But I decided that, since the Iranian government has shut down just about every outlet by which people there could get there stories out, and since the Iranian government is trying so hard not only to take control of how events in Iran are shaped, but also to hide what is going on there–check out this article in particular–that it is more important to bear witness when we can and watching this video will be nothing if it is not bearing witness: not to sentimentalize the man being tortured in this video in the way that Neda has been sentimentalized, but because if we do not bear witness, then the people who perpetrated and the people who gave license to the perpetrators for this kind of thing will have won. (I will add that an Iranian friend of mine points out that the thugs in the video are speaking a language other than Persian.)
I will say it again: This video is very, very, very, very disturbing, and if you have triggers it will likely pull all of them.
ETA: This clip from The Daily Show is also worth watching:
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Reza Aslan | ||||
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Cross-posted on It’s All Connected.
When protesters are beaten in the streets of St. Paul, they’re “idiot protesters.” When they’re beaten in the streets of Tehran, they’re martyrs to the cause of freedom and democracy.
I guess it all depends on who is being inconvenienced.
And isn’t it interesting how some people always have to make everything about them? Not only is your comment here offensive, it is misdirected, since I am not the person you’re arguing with. You have a problem with Jeff’s post about the Republican National Convention in 2008, take it up with him on that post. Please don’t comment here again unless you have something to say about Iran and what is going on there.
Offensive? Moi?
Go bear witness to a couple more YouTube videos.
Offensive? Yes, you! I will say it again take your argument where it belongs.