How i learned to stop worrying and love sexism

I have been watching with rapt attention the events of the past week occurring in Iran. At a time, when i am often pessimistic about society, especially in the US, Iran's protest movement provides a ray of warm sunlight through my otherwise cold and dreary conception of humanity. I find in it a glimmer of the nobility of which humanity is capable, even against a backdrop of the dark blemishes to which we are all heirs.

So i watch with admiration as they stand up, these vibrant, learnèd, politically-engaged...intelligent...hot Persian women, i mean, O. M. G., have you seen some of these pictures?

Quit making 'oinking' noises, i'm trying to talk here.


So, i figure that sooner or later there will be some sort of twitter dating service or something, and i'm working on my personal ad to get ready.

Now, i've changed it a bit for the audience, and in deference to the more traditional culture of Iran, i've removed the picture of my engorged genitalia that i usually use for my Craigslist ads, (perhaps you've seen them: "Hot Lover 4 U 2 Nite" and "Curious in Connecticut").

About: Fun, young male, gainfully employed professional, good with children.  Knows the difference between Arabs and Persians. Thinks kababs are a pretty cool idea.
Likes: Enjoys long walks on the beach, religious syncretism, scarves.
Dislikes: Ties, beatings, secret police, foreign women leaving when they realize there are much more attractive guys than me in the States.
Looking for: Hot Persian lady pref. with background in science or the arts who wants to experience the world.

Can anyone give me tips on sprucing it up and translating it into Farsi?

PS. don't make me do my holocaust routine...you don't want to see me when i do my holocaust routine....[Cue Incredible Hulk TV end theme].

PPS. For a less offensive post on the issue see previous entry.

Juan Cole has posted an account from an eye-witness at Monday's rally in Iran.  I found it quite inspiring.  The Iranians seem to have found a singularly powerful voice in which to express themselves.

A few posts ago the topic of the marginalization of street protests as a tool of change in the US came up.   A couple of things struck me in the witness' account of the march concerning this.  Most notably the contrast between humanity at its most noble vs humanity in its basest form.

Gandhi relates in his book Satyagraha (if i recall correctly...a book i recommend highly along with his 'Experiments with Truth'), the purpose and mechanism of non-violent resistance : The point is to connect at a very basic level to the people you hope to influence (both society at large and your enemies).  

Gandhi starts by assuming that we are all humans, who despite whatever glaring differences are basically the same.   Namely, most everyone has the capacity for empathy.   By demonstrating one's earnest belief in one's cause even though it may cause inconvenience, harm, or injury to oneself, you can force even some of your enemies to ask themselves why a person would do such a thing and re-evaluate their own position.  You use their empathy as a way around their biases, hate, or indifference.    (That's the concept in a very rough sense anyway).

He also notes that in order for such a technique to work, it is important to act with the highest integrity.  Here that means that one must practice only non-violence  and that at worst one can only harm one's self (anything else is immoral no matter how good your cause is and will ultimately be ineffective).   Furthermore, you can not use such techniques capriciously for emotional blackmail.

As implausible as this approach may seem, Gandhi used it a couple of times, and it seemed to work.

I'm not really doing the concept justice, but in many ways i feel that Gandhi in Satyagraha gives the most definitive and coherent statement of what it is to act morally.  It is very much the capstone of the past 2000 years worth of moral development.

In any case, i think this is at least a part of what gives impact to a protest movement and in some ways is missing from latter-day protests.