Iran

By Parrothead Jeff, on 20 June 2009

I’ve been somewhat insulated from what’s going on right now in Iran. Don’t ask me how, but I missed out on the meat of the news.

I filled in the gaps today. If you’d like to see what’s really going on there, go check out Hot Air.

This isn’t the sort of thing we’ve ever seen in the U.S. I know about the L.A. riots after the Rodney King trial. This is so far away from those events that they’re not nearly in the same league.

Unarmed protesters weren’t being shot dead in the streets. Cops on motorcycles didn’t dismount, pin people against fences, and break out the nightsticks. I know. Dad was there. His friends were there. I’ve heard the stories first hand.

All hell is breaking loose in Iran. Unarmed women are being shot dead in the streets, dying in pools of their own blood that has flowed from their own mouths. All I can think of is how I’d love to supply them with arms if I could. I hope they manage to requisition some rifles so they can make the bullets fly both ways. I’d be willing to bet that the “security” forces on those motorcycles would suddenly lose control of certain bodily functions if that happened.

My prayers go out to all of those brave protesters. They’re using rocks and chunks of concrete against rifles and batons. They’re on foot against forces on motorcycles.

I’m going to post some links to videos after the jump. Fair warning – some of them are graphic. Very graphic. I watched them for a couple of reasons. I feel the least I can do for those people who took them and those who were in them was to write about their plight and give them a couple minutes of my time. I also feel I must watch the worst of it to really understand what’s going on there. Please understand that this statement is not meant to imply that I’m “more of a man” than anyone. I don’t hold it against anyone who chooses not to watch them in the least.

WARNING!!!

SOME OF THESE VIDEOS ARE EXTREMELY GRAPHIC.

I’M INCLUDING THEM HERE FOR A REASON. THIS IS WHAT IS REALLY HAPPENING. THIS ISN’T HOLLYWOOD. THOSE ARE REAL GUNSHOTS. THAT IS REAL BLOOD. THOSE PEOPLE REALLY ARE DYING.

THIS IS HOW FREEDOM IS PURCHASED.

GOD HELP THEM.