Hundreds gather to support human rights for Iran
Milicent Obbards
If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it does it make a sound? If a protester falls in the streets of Iran and no one is around to hear them did they make a sound?
On July 26, American students, concerned citizens, and fellow Iranian-Americans united at ASU to support the pleas of protestors halfway around the world.
The protests in Iran started shortly after allegations of electoral fraud surfaced, following the 2009 Presidential Election.
Dodging bullets and tear gas, students and common citizens alike, stand together to appeal for basic human rights.
When the dust settles in Iran, one question will remain.
Has freedom and democracy ruled the day, or will the tyranny and oppression of human rights continue to be the norm?
The sun is setting on downtown Tempe, the streets are busy, and the crowd is restless.
Dressed in green and holding signs that read ‘Free Iran’ and ‘Where’s My Vote?’ supporters gather to send a message.
These peaceful demonstrators are but an echo of their Iranian counterparts 7000 miles away.
The police and the paramilitary group, Basji, have brutally tried to suppress the on going protests.
Violence reinforced with batons, tear gas, and live ammunition all aimed at crowds of protestors.
These protests have been titled the Green Revolution, due to presidential candidate Mir-Hossein Mousavi’s campaign color.
Laura Tomczak, a former MCC student and rally attendee stated, “To me it’s more about human rights than political issues, that a government would actually treat it’s own citizens in the way that Iran has. to portray to the world that you have a democracy when you clearly don’t. people are dying for their rights and the world should not turn it’s back to this situation.”
As violence and protesting continue, the message remains the same; Iranian citizens demand their rights.
College students are getting the blunt of the abuse; they are standing up on the front line.
Speaking out against their government and being harshly targeted for doing so.
The Iranian government has retaliated to protests by enforcing strict communication bans countrywide.
The government currently monitors cell phone calls and text messages.
Government agents and police have taken to raiding dorm rooms, homes, trashing computers, and making arrests all in the middle of the night, without warrants.
Iranian protestors have turned to using the Internet, utilizing Facebook, Twitter and blogs as a means to report the violence and spread the message of human rights.
Iranian protestors speak as if with a single voice, demanding freedoms and rights as others before them have done.
The only question that remains, is how will this all end, will freedom and the power of public protest rule the day?
Or will a plea for human rights, and the screams of protestors, who find they are on the wrong end of a Kalashnikov assault rifle, fall upon deaf ears?
