|
Hello. My name is Tehran. (Yes, it's my real name.)
Many of you know me as many things. A comedian, a showman, a host, a cocky b*stard, an a**hole, a blog writer, a student, the guy who never picks up his phone. Whichever of these is true today, I write to you as an Iranian.
It would be hard to find someone that has not witnessed the autrocities of these past weeks. Everyone from CNN to E! News Daily has covered some aspect of the recent election events in Iran. All eyes have been glued to the TV as these events have unfolded before our very eyes.
Some of us are scared. Some of us are sad. Some of us are worried. Some of us are frustrated. Most of us are angry.
All of us are Iranian!
I say this to everyone:
• Every White, Black, and Hispanic.
• Every Chinese, Puerto Rican, and Haitian.
• Every student and retiree in the world. To the entire world.
Today we are all Iranian.
An injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
The violence towards the children of Iran is not an Iran issue or an Iranian concern. It is a world issue. It is a world concern.
People lie.
Politicians lie.
Numbers don't.
Over 200 killed. Over 1,000 severely injured. A whole country in fear.
The truth is everywhere. It is on CNN, Fox News, BBC, and YouTube. It is on Twitter headlines, Facebook statuses, and posted on MySpace pages. You don't have to look far to see the truth. You actually have to go out of your way not to see it.
I did. I went out of my way. I almost broke my neck turning my head. Sitting comfortable in my chair, trying not to pay attention, too comfortable to be bothered. Then, by accident or maybe even by fate, I saw.
Changing the channel:
I saw into the eyes of a student being batoned to death in front of his mother. I saw the fear in the eyes of a man walking his daughter home from school. I saw terror in the eyes of a young girl speaking her mind. I saw Neda's future drowned in a pool of blood. I saw the truth.
I realized my chair was no longer comfortable, that I was tired of sitting down while others stood up. I had to stand up too. I had to stand for something. We have to stand together. United we stand. Divided we fall. We have fallen for far too much already.
It has become the disparity between right and wrong, the just and unjust, good and evil, and humility and inhumane actions.
This is a call to all people to stop running and stand for something, to stand for aomeone - to take action and help change. This needs to start somewhere. This needs to start sometime.
Why not here? Why not now?
Most of us are not "smart" enough to have a hidden political agenda. Most of us are not "in it" to overturn this or return that. Leave the politics to the politicians. This is about the people.
The message is simple: no more killing kids.
It doesn't matter if you speak Farsi or not. But we must talk together, work together, stand together, be together as a community. It's not coincidence that if you add the word communication + unity = community. Our community must come together now when we are needed most, though it sometimes feels that it matters least. Every little bit helps. Every single person counts.
The best way out is through. We must go through this as a people. We must get through this as a nation. We must see through this as a world.
There has been enough arguing this past week to last a lifetime. Let's not argue over petty differences, political views, religious ideaologies, and pretty clothes. Let's talk about the fact that kids are dying and injustice is taking place.
There has been enough fighting this past week to last two lifetimes. I know most of you are angry. But let's no longer fight amongst ourselves. An eye for eye just leaves the whole world blind. We have already been blind long enough. Peace can only come from peace.
I was told today to take a moment of silence for Neda and the more than 200 students who have lost their lives. Students, like me, who died for speaking up. I say the problem is that we have been silent for way too long. Over 200 kids died and can no longer speak so we must speak up even louder on their behalf. We must speak up for Neda. Enough is Enough.
Tell your friends of all races, religions, and backgrounds. The best prevention is education. Knowing is "half the battle." Write your representatives. Spread the word. Knowledge is power. Shed light on this darkness. The night is always darkest before the dawn.
Tomorrow when the sun comes up it will shine proudly down on all of us as we stand together, united. IRAN!
This is more than a revolution of a country...
This is the evolution of a people.
- Tehran So Parvaz.
|
