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Mir Hossein Mousavi Speaks To The People Of Iran
From: Mir Hossein MousaviSo begins a memo published on Juan Cole's Informed Comment web site. If one has any doubts as to Mr Mousavi's leadership ability and commitment to change in Iran this press release should dissuade them:
To: The Dignified People of Iran
Do Not Allow Liars and Cheats Rob You of the Flag of the Islamic Republic.
In the Name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful
The Dignified and Astute People of Iran:Mr Mousavi lays out his reasons for running for President. How he saw Iran not staying true to the course of the 1979 Revolution, not keeping faith to the people. His platform was that it "wasn't too late." That it was, "possible to lead a spiritual life in a modern world." To, "convey the warnings of our Leader [Ayatollah Khomeini] about [the dangers of] stone-age mentality." That, "circumventing the law leads to dictatorship."
In these days and nights, a historical crossroads is taking shape in the history of our nation. People ask each other, and they ask me, as to what should be done and what path should be taken.
With honesty and candor Mr Mousavi admits that he did not affectively convey his message, yet it was heard by the people, and now he is being led by them:
In this mission, I was not eloquent. Despite my deficient speech, the genuine message of the Revolution touched the hearts of the young generation--which had not experienced those [early] days. Having found a large crevasse between itself and the lofty ideals [of the Revolution], the youth reconstructed scenes that we had not witnessed since the early days of the movement [to depose the Shah] and the Sacred Defense [against Saddam's Iraq].He then answers Supreme Leader's stern warning to the people not to protest from his in his Friday sermon of June 19th with a stern warning of his own:
The self-propelling movement of the people chose green as its iconic color. I admit that in this I followed their lead.
If the people's good opinion and trust is not reciprocated by protecting their votes, or if they're denied civil and peaceful channels to defend their rights, then dangerous paths will lie ahead. And those who refuse to tolerate peaceful conduct will bear the responsibility for any consequences.He goes on to say to the people not to engage in Iranian to Iranian conflict. "We're not the opponents of the Basiji; the Basiji is our brother." "We're not the opponents of the Revolutionary Guard; the Revolutionary Guard is the protector of our Revolution and our Republic." "We're not the opponents of our Sacred Establishment or its legal infrastructure; this infrastructure is the guarantor of our independence, freedom, and our Islamic Republic."
If the very large magnitude of the cheating and vote-rigging, which has fueled popular discontent, is cited as proof of the absence of cheating, then the Republic is headed for the slaughterhouse, and the allegation that Islam and republicanism are contradictory will have been proven.
He sums up what is transpiring thusly:
As I gaze upon the political landscape, I find it engineered for purposes that transcend the mere imposition of an unwanted Chief Executive. It's an attempt to impose a new political reality on the nation.And for the pontificating pundits who question his sincerity:
As a companion who has seen the beauty of your green wave, I will never permit myself to endanger your lives by my actions. Nevertheless, I'm firm in my view that the recent election is invalid, and I insist on the fulfillment of the people's rights.
Despite my limited authority and influence, I continue to believe that your motivation and creativity--expressed through novel civic activities--will enable you to pursue, and attain, your legitimate rights.
Rest assured that I continue to be at your side.It is too early to predict how the metamorphosis that is taking place in Iran will end but I think we can all agree that the genie is out of the bottle.
Your brother and companion,
Mir Hossein Mousavi.
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They need a Gandhi or a Martin Luther King, Jr..
Maybe this guy will fill the shoes necessary to march his people to freedom.
June 21, 2009 1:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
This humble and sincere message brings tears to my eyes. Thoughts and Prayers for the safety of Hossein Mousavi and the people of Iran. Peace Carl
June 21, 2009 1:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ditto...
June 22, 2009 10:00 AM | Reply | Permalink
Point of interest, re Moussavi says: We're not the opponents of the Revolutionary Guard; the Revolutionary Guard is the protector of our Revolution and our Republic
I just ran across this old stuff from June 2008 shortly before reading your post:
Obama Camp Response to McCain's AIPAC Speech:
It continues on with many more interesting citations from Obama on Iran and Iraq.
June 21, 2009 11:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
I just heard that the Supreme Leader is threating to unleash the Guard. I also heard that the government has hired mercenariness (including Talliban) to beat demonstrators.
I'm not defending Mousavi in any way but I do think the statement re the Guard was political in nature.
June 22, 2009 10:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
I am reccing this due to the eloquence... But understand that Mousavi makes the point that he is devoted to the 1979 revolution. The conventional viewpoint that the demonstrations represent democracy is not accurate. This is much more complicated. The schism in Iran is rural versus urban, a schism that is less about ideology and more about the distribution of resources. Ahmadenijad, for all his faults, is a populist. Mousavi is more invested in the merchant class. The "economy" is poor for these merchants, but the rural population in Iran has done well under Ahmadenijad.
So we should be careful when applying rudimentary msm viewpoints to a complex sovereign nation. The progressive meme that we should struggle thr way Iran is struggling is absurd. We have struggled and do struggle. The anti-war movement before Iraq was unprecedented. It has led to a peaceful change of power to an administration that is winding down the occupation. I think comparing our entrenched checks and balancea to a theocracy that only recently threw off the yoke of US intervention is deceptive.
June 22, 2009 12:13 AM | Reply | Permalink