Ok...what does that have anything to do with the protests in Iran? Is the vatican clergy as repressive and tyrannical that there are people taking to the streets or are they happy sipping their capuccinos, thus making the comparison a bit strange?
You know apples and oranges are fruits..
"The anti-America train in Iran is starting to derail. At one time the Iranian government could whip up support by throwing America bashing "parties". The people have grown tired of such song and dances and realize that the "Great Satan" isn't to blame for all of their ills. Sure they still burn American flags and denounce America but this is now more for show, the passion isn't there anymore. If any part of Iran belongs in an "axis of evil" it's the hardliners and increasingly the common man in Iran is seemly agreeing with such an assessment."
Some of the speculation is that the "axis-of evil" comments were actually helpful to those who are reform minded in Iran. The under 30 group in Iran is extremely reform minded, and very democratically motivated. They DO NOT want to be branded with the axis-of-evil, and viewed that as a comdemnation of the authoritatian ageing leadership, not those advocating reform.
Face it, Iran has been twenty years ahead of the rest of the Islamic Countries, and the most recent turn is extemely encouraging. Young people embracing democracy, it's good to see....
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*Originally posted by Chaltahai: *
Ok...what does that have anything to do with the protests in Iran? Is the vatican clergy as repressive and tyrannical that there are people taking to the streets or are they happy sipping their capuccinos, thus making the comparison a bit strange?
You know apples and oranges are fruits..
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Since you obviously suffer from selective reading... so just for you here is the remaining portion of my post. The comparison with Vatican ended after the first line, and the reason I mentioned it was to prove that having a religious clergy on the very top of decision-making is not necessarily a bad thing. Its the rest of democratic process which is very important. Here is what I had written earlier:
**Iran claims to have a democracy. Albeit with religious clergy ruling at the top, much like Vatican. Nevertheless, it still claims it is a viable democracy.
Protests by masses is part of a democracy. People should be allowed to express their viewpoint. Maybe if enough people support these protestors, there may be changes there.
Its all good.
I have shia friends in Pakistan who tour Iran on regular basis for "ziyaaraat", and they tell me, people in Iran have more self-expression and democratic voice then almost all countries in the middle-east. Admittedly, the religious clergy still retains the top decision-making, but to have more people expressing their voices in decision-making will move the government towards more democratic norms.**