Neda Soltani (Neda means "voice" or "calling")

Re: Iran protesters take to streets in ‘mourning’ march

How did that thread get into a Geo Politcal pissing match, from the " I read,He said" bantering of One world order, Goverment Electoral Manipulation to Oil for blood, oh well what do I know even Mel Gibson was vindicated in “Conspiracy Theory”

The slaying of Neda by a Basiji Sniper caught on tape and posted on “youtube” (June 20) has now become the new battle cry in as much as the man standing in front of the tank at the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989.The video is not for the faint of heart, it is not so much the graphic rather than the disturbing nature that unfolds.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neda_(Iranian_protester

At 19:05 June 20th Place: Kargar Ave., at the corner crossing Khosravi St. and Salehi st. A young woman who was standing aside with her father [SIC, later identified as her music teacher] watching the protests was shot by a basij member hiding on the rooftop of a civilian house. He had clear shot at the girl and could not miss her. However, he aimed straight her heart. I am a doctor, so I rushed to try to save her. But the impact of the gunshot was so fierce that the bullet had blasted inside the victim’s chest, and she died in less than 2 minutes. The protests were going on about 1 kilometers away in the main street and some of the protesting crowd were running from tear gass used among them, towards Salehi St. The film is shot by my friend who was standing beside me. Please let the world know."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtkiLBfHnvw)

That is so sad and so disgusting, how governments can let such young people be destroyed as such. I would like to see the people get their meat-hooks on the president and the individual who got the shot off to her heart. Such a beautiful life wasted by greed and hatred.

Keep in mind pre-1979 the use of meat-hooks on dissidents was sanctioned by the Shah’s gov’t. The sniper probably was not.
We’re not talking about Western Democracies here, these countries are trying to promote ‘democracies that don’t upset the status quo’ whether that be Ayatollahs, Talibans, Communists or ruling juntas.
We just practice a ‘nicer’ form. Capital flight should they ever elect PQ or NDP…

In noticed that the old Shah’s son had a press conference today, expressing his anger at developments and how people were being abused in the quest for democracy.

washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co … 02625.html

time.com/time/world/article/ … 84,00.html

miamiherald.com/news/politic … 09141.html

Not to doubt his sincerity on that issue perhaps, but uh, sheesh maybe a different spokesperson might be more appropriate, I mean the Shah was a nasty piece of work who also abused his people.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAVAK

Considering some of the history of Iran, perhaps hopeful to be Shah to come, might best exit stage left

smh.com.au/world/from-tortur … -chkn.html

As Jon Stewart might say, in this case, and at this time “You’re not helping”

I saw that video on CNN at lunch time - and it will haunt me for the rest of my life - but I think in a good way.  Every time things like this happen in worlds that seem so far away from here, both in location and in regards to culture - I try to imagine what it would be like to live through things like that.  I have no first hand experience with anything of this magnitude - revolutions, major protests, anything like that.  One of the biggest things I bet many of us have gotten ‘fired up’ about is the latest ‘controversy’ over school closures/middle school creation - but none of us are risking our lives for it. 

Ok, my semi-incoherent rant is done. :wink:

Magna Carta
War of Roses
Cromwell the Protector
American Revolution
French Revolution
Darcy Magee
US Civil War

We sometimes forget the blood is behind us.

AIM
FLQ
Civil Rights marches
Kent State
hate crimes
Yugoslavia

And not all that far behind us.

I can only think of Portugal as an example of a contemporary bloodless transition to democracy…

If by bloodless you mean that hundreds of thousands dead, and more than a million refugees. 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portuguese_Colonial_War

The actual 25th of April 1974 coup / revolution / whatever in Lisboa was a direct result of Portugal’s actions in its colonies.  And the reason I’m in Canada :wink:

True… and I should’ve remembered that having relatives who worked on UN projects in Angola.

Every time I see that video I wonder what kind of person would do that? What kind of hate must course through someone’s blood to shoot an innocent someone he doesn’t know and feel like what he has done was justified?

psy·cho·path  (sī’kə-pāth’)   
n.  A person with an antisocial personality disorder, manifested in aggressive, perverted, criminal, or amoral behavior without empathy or remorse.

How do you know what he felt, if anything?  While I would tend to agree that he probably felt nothing or that he was justified, we can’t say that for sure.  Perhaps this becomes the defining moment in his life where he wonders what the heck he is doing this for and feels shame, guilt and remorse.  I know that’s probably a long shot, but hey, a girl can dream.

Perhaps it becomes the defining moment in his life that he feels like he is the Iranian Lee Harvey Oswald and then is shot in the stomach on his way to court.

Ah, justice. 

From today’s globe and mail

theglobeandmail.com/news/wor … le1198170/

“The Guardian Council has almost finished reviewing defeated candidates’ election complaints … the reviews showed that the election was the healthiest since the revolution … There were no major violations in the election,â€

Baker, were you tired or drinking when you wrote this?  :confused:

Both

Hey at least the spelling was all correct - something that is hit or miss with his articles in the Daily News.