raised in the USA have no
focus, no loyalty (other than to themselves) and no obligation (such as military
or national service). It is a generation completely self-centered, void
of any obligations and absorbed in a strange world of social-networks “friends”
and “likes,” “petitions” and “action,” and an overall attention span of
seconds.
The Stranger in Your Midst
Having worked closely with the Iranian community over the
past year, it was obvious I should be there. Unlike other non-Iranians, I
actually lived in Iran of the Shah, and to this day I speak most highly about
the Shah’s concern and action for his people and his ancient kingdom, as he
tried to bring it fast-forward into modernity.
Iran Flag
under Shah
I was surprised to be greeted time and again: “Ari, what are
you doing here?”
Well, it is a most familiar place for me, for on the side
stretch the rows of dead, those who fought for all the freedoms we enjoy.
And here, exactly on the four corners of Wilshire Blvd and
Veteran Ave, just a short distance away from my alma mater UCLA campus, I stood
numerous times, defending Israel against external and internal enemies.
I am used to police, but not so many like today.
Veteran Ave. was shut down on both sides, and the police, most patiently,
stayed away, allowing the expanding crowd to swell, grow, move outward.
Down with
Islamic Republic of Iran
Overall, it was touchy, fulfilling and sad to see a people
exiled from their land, gathered together in a futile plea for change.
Hope and Change, neither of which can materialize. Not in Iran; not
in N. Korea - both posing grave threats to world peace, to the world as we know
it today.
Support of Passersby Cars
We stood next to the heart of Teheran-geles (combination of
Teheran and Los Angeles), Westwood, so one would expect that some of the
passing cars would be of Iranian Americans. But the nonstop honking
confused me. Are so many supporting the demonstration? Most
Americans would not even know to recognize the flag of Iran, or to
differentiate between the flag of the monarchy and that of the Islamic
Republic.
These are the same Americans that would spit toward the Flag
of Israel and crush or burn the American Flag, while stay oblivious to the flag
of Daesh (Isis/Isil as President Obama liked to refer to the Islamic
Caliphate).
So why are they honking? And to what end? I soon
figured it out. It is in this very intersection that regular
demonstrations against Israel take place, under the banner “Free Palestine.”
The colors are similar (green, white, red for Iran, same with black for
so-called Palestine). People surely thought they were honking against the
Jews, against Israel, wishing to “End the Occupation” and “Free, Free Palestine
from the River to the Sea!”
The March of 2,500 Strong
The singing, chanting and calls over the loudspeakers were
familiar: “Regime change in Iran.” “Human rights for Iran.” “Long
Live ….” “Freedom for Iran; no
more Ayatollah!” And a sea of flags and posters. The swelling
crowd, growing by the minute, getting ready for the march.
Regime
Change for Iran
A permit was issued to march on Wilshire Blvd (closing east
bound traffic lanes) to Westwood Blvd, turn onto Westwood (where the south
bound lanes were closed) and continue south to Ohio. The march, like the
gathering beforehand, was very well organized, a mid-Sunday outing.
People hugged and kissed; took picture, waved flags, carried signs, sang
and chanted. In short, they enjoyed the freedoms afforded to every
American, those that are not tolerated in Iran or in Arab countries throughout
the Middle East. And they were safe.
The group, a block and a half long and 15 - 20 deep, marched
onward, carrying their dream - a memory 40 years old and beyond - with them.
I was inspired, full of respect and sorrow, sadness that you
are celebrating a world that will not return, to which you are not allowed to
return.
But you must not stop. And do not be discouraged.
We have seen that Israel, constantly warning of the grave
danger from Iran, has stopped its radio broadcasting in Farsi (something to do
with lack of budget, more likely indicating lack of importance assigned to it);
its President just weeks ago during an official, rare visit did not find the
time to meet with the Iranian community in Los Angeles or its leadership.
Actions talk louder than words, and Israel apparently is focused on
action of a different type (something similar to Stuxnet maybe).
We have seen American Jewry “help defeat the opposition to
the Iran deal,” and AIPAC, the Israel lobby waste tens of millions of dollars
failing to stop it. The result was the same - a deal for which a second
Nobel Prize was forthcoming to President Obama, for using diplomacy to achieve
“Peace in our Lifetime!"
And here, today, some 2,500 Iranians (with one exception)
who realize the danger, understand that Iranians are not Arabs, that most are
very educated and determined, loyal and clear in their look, and whose time
horizon is different than that of Western Civilization came out to demonstrate.
I stood amidst you and I was smiling, proud, grateful.
Photos
of Mullocracy Abuses
And as you chanted “Regime Change in Iran,” I felt safe
enough to stand there amongst you - the only non-Persian - and sing
“Yerushalaim, Yerushalaim….”
Always,
Edited by John R. Houk
© Ari Bussel
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