Halftime Hype

I have decided to cover an issue on everyone's mind today - one that's not related to sports or music but to a greater cause, peace.



If you own a TV - and have made the digital switch - or happen to have stumbled across the news, you are definitely aware of the ongoing election protests in Iran. Nearly 30 years ago, the shah, and peace along with it, were thrown out in exchange for a dynasty of ayatollahs. Some may disagree with how fruitful this new ruling class has been, but ever since that radical revolution the United States and the Islamic Republic haven't exactly been friends. Those of us in the U.S. have associated the Iranians with extremism and terrorism. Now, however, is the dawn of a new age. We are finally seeing the next generation rise against their elders as they defy the common law of their government. This election has evolved into a revolution on multiple fronts.

First, in the literal sense, this is a rebellion by the Iranian people. Although, Iran exemplifies the fountain of youth expression. Many of the protesters you see on television, especially those advocating for reform, appear to be college-age students. It's rare to see such a large mass of youth unite against such a leader, though. Sure, you have your riots in Zimbabwe from the disappointing results. And you have young, defiant kids everywhere willing to stand up for what they believe in. But Iran's radical clerics are now waging war against, seeemingly, the majority of their population.

What we're seeing now is a thunderous crowd of people ready to overturn a ruthless regime. In '78, the world witnessed a change in powers when the shah was replaced. You could say it all went downhill when the first signs of uprising began in January 1978. This wasn't an ordinary rebellion; the people were not particularly mad at economical distress and the troops didn't have any political opinions. Iran was trying to ally with the massive Soviet Union and this new mob of anger was inforcing their agenda. The revolution led to a colassal halt in Westernization and marked the beginning of what's been a mostly disastrous thirty years.

What seperates these youthful demonstrators from the previous generation, is not only who they're supporting, but also their ingenuity. I don't know how many elders in Iran are Twitter users, but I've seen a lot of tweets from Mousavi's fans. My mom, who was around for the Islamic Revolution of the late-70s, mentioned the impact of what they're doing pretty well when she said: "CNN is getting the news served to them. The anchormen/women aren't doing anything." That's all true. Reporters in Iran have been warned not to come out of their hotel rooms - I suggest the Iranian government look into coining the phrase "hotel arrest." The journalists and field reporters there are relying primarily on social networking, mainly from the young Moussavi voters, for material to broadcast. Whether it's through amateur video, Twitter, Facebook, or any other technological method, the grass roots organizers of the Moussavi campaign have been busy.



Thirty years ago, imagine if the Shah's supporters could have tweeted about the eventual corruption they may face. Or if the Ayatollahs could make more promises of good fortune over their Facebook. Imagine all the people...

All of this has really been hurting the incumbent president, Ahmadinejad. Even though we can all agree that he's outspoken, and downright senseless, he might be getting a slight bit more support if he were able to utilize the media better. While his campaign is the only side being covered on Iranian state television, he has failed to strike a global chord. How often do you see writers documenting any good things that the man has done? On the other hand, his main opposition is being praised for his reformist methods and for possibly breaking silence between Iran and the United States, in addition to the rest of the world.

Many, though, are failing to realize how horrible of an impact an Ahmadinejad re-election could have. I'm not going to exagerate and frighten you with World War III possibilities, but if this candidate does come out on top, it will be a major setback for the world. Everybody and anybody could be in danger with the Iranians refusing to back down their nuclear production. Sanctions may not be enough to cripple the country. Hoards of youth may end up dying for a lost cause in these upcoming protests as well. Politics, not money, may turn out to be the root of all evil in this case.

Obviously, there still is an amount of uncertainty over a Mousavi administration and how it would turn out. Needless to say, diplomacy may be on the way. We in America may be able to engage in rational discussions with a country gradually gaining more power on the global front. And even if complete peace isn't restored to Iran, it probably will never happen, it seems like anything is better than another 4 years of Ahmadinejad. These likely fradulent elections have proven the need for an integretable democracy, which has not been achieved under the supervision of Supreme Leader Khamenei.

This election will also test Obama's foreign policy. During Obama's campaign some criticized for his inexperience, especially Sen. McCain. He's never been in the military and may not posess as much expertise in battle as his opposing POW. Although, this may turn out to form Obama's legacy: dealing with Iran. If he's successfully able to have peace talks with the Islamic Republic and fix matters overseas, he will be forever remembered as the Great Diplomat. If he fails to capitalize on this crisis, or actually make things worse, it could potentially destroy his presidency. Let's hope he'll take the first route.

Overall, this election has been historic and will be retold as a tale of rebellion and as a display of advances in communication. FYI, yours truly is of Iranian descent.