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Comments on ‘Iranian Conservatives: How Powerful?’
Yashar at July 25, 2003 08:25 PM:
By the way, I liked that picture Kaveh. hehehe. take back 'the city' with chasb-e-aquarium.
Yashar at July 26, 2003 02:18 AM:
Please read my new comment on Iman's post on Persepolis and consider the good offer.
Mehrad at July 27, 2003 05:44 PM:
What is eagerness? Who and where are these eager population? I don't think writing down a few names in a six year period would be something worth calling "eagerness". I do believe that Ganji,Hajjarian or a few others have took enough action to be angry of others'(Khatami?)inaction, but when it comes to the majority of Iranians, I can see no will to do something more than just nagging. As Hajjarian mentioned once, Khatami is the one who is paying most... It's now,I believe,up to us to pay and let others know they have to pay for the changes they want, that they should organize and mobilise instead of waiting to be organizzed or mobilised.
negar at July 27, 2003 06:16 PM:
Reading "Mehrad's" point, I'm thinking to myself; how are we going to "mobilize"? or "organaize"? These words sound just too familiar to me. they make me think we keep moving in the same box, thinking in the same old way, without trying to change our approach. Maybe it's just me being sensitive to those words, but I think instead of engaging in the old, admitedly unsuccessful, rhetoric, maybe it's time to consider other possibilites. Maybe, after all, it's not only who is "conventially" stronger,if that is even true. In fact, I tend to agree with Yashar, somewhat about how it’s all maybe slightly overestimated. Maybe we do have powers we are unaware of. Realizing them and learning how to use them are what we need to put some thought into. Am I being too idealistic?
Yashar at July 27, 2003 06:51 PM:
Well, i dont think the likes of Pouyandeh, Mokhtari, Batebi, Ganji, Hajjarian and all the other imprisoned and tortured students, journalists, reporters and political activists have paid less than Khatami. These aren't just a few. People* show their eagerness to different degrees. They trusted Khatami and thought he could mold this eagerness into concrete political change. I think people are now frustrated with government reform and that makes you think they are not eager for change. And now they are slowly getting over the hangover of realising the impossibility of reform from within the government, which was their least costly choice ( like writing six names on a piece of paper), and are slowly, and unconscioucly even, moving toward methods more independent of the government which are more costly.
Yashar at July 27, 2003 07:39 PM:
* i admit that when i say people want change or people are eager to... the meaning of the term 'people' here is somehow vague. and although i'm not so anal and meticulous about such matters and think the above sentences have a fair amount of true meaning in them, i'm going to clarify that further. no two persons have the same needs, hopes and ideals for the society they live in. a fisherman might not assign as much priority to having a demcratic government as a freelance reporter. (i'm not assigning any value to that!) furthermore people usually put their shot-term personal needs and passions before their long-term plans for the society. some people have a more definite and concrete vision of what their ideal society is. some are more outspoken and vocal some are more abashed to express themselves. some risk more to attain their goals some... [more at the permalink of the entry above]