1994 to Irani Government: Do NOT Start a Flamewar

Why yes, the Ayatollah does look fetching in Sunset Prairie blush.

I guess the Irani Government missed the central lesson of 1994, which was do not start a flamewar. Under any circumstance, whatever you do, do NOT start a flamewar. That other guy you just started the flamewar with? He has no life, no sense of fair play and no boundaries. This will never end well for you.

The Irani government took pictures of a young Irani activist in drag, either as a woman, or a nun, I'm not quite sure. "Ha Ha!" said the Irani government. "This move has no counter, the activists cannot recover from this!"

At which point, despite the fact that most Iranis were 5 in 1994, the opposition immediately posted pictures of (a) other men as women/nuns, and (b) the Supreme Leader in drag. Touche, young Iranis, though I'm not sure you've allowed yourselves any further escalation from this point, which is an important consideration in a flamewar. Still, I have to thank you for allowing me to see the Supreme Leader in drag.

I love the 21st century. What a glorious time to be alive.

Tehran Jange

iran, protests, tehran, jange, ahmadinejad, dinner jacket
I bet you didn't know there was Iranian hip hop, did you? In all seriousness, the protests continue, and people are still being injured and killed. Twitter #iranelection for the latest news.

What Are They Doing?

iran, elections, protests
What are they doing in Iran? To their own citizens? Why?

An Iranian gives her eye-witness report on today's atrocities carried out against non-violent protesters on the streets of Tehran. Further accounts online paint a similar grim picture. From persiankiwi's excellent twitter page:

all shops was closed - nowhere to go - they follow ppls with helicopters - smoke and fire is everywhere #Iranelectionabout 4 hours ago from web

ppl run into alleys and militia standing there waiting - from 2 sides they attack ppl in middle of alleys #Iranelectionabout 4 hours ago from web

saw 7/8 militia beating one woman with baton on ground - she had no defense nothing - #Iranelection sure that she is deadabout 5 hours ago from web

they were waiting for us - they all have guns and riot uniforms - it was like a mouse trap - ppl being shot like animals #Iranelectionabout 5 hours ago from web

I see many ppl with broken arms/legs/heads - blood everywhere - pepper gas like war - #Iranelectionabout 5 hours ago from web

Nico Pitney relays from Facebook:

"In Baharestan we saw militia with axe choping ppl like meat - blood everywhere - like butcher . . . Fighting in Vanak Sq, Tajrish sq, Azadi Sq - now . ."

The next time some asshatting teabagger talks about "taking America back", smack them. Hard.

My Iranian Doppleganger

iran, Moussavi, protests, tehran

The woman in the middle, holding up the picture of Moussavi, behind the woman in the white and blue scarf, looks just like me. She's my Iranian doppleganger (I wonder if there is such a word in Farsi), and in this picture she is happy and hopeful. In this picture, my Iranian sister thinks that her vote can change the world, or at least her little corner of it.

I wonder if she's still alive.

Pay attention to her, and all the other Iranians like her. They're changing the world.