Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Iranian Green?

Not a political statement, a statement in sympathy for those willing to take real risks; despite the political realities of Iran I respect that. Is it meaningless to change the color? I don't know, probably, but the 'net keeps track of strange things and maybe it means something to a reader I don't know about. Iranians and Persians have read this blog and even linked it before.

My intimate knowledge of Iranian politics died with the Shah, my room-mate in college was a son of a General in the Shah's Army and I knew well others. They were the children of the elite, the Shah's elite, and I also knew well Arab children of Hussein's Iraqi elite. I gathered insights into their societies and social institutions that have endured. The depths of their religious convictions and their racial divides were known to me. Despite their levels of education and religion their ability to bow to authority without question struck me deeply.

Despite our cultural and religious divides I got to be quite fond of most of them and I've grieved for the bad things that must have happened to them through the years. The Iranians are our fellow humans and they are taking great personal risks defying authority in their protests. The green is my wishing them well being and safety.

3 comments:

Micgar said...

Chuck -didn't know that you knew people in the Shah's circle. One of my son's preschool teachers is a person that fled due to her/husband relations with the Shah. What's ironic is that she and her family have suffered from racism/bigotry here in the US.
I wish those protesting in Iran well also. I hope democracy can come over there.

Chuck Butcher said...

The University I went to at that time was an elite school for engineering and geology/geophysics. In fact it had the first accredited geophysics degree. I believe somewhat just less than 10% of the school population was foreign and we are talking very expensive for that group.

The two largest groups were Persian and Arab - especially Iraqi Arabs. Obviously between expense and visa issues in the early 70s that meant the children of the elites.

ThePoliticalCat said...

Well said!