The Repression of the Repressed

[nattyreb]

The Repression of the Repressed
[col. writ. 7/25/09] (c) '09 Mumia Abu-Jamal


In the 30 years since the Islamic Revolution, the U.S. has been the focal point of Iran's foreign and domestic policy; the pivot around which all else spins.

It has been the central theme animating its diplomacy, and also the organizing tool that the elites have utilized to elicit support from broad sectors of the population.

The recent spate of threats from the previous (George W.) Bush administration, and the nomination of Iran to the fatuous 'axis of evil' served to only reinforce state power, and strengthen the hands of the powerful clerics, for they were able to deploy Iranian nationalism as a mobilizing force.

The Iraq War was a godsend to Iran, for it removed its bitterest enemy, Saddam Hussein, and led to the emergence of the Shia majority as a power, right next door.

Yet, all is not well in the Islamic Republic, as shown by the recent eruption of protests that followed the announcement of the presidential results. The irony is that all 3 approved presidential candidates, Mir Hossein Mousavi, Mehdi Karroubi, and, yes -- even Mahmoud Ahmadinejad were given permission to negotiate with Washington.

I say 'given permission' because under the Iranian constitution the president doesn't run things -- the Supreme Leader does.

In Iran, all of the wheels of state power, political, military and judicial, converge in the person of Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei -- the Supreme Leader.

When the 1979 Iranian revolution caught fire, all major segments of Iranian society turned against the man known as "America's Shah", who was regarded as a U.S. puppet. The Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, was a dictator, whose secret police, the Savak, were dreaded and feared for their use of torture.

After the Revolution did torture continue? Certainly. As Will and Ariel Durant taught us, "Nothing is clearer in history, than the adoption by successful rebels of the methods they were accustomed to condemn in the forces they deposed"
[The Lessons of History (1968), p. 341]

In fact, the Iranian revolution was a rightest revolution, that wiped out leftist forces from the workers' movements, the students, radical political parties and democratic activists.

In part, that explains much of the present repression against the many forces which converged around the elections, for they are seen, not just as adversaries, but enemies of the state -- and worse, enemies of God.

Iranian scholar Farhi Farideh, in her brilliant 1990 study, States and Urban-Based Revolutions: Iran and Nicaragua (University of Illinois Press) argues that every successful revolution uses "dangerous" memories from hidden histories to inspire, teach and mobilize new generations to rebel and recreate new social and political realities.

Iran has thousands of years -- even before its Islamization -- to draw upon, to find new ways -- and perhaps old ways -to recreate a thriving civilization in the Middle East.

-- (c) '09 maj

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The Power of Truth is Final -- Free Mumia!

URGENT Need for Petition Signatures at: International Campaign for Justice for Mumia Abu-Jamal

Audio of most of Mumia's essays are at: Prison Radio

Mumia Abu-Jamal's Radio Essays
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Mumia Abu-Jamal's new book -- JAILHOUSE LAWYERS: PRISONERS DEFENDING PRISONERS V. THE USA, featuring an introduction by Angela Y. Davis -- has been released! It is available from City Lights Books: Jailhouse Lawyers, Prisoners Defending Prisoners v. the U.S.A.
If you are planning to organize an event or would like to order in bulk, you can also receive a 45% discount on any bulk orders of 20 copies or more. The book retails for $16.95, for orders of 20 copies or more the discounted price would be $9.32 per book, plus shipping and handling. Prepayment would be required and books are nonreturnable. If you or your organization would like to place a bulk order, please contact Stacey Lewis at 415.362.1901 or stacey@citylights.com

Let's use the opportunity of the publication of this brilliant, moving, vintage Mumia book to build the momentum for his case, to raise the money we desperately need in these challenging economic times, to get the word out – to produce literature, flyers, posters, videos, DVD's; to send organizers out to help build new chapters and strengthen old ones, TO GET THE PEOPLE OUT IN THE STREETS … all the work that we must do in order to FREE MUMIA as he faces LIFE IN PRISON WITHOUT PAROLE OR EXECUTION!
Please make a contribution to help free Mumia. Donations to the grassroots work will go to both INTERNATIONAL CONCERNED FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF MUMIA ABU-JAMAL and the FREE MUMIA ABU-JAMAL COALITION (NYC).

Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Coalition, NYC

Please mail donations/ checks to:
FREE MUMIA ABU JAMAL COALITION
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