Iranian students call president "dictator" during scuffle

Source: Reuters

TEHRAN (Reuters) - More than 100 students scuffled with police and hardline supporters of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday on Tehran University campus and chanted "Death to the dictator" outside a hall where the Iranian president spoke.

"Revolutionary president, we support you," the hardline students shouted back, pushing and shoving those who were voicing opposition to Ahmadinejad, a Reuters witness said.

Liberal-minded students and academics have criticized the president for clamping down on dissent on Iranian campuses, although the president and his government insist they support free speech and welcome constructive opposition.

Monday's protest was the second rowdy reception Ahmadinejad has received at a university in less than a year. In December, students tried to disrupt his speech on another campus by hurling firecrackers, chanting and burning his picture.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSBLA82748320071008?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews

So I guess they can't be hating us for that particular freedom. Nothing in the article about tasers being used either.

At least, according to the article. Selected, if you will.

Last year the students that were screened and allowed in protested. And there were occasional references in the article to their being selectively removed from school: Trivial offenses were suddenly actionable, grades suddenly foundered, projects and papers vanished.

Now, you may ask, "Why not just gun them down in the spirit of tolerance and love right in front of the cameras? Surely this would be taken as a sign of openness?" But, no, it was a Propaganda Moment: "See, dear people, how enlightened and tolerant I am, acting in the true spirit of Khomenei's Islam, the Islam that we all *will* love and obey? (Heh-heh. I'll get those punk asses later when they least expect it. Glad *we* don't have microphone problems here in the Islamic Republic.)"

By comparison with the US system where what was discussed in the free-speech pens obviously was unknown to everybody, the Iranian system gets both the message--and the dissidents--out.

*yawn* CIA redux...what else is new??

If you think that there is no actual opposition to the theocrats in Tehran by the Iranian people I have a spot under a bridge I'd like to sell you.

unlike our Dear Leader in the good old U S of A in *both* 2004 and 2000. :scared:

My Point: Everyone knows that Iran is a brutal Theocratic Regime, but let's just say we have enough PROBLEMS (budding fascism) in our own beloved country to hyper-focus on Iran. :(

because of their beliefs in America? Can you vote for whomever you wish?Do candidates have to adhere to certain religious dogma? Idecide whom to vote for,so do you,without prior censorship from the government.

Was almost as democratically elected as Fidel Castro was elected. Plus, the president has zero power all power is vested in the unelected supreme leader Khamenei.

Iran's election is about the same as a US presidential election after forbidding the Democrats and half the Republicans from running in a primary. Democratically elected? Iran's system is a joke in that regard. Maybe the legislature is a bit better; I don't know, but I doubt it. "Brutal theocratic regime" and "democratically elected" don't really mix there, and probably won't for another decade or two until the old guard start keeling over or get forced out by the younger generation - unless all the sabre-rattling the west is doing at Iran radicalizes 'em again.

(And no, for all the idiots who will no doubt want to respond saying I clearly am, I do not support Dubya's burning desire to destroy Iran militarily. Fuck that, too.)

I have no doubt there is opposition to an Iranian theocracy; however, the doesn't the timing of this little uprising seem awfully convenient to you? For those of us who've observed U.S. foreign policy (particularly under the gentle hand of the Republicans) in places like Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and yes, Iran, over the last 50 years or so, this has a depressing flavor of sameness. How long before we hear expressions of everlasting and undying concern (heretofore completely absent from public airing) of Bush for the rights of Iranian dissenters? And what remedy do you suppose will be pushed out front and center by this bloodthirsty administration?

Are very naive and ignorant. The students have been demonstrating since 1999 on a fairly consistent basis for democracy, pre-9/11 or the Iraq invasion.

What makes you think Iranians want to live under a brutal dictatorship any more than Chilean wanted to live under Pinochet?

Everyone in Chile wanted to live under Pinochet's brutal military junta. I just find the timing of this report to be particularly fortuitous for the Bush administration, which has been spoiling for a casus belli with Iran for several months now. At least since Chimpy grew tired of his old toy and wants a new one.

is not like the past situations in Guatemala, Nicaragua, or any other of the Latin American countries where the CIA attempted to destroy uprisings because people demanding their rights would have put a dent in the fruit or copper profits. The people today who would demand their rights as human beings would be hated by both the Bush administration and the Iranian government, two rightwing, theocratic, homophobic, power structures with no respect for people's rights.

Dear students of Iran, I, too, am a student who hates my government.

Do you suppose it's out of the realm of possibility that the Bush administration will use these student protests as a pretext for an invasion of Iran? The Bushies don't give a flying fig about the human rights of anyone, anywhere, but it would be very much in character for them to suddenly claim to be all sorts of concerned about the rights of Iranian dissenters and the repression they face under the current Iranian regime as a basis for lobbying for a few bombing runs. It's quite apparent that the Bush administration has tried to provoke or synthesize a cross-border incident with Iran for some months, but the Iranians have so far resisted the invitation to war.

No fucking way could these students possibly have minds of their own. They're mere tools, putty in the hands of the CIA.

*sigh*

but there are such people that can be agitators that the CIA zeroes in on and uses them to stir things up even more than what they already are. The CIA can't be successful at this type thing if there is not already some discontent and a movement starting to roll. Unfortunately, these agitators do not necessarily believe as much in the cause, as they do in their CIA paycheck. Political mercenaries, if you will. They say all the right things and do the right things, but their ultimate loyalties and beliefs lie somewhere else. They're willing to stick their neck out because they're being paid to do so rather than those that do it because it's the right thing to do. They're usually the louder and shriller of the bunch but not in any way as a rule. They also will know that if and when the Big Crackdown does happen, the CIA will attempt to get them out. So they have a built in safety net knowing they won't necessarily have to die for the cause.

It is the Supreme Leader Khamenei who holds the most powerful position in the IRI.

and btw is not as totally powerless as some here like to think.

:shrug:

The people of Iran have no innate ability to agitate for a government as they see fit to govern so CIA operatives must be leading the way. Iranian students have a long history of agitating for freedom and justice,whether fighting to free themselves from a brutal Shah or a misogynistic,homophobic theocracy.Perhaps they are capable of acting solely on their own.

My heart goes out to them.

People who can be imprisoned, tortured, or shot for being in an anti-government rally and they do it anyway. Wow. I can't see that happening here in the Home of the Brave.

The students were actually shouting their support and love for Ahmadinejad. The two groups were vying to see who could express more love and support and do so the loudest.

The U.S. press is deliberately misrepresenting the demonstrations.


Just in case it's not clear:

:sarcasm:

I wonder about the sort of reception he will get,

Those that voted for the Iran bombing authority resolution pushed by the traitor Joe Lieberman, are putting these fine freedom loving students in the crosshairs of American bombers. I hope they realize the horrors they voted for!

as it stands, I'll still agree though.

Unfortunately in that country, I don't think they're going to get away alive.

And no I don't think we should carpet bomb and send them into a parrallel of iraq hell.

Source: Al Jazeera

Iran students heckle Ahmadinejad

Iranian students have staged a rare protest against the country's president, chanting "death to dictator" as he delivered a speech to mark the start of the academic year at Tehran University.

Despite tight security measures by the organisers, a scuffle ensued between opponents and supporters of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday. The protesters, numbering about 100, dispersed only after the president left the campus.

Witnesses said Ahmadinejad ignored the heckling and continued his speech on the merits of science and the pitfalls of Western-styled democracy.

In December last year, a similar incident occurred during a speech when students at Amir Kabir Technical University called him a dictator and set fire to his picture.

Read more: http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/B2B3C0D9-CB58-450F-A38A-54D7416F9396.htm

in life...but I wonder how they could get away with this without governmental approval. Is there an "operational space" of protest allowed by the mullahs in order to keep the lid on? Kind of a trade off, like "we will allow 'x' but no more" ?
I wonder how much the Iranians allow in the way of free speech?

I know they have a restless student demographic...so I wonder if this is for real, as a way to allow a degree of disagreement...or is it just some kind of propaganda...

What, were they hoping Ahmedinejad would take a message to Khamenei?

Considering that we here all know who runs that country and it is not Ahmadinejad..it is the Ayatollah.

criticism. He seems a bumbling unpopular drip. This is very similar to the Bush/Cheney structure that we have.

Ahmadinejad and BushCo are one in the same.

We rarely get a glimpse of the Iranian dissident movement, but it's there
and it's very strong. We should be helping them. Instead, Cheneybush is doing
the one thing that could drive the Iranian opposition back into the arms of
the ayatollahs: threatening to attack their country.

Ya gotta wonder if this is not deliberate.