A Salute to the Courage of Iranian Women
By Ani on June 24, 2009 at 12:00 PM in Ahmadinejad, Mahmoud, Hillary Clinton, Iran, Obama Administration, Obama-Barack & President Barack (PARENT CATEGORY FOR ALL OBAMA REFS.!), Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
After relative silence from the President on the events unfolding in Iran, the White House is now intimating that his Cairo speech contained the seeds for the Iranian revolution we now see playing out in the streets of Tehran. But Anne Applebaum’s excellent piece today in the Washington Post, An Overlooked Force in Iran, has quite a different take on the situation:
Women in sunglasses and headscarves, speaking through megaphones, brandishing cameras, carrying signs: When they first appeared, the photographs of the 2005 Tehran University women’s rights protests were a powerful reminder of the true potential of Iranian women. The images were uplifting; they featured women of many ages; and they went on circulating long after the protests themselves died down. Now they have been replaced by a far more brutal and already infamous set of images: The photographs and video taken this past weekend of a young Iranian woman, allegedly shot by a government sniper, dying on the streets of Tehran.
As Ms. Applebaum notes, the murdered young woman, Neda, may be destined to become the symbolic martyr of this revolution. Listening to CNN early this morning, Kyra Phillips and a fellow anchor were interviewing another 19 year old woman by phone, withholding her name for obvious safety reasons. She was asked if she had any reason for optimism that their protests would do any good. After sharing that she had been beaten with a club by security forces on Saturday, she bravely answered that ‘of course she was optimistic. History tells her that all revolution begins this way.’
Her voice full of emotion, this young woman recounted many of the events unfolding around her. She said, “We are all Neda.” It reminded me how spoiled we are in this country and take so many of our hard earned freedoms for granted. The CNN anchor noted he had attended protests staged by Iranian women in years past and was astounded by their incredible bravery, staring down security forces, shouting right in their faces.
Interesting now that public pressure has mounted and people all over the world viewed the tragic death of Neda, President Obama is choosing to give a press conference today. The latest White House spin, that his Cairo speech was somehow a motivator to the Iranian people seems particularly cruel as well as irresponsible, disregarding the incredible sacrifices on the ground of the protesters over a long period of time. I am not suggesting the President should have strongly inserted himself into this situation from day one. However, after his usual practice of keeping a low profile while he sees which way the political wind is blowing, to then swoop in to try to take the credit, acting as thought it never occurred to the people of Iran to protest the current regime before hearing Obama’s words or even seeing him elected is preposterous.
Ms. Applebaum further states:
In the United States, the most America-centric commentators have somberly attributed the strength of recent demonstrations to the election of Barack Obama. Others want to give credit to the democracy rhetoric of the Bush administration. Still others want to call this a “Twitter revolution” or a “Facebook revolution,” as if zippy new technology alone had inspired the protests. But the truth is that the high turnout has been the result of many years of organizational work, carried out by small groups of civil rights activists and above all women’s groups, working largely unnoticed and without much outside help.
I am grateful to Ms. Applebaum for drawing attention to the efforts of women, which, once again, would otherwise be largely ignored. At least someone is willing to acknowledge that half the world, the female half, is not silent in the fight for human rights.
Since 2006, the One Million Signatures Campaign has been circulating a petition, online and in print, that calls for an end to laws that discriminate against women and the enactment of laws that provide equal rights for women in marriage, equal rights to divorce, equal inheritance rights and equal testimony rights for men and women in court. Though based outside the country, the Abdorrahman Boroumand Foundation, founded by a pair of sisters, translates and publishes online fundamental human rights documents; it maintains an online database of the names of thousands of victims of the Islamic Republic as well. In the past decade, Iranian women have participated in student strikes as well as teachers’ strikes, and in organizations of Bahai, Christian and other religious groups whose members are deemed “heretics” by the regime.
Not Obama, not Bush and not Twitter, in other words, but years of work and effort lie behind the public display of defiance and, in particular, the number of women on the streets — and their presence matters. Their presence could strike the deepest blow against the regime.
(snip)
The Iranian clerics know that women pose a profound threat to their authority, too: As the activist Ladan Boroumand has written, the regime would not bother to brutally repress dissidents unless it feared them deeply. Nobody would have murdered a peaceful, unarmed young woman in blue jeans — unless her mere presence on the street presented a dire threat.The regime may succeed. Violence usually succeeds, at least in the short term, in intimidating people. In the long term, however, the links, structures, organizations and groups set up by Iranian women, not to mention the photographs of the past week, will continue to gnaw away at the Iranian regime’s legitimacy — and we should take note. I cannot count how many times I’ve been told in recent years that “women’s issues” in the Islamic world are a secondary subject: Whether the discussion is of the Afghan constitution or the Saudi government, the standard line among most commentators has always been that other things — stability, security, oil — matter more. But regimes that repress the civil and human rights of half their population are inherently unstable. Sooner or later, there has to be a backlash. In Iran, we’re watching one unfold.
I am likewise reminded of the words of Secretary of State Clinton when she addressed the 1995 UN World Conference on Women in Beijing as First Lady, in defiance of the US State Dept and Chinese Government:
“For too long, the history of women has been a history of silence. Even today, there are those who are trying to silence our words.
“It is a violation of human rights when babies are denied food, or drowned, or suffocated, or their spines broken, simply because they are born girls. It is a violation of human rights when woman and girls are sold into the slavery of prostitution. It is a violation of human rights when women are doused with gasoline, set on fire and burned to death because their marriage dowries are deemed too small. It is a violation of human rights when individual women are raped in their own communities and when thousands of women are subjected to rape as a tactic or prize of war. It is a violation of human rights when a leading cause of death worldwide along women ages 14 to 44 is the violence they are subjected to in their own homes. It is a violation of human rights when women are denied the right to plan their own families, and that includes being forced to have abortions or being sterilized against their will.
“Women’s rights are human rights. Among those rights are the right to speak freely—and the right to be heard.”
Secretary Clinton once again echoed her deeply held sentiments while addressing the Barnard graduating class on May 21, 2009:
“Although not always acknowledged by governments, businesses, or society overall, women and girls bear a disproportionate burden of most of the problems we face today. In the midst of this global economic crisis, women who are already the majority of the world’s poor are driven deeper into poverty. In places where food is scarce, women and girls are often the last to eat, and eat the least. In regions torn apart by war and conflict, women are more likely to be refugees or targets of sexual violence. . .
And women’s progress is more than a matter of morality. It is a political, economic, social and security imperative for the United States and for every nation represented in this graduating class. If you want to know how stable, healthy, and democratic a country is, look at its women, look at its girls.”
And yet the marginalization of women and girls goes on. It is one of humankind’s oldest problems. But what is different today is that we have 21st century tools to combat it. . . Today, women are finding their voices, and those voices are being heard far beyond their own narrow circumstances.”
In the United States, the fight for women’s suffrage back in 1920 was horrid, ugly, even violent. In the end, Congress granted us this right by one vote. One. I am reminded that a violent act is committed against a woman in this country every few seconds, and women in more oppressive societies have had to endure unspeakable horrors. I cannot imagine the courage of Iranian women in the streets today, and applaud all those who have been working quietly for years to stand against these injustices.
I hope we can ensure that women are not ignored as valiant and courageous leaders in this cause.
on sale for only $16.95.
also comes with a special spatula.)
(List Price: $27.95 - Your Price: $15.47)
By Sarah Palin (Release date: November 17. 2009)
I read that WAPO piece this morning too, and was so proud to read about these brave Iranian sisters. For Obama to so selfishly take credit for these forces that have been brewing for years is just more narcissistic nonsense. It is such an insult to the people who have spilled their blood on Iranian soil. In some way, their struggle must not be in vain.
Two months ago, Sazegara spoke with State Department Iran desk officers and urged them to focus more closely on Iranian human rights abuses and to support European efforts to monitor the presidential election to ensure that it was fair.
Sazegara, who was tortured during long months in Iranian prisons in the late 1990s, warned the State Department that it was making “a bigger mistake than during the 1953 coup.”
“Now the Iranian people love you,” he said. “But if you make this kind of mistake, that could turn to hatred.”
http://www.newsmax.com/timmerman/Obama_Iran_dissident/2009/06/23/228283.html
Dear Ani,
Thank you for emphasizing the Iranian womens role in the current protests. I believe most of the educated and civilized world stands behind this formidable force. Iranian women, as far as I know, have been better informed and educated than in any other nation in the region, maybe in the world.
Kudos to the Iranian women, and may the world recognize their impact on history!
I don’t agree with you when it comes to President Obama. I strongly belive that, not any particular speach, not the Cairo speech, but a very balanced and open attitude to the Islamic Republic of Iran, has played a major role in current events.
The Bush government’s rethoric served as a call for unity amongst the ruling elite in Iran, providing a common enemy.
With President Obama’s olive branch, and repeted invitations to negotiations, the common enemy was suddenly gone, hence also the unity of the ruling religious and otherwise junta.
Sometimes an intelligent and respectful approach can work.
Sometimes the exalted rethoric and spreading of democracy might prove to be a disaster.
Why not listen to people before we blast them out of this world?
Sounds like a fairy tale to me. O and his sycophans are just too full of themselves.
Thank you for your comments. Certainly it is a healthy philosophy to say that we want to make more friends than enemies in the world. Hillary, Wes Clark and many others in the Dem Party believe this as well and have been acting on those beliefs for a long time.
While that may be admirable, for the WH to claim that a speech a mere few days before, or even a change in political wind a couple of months before, supercedes the brave efforts these woman and their men have been making for years building to this moment is an insult to the people of Iran.
For that matter it is just as valid to say that where these Iranian women are concerned, seeing two women get so far in political races in the U.S. last year inspired them — I would never make such an argument.
Obama and his administration cannot have it both ways- he deliberately chose to keep very quiet about these protests until two weeks of political pressure forced him to do otherwise. For him to now claim credit for the people of Iran fighting back, brave enough to die in the streets for what they believe, is really not a fair thing of him to do. The classy approach is to give them credit for their own efforts.
Further, women are always in the closet where history is concerned and are never given enough of the credit. This particular crisis is no exception.
Tribute To NEDA and All Other Brave IRANIAN Women
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzUDyL1RTk8
CNN: Firsrt hand Accout “This is a massacre” June 24, 2009 Tehran Baharestan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7word2CzHQ
Ani,
The women and the men protesting for their Rights and Freedom are doing it via years of struggle and your answer to the commentator is spot on.
I am humbled by their bravery and for their quest for Freedom, in light of the silence we have witnessed for POTUS.
My heart aches for the young woman wondering where the moral outrage is from Free countries.
They are on their own and thus no one should try and take or give credit to someone that hasn’t earned it.:-(
Silence Is Our Greatest Enemy
We Must Divest From Misogyny, Our Lives Depend On It.
Ani,
I really do admire how you express yourself so clearly in pointing out flaws in arguments, particularly in pointing out who should get the credit for the protest in Iran — ITS WOMEN.
As you say, women are never given the credit they are due for the extraordinary contributions they make to society and the world. Imagine if women’s contributions were recognized as often as men’s are!
BTW, I saw on Fox News last night one of the women pundits had suggested that obama could have asked powerful women here in America — Hillary, Palin and some others (I can’t remember who, but to make it bi-partisan) to give a speech supporting the women of Iran for their leadership in this protest. I thought it was a great idea.
However, if only obama weren’t such a narcissist and the men who surround him as well, he could have called on Hillary to lead in something like this, which would have sent a powerful message of support to these women and men that would have resonated around the world.
But he’s not that kind of leader, because if it’s not about him, he’s not interested.
Well, afterall, women should all be like his sweetie Michelle, showing their amazing sense of fashion, planting gardens, serving in the food lines while wearing $400 shoes. Women really should not worry their pretty little brainless heads when they now have a Messiah to solve the world’s problems. He’ll take over from here, now.
Seriously now: if this stupid meme from the WH grows wings, I’m going to give up and “choose” to wear a hajib.
If we are all NEDA, I would like some independent non-profit group that supports Iraninan women to print T-shirts that say.
WE ARE ALL NEDA
I’d settle for colorful wrist bracelets too. I’d wear mine to work and I work in an office.
I remember listening to several women’s groups during the primary and on one show there was a mother’s group and her daughter’s group. The mother’s group (baby boomer age) wanted Hillary as the nominee. The daughter who really did not feel any lack of women’s rights, fell in love with Obama and amid her mother’s dire protests, said she was going to vote for him “because he makes me feel good”. The mom was upset beyond measure, she could not get through to the daughter that she was voting for someone for the wrong reasons and Obama being a man would not make anything better. The mom has been proven right in only 6 months.
excellent post Ani!
Thank you so much for honoring these brave and powerful women who are willing to put their lives on the line to fight for their rights. I had not seen Ms. Applebaum’s article. As you say, the msm largely ignored women except as victims. We are fighters too. Even if our weapons are not guns and bullets.
Wonderful post–makes me proud to be a woman for sure!
I think it’s very encouraging that the women in Iran have taken to the streets in large numbers. Forty percent of the protest is comprised of women from what I’ve read and they’re rallying their men in the effort. It takes real guts to march against bullies with guns, regardless of gender. The “Obama’s speech takes credit” meme is ridiculous and insulting when people are dying in the streets.
But I agree with Larry J. when he said earlier that we’re witnessing history unfold. Makes me feel a bit queasy because I remember the last Iranian Revolution. Jimmy Carter was in the WH then. What a disaster!
Thanks for the article, Ani.
PS: I’ve just read [and heard audio] that the violence in Tehran has ratcheted up with a massive attack on protestors–people being thrown off bridges, men and women beaten to bloody pulps, etc., etc. Some of the blog entries and twitters claim a massacre with dead bodies being carted out of sight and people attacked randomly, treated like animals. Mousavi is disavowing today’s demonstration, according to Iranian press.
Things sound grim to say the least.
Wonderful post, Ani. I read this Applebaum’s article last night and was thrilled to see that she was telling it like it is. It’s so predicable that BO would take credit for something that others have done — especially if those others are women. The Iranian feminist movement — which is a movement to fight oppression on many levels, rather than a limited struggle to wear the veil — has been growing over the decades, and we’re seeing the fruits of it today.
Apparently the WH is dismayed that BO’s Cairo speech isn’t being given enough credit for “inspiring” the events in Iran. We really need to push back hard against BO’s propaganda machine to show how feckless BO’s Cairo’s speech really was regarding Muslim women and their role and worth in the Middle East. He didn’t get it then, and he still doesn’t get it! This said, we also have to push back against those who believe that GWB laid the seeds for these events too. Sorry, BO and GWB, but the women have taken the lead on this one.
Unfortunately Sec Clinton kept quiet when a fellow woman and her daughter was demeaned simply because she was on the other side of the political spectrum.
Hillary made a statement about sexism having no place in the debate a long time ago. Beyond that, it is not her place to fight Palin’s battles.
And when Hillary (and even her daughter) were being skewered by the majority of the mainstream media in 2008 day in and day out, I do not recall anyone but her voters standing up for her.
She was also on the receiving end of horid treatment by Letterman long term — nobody boycotted him.
It is incumbent upon us, as citizens, en masse, to bring enough peaceful pressure to bear so that the message is sent loud and cler that abuse of women will not be tolerated. The only way these boobs feel it is in the pocketbook - boycott, send letters, flood them with calls, block them. Then they’ll come around — that includes TV networks, and political parties. Zero tolerance. That cannot be accomplished by one person, but by many people.
Iranian women are a good example here — they are not waiting for anyone to fight their battles. They have chosen to fight for themselves.
Thank you for this wonderful post, Ani. Women most often fight their battles without guns. Only with the courage of their convictions they stand for their families and freedom. Their efforts are, too often, denigrated or ignored.
Unfortunately Sec Clinton kept quiet when a fellow woman and her daughter were demeaned simply because she was on the other side of the political spectrum.
Brava Ani, I appreciate you writing on this matter. You hit the mark and bring to light what needs to be seen and heard. Thank you!
excellent post ani! thank you very much (as katmoon pointed out) for shedding light and informing us on an issue that is being basically ignored. you rock girl!
Thank you for this Ani. I couldn’t agree more.
Ani, thank-you so much for posting Ms. Applebaum’s comments. I have never been to Iran and only have known some Iranian women in passing but my brother-in-law was born and raised in Iran and I know his sister was a university professor in Iran. She may be retired now. I do remember my brother-in-law saying after the Ayatollah Khoumeni took power in Iran his sister had complained about having to wear a headscarf in public. I think many of we Americans think all the countries in that region of the world share the same worldview but it seems that many Iranian women are very well educated, very independent, and obviously very brave. Even though I don’t know any of these wonderful Iranian women on a personal basis, I am inspired and moved by their courageous stance against an oppressive and cruel regime.
My god Americans do amaze me, some come on here daily talking about the death and violence being handed out to the people of Iran, there is not a media house that is not overplaying this story to the max.
Now some are trying to link this great story to a speech the President made in Cario, saying its his words that is the driving force with this.
Which part is the Obama fans going to take credit for the death and the destruction or the changing of the government if that ever happens?
In the meantime a US drone in Pakistan just killed 80 people so far at least that is the count, 80 innocent people at a funeral so exactly who is going to take credit for this massacre, or is this killing justifiable because it was done by a US drone, but yet the killings in Iran are deplorable and despicable.
Its the hypocrisy of all this I can never understand.
In the meantime a US drone has killed 80 people at a funeral in Pakistan, why no concern over this?
There is plenty of concern but we can only write one topic at a time. How about we stay with this one.
Bomb strikes Shiite market in Baghdad, killing 56 (Breaking News)By KIM GAMEL, Associated Press Writer Kim Gamel, Associated Press Writer – 31 mins ago
BAGHDAD – Iraqi officials have raised the casualty toll in a bombing in Baghdad’s main Shiite district of Sadr City to at least 56 killed and more than 100 wounded.
Yep lets only study Iran, seems like a logical thing to do since none of our sons or daughters are fighting over there.
Wonderful post, Ani.
It has been shown time and again that societies where the women thrive also thrive themselves.
How typical of our A**clown in Chief that he would try to take some credit for nothing he did. “Oh, gee, I’m the, uh, uh, duh, the president and I and the citizens of the uh, duh, uh the 57 states want to thank the people of uh, uh that country for listening to my uh, huh,uh speech and starting a revoulution. I knew I was powerful but uh, duh, wow!”
Your problem Mr. Obumble is that you’re words, just words.
people everywhere long for freedom.
Ani, thanks for the post. It is so inspiring to see the women fight for their freedoms.
American Voter, thank you for the video of the Iranian women. It is so sad and so beautiful it made me cry.
More than anyone, Obama is like the Iranian clerics. His policies are all geared towards his beliefs, his ideals and ideas. The iron fist in the velvet glove. All he wants is control. In his heart of hearts, he likely agrees with the clerics.
I heard that Neda’s family was not allowed to have her body for burial. The family has been forced from their home. They have already lost their beautiful daughter and now they have no home. Its a nightmare.
Ani!!! This is an incredible story of such courage and power. Godspeed to the women of Iran and of the world who rise up.
Nice to “see” you abycat!!
Does anybody here remember the clashes between heavily black clad Iranian women & American feminists (inc Betty Friedan ) in the 80s t UN Womens conferences.
I do.These women strngly asserted that Freedom was Islam & the Naqib & Burqua was power & pride & REVOLUTION.
Betty was tomato red in rge & frustration.These Iranian women set women’s progress back 50 years.
No I do not think Iranian women & Brave go together. Maybe a land of stupid beehatches.
They can’t have it all ways. (err maybe they can !)
Well obviously some have changed their tune — we might wish to focus on what they are doing now, not what was done 3o years ago.
Great post here Ani!
Obuma should be reminded that in his timidly veiled sexist speech in Cairo he camouflaged Iranian brave women’s human rights and preferred to focus on his animosity toward Sarkozy for wanting to enforce ban on headscarfs! Obama should hang his head in SHAME for his pathetically irrelevant to muslim women’s rights speech! Shame on this misogynist who “won” only by pushing his worthier opponent off the stage!
His CAIRO Speech was a TIMID SURRENDER OF MUSLIM WOMEN’S HUMAN RIGHTS. And they know it!
Meantime his $106B War Budget supplemental passed the House to kill and mail more women and children in Afgan/Pakistan. The jerk is renting the Paki army at $l.2 Billion a month to fight their own people and drones are killing hundreds of civilians in northern boundary.
Three million refugees!! OBAMA’S THE NEW AND MORE EXPENSIVE WAR PRESIDENT!
Thank you, Ani. And, I applaud Pres. Sarkozy.
And as for Oblahma, we should all be so happy that he has mentioned our rights to wear the hijab.
As the machetes hack those people up in Iran, I think about women their and their right NOT to wear the hijab.