since its Iran day, how about an Iran picture thread

[LSK]

Women being oppressed?




Taxi!


Shopping anyone?


How about some Ice Cream?


Rollerblading anyone?


This place looks interesting:


How about an Art Gallery?


Maybe some music?


Look at the pretty mountains:

[LSK]

1. Link to a thread with hundreds more pics of the "evil country"

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=473721

[rateyes]

2. You mean the Iranians aren't just a bunch of camel jockeys?

Whodathunkit? :sarcasm:

[Marrah_G]

3. Add these!!!

http://www.sodomylaws.org/world/iran/iran.htm

I don't think we ought to be bombing Iran. What we ought to be doing is making sure the Iranian people know we would be there to support them if they want to get rid of the current regime.

The enemy of my enemy is NOT my friend.

I put up these pictures to balance out yours. You also forgot the pictures of the women being arrested and given tickets for showing hair in public not long ago.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

4. Well then by all means.

Let's bomb the shit out of them. That'll teach them for mistreating gays.

[Raster]

43. perhaps you'd feel a tad bit different if you were gay...

and knew your sexuality was as changeable as your eye color.

Bomb Iran? No, that is barbaric. But then again, executing someone because the theocratic bullshit crammed down everyone's throat dictates such, is barbaric.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

67. Perhaps I'd feel a tad different about what, Raster?

What would I feel different about?

[Raster]

73. Nuking Iran of course!

:sarcasm:

[madokie]

6. couldn't go there

reminds me of what babs said about her beautiful mind

[Marrah_G]

7. It was basically a pictorial of two young gay men being hanged

Hard to look at but it's reality.

[madokie]

38. Oh I don't doubt that

we have a lot of sob's in this country who would do the same and that sucks. I believe a gay person is gay not by choice. I personally have a close person to me who was born gay and thats that, he was born gay

[Marrah_G]

39. But there is a difference

Here the government will not convict and hang him.

We need to make sure that never is allowed to happen here.

[madokie]

49. I agree

its us who must protect us from them who would do harm to our gay brothers and sisters, no one is going to do it for us, its upon our shoulders we must bear the weight for equality. to me it matters not to gender or nationality we are all the same, one of the many creatures of this universe.

[piesRsquare]

10. Good God!

I followed that link!

100,000 people executed since 1979...over 4,000 Gay/Lesbian!

[Marrah_G]

11. Religious governments are a scary thing

[bdamomma]

14. yea, look at ours!!!

[Marrah_G]

21. We haven't gotten that bad yet

and we have to make sure that we never do.

[Carolina]

60. Well, actually Christianity was used as a weapon

against the Native Americans; children taken from their parents, divorced from their culture and indoctrinated.

[Carolina]

59. TOUCHE!

[LSK]

18. what do you propose we do about it?

Especially considering we have nuke happy madmen in charge of this country?

[Marrah_G]

24. Not that I am in a position to propose anything but....

If I were in charge I would make sure Iranians knew we would be there to help them if they chose to kick out the hardliners. They were pretty close before.

Unfortunately I don't see ANYTHING changing for the better until these asshats are gone in 2009.

[Carolina]

61. but HRC said nothing was off

the table when queried about Iran ...

[Marrah_G]

69. yes she did

I never said I agree with her or anyone else in power on this matter. I think it is desperately clear that we need an administration that knows how to deal with other people in some way other then threats of force.

[Mojorabbit]

74. But here we

have the reporters, politicians, and college professors to give him a lecture on how awful he and his country is before he even speaks. That'll change his mind for sure.

[here_is_to_hope]

70. So in essence, "hey, here is every

tool at America's disposal, you citizens rise up and overthrow your government and toss out the evil dictators!"....???
Thats not right, regardless of what they do to whom, its their country, those who do not feel they fit in should and could leave albeit for the fear of persecution. I am not saying, in any way, that how Iran persecutes those who are gay is at all right, we both know it isnt. But I cannot reach the conclusion that because of this fact we should help to overthrow those in power. Its their way.
Im a Native American, by your thought, we should have overthrown our chiefs in my little tribe, they also had strict rules regarding homosexuality including banishment. Of course, we ate dogs too but...

But lets leave Iran alone.
Its their country.
Get it? Its their country-not our place in this world to foment yet another 'revolution'.

[fenriswolf]

34. also

please give me the number of homosexuals executed for being homosexual by the current president, those pictures give no date and the info on the page is misleading, im sure the current regime has its faults but make sure you properly educate us.

[Marrah_G]

36. July 19th 2005

One was 18 and the other was 16 or 17.

{heading home now.}

[madokie]

5. I got an email a while back that were of the countryside in Iran

and it is a beautiful place, I would like to visit there
I'll see if I can find them

[Marrah_G]

9. It really is pretty and the people are very cool

The current islamic theocracy sucks though. I hope someday the Iranian people overthrow them because I would love to visit there in person. Just not while women and gays are treated as they are.

[burythehatchet]

27. Marrah, have you researched the history of our involvement

with Iran?

The problem I often encounter is the lack of historical context. Americans tend to view history in terms of months, whereas the current state of affairs can be directly traced to US policy. You may wish to read about their secret police.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAVAK

[Marrah_G]

29. Yes as well as in many other ME countries

It's going to take generations to fix the damage people have done in our names.

[Carolina]

64. exactly, the US-CIA

overthrew a democratically elected Iranian president in 1953 because he wanted to nationalize Iran's oil for Iranians (gee, what a novel idea). British Petroleum and the US said no way. He was toppled and the western puppet -- the Shah -- was installed with huge proceeds, oil that is, to the US and UK. Iranians were left with only 20% interest in THEIR OWN natural resource. Talk about nursing a grudge

Then comes 1979 and the rise of the Ayatollah Khomeini. The Shah is overthrown and flees to his benefactors here in the US while the theocrat takes over, threatens the great satan and captures our embassy. In the subsequent 8 year war (1980-1988) with neighbor Iraq, the US played both sides -- ahem armed -- (Iran-Contra!) but tilted more toward arming Iraq, hence all those weapons of mass destruction that Cheney knew the exactabouts of and the cozy relationship with Saddam (our go-to guy whose gassing of the Kurds in 1988 we could have cared less about but by 2003 when he wanted Euro-ize Iraq oil, he had to be eliminatedand. Plus knew too many secrets )!

Anyway, the rest, as they say, is history but funny how the lamestream only talks about 1979 and how bad Iran treated us. We're the victim. Iraq was a threat and now Iran ... No perspective then or now.

[bdamomma]

8. what a beautiful place, just like Iraq, before we bombed the hell

out of the place.

[cali]

12. I love the pics and I'm glad you posted them, but I wish you hadn't

done so in such a propagandistic fashion. You could have written: Yes, I know Iran has its problems with civil rights, but it's also a vibrant society and a beautiful country"

When you post propaganda that suggests that all life is rosy in Iran, as your post so clearly did, you're gonna get a response.

[John Q. Citizen]

26. Yes, like pictures of New York that don't include images of the slave labor of domestics,

pictures that show someone flaging down a taxi are pure propaganda.

How unfair and unbalanced for anyone to post a picture of New York that isn't about police rampage shootings!

[cali]

31. Way to deliberately misconstrue.

The OP posted a pic of a woman with a caption that more or less denied any oppression of women in Iran. That Mr. Citizen ia the very definition of propaganda. Maybe you need to go back to school and study rhetoric and the uses of propaganda.

[John Q. Citizen]

72. When was the last time you were in Iran? Do you feel the oppression of woman is

worse than say in Tibet? Or in Egypt? Or in the Marianna Islands? or in Pakistan? Or Saudi Arabia?
Or Thailand?

My understanding is women in Iran are educated, are able to own property, obtain drivers licenses, are able to vote.

What's your understanding of the situation in Iran, and why does it seem to you to be an example of particularly horrendous oppression of women?

[Marrah_G]

33. Hi Cali

You said what I was trying to in a much more diplomatic way. I like the Iranians I have met. I wish that they will someday find freedom from such an ideologically oppressive form of government. Until then I want to keep holding their leaders responsible for their actions.

[cali]

37. Don't you know Marrah that

unless you go all mushy over Iran and strenuously refrain from pointing out any of its deficits you must be a mad PNAC supporting war hawk who wants to see Iran bombed back to the stone age?

Binary thinking at its best.

[Marrah_G]

41. You say it in a much nicer way though.

[LSK]

46. sorry, but I fear the binary thinking of the American public

They are easily led to war.

[cali]

48. That I agree with. n/t

[Carolina]

35. Sheesh, like the US doesn't propagandize

The whole history of this nation is fraught with civil rights problems, but we're also a beautiful country with a vibrant society ... blah, blah, blah

It's right and fair to show the world THIS side of a place the US is currently demonizing. The US doesn't say the supreme commander or president of Iran is evil. Nooooooooooo. The US, its MSM, the swelled talking heads and politicos paint with a broad brush and say IRAN is evil, a threat, a this, a that, a fill in the blank with your denigration du jour.

The US versus THEM mentality feeds war fever and needs to be counteracted by as often as possible and by ANY MEANS NECESSARY.

So I beg to differ, THIS SIDE of Iran NEEDS to be shown ... again and again and again

[cali]

40. For sure. but that has nothing to do with

an individual posting on DU. And try and overcome the binary thinking. Not ignoring the deficits in the Iranian govt is NOT endorsing bombing. My post clearly praised the pictures. It's great to see them, but as Marrah pointed out posting a pic of a woman out on the street, with the caption "Women opressed?" is like posting a picture of a Soccer Mom and captioning it with "Povety in America"?

Binary thinking is not a good way to use the old brain.

[Carolina]

56. I stand by MD brain

Israel's all good, all the time
Muslim countries are all bad, blah, blah, blah

Bottom line: the constant barrage of ALL EVIL, ALL the TIME about countries our so-called leaders, including certain alleged frontrunners, are ginning to attack needs to be countered. PERIOD.

[Marrah_G]

44. SHow the good things!!!!@

But don't show a picture of two women walking with hair showing with a caption that says " Are these women oppressed?" Because you and I both know that is BS.

SO YES, show the good things. But don't show the good things with a caption denying the truth.

[Carolina]

57. true,

pictures can speak a thousand words and perhaps the captions are neither necessary nor warranted, but let's face it, our gov't doesn't give a rip about the oppression of women. We coddled the worst of the Taliban before 9/11 and here at home the neanderthals in power would roll back reproductive health for women in a flash.

Bottom line: our war policy is about control: strategic (e.g. Middle East), military and natural resource (OIL). But in order to get the American sheeple on board, IRAN (the entire country) must be made to be a boogeyman. The fear/threat drum beats loudly every day vis the MSN.

That's why these images MUST be shown. Let people here see people there going about their everyday lives, humanize the situation and thereby diffuse it.

[liberalsoldier5]

13. The dead gay men hanging from the Iranian government's rope would have to disagree with you.

As would I. To paint a country like Iran the way you do with those selective pictures is a real asshole move. You should be ashamed.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

17. You'd rather see pictures of dead gay men?

That wouldn't be selective?

Given you're the one itching for a fight with Iran, you've really got no business telling other people they should be ashamed.

[Raster]

52. Where the hell did you get that liberalsoldier is "...itching for a fight with Iran..."?

I saw nothing in his post that would indicate that.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

65. In a thread last week in LBN.

[ThomCat]

19. Do you hold that same standard for every country?

Would someone be an asshole for showing beautiful pictures of the US without also showing Guantanamo, and our huge number of homeless people, and nooses hanging from trees?
:shrug:

I can't imagine ever wanting to go to Iran. But selective little rants aren't the same as intelligent discussion.

[Marrah_G]

20. If the post was there to claim how great we are then yes.

I cried driving into DC for the Sept 15th march. Blocks away from the White house where people sleeping in doorways and on grates.

I love my country. But if I were to post a picture of upper middle class people and their mcmansion with the claim "Poor Americans?" you are damn right that would be an asshole thing to do. Or if I posted a picture that showed well cared for p
The OP shows women with a little hair showing and a claim that it means they are not oppressed. This is not genuine because not long ago those same women would have been arrested or given tickets by the morality police.

A post with just pictures of the beauty of Iran would have gotten a different response from me. But they were presented in a dishonest way.

[LSK]

23. the post isnt to claim how great it is, its just another country like any others

It has its problems like all of them do.

But do you not see the ratchening up for the Iran war??? Why contribute to it?

[Marrah_G]

28. The post claimed "oppressed women?"

And then pictures showing how "free" they are. It was disingenuous.

Just because I disagree with Bush and do not want to see Iran attacked in any fashion does not mean I have to put on blinders when it comes to asshole Ideological Rulers.

The enemy of my enemy is NOT my friend.

The truth does not change just because it is inconvenient.

[Carolina]

66. EXACTLY!

The drumbeats need to be countered with human images.
The heat and haste for war needs to be thwarted all means.

[Exultant Democracy]

25. Exactly, Iran doesn't hold the monopoly on nooses.

[Lerkfish]

47. "ashamed"?

telling part of the truth that is pointedly being ignored by the administration in order to ramp up the war machine is shameful?

mmmm..okay.

which koolaid do you prefer? Guyana or Grape?

I tire of one dimensional demonizations of countries IN ORDER to justify preemptive invasion.

Now, if you want to do something about civil rights violations, then do that, and you have my respect.
But to INTENTIONALLY miscast a country as evil FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE of justifying our own hegemonic empired is something to be ashamed of.

[Swamp Rat]

15. Here ya go:

:D

[Midlodemocrat]

45. Great photoshop, swampy!

[Swamp Rat]

62. We haven't cornered the market on "Crazy Fundies Against Gays."

... yet.

The merkin x-tian coalition has tried real hard to be competitive. ;)

Give 'em a scarlet, no, purple letter 'A' for such a heroic attempt. :D

[PDenton]

16. Clearly Baskin Robins has joined the Axis of Evil

Freepers should boycott it in favor of Ben and Jerry's.

[babylonsister]

22. Thanks for the sanity, LSK. nt

[Poiuyt]

30. Check out this video to the tune of Peace Train:

http://www.lucasgray.com/video/peacetrain.html

[Zandor]

32. "Iran's legislation...re-enforces male supremacy"

As an Islamic state, Iran's legislation, which is derived from a highly conservative interpretation of Islamic law, re-enforces male supremacy.

Homosexuality and adultery are criminal acts and punishable by life imprisonment or death,...

Jews in Iran have constitutional rights equal to other Iranians, although they may not hold government jobs or become army officers. They have freedom of religion, but may not proselytize. Jews have a representative in parliament; this person is legally obligated to support Iran's foreign policy and anti-Zionist position. Jews, along with other Iranian citizens, can be criminally prosecuted and subject to the death penalty for supporting Israel.

Irreligious people in Iran are not recognized as citizens. While Jews, Christians and other minorities have the right to take part in university entrance exams and can become members of parliament or city councils, irreligious people are not granted even their basic rights.

A Reporters Without Borders report indicates permanent restriction of the press and denounces an application of censorship found to be systematic. Iran is one of the ten most repressive countries of the world concerning freedom of the press.

The Iranian legislation being strongly influenced by the precepts of Islam, it consolidates the supremacy of the man, which is shown in different articles of the Iranian civil code.


Lots more...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_in_Iran#Gender_issues

[Tom Joad]

42. the Lieberman/Kyl amendment, which delcares war against the people of Iran

will kill not only male religious extremists...
but also women, gays, atheists, Jews, children, cats, dogs, horses...
and other living things.

it will do no good to destroy Iran "in order to save it".

[bdamomma]

50. damn those senators.

[Tom Joad]

55. Go to this post and spread the word. we can organize.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=1891310&mesg_id=1891310

then notify your senator and demand that language is removed from the supplemental (which should be opposed anyway)

[Zandor]

51. I was bringing reality to balance the OP

The pretty pictures don't tell the story.

[Tom Joad]

53. one could put up pretty pics of the US and say they don't tell the story

the human rights problems in Iran are real, but they cannot be solved by war.
Perhaps we agree on this.

[Zandor]

54. War won't solve their human rights issues

but the thrust of the OP was incorrect. I was simply pointing out the reality of life in Iran today.

[jillan]

58. That last picture - what a beautiful town.

Are we going to keep it that way?????

[Carolina]

68. our misleaders in the executive

and on both sides of the aisle in the legislative wings would bomb it to hell like Afghanistan and Iraq. That's why these pictures are important. They counter the demonization currently being used to rachet up war fever.

Whatever the problems there, war is not the answer.

[slipslidingaway]

63. Iranian Cities and Places; Old and Present Day Pictures

http://iranchamber.com/

Go to Iran's Guide and then cities, provinces and places and pick a city in case the direct link below does not work.

http://www.iranchamber.com/cities/iranian_cities.php

Cities, Provinces and Places

Iranian Cities and Places; Old and Present Day Pictures


One of my favorites

http://www.iranchamber.com/cities/esfahan/esfahan.php

[Rex]

71. Why do you hate our freedoms? That you have to show theirs?

You know what I notice? I notice there are no ruined buildings or debris laying around from signs of bombing. I see electricity and traffic and people shopping on the streets at night.

Can't have that!

Darth Cheney will get on that ASAP.