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15 Jun 2009 02:22 pm

Dissent Of The Day

A reader writes:

I have seen the pictures, and they are disturbing. But I also have family there that are telling my family here they're all ok and not really involved in all of this. I think the LA Riots is a great analogy, within the pockets of disturbance, its probably horrible, but despite the bigger national and cultural issues behind those riots, they were a localized event.

Tehran, as a whole, has not come to a standstill, it really hasn't. My aunt is running all her normal errands in Tehran in preparation for her vacation. My cousin here spoke to his family in Sanandaj (Kurdish area a couple hours west of Tehran) over the weekend and they think the election was rigged and are hearing a lot of blowback about it, but people are going about their business.

All I'm saying is please paint an accurate picture of "What's Happening in Iran". There can be pockets of horrible violence and political unrest, but on the other side of town professionals can be going to work and going about their lives. Your blog, which I greatly respect and admire, does not seem to be acknowledging things my family are telling me about conditions in Tehran, as a whole, (remember there's 14 million people there, give or take, so its a big place) and I simply want your blog to maintain the normally high standards of credibility and thoughtfulness that drew me to it in the first place.

I don't doubt the veracty of my reader's account. I'm not sure it tells us much. All revolutions take place in a limited venue by a small minority of the people on the actual streets. But the wider understanding that this election was rigged, and that a coup has taken place, is extremely significant. Whatever happens from now going forward, the Islamist spell has been broken.

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