Reply To: T-shirt designers unite and take over

[Rezwan]

Ah, historic times. Celebrate! Dissidents Mass in Tehran to Subvert an Anti-U.S. Rally Yesterday was the 30 year anniversary of the US embassy takeover. The government always has their “death to America” rally on the anniversary. Kids in schools all have to rally and chant “d to A” as well. Shameful. Criticizing policies and proposing constructive changes is one thing. Chanting “death to…” is childish.

Even some government authorities seemed to grudgingly concede that the opposition had — for the first time — disrupted the annual anti-American rally. The official IRNA news agency reported in midafternoon that “rioters,” many wearing the opposition’s signature green color, had gathered in front of its offices on Valiasr Street chanting “Death to the dictator” and other antigovernment slogans.

Times they are a-changin’.

Although “death to dictator” does seem to just extend this pattern of rhetoric – except it isn’t targeting an individual per se, it’s targeting one who dictates. Like, if they chanted “death to imperialism”, rather than “death to America” that would be reasonable.

Having lived in Iran and knowing how they really go all out to coerce people to participate in the “death to America” thing – this is a great milestone. Disrupting the US embassy anniversary rally hate-speak. It’s like seeing crocuses coming up through the snow. Spring is coming.

Of course, the change has been percolating for some time. I only single this out because it’s one of those big official milestones. Like noticing a particularly large crocus…

An example of the change – a few months ago when I was still there, some folks came and spray painted “death to Khamenei” in green on the wall facing our house. Our neighbor is a high ranking official for the police and very pro Khamenei. So, he covered the opposition graffiti and painted over it “death to America”. Just then, my Mom, back from grocery shopping pulls up – she’s American. Flaming American. She walks up to him as he’s painting and says Mr. ___! What the…? You know I’m American. They talk, amicably. And then he apologizes and just paints over the whole thing. Blots it all out.

Wish they would all blot out the hate speak and just get down to practical negotiation of healthy coexistence of multiple viewpoints.