View Full Version : Iran rebellion
iris lilies
1-11-26, 10:38pm
I’m sitting here in my comfy, comfy life, thinking about the brave souls in Iran who are protesting in the streets and will likely lose their lives. They’re going to have to fight hard if they want to topple that government and install one that’s more reasonable.
Before the Ayatollah, Iran was a modern country. So many people here are too young to remember that. Iran is such a center of culture in history, is tragic what it’s become in the past few decades.
I wish them well, And can’t help but be reminded of our forefathers 250 years ago who were fighting and dying to get independence from their overlords.
During the Iranian Revolution, I was attending a boarding school on the plains of Colorado.
Two of the other boarding students were sisters. The daughters of an Iranian official. At some point during the conflict, the USA decided to deport them back to Iran. They would have likely faced execution (and indeed, their father was executed...). The school and the local community decided to hide them from the US government, and did so successfully. They are still both alive and doing well.
iris lilies
1-11-26, 11:42pm
During the Iranian Revolution, I was attending a boarding school on the plains of Colorado.
Two of the other boarding students were sisters. The daughters of an Iranian official. At some point during the conflict, the USA decided to deport them back to Iran. They would have likely faced execution (and indeed, their father was executed...). The school and the local community decided to hide them from the US government, and did so successfully. They are still both alive and doing well.
That President would have been the kind and gentle Jimmy Carter who propped up the Ayatollah.
but I shouldn’t be snarky because these choices in the Middle East and elsewhere are often between two bad options.
catherine
1-11-26, 11:53pm
bae, I'm happy to hear that your classmates are doing well.
IL, your post reminds me of the "favorite movies" thread, and the fact that I neglected to put "House of Sand and Fog" on my list, but it is one of my favorite movies. It centers around an Iranian officer who was forced to flee during the Revolution. He finds a house for his family in the US after it has been erroneously auctioned away from a young alcoholic woman. It is about place, family, belonging and need for roots.
It is frightening what is happening over there, and as contentious as our politics are here now, at least we can watch Jake Tapper grilling the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the mayor of Minneapolis telling the ICE agents to "get the f***k out of Minneapolis" without fearing that they will "disappear".
iris lilies
1-12-26, 12:08am
It would be nice to see some Keffiyah Kids out in our streets protesting in support of these rebelling Iranians. But there aren’t any.
they’re so weirdly selective in what they choose to protest.
It would be nice to see some Keffiyah Kids out in our streets protesting in support of these rebelling Iranians. But there aren’t any.
they’re so weirdly selective in what they choose to protest.
Our local Protest People haven't said a damned thing about the firebombing of the synagogue in Jackson, Miss. either. Though they were out on the street corner with their Palestine cosplay signs today.
https://www.npr.org/2026/01/11/nx-s1-5673976/arson-jackson-mississippi-synagogue-fire
frugal-one
1-12-26, 12:29am
Probably because we have enough here to protest about. Seems contradictory to me that trump is talking about protecting protesters in another country while he continues to send more gestapo in Minneapolis and previously other areas. Interestingly, saw an article that referred to ICE as trump’s “secret police” … the actual definition of gestapo.
iris lilies
1-12-26, 12:36am
Probably because we have enough here to protest about. Seems contradictory to me that trump is talking about protecting protesters in another country while he continues to send more gestapo in Minneapolis and previously other areas. Interestingly, saw an article that referred to ICE as trump’s “secret police” … the actual definition of gestapo.
yes I saw that reference today on a forum so that must be the current talking point from the Dems.
Recently, I attended a meeting held at our local movie theater (which has a stage). The event had to be relocated away from our community arts center’s stage, because some of the Board members there did not feel the content was appropriate. This change of location happened with < 24 hours notice, which may have impacted attendance, not sure in which direction though, the cancellation provoked a lot of angry discussion on local social media channels.
The meeting was advertised as presenting the experiences of one of our islanders who had participated in the recent Gaza Flotilla business, and who had been detained at-sea by the Israelis.
Following are my observations typed up that evening directly after the event, with some clarifying notes added in parenthesis:
—-----
It was a cold rainy windy night.
Attendance was perhaps 100 people. (Year-round island population is ~5500) The pre-event potluck was nice, as usual everyone brought tons of food. . The attendees were almost entirely female. Perhaps six males. The women were 20 to 30 years old mostly, though there was a contingent in the 40 to 60 year-old range.
At *no* point during the three hour meeting were the events of October 7 mentioned, or the number of Israeli casualties, or the sexual violence, or the number of people abducted from Israel by Hamas, or how long they were kept for, or in what conditions. The word Hamas was *never* mentioned. The very fact that there was an attack on Israel on October 7 was never mentioned.
The video presentation that began the evening was very one-sided. It used loaded language and was full of historical inaccuracies. It was very much selling the “Jews are colonizers” line of horse-shit. (I had in my pocket during this event several coins from the time of the First Jewish-Roman War, which I often carry as “challenge coins” to this sort of thing.)
Not a single person in the audience over the three hours in any discussions or questions challenged any of the narrative that was put forward by the film or the presenters. Not once did anyone, audience or presenter, mention the casualties suffered by Israel on the attack of October 7 or the 10,000+ rockets that were fired that day. Similarly, when Lebanon was discussed at no point was it mentioned that Lebanon fired thousands of missiles towards Israel before Israel attacked Lebanon - it was portrayed entirely as an unprovoked act of Israeli aggression.
The Israelis as colonizers narrative was repeated over and over and over again.
There was very little critical thinking displayed by anyone in the audience or on the panel. In the breakout session discussions similar lack of thinking was in evidence.
The direct personal testimony of the local 20-something woman who had been on the Flotilla was interesting, especially when it came to the logistics of the operation.. Clearly she meant well, had no historical context, and was being used as a patsy for other people. Her details of her claimed “torture” at the hands of her Israeli captors was laughable - “her bed was a bit lumpy…”. I reckon her as a “useful idiot”. Most of these folks, from her story, simply had no business being at sea in those boats, they are lucky they did not kill themselves. (I feel similarly about the moronic college students the Sea Shepherds sometimes recruits as cannon fodder).
Anyways, just some data.
iris lilies
1-12-26, 12:45am
Bae, that is something I might have attended if it was convenient enough mainly to hear her experience on the flotilla. That could be interesting. The rest of it… Well, that’s not surprising.
Bae, that is something I might have attended if it was convenient enough mainly to hear her experience on the flotilla. That could be interesting. The rest of it… Well, that’s not surprising.
She had some fascinating bits. In some of the ports they visited, she claims they were attacked by drones being flown from shore, in some cases dropping incendiary devices on their boats. She had a lot to say about the preparation and condition of the vessels used, and frankly, she should have known better than to be on them, all other things aside, as she's an experienced open-ocean sailor, and these vessels were unsuitable for anything other than scrapping.
All-in-all, it was a sorta-carefully-calculated PR stunt, IMHO, and had no significant aid component being delivered, other than for symbolic purposes.
She's a nice kid, I've met her around here for years, and I don't think she has a mean bone in her body.
frugal-one
1-12-26, 12:53am
yes I saw that reference today on a forum so that must be the current talking point from the Dems.
What forum was that? I just happened to look up the actual definition of gestapo.
iris lilies
1-12-26, 1:48am
What forum was that? I just happened to look up the actual definition of gestapo.
Why do you want to know?
I would me not be sad at all to see Iran’s government fail. I’ve always called them the Great Satan, a turn around of what they always called the US.
The Middle East as a whole is a cancer on the world and it’s all due to Islam.
rosarugosa
1-12-26, 7:59am
Religion is a cancer on the world, with Islam being one of the worst.
rosarugosa
1-12-26, 8:01am
bae, I'm happy to hear that your classmates are doing well.
IL, your post reminds me of the "favorite movies" thread, and the fact that I neglected to put "House of Sand and Fog" on my list, but it is one of my favorite movies. It centers around an Iranian officer who was forced to flee during the Revolution. He finds a house for his family in the US after it has been erroneously auctioned away from a young alcoholic woman. It is about place, family, belonging and need for roots.
It is frightening what is happening over there, and as contentious as our politics are here now, at least we can watch Jake Tapper grilling the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the mayor of Minneapolis telling the ICE agents to "get the f***k out of Minneapolis" without fearing that they will "disappear".
Catherine: I loved that movie too, as well as the book. Andre Dubus III is one of my favorite contemporary novelists. His book Such Kindness was one of my favorite reads of 2025.
frugal-one
1-12-26, 9:07am
[QUOTE=iris lilies;451848]Why do you want to know?[/
Why not? I love change and always looking for different.
Catherine: I loved that movie too, as well as the book. Andre Dubus III is one of my favorite contemporary novelists. His book Such Kindness was one of my favorite reads of 2025.
I will definitely read Such Kindness on your recommendation.
The Catholic Church has a sullied past that I suspect could rival Islam. Fortunately much of it has tamed down since the inquisition and the bloodletting and possibly genocide in South America in the quest for gold and plunder. Some of their sorted abuses continue.
rosarugosa
1-12-26, 9:41am
I will definitely read Such Kindness on your recommendation.
Caveat: the earlier part of the book will make you wonder why I wish to depress you, but it is ultimately a very uplifting, hopeful book with almost a Zen feeling about it.
Caveat: the earlier part of the book will make you wonder why I wish to depress you, but it is ultimately a very uplifting, hopeful book with almost a Zen feeling about it.
That makes me want to read it even more!
iris lilies
1-12-26, 9:59am
That makes me want to read it even more!
Right. I like depressing books.
The Catholic Church has a sullied past that I suspect could rival Islam. Fortunately much of it has tamed down since the inquisition and the bloodletting and possibly genocide in South America in the quest for gold and plunder. Some of their sorted abuses continue.
Catholics are not out to kill us, commit hijackings, or were the cause of 9/11. Period.
I grew up 30 minutes from Dearborn, MI. Nuff said.
We’re not talking about historical stuff. Islam wants the west dead. I am happy to return the favor.
Catholics are not out to kill us, commit hijackings, or were the cause of 9/11. Period.
Child rape, and the coverup of such things, are more on-brand for Catholics, true.
Most of the bad stuff other than child abuse and coverups is in the past for the Catholic Church. I have personal acquaintances who have been affected by that. Us common European protestants just have the decimation of the Native American populations on our collective conscious, and Methodist Minister like Col. John Chivington. At least they didn't make the street run red with blood.
It does seem like the Islamic nations have not made much progress in the reform of Jihad and religion inspired killings.
Most of the bad stuff other than child abuse and coverups is in the past for the Catholic Church. I have personal acquaintances who have been affected by that.
As was I as a child. Likely why I did not become a Jesuit.
Child rape, and the coverup of such things, are more on-brand for Catholics, true.
Don’t forget the grooming gangs in the UK who are Muslims. True, they’re not diddling little boys like the Catholics, but they are going after under age girls.
Most of the bad stuff other than child abuse and coverups is in the past for the Catholic Church. I have personal acquaintances who have been affected by that. Us common European protestants just have the decimation of the Native American populations on our collective conscious, and Methodist Minister like Col. John Chivington. At least they didn't make the street run red with blood.
It does seem like the Islamic nations have not made much progress in the reform of Jihad and religion inspired killings.
Islam is backwards as f*ck. We’ll throw that Ilhan Omar in there, too. I don’t like Trump, but I’m all for kicking Muslims out.
iris lilies
1-12-26, 8:34pm
Don’t forget the grooming gangs in the UK who are Muslims. True, they’re not diddling little boys like the Catholics, but they are going after under age girls.
And as always, it is the power structure that is protecting them is the worst thing.
Predators are gonna exploit, rapists are gonna rape, Criminals are gonna criminal.
But when the Catholic Church hierarchy passes on badnick priests from parish to parish as it has been proven many times, when the U .K cops know about the rape gangs but aren’t going to risk bad PR by even investigating, that’s when things are bad.
You can expect much more of the same in coming decades in the U.K. Tragic.
iris lilies
1-12-26, 8:37pm
Religion is a cancer on the world, with Islam being one of the worst.
No, it really isn’t.
early morning
1-12-26, 9:26pm
I'm with rr on this one. Organized religion, at any rate. In some ways, it's just another guise of tribalism, ways to keep the "us" vs "them" going. If you look at religion as an origin story, then it's pretty fascinating. But when it's used as how-to guide to exert power and control, as it generally is, then it's a poison. And in general, it's about power and control. It does seem that a man we now call Jesus tried to change that, but it's pretty clear to me, at least, that his message was co-opted, twisted, re-formed, and watered down. I'm not sure which churches are responsible, but I've noticed billboards in our area that proclaim "Jesus is NOT God". Very Catholic areas. Not sure if they are BY the Catholic Church, or directed AT that church. Puzzling.
iris lilies
1-12-26, 9:45pm
I'm with rr on this one. Organized religion, at any rate. In some ways, it's just another guise of tribalism, ways to keep the "us" vs "them" going. If you look at religion as an origin story, then it's pretty fascinating. But when it's used as how-to guide to exert power and control, as it generally is, then it's a poison. And in general, it's about power and control. It does seem that a man we now call Jesus tried to change that, but it's pretty clear to me, at least, that his message was co-opted, twisted, re-formed, and watered down. I'm not sure which churches are responsible, but I've noticed billboards in our area that proclaim "Jesus is NOT God". Very Catholic areas. Not sure if they are BY the Catholic Church, or directed AT that church. Puzzling.
That is indeed a weird message. I wonder what that’s about.
“Jesus is NOT God” would be a heresy for a Catholic. Arianism. Wars were fought over this.
iris lilies
1-12-26, 11:31pm
Religion is a cancer on the world, with Islam being one of the worst.
I haven’t observed that mankind needs any special religious guidance to commit brutality and mayhem.
littlebittybobby
1-13-26, 1:30am
okay----you kids musta forgot the Ukrainia is your fav-o-rite country!!??? So yeah----Triumph is already boasting about conquering Venzawayla---which is the same total pop as Texcess and Ukrainia, and now thinking he might hafta conquer iceland and Iran and Cuba. He's getting in over his head on projects, don't you think? So don't encourage him. it all costs too much. Enough saaid. So now go do your homework, say your prayers and go to be. Hope that helps you some. Thankk mee.
rosarugosa
1-13-26, 7:00am
No, it really isn’t.
It's probably best for us to agree to disagree on this one.
I haven’t observed that mankind needs any special religious guidance to commit brutality and mayhem.
You really think 9/11 would have happened without Islam? Really wrong. Suggest you read The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11. I was surprised the hate for the west went back to the 1940s, from an Egyptian Muslim who had been in the US as a college student.
iris lilies
1-13-26, 11:16am
You really think 9/11 would have happened without Islam? Really wrong. Suggest you read The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11. I was surprised the hate for the west went back to the 1940s, from an Egyptian Muslim who had been in the US as a college student.
Of course that incident was jihad, justified by religious fervor.
But these are not fueled by ideas of serving God:
* 3 million killed in Cambodia by Kymar Rouge
*4.5 million dead to install the .chinese Communist government
*600,000 dead on our home turf in the American War of Northern Rebellion/ War between the States
* several hundred thousand Russian and Ukranians dead in the current conflict
These are the ones that leap into the top of my head, and we all know there are many many others.
littlebittybobby
1-14-26, 5:52pm
okay---i can visualize this: Fanaticrat protessers, with their orange hair and tats and piercings, laying on the runway up there at Offut in Zurra, chanting slogans during an USAF attempt to srike irannia with B-1's or whatever. But yeah---next they'll be showing their affection and admiration for the Ayyatollah, since he is the perceived underdog at this point. Hope none a them protasters get squashed when the planes take off. Oh, well. Just you watch. Yup.
Texcess. Thankk mee.
For once, I will. "Texcess" - how perfect.
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