Mousavi makes first public appearance since Friday to thousands of supporters.
By on Jun 15th, 2009 at 11:36 am
Mousavi makes first public appearance since Friday to thousands of supporters.
In his first public appearance since Friday, Iran’s reform presidential candidate, Mir Hossein Mousavi, “joined a huge rally against the result of last week’s election, defying a government ban.” Gathering in Tehran’s Revolution Square, the crowd chanted “pro-Mousavi slogans as riot police stood by.” “Mousavi we support you. We will die, but retrieve our votes,” they shouted. From the roof of his car, Mousavi said, “The vote of the people is more important than Mousavi or any other person.” The Iranian government said Mousvai would be held responsible for what it called an “illegal rally.” Watch it:
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TP, I think you left out a couple of words.
June 15th, 2009 at 11:44 am
Go go Mousavi!
June 15th, 2009 at 11:45 amStay out of trouble, Mir.
June 15th, 2009 at 11:45 amMousavi should, quite literally, watch his back. And his front and sides, too. I fear for his life.
And I just love how the wingnuttery is berating our President for not condemning the Iranian election more forcefully. Folks, he’s not Bush!
PEACE
June 15th, 2009 at 11:45 amIran must be a pretty civilized country if this guy can appear in the middle of this crowd without getting shot.
June 15th, 2009 at 11:46 amI have to wonder if the Iranian right-wing news channels made a big deal over Mir Hussein Mousavi’s middle name.
I bet he was educated in a madrasa, too…
June 15th, 2009 at 11:46 amSee how it works, Dubya? The steps towards democratic reform work best when they’re initiated by the people. Even if the legitimate result is never honored, the people are awakened and the tide has turned towards democracy.
June 15th, 2009 at 11:48 amtp=defending terrorism.
June 15th, 2009 at 11:50 amcentrist Says:
tp=defending terrorism.
June 15th, 2009 at 11:50 am
_________
Ok, puppykiller. Whatever you say.
June 15th, 2009 at 11:50 amThat should have been us in 2000.
June 15th, 2009 at 11:53 amcentrist: Stupidest troll? Or stupidest troll ever?
June 15th, 2009 at 11:54 amI just pray that this election has more to do with ‘hanging chads’ than with hanging Mousavi…
June 15th, 2009 at 11:57 amZooey, there’s some pretty stiff competion of stupidest troll ever, but since it’s really the same troll reappearing with a new nom de plume every few days, it’s certainly in the TP’s Worst Of Top 5.
Is school out for the summer?
PEACE
June 15th, 2009 at 11:58 amIt looks like the saying about how one can’t steal a landslide is true.
Ahmadinejad is kearning this the hard way.
June 15th, 2009 at 11:58 amCentrist is a jackass who cannot see how Mousavi is so very similar to our own founders.
Mousavi is prepared (obviously) to give his life in the hopes that his country can moderate, become truly democratic in it’s governance, and join the modern world.
Many people in Iran want to end the theocracy that truly rules that country and the Mousavi as a starting point towards that end.
Supporting righteous revolt is absolutely American. Our founders left us a way to revolt peacefully. Unfortunately for the people of Iran, it appears as though they may still be far from that.
I do not support violent revolt, I believe King and Ghandi had the best method. But I certainly understand the anger of those who feel the consent of the governed has been ignored.
June 15th, 2009 at 12:02 pmspencers mom Says:
June 15th, 2009 at 11:58 am
Maybe we can give this troll a little trophy for “persistence in the face of hopeless ignorance.” ;)
I’m taking a summer course, but I’ll be done by the end of next week. I’m looking forward to that!
I hope you’re having a nice summer. :)
June 15th, 2009 at 12:03 pmAre you saying holding a protest is terrorism?
June 15th, 2009 at 12:04 pmspencers mom Says:
Mousavi should, quite literally, watch his back. And his front and sides, too. I fear for his life.
Killing Benazir Bhutto in Pakistan didn’t stop the democratic movement there. I’d put the smart money on one of those “permanent house arrest” situations like they have going in Burma/Myanmar with Aung San Suu Kyi. They’ve managed to keep the lid on for quite a long time doing that.
.
centrist Says:
tp=defending terrorism.
Are you referring to these protests as terrorism? So you back Ahmedinejad? You wouldn’t be the only wingnut to do so.
June 15th, 2009 at 12:07 pmMr.Bungle Says:
I do not support violent revolt, I believe King and Ghandi had the best method. But I certainly understand the anger of those who feel the consent of the governed has been ignored.
June 15th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
___________
It looks to me like most of Mousavi’s supporters are following the example of King and Gandhi – nonviolent resistance and vocal protest.
Unfortunately, the government of Iran is reacting much as the American and British Colonial governments did to King and Gandhi – with violent crackdowns, mass arrests, and propaganda.
June 15th, 2009 at 12:07 pmchiroptera toasterhead says:
“Unfortunately, the government of Iran is reacting much as the American and British Colonial governments did to King and Gandhi – with violent crackdowns, mass arrests, and propaganda.”
You may be correct. I’m sure we aren’t getting wholly accurate info at this point from the Iranians.
June 15th, 2009 at 12:10 pmZooey Says:
Maybe we can give this troll a little trophy for “persistence in the face of hopeless ignorance.” ;)
If the trophy is a dooshbag. (can’t use real spelling without landing in moderator limbo…)
Enjoy your time off this summer – you deserve a break! Can you get course credit for pwning trolls?
PEACE
June 15th, 2009 at 12:12 pmMr.Bungle Says:
You may be correct. I’m sure we aren’t getting wholly accurate info at this point from the Iranians.
June 15th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
__________
Not only that, but the government is actively trying to disrupt the protests with a targeted disinformation campaign – spreading rumors that protests have been cancelled, that protest leaders are under house arrest, etc. Trita Parsi calls it psychological warfare:
http://www.democracynow.org/2009/6/15/iran_in_turmoil_after_disputed_presidential
June 15th, 2009 at 12:15 pmcentrist Says:
tp=defending terrorism.
KKKONtrist: Defending therocracy.
June 15th, 2009 at 12:21 pmAIO___Limbaugh Report
Limbaugh said Dick Cheney should sue Leon Panetta for defamation.
Also said what Panetta said was “absurd”.
(I’ve actually recently heard Limbaugh bemoan the fact that he didn’t think we were going to be hit by terrorists….also remember, this is the man that called for riots in America during the Dem. convention.)
June 15th, 2009 at 12:24 pm.
If our voices aren’t heard, why should theirs be?
In Africa, they just say it with music. Afropop, I believe it’s called.
June 15th, 2009 at 12:27 pm.
Zooey Says:
That should have been us in 2000.
I hope that’s us in 2012 should the Rethuglikkklans decide to tear a page out of the Ahmadinejad playbook.
June 15th, 2009 at 12:27 pmUsing Centrist’s logic:
TP = Defending Terrorism
According to Centrists’s view of this article, standing up against a system to speak out against an election is terrorism.
Ergo, all of the people who protested Bush’s election and all of the tea-party goers who have protested Obama’s election are terrorists. Heck, all of the people protesting the Minnesota recount are terrorists.
Logic DEBUNKED. If you stick with this logic, you will have to proclaim that ALL people who speak out against election results are terrorists, and that sort of assumption is both baseless and defunct.
June 15th, 2009 at 12:27 pmCentrist is protecting Ahmadinejad because he wants a therocracy to move to once the Repukes here go tits up. Isn’t it obvious Centrist hates democracy, hates America and champions therocracy?
June 15th, 2009 at 12:32 pmHow long before they ‘Bhutto’ this guy? Good thing for him that Dick Cheney’s assassination squad has been disbanded, eh?
Whatta lotta porkchops. Whatta mess. Whatta headache. Christ help us all.
June 15th, 2009 at 12:33 pmMr.Bungle Says:
I’m sure we aren’t getting wholly accurate info at this point from the Iranians.
Probably not, but I think Twitter just found its “killer app.” I had thought it was going to be a flash-in-the-pan temporary fad, but the fact that it’s still getting messages out of the country makes it hella useful worldwide for the foreseeable future.
June 15th, 2009 at 12:35 pmWow. Some idiot named centrist posts a three-word idiocy, and it sends everybody bonkers.
F**k him/her. As his hero, the Worst President Ever, once said: Who cares what you think?
June 15th, 2009 at 12:35 pmIt’s great to see the people of Iraq protest an obviously fixed Election.
Ahmadinejad is Iran’s Bush. No wonder Centrist supports this terrorist. So Centrist. Are you supporting terrorists now little teabagger?
June 15th, 2009 at 12:36 pmcosanostradamus Says:
In Africa, they just say it with music. Afropop, I believe it’s called.
June 15th, 2009 at 12:27 pm
___________
Actually, they call it a lot of different things depending where in the continent you are and what style of music it is. In Mali and Ghana it’s griot, in Nigeria it’s afrobeat, in Senegal hip-hop and mbalakh are big, in North Africa the Arabs have hip-hop and rai, while the amazigh and tamasheq tribes have gnawa. But quite a lot of popular music in many parts of Africa is very policial, and often quite influential.
June 15th, 2009 at 12:39 pmspencers mom Says:
Can you get course credit for pwning trolls?
PEACE
June 15th, 2009 at 12:12 pm
I’d change my major for that one. ;)
June 15th, 2009 at 12:40 pmJust visited (at 9:30 AM, PST on 15 June 2009) the self-professed expert on the MidEast Juan Cole, and his lead story claimed that the protest rally by Mousavi had been shut down. Wrong. Juan Cole should check with Huffingtonpost for up-to-the-second information.
The anti-Ahmad protesters seem to be gathering strength. One of the head religious rulers has ordered an investigation into possible election fraud. This should be very interesting. Imagine if we Americans had held a complete election recount after the Bush-GOP electronic election theft in 2004…
June 15th, 2009 at 12:42 pmTPM is reporting that there have been fire shots at a pro-Mousavi rally. Nothing else there. Has anyone heard anything?
June 15th, 2009 at 12:48 pmsorry – s/b “shots fired”
June 15th, 2009 at 12:48 pmen son videolar
June 15th, 2009 at 12:54 pmen son videolar
IgnoranceIsNotBliss Says:
TPM is reporting that there have been fire shots at a pro-Mousavi rally. Nothing else there. Has anyone heard anything?
June 15th, 2009 at 12:48 pm
BBC is reporting that, too:
June 15th, 2009 at 12:55 pmhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8101098.stm
Don’t know if anyone has posted this yet, but interesting article in Raw Story today.
Claim: Leaked election results show Ahmadinejad came in third
Leaked election results — whose authenticity remains unclear — showed Iranian opposition leader Mousavi the “clear victor” in last week’s Iranian elections, despite the fact that government-released results showed incumbent president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad with a 2-1 margin, the British Telegraph reported Sunday.
http://rawstory.com/blog/2009/06/leaked-election-results-ahmadinejad-third/
June 15th, 2009 at 12:59 pmtea-party goers who have protested Obama’s election
Had nothing to do with the election, df. See what happens when you get your news from discredited left wing blogs and ag school graduates?
June 15th, 2009 at 12:59 pmWould it be safe to say the the progressives are throwing a-jad directly under the proverbial bus?
June 15th, 2009 at 1:02 pmIs the troll trying to communicate something…?
June 15th, 2009 at 1:04 pmZooey Says:
Is the troll trying to communicate something…?
June 15th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
__________
Pff, I dunno. Whatever it is, I’m ignoring it.
June 15th, 2009 at 1:05 pmAP radio news (XM) reported shots fired also.
June 15th, 2009 at 1:07 pmTEHRAN, Iran – Hundreds of thousands of opponents of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad defied an Interior Ministry ban Monday and streamed into central Tehran to cheer their pro-reform leader in his first public appearance since elections that he alleges were marred by fraud. Gunfire from a compound used by pro-government militia killed one demonstrator.
June 15th, 2009 at 1:10 pmcentrist Says:
tea-party goers who have protested Obama’s election
Had nothing to do with the election, df. See what happens when you get your news from discredited left wing blogs and ag school graduates?
See what happens when you misconstrue words? You do know that not all of the tea-party protesters were protesting taxes, right? There were people protesting his election, as well.
For the record, I was referring to a subset of those at the parties, not ALL of them. You didn’t know that, natch, so I am telling you now.
June 15th, 2009 at 1:12 pmIgnoranceIsNotBliss Says: TPM is reporting that there have been fire shots at a pro-Mousavi rally. Nothing else there. Has anyone heard anything?
Assuming the people with guns are the authorities and with all the milling about and crowds some gunfire is pretty likely.
The issue will concern where (or who)the bullets hit.
The events of ‘Bloody Sunday’ in Northern Ireland fueled years of violence because a couple of soldiers with no experience and no clear ROE lost their cool.
I don’t think Iran has seen any demonstrations like this since the Revolution. Someone is bound to at least panic, or be goaded, or just stupidly cut loose.
June 15th, 2009 at 1:17 pmIt is amazing what happens when an owned media has to compete with one that isn’t.
Neocons (no matter what country they hail from) hate losing.
June 15th, 2009 at 1:17 pmchiroptera toasterhead Says:
Pff, I dunno. Whatever it is, I’m ignoring it.
June 15th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
I think that’s best…
June 15th, 2009 at 1:20 pm5th Estate Says:
I don’t think Iran has seen any demonstrations like this since the Revolution. Someone is bound to at least panic, or be goaded, or just stupidly cut loose.
June 15th, 2009 at 1:17 pm
____________
Perhaps not on this scale, but Iran has had a lot of rallies and demonstrations in the past few years. There were major protests and general strikes during Nowruz a few years ago, a huge student walkout last year, etc. They’re not widely reported in American media, but they do happen.
June 15th, 2009 at 1:20 pmZooey Says:
I think that’s best…
June 15th, 2009 at 1:20 pm
__________
Yeah. Much as I want to respond, I’m fighting the urge. Instead, I’ll just leave the puppykillers like centrist to make fools of themselves without my help.
June 15th, 2009 at 1:23 pmIf only Al Gore had those kind of guts…
June 15th, 2009 at 1:24 pmToasterhead, this last sentence from the article you posted is amazing.
“Among the countries congratulating Mr Ahmadinejad on his victory were Iraq, Afghanistan, Venezuela and North Korea.”
And we have troops in those two areas WHY??
June 15th, 2009 at 1:25 pmchiroptera toasterhead Says:
yeah, I’m aware there have been policy protests before, but contesting an election is certainly a different different kettle of caviar altogether. The authorities have good reason to be freaking out.
June 15th, 2009 at 1:26 pmSometimes that “centerist” troll makes noises that sound like words.
Makes one wonder if trolls actually possess some measureable intelligence, or whether it is a just an extention of the capacity to mimic others (although, admittedly, their filters seem to only allow for right-wing talking points to be parroted — perhaps these instances indicate a breakdown of the filtering mechanisms?).
Fascinating study…. soon I will embark on a dangerous quest, which will be encapsulated in a documentary film, “Trolls in the mist”, or “Trolls in our midst”, or something along those lines. Preparations must include desensitizing the olfactory function to the rank odor of piss and the overwhelming stench of cheetos….
June 15th, 2009 at 1:29 pmI think that’s best…
Facts are hard to refute.
June 15th, 2009 at 1:30 pmAnd we have troops in those two areas WHY??
Maybe you should ask obama whay he hasn’t pulled them out as he promised you people for the last 2 yrs. Remember?
June 15th, 2009 at 1:33 pmWow, it’s starting to smell here. The path to discussion is littered with troll droppings. Ugly, stinking troll droppings.
Yuck.
PEACE
June 15th, 2009 at 1:35 pmwinddancer Says:
“Among the countries congratulating Mr Ahmadinejad on his victory were Iraq, Afghanistan, Venezuela and North Korea.”
And we have troops in those two areas WHY??
June 15th, 2009 at 1:25 pm
___________
I’m not going to read too much into that. I’d expect both countries to congratulate their neighboring president’s alleged reelection victory, even if it does turn out to be fraudulent or at least premature. That’s just part of the diplomatic dance.
June 15th, 2009 at 1:36 pmJust think of how much suffering humanity would have been spared if Kim Jong Il’s; Pol Pot’s; Hitler; George W. Bush’s; Idi Amin’s; Dick Cheney’s; Slobodan Milosevic’s and Stalin’s mothers would have had abortions!
June 15th, 2009 at 2:09 pmcentrist Says:
Facts are hard to refute.
June 15th, 2009 at 1:30 pm
___________
Well, do let us know if you ever happen to stumble upon any…
On second thought, don’t. We don’t really care what a puppykiller like you regards as “fact.”
June 15th, 2009 at 2:11 pmkrystalview Says:
Just think of how much suffering humanity would have been spared if Kim Jong Il’s; Pol Pot’s; Hitler; George W. Bush’s; Idi Amin’s; Dick Cheney’s; Slobodan Milosevic’s and Stalin’s mothers would have had abortions!
June 15th, 2009 at 2:09 pm
___________
Probably not too much. There would’ve been other despots with other names to take their places.
June 15th, 2009 at 2:16 pmWhat made the progressives decide to chuck a-jad under the bus?
June 15th, 2009 at 2:27 pmJust following marching orders?
June 15th, 2009 at 2:27 pmCorrect me if I’m wrong, but didn’t the USA have protests about Bush vs. Gore ? (not as big as Iran).
And shouldn’t the right-wing be proud that Iran has followed their lead and learned to steal an election ?
June 15th, 2009 at 2:29 pmcentrist Says:
What made the progressives decide to chuck a-jad under the bus?
June 15th, 2009 at 2:27 pm
____________
A better question would be what made you decide to chuck a box full of laborador puppies under a steamroller. Not that I expect you to answer, of course.
June 15th, 2009 at 2:29 pmcentrist Says:
Just following marching orders?
June 15th, 2009 at 2:27 pm
__________
Oh, that’s your excuse for wanting to turn innocent, defenseless dogs into BLOODY PUPPY PANCAKES?!?!
You’re disgusting, centrist. Absolutely disgusting. There is no excuse for this. None.
June 15th, 2009 at 2:35 pmAhemmmmmmm…… Steam rollers are NOT the way “puppy” is prepared in any country I know of in which they are a staple food. Steam, yes, roller, no! Ahmadinejad has overseen a magnificent job in this election. Almost as good as Seattle, Chicago and Philadelphia. The army should have been ready to quash these unlawful, ungrateful war mongers who continue to cause trouble to the rest of the freedom loving Iranians though.
June 15th, 2009 at 2:40 pmOval12345678 aka James K. Sayre Says:
Just visited (at 9:30 AM, PST on 15 June 2009) the self-professed expert on the MidEast Juan Cole, and his lead story claimed that the protest rally by Mousavi had been shut down. Wrong. Juan Cole should check with Huffingtonpost for up-to-the-second information.
Nico Pitney’s liveblog at Huffpo is a must-read for staying up to date on this. Andrew Sullivan’s got a good one going too at the Atlantic.
.
Oval12345678 aka James K. Sayre Says:
The anti-Ahmad protesters seem to be gathering strength.
Strikes start tomorrow. :)
.
IgnoranceIsNotBliss Says:
TPM is reporting that there have been fire shots at a pro-Mousavi rally. Nothing else there. Has anyone heard anything?
Yeah, a few people got shot. Given the overall level of unrest, it doesn’t seem to bad. But the bloody pics are going around and bringing out more support.
.
centrist Says:
tea-party goers who have protested Obama’s election
Had nothing to do with the election, df.
… were stale leftovers from the Palin/McCain “Reichstag” rallies.
.
centrist Says:
Would it be safe to say the the progressives are throwing a-jad directly under the proverbial bus?
We never liked the guy. He was never even remotely progressive. He was just another right-wing nutjob, like yourself.
.
SlappyBastinado Says:
The army should have been ready to quash these unlawful, ungrateful war mongers who continue to cause trouble to the rest of the freedom loving Iranians though.
Behold, the right wing speaks.
We’re all pretty well aware of who the “war mongers” are in this scenario, thank you.
June 15th, 2009 at 4:31 pmIran is not a democracy. The average age in Iran is about 20. If they are well meaning and well educated they may get their political way over the right wing, and establish a democracy.
America struggles to maintain its democracy in the face of many destructive forces including the republican party. Imagine how hard it will be for Iran.
June 15th, 2009 at 4:39 pmGo Go! After all these years, maybe you can still kill Salman Rushdie!!
Morons.
Anyone thinking this guy is some sort of progressive reformer is fooling themselves.
Ahmadenijad ran on reformist rhetoric too. So did Bush. So did Obama.
June 15th, 2009 at 4:44 pmAlejandro is in the know………..
June 15th, 2009 at 6:35 pmAlejandro Says:
Anyone thinking this guy is some sort of progressive reformer is fooling themselves.
I don’t think you understand the concept of “progressive.”
Progressive means taking the choice that’s a little bit better, every day. Maybe not perfect, but moving in the right direction. We improve the world a little bit every chance we get, and over time we end up with a better world. Nobody who could be put forth in Iran is going to be a “silver bullet” to solve all of their problems. But they’re at a decision point; hopefully they’ll make the correct decision this time.
.
In other news, here’s a bit from an interesting presser with Ian Kelly from the U.S. State Dept.
Note how the FAUX Noise guy seems to think that the U.S. can control the situation. I’m curious to think how Rosen thinks we can stop the violence. That would have been a much more interesting question than his.
June 15th, 2009 at 9:29 pm