When I think of Iran or any Middle Eastern country, I think of dry sand, dry air, and overall dryness. I've never been there, but they do seem to have awfully huge beaches that are miles away from water.
I can empathize with the voters there, at least the ones who had their votes stolen in the recent election. Some of know what it's like to have our votes suppressed and be told it didn't happen. Some of us fought to be heard and are still fighting to have that injustice recognized. We have that in common with the Iranian progressives, but we chose to try to work it out in the courts. Why we didn't riot like that, I don't know. I certainly wanted to. Perhaps that is why I still can't type the name of the bastard forty-third President of the United States. Maybe that's what gave me the gumption to get involved with Obama's campaign.
When the green icons in support of the Iranians started popping up on Gather, I was puzzled as to why GREEN. Why not sand? Why not yellow? Why not gold?
When I looked it up, I discovered green is the color adopted by the supporters of the progressive candidate Mousavi. Ahmadinejad's followers chose to wrap themselves in the Iranian flag. I felt an eerie similarity coming on.
On election day, the voters were told:
It seems odd a political party would adopt the flag of the country as their symbol. It would be strange in the US not to see American flags marking the polls. But to also ban a COLOR?!
I was reminded of the emails and phone calls I received warning me not to wear any Obama shirts or buttons to the polls. I remember the woman who came down the line at the early voting location reminding me to take off my campaign button and hide it deep in my pocket. We were so paranoid that we would be denied the right to vote, we probably would have agreed to nude voting.
The color green is part of the Iranian flag. It represents growth and prosperity. In suppressing the display of that color, the incombent party shows how behind the times they are. By wearing green and supporting the progressive voters in Iran, we aren't just wishing them growth and prosperity. We are wishing it for the world.
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Comments: 24
What a clear and precise explanation~ =)
I'm green for Iran's freedom~growth~prosperity~ =)
Thank you for posting to GutterGirls~
Featured Again~for your exceptional posts today~
*and your sexy eyes* =D
Thanks, Purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. (I never get the number of errrrrrrrr correct, I'm sure.)
I guess I'm fertile today.
um yeah . . . .me too =D
OUR MINDS, PURRRRRRRRRR!
if you wanna call it that. . . .okay
purrrr ;)
If you two are going to party can I join you?
get to greening up chicklet and we'll dip ourselves in mint~and party like it's our Birthday~ ;)
Em JAY,
Thank you for this. I know there will be some out there who aren't in the know, and your explanation is easily understood -- perfect - a - mundo!
Thanks, Neee. It's all Sandy's fault for not knowing and making me look it up.
Always glad to see my ignorance used for inspiration.
I asked the same thing a few days ago, Em JAY.
Now I have another question:
What the hell does Iran need a President for when they've got the Supreme Leader? What the hell kind of "democracy" is THAT?!
I'm not sure. I'm going to guess and say that perhaps the president there is able to set a tone for the whole country and tell the Supreme Leader to shut up. It may be that it's important so other countries see a leader they can talk to and negotiate with.
Nobody, but nobody tells the Supreme Leader to shut up.
The Supreme Leader just told the majority of citizens protesting to shut up ... or else.
Thank you for the explaination. While I have not seen many of the green icons I'm glad to know why they are green.
EmJay, What the desee (AKA Purrrrr) said. Yes I really do have a problem keeping up (like thats news to anyone). Interesting, informative, intelligent and hay good reading. Thanks!
HaHaHa, I just saw that. Hay are you hungry? Hey I'm not.
Green is also the color of Islam, which is not irrelevant when the " moderates" are facing the power of the clerics and the Supreme Leader. Yes, it is about changing that power balance--because that's not a democracy. And yes, the people have just been told to shut up or else. The question is whether they will.
I see people took to the streets and were met with riot police. They are still protesting.
Why didn't we in 2000 and 2004 have protests on that scale? Progressives in the US need to get tougher.
Thanks for this, Em Jay. I knew it was Mousavi's (had to look, I always want to call him Mohave) color, but thought there was probably a reason for it being his color.
I'm so with you on this: Perhaps that is why I still can't type the name of the bastard forty-third President of the United States. I have not and never will call that ass the P word. He did not deserve or win it.
That 8 years scarred me for life, Sandy. Worse than the Ray-gun years. At least then I didn't have anything to lose like a house or a job.
Thank you, EM JAY,
I didn't know why the green either, and had asked, but I think I asked the wrong people as they didn't know either. Very easily understood explanation,
Marilyn
Thanks EM JAY! That was a great explanation. :)