Happy New Year

It is always interesting to look back on the previous year and the changes that we have experienced. None of these changes are more important - or dangerous - than those faced by Iranian civilians. Here is just a short look at what has happened there since June.

• June 13 - Re-election of M. Ahmadinejad causes riots and protests in Iran by supporters of Mousavi; people protest throughout the world in the next few days on behalf of Iranians
• June 14 - Pro-Ahmadinejad supporters line the streets; some video of this and future pro-government rallies shown however are actually videos of green protests; Mousavi files a formal appeal to the government asking for a recount of the votes
• June 15 - Mousavi joins the public in protest, despite warnings that this would be illegal and he could face serious consequences
• June 17 - Iranian soccer players wear green wristbands and are later suspended for doing so; Ebrahim Yazdi, former foreign minister and Sec-Gen of the Freedom Movement of Iran, arrested at hospital while undergoing tests
• During the above time period, the University at Tehran was attacked by government forces, causing the detainment of over 200 students and the beating of hundreds more; foreign news crews were ordered to leave the country and news began to filter out through social networking sites like YouTube, Facebook, and the newly popular Twitter; several international news agencies had their offices attacked and raided; government forces tried to shut down SMS and the internet, yet the people were still able to get word out to the world; the US State Department begins to assist the Iranian people in gaining access to shut down websites; hundreds of reformists and protesters are arrested along with several foreign news personnel; protesters taken to hospitals also have possibility of being arrested, so wounded hold up in makeshift hospitals
• June 19 - The Ayatollah says that Ahmadinejad's victory is a divine sign and told protesters they would no longer be tolerated; in the face of the Ayatollah's words, protests (albeit on a smaller scale) occurred
• June 20 - Neda Agha-Soltan's murder is captured on video, fueling the fire lit by green revolutionaries
• June 22 - Tear gas and more force is used by the Basij to clear up protests; Ebrahim Yazdi sent back to hospital for medical procedure and later released
• June 29 - a "recount" of the votes is held, with the council in charge saying the Ahmadinejad still wins
• July 15 - Caspian Airlines Flight 7908 crashes in Iran, killing all on board. Some think this is a ploy by the government to distract and quiet protesters
• August 5 - Ahmadinejad sworn in again, though he can hear protesters shouting "death to the dictator" outside of the Parliament
• August 11 - Iranian government confirms the detainment of over 4,000 persons in connection with protests
• September 18 - Quds Day; large protest held
• November 4 - 13th of Aban; large protest held
• December 7 - Iranian Students Day; large protest held
• December 26 & 27 -Ashura-related protests held; Ashura commemorates martyrdom and gratitude to God; you can find more here and here
• December 27 - Seyyed Ali Mousavi, Mousavi's nephew, is killed; his body is kept from the family for quite some time before finally being released; Mousavi anticipates his death in the next coming days
• December 28 - Ebrahim Yazdi re-arrested

So far five people have been killed via trials on charges of orchestrating the revolution and exposing human rights violations.

Women have experienced a huge revolution themselves within the Green Revolution. Feminism is alive in Iran.

Let's hope that the new year brings with it a sense of peace for the citizens in Iran.

Put Protesters On Trial You Say?

Yep, that's what Iran is doing right now. News reports say they are cracking down on the opposition, but if you've been following this at all, you know this is just a continuation of the abuse of the people. Ahmadinejad is going to be sworn in again in just a few short days and it seems as though this tough approach against the people will not let up anytime soon.

*sigh*

Iran Update

It's been a while since I really wrote on here again.

Even though Iran isn't in the news as much right now, there is still a lot going on over there. People were marching today, despite the fact that the government has tried all it can to stop them. Tear gas, guns, and beatings still aren't enough to keep people in their homes and out of the streets. There are still plenty of people in jail and even some being rearrested. There are more videos and bloggings to be found here.

Tweets from the past hour:

In case u missed; Basij throwing stone at 0:50 mins (youtube) http://bit.ly/NaopD #iranelection

Courage & Bravery! RT: Sanchez calls chants of "death 2 the dictator" "remarkable" #iranelection

http://twitpic.com/9tahv - Today's people demonstration got to the rudeness by coup de atat forces #iranelection #gr88#iran

Chants "Death to dictator" 18 Tir, Tehran (youtube)http://bit.ly/zDIUO #iranelection

Valiasr Sq 18 Tir Tehran protest (youtube)http://bit.ly/2FWJRg #iranelection #gr88

Compilation of videos from 18 Tir in Tehran (youtube) http://bit.ly/4cC1Lc #iranelection

Unknown location, 18 Tir (youtube)http://bit.ly/7dQrd #iranelection #gr88

More videos coming... 18 Tir, Tehranhttp://bit.ly/1Nngvx #iranelection

The attack on Amir Kabir Univ dormitories: http://tehranbureau.com/psst-column/

Video: We Are Fighting Back, Central 18,00http://bit.ly/IJScO #iranelection

Amirabad/Hejab St cars blocking street, ppl chanting (youtube) http://bit.ly/NXvrB #iranelection

From Iran: Despite being beaten, general feeling is that we WON today! #iranelection

Video: Tehran Uiversity Dorm 20.30http://bit.ly/tMQBp #iranelection

don't say we were hundreds/thousands,Even ppl scared came out #iranelection

Do not underestimate the number of protesters today just bcuz they were scattered. They were at every crossing #iranelection

Mojahedin is not much better than the religious clerics, they're fightin against gvmt 4 their own sakehttp://bit.ly/XUvVU

Reports: Hezbollah Attacked Polytechnic Dorm!#iranelection

Iran Update

Here are pictures of the ballots. As Andrew Sullivan points out, one can see problems right away.

Texting comes back in Iran.

The Iranian government says 20 protesters were killed in all. I don't believe them, and the Guardian will end up helping to identify the lost and tortured souls. Even if it were thousands, the story behind each martyr would break my heart again. Here's one such story. The interrogation and torture techniques that the Iranian officials are using could have killed hundreds like 04-309, and we would never know. The beatings themselves are absolutely terrible and reprehensible. I can see where the pain and mental anguish would drive someone to kill themselves.

Fort Worth police raided a gay bar and got rid of all their anger, it seems. The Star-Telegram doesn't have anything about the incident. If someone is drunk, they might not get that they are doing anything inappropriate. I think homophobia has played a far bigger role in here than anyone wants to say out loud.

Daily Show in Iran

Jason Jones, hilarious correspondent on The Daily Show, was actually in Iran around the disputed election. He got some amazing footage and really seems to have taken a lot of this seriously. Go watch it if you get a chance.

Twitterers Arrested?

It could be. I've found myself pouring through the tweets from my vacation and wondering about a few people. It's scary to think that people who have been feeding the world information could be being tortured, jailed, or even dead. I hope with every bit of my heart that each and every person in Iran is safe tonight. I know that it's a tall order, and probably not one that can be attained easily, but this is what I wish for.

US Support for Iran

I'm back from my vacation with the boyfriend. It was amazing and so is he. I had a ton of fun and really don't want to do anything productive anytime soon. *sigh*

Jon Bon Jovi is showing it, so why isn't anyone else with some power?

Tweets:

Video from Atlanta, GA http://bit.ly/ol9y1 A young supporter in CA http://bit.ly/xzcUp #iranelection

RT Quote from BRAVE IRANIANS: If fighting for our freedom is a crime, than we are proud to be criminals. #iran #neda

RT CNN Much more protesters today as there were last days, which means revolution is ALIVE. Keep supporting #gr88 #iran #Neda

European Union Warns Iran Against Acts of Intimidation http://bit.ly/3uFsf

I can NOT find any confirmation of arrest #mousavi. Please ppl stop spreading rumors, think of what it will do to the greenrevolution #gr88

Mousavi is just like the rest of them, so arrested or not doesn't make much of a diff asfaras I'm concerned.

Journalism Rules Are Bent in News Coverage From Iran - New York Times http://bit.ly/F3CVx

RT [riveting vid]The crowd is as loud as ever. view from inside the mosque today http://bit.ly/Bsghj #iran #gr88 #neda

A blogger claims that trusted sources close to Mousavi have rejected news of his arrest: http://bit.ly/UIybY#IranElection

Neda

Her family was forced out of its home after not being able to bury or be present at the burial of their sweet Neda. This is outrageous. How dare they show such disrespect after trying to pawn Neda's death off on the BBC reporters who (according to Iranian officials) want to make a documentary about Neda.

Please No

There are massacres going on in Iran, much worse than before. Please, somebody, stop this. There are people who are so smart over there - who could find a cure for cancer or AIDS or help bring world peace - and they're getting killed for no good reason.

Tweets:

they pull away the dead into trucks - like factory - no human can do this - we beg Allah for save us -

Lalezar Sq is same as Baharestan - unbelevable - ppls murdered everywhere

they catch ppl with mobile - so many killed today - so many injured - Allah Akbar - they take one of us

in Baharestan we saw militia with axe choping ppl like meat - blood everywhere - like butcher - Allah Akbar

rumour they are tracking high use of phone lines to find internet users - must move from here now

phone line was cut and we lost internet - #Iranelection - getting more difficult to log into net

a cry of help, a woman from Tehran tells CNN: "This is genocide, this is a massacre, this is Hitler." #iran #neda

we must go - dont know when we can get internet - they take 1 of us, they will torture and get names - now we must move fast - #Iranelection

Clerics Join Protesters

Yep, that's right.

Tweets:

from Iran: heard that shahrake gharb just had its strongest night of allah o akbars! #iranelection #tehran #iran #gr88 #neda

New Roger Cohen OpED @NYTimes: 'End of the Beginning' http://bit.ly/xhLs3 #iranelection #neda

Is Iran Spying on Cellphones? http://bit.ly/1r7ipo better link

Global Demonstrations all over the worldhttp://bit.ly/BN7Tv Tue Jun 23rd #iranelection #iran #neda PLZ RT

Great article by @justimage:http://tinyurl.com/krb3er says it way more elequently than I did, here: http://tinyurl.com/n994tg

After the Friday prayer with Khamenei people were chanting "Death to Baha'is" on the streets #BahaiRights #IranElection

After Rezayi took back his complaint, his site is claiming that Rafsanjani has not gone to Qom to lobby:http://bit.ly/GTsR

PLEASE RT URGENT: Silent Demo,Wed 4:30 PM at Baharestan-old Majles also at Vanak, Tajrish and Sadeghiehhttp://bit.ly/167DuD #iranelection

Almost a Week

Strange to think it's only been that long.

Why people think nonviolence can work (and it can).

How Iran's problems are helping to heal wounds left over from ignorance and September 11.

What's happening to the students captured by the officials.

Tweets:

Arrested students fromTehran U dorms were beaten in the basement of the State Ministry, even thewounded

Ignore rumors that Khamenei is not attending Friday prayer. He is: http://bit.ly/49uG6Y protestors to attend wearing black.

Another rally on Saturday. Khatami & Mousavi will there.

All of the Chem professors of Sharif U resigned

Today's rally in Iran+Hashemi's children R banned FR leaving Iran

Yahoo messanger and Gtalk are filtered in Iran, Skype is working. confirmed

Only 1 cleric has congratulated Ahmadinejad: Noori-e-Hamedani

Only 11 government heads have congratulated Ahmadinejad

andersoncooperSalute the ‘bravehearts’ of Iran http://bit.ly/jlrgt

Monday crowd is estimated by Tehran's mayor, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, to be as many as three million-strong, The Guardian

Greening Google: The petition is here. You know what to do. http://tinyurl.com/kt5ebr

History of Iran

My dear friend Abbey has done a write up of the history of Iran since she's been following the situation very closely over there as well. You should go check it out because it's really good, and I'm not just saying that because she's my friend.

Those Meddling Kids!

Yes, you guessed it. According to Iranian officials, the United States has meddled in their affairs by asking Twitter not to shut down and by encouraging news from the area to get to the rest of the world. Nice.

This seems like a pretty trustworthy news source. It updates more than once a day right now, so keep your eye on it.

More Tweets!

Translation, Protest Slogan: Democracy is our right, we despise violence. #iranelection

There is a sub plot here that most Iranian's won't talk about, and that is the child treatment by the clerics.

Insider Videos

You know how I like to share them. This one is particularly good.

Could the Russians be involved?

And more tweets which are useful. However, you need to watch for the fakes and spies.

What Else Would I Talk About?

Another graphic video showing the Iranian people helping out their fellow humans in an effort to keep them out of hospitals, which are no longer safe places. People twittering about how to take care of each other in emergencies.

The Basij was stormed today and there are plenty of videos to show it.

BBC and other foreign agencies reporting on gatherings despite the ban. Man, Ahmadinejad is gonna be pissed.

Time has picked up on the issue finally.

Twitter did the update and everything is fine. Going to bed (wrote that part ten minutes ago). Have to work in the morning and probably won't be around until the evening.

Sign this petition to help the people of Iran.

Oh, and I like this picture.

Enjoy these tweets, if possible (click here for more).

#GR88! quote by an #IranElection p: "I realize now i do not fear death. I fear my daughter will not be free when i die."

CNN website is now blocked in Iran #iranelection

"The schism in Iran is not reducible to social class, ethnicity, region or generation."http://bit.ly/nsHNv #iranelection

I worry that the reason Iran is trying to evict foreign journalists is so that it can get more brutal, w/o witnesses.

Student Killings

Student massacres in Tehran continue as videos and pictures keep making their way out of the blocked country. These stories are heartbreaking and gut-wrenching. How anyone can hear these problems and not want to help change something is beyond me.

Graphic video of shot Iranian "rebel"

Despite this violence, there is a lot of silence over there right now. Very disconcerting.

US Gov't Steps In

Not the way maybe they should, but at least it's something.

"We highlighted to them that this was an important form of communication," said a State Department official of the conversation the department had with Twitter officials.

Any sign of U.S. involvement in the actions of Twitter or any other social networking service could be seized on by Iran as U.S. interference in the electoral process.

Death and Destruction

It's a very graphic video, but people around the world need to understand what is happening in Iran to people who simply use their brains.

Go Green!

BBC has gone green, so I will too.

BBC is also covering the latest rally.

Andrew Sullivan has a poem featured from the great poet Rumi for Iran.

CNN finally is covering more on Iran.

Oh, and the Ayatollah is being a douche still. Did we expect anything less?

summarize of khamenyi's speech: as your God we say the election was good and for your own sake you should accept it.

Why Do I Hate Fox News?

Well, it could be that I am liberal and it is conservative. Or it could be because they're idiots.