Saturday
Jun122010
Iran: Not Forgetting 22 Khordaad "The Day We Chose to Live" (Pedestrian)
Saturday, June 12, 2010 at 12:08 
I have read a lot of superficial analyses this morning about the state of Iran's political conflict One Year On. In my opinion, this short piece by Pedestrian powerfully cuts through all of them:Tomorrow, the streets of Tehran will be eerily quiet. There will be traffic, there will be noise, there will be pollution and people shouting swear words out of frustration just like any other day. But for many of us, time will stop and the world will go dark. Memories will take us away, one by one.
And the world might look down and declare: “look, it’s only been a year, and already they’ve forgotten.”
But we haven’t forgotten and never will. You might not see it, but who are you to judge?
Tomorrow the streets of Tehran might look like they do any other day. But if you look closely, if somehow you could force that black, archaic veil off that city for just a moment, you’d see a very different sight indeed. You’d see millions of people whose hearts are beating like mad, whose sweaty palms almost gives them away. You’d see people in mourning and celebration, because June 12th is all of those things.
June 12th isn’t just the day we died, but the day we chose to live.
For my generation, from now ’till forever, the world will be divided into two chunks: before and after 22 khordaad 88 (June 12th, 2009).
Something happened that day, and we might spend the rest of our lives trying to figure out what it was exactly. But even if that’s what it takes.…so be it.
Reader Comments (12)
So basically, everything will seem normal, but it isn't? Don't the Greens tire of giving excuses. If it looks normal, sounds normal, smells normal, then its normal.
I have never seen anyone so grossly miss the point as you did here.
What exactly did I miss here? Is it that 22 Khordad, so far, is such a non-event and that Green supporters already suspect this and they try to turn the mundanity of the day into such sweet sentences such as, "You’d see people in mourning and celebration, because June 12th is all of those things." even when its none of those things?
M. Ali,
Take an English 300 class at your local community college. Might help you understand the intricacies of language. I am DEAD serious.
Is it a non-event when most of the cities in Iran under de facto martial law?
I know we Iranians love exaggerations, but most cities, Bozorg? or just a few? And even those few, de facto martial law or just police forces at certain major avenues for a few hours?
Ali the Taliban, the troll of Ahmadinejad , instead of spreading lies on EA goe downtown and you will see your basiji brothers. Look into the mosques too - there you can join your basiji thugs. You are blind or nitty?
Yeah, you're right. I think there are only a couple of traffic cops in the east of Tehran.
Martial law is when the army takes control, Tehran is under "Thug Law".
I'm shocked that a Basiji wouldn't get subtlety...
Unfortunately, thugs poised to mobilize from mosques (a sacrilege) and beat peaceful people merely exercising a constitutional right, isn't that out of the ordinary.
I guess, 'normal' is relative.
Josh,
Ali's skull is empty. No community college can help him.
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