Sunday, January 26, 2020
To Walk A Mile in Her Shoes...
Let's try an imaginative exercise. Imagine Iran occupies US territory, controls the production and distribution of US resources, has threatening military bases around the US, and imposes crippling economic sanctions that make life much more unbearable than it would otherwise be without said sanctions. On top of all that, Iran recently assassinated one of our top heads of State and exhibited multiple signs of what appeared to us as attempts to overthrow our government in favor of Sharia Law?
Now, also imagine that Iran is the most powerful and richest nation in the world and has been for quite some time. 70 years ago, you had a popular government in place that made moves to empower your own country and people and to thus assert the right to US sovereignty over your own territory and resources. Iran responded by overthrowing that government that was, for obvious reasons, quite popular in our country.
Iran also claimed at the time to do so out of concern for your own power and riches. Some 25 years after that, an angry group of Americans, in opposition to the Iranian puppeteers, fought to establish their own Anti-Iranian government. They aren't fair to or representative of all Americans, but you also know that they are damn sure tired of dealing with what many Americans describe as Iranian duplicity, coercion, and control.
Out of Iran's position of riches and power, she has similar bases in and control over many other countries around the world. From their position of power and prosperity, Iran repeatedly voices the previously heard story that the reason for what they do is for your good here in the USA, to improve your lot and help you to also be more rich and powerful.
But, then sometimes, you hear stories of regular Iranians arrogantly burning copies of the Bible and the U.S. Constitution. You remember that happening one day a while back, and, on your way home from work, you saw a group of angry Americans burning an Iranian flag in the street while holding up a crumpled photo of the Iranian Supreme Leader.
The most powerful and popular entertainment industry in the world is located in the heart of Tehran, too. So, much of the leisure time you do manage carve out is occupied by images of the glamorously rich and powerful life of Iranian aristocrats, a life which is so foreign to your own vain attempts to scrap together the bare necessities here in the USA.
Meanwhile, your American government continues to hate Iran and resents them for the way they not only further cripple your country with their economic sanctions but take active steps to, even with that economic depression as the context, prevent you from taking steps to strengthen and enrich your country. Many Iranians also either don't like the American government or have mixed feelings about it, because it is known for doing all it can to remain in power. It's not super common, but proxy militant officials have been known to violently quell unrest where Americans have shown their displeasure at the poor conditions in which they live and what they perceive as the American government's holding them back from the kind of prosperity and power Iran enjoys.
Also, because of the steps your government has taken to resist Iranian power and control over your country and region, as well as the iron fist she uses to squelch resistance within, Iran considers your government to be a terrorist organization. You know that many Americans have taken extreme stances against Iran that you wouldn't take, to the point of senseless violence, but you are a bit struck that normal Iranian citizens regularly refer to your government as a group of terrorists.
In that context, your Anti-Iranian government also frequently and habitually echoes the refrains of the evils of Middle Eastern culture and Sharia Law. As an antagonistic response to Sharia Law and Iranian tradition, it is ingrained in your mind before you're 8 years old that Iran pollutes the purity of our American liberty and freedom. You remain unsure quite what that means, however, because you've never experienced how "unliberated" social bonds in Iran shape their own emotions and imaginations.
You're a poor, measly little American. How would you view Iran? Would your self image be shaped in relationship to Iran? Would you feel shame? Guilt for not doing enough for your family to live up to the image of aristocratic life presented to you by Iran, her power, riches, and fun? Would you feel angry when you find it between difficult and impossible to fulfill that image? How would you respond to what they're doing and saying? Would you wonder just how much they're actually responsible for how difficult it is for you to accomplish what you're trying to do for those you love? Even if you're not religious, would you be struck by their burning of bibles? Would you protest against Iran in anger? Seek a way out of your hell hole? Possibly seek to escape to Iran, or elsewhere?
Are your feelings and posture towards Iran suddenly not necessarily so simply entirely or absolutely either negative or positive?
* just for reference, photo taken from here: https://www.nbcnews.com/…/protests-erupt-over-quran-burning…
Now, also imagine that Iran is the most powerful and richest nation in the world and has been for quite some time. 70 years ago, you had a popular government in place that made moves to empower your own country and people and to thus assert the right to US sovereignty over your own territory and resources. Iran responded by overthrowing that government that was, for obvious reasons, quite popular in our country.
Iran also claimed at the time to do so out of concern for your own power and riches. Some 25 years after that, an angry group of Americans, in opposition to the Iranian puppeteers, fought to establish their own Anti-Iranian government. They aren't fair to or representative of all Americans, but you also know that they are damn sure tired of dealing with what many Americans describe as Iranian duplicity, coercion, and control.
Out of Iran's position of riches and power, she has similar bases in and control over many other countries around the world. From their position of power and prosperity, Iran repeatedly voices the previously heard story that the reason for what they do is for your good here in the USA, to improve your lot and help you to also be more rich and powerful.
The most powerful and popular entertainment industry in the world is located in the heart of Tehran, too. So, much of the leisure time you do manage carve out is occupied by images of the glamorously rich and powerful life of Iranian aristocrats, a life which is so foreign to your own vain attempts to scrap together the bare necessities here in the USA.
Meanwhile, your American government continues to hate Iran and resents them for the way they not only further cripple your country with their economic sanctions but take active steps to, even with that economic depression as the context, prevent you from taking steps to strengthen and enrich your country. Many Iranians also either don't like the American government or have mixed feelings about it, because it is known for doing all it can to remain in power. It's not super common, but proxy militant officials have been known to violently quell unrest where Americans have shown their displeasure at the poor conditions in which they live and what they perceive as the American government's holding them back from the kind of prosperity and power Iran enjoys.
Also, because of the steps your government has taken to resist Iranian power and control over your country and region, as well as the iron fist she uses to squelch resistance within, Iran considers your government to be a terrorist organization. You know that many Americans have taken extreme stances against Iran that you wouldn't take, to the point of senseless violence, but you are a bit struck that normal Iranian citizens regularly refer to your government as a group of terrorists.
In that context, your Anti-Iranian government also frequently and habitually echoes the refrains of the evils of Middle Eastern culture and Sharia Law. As an antagonistic response to Sharia Law and Iranian tradition, it is ingrained in your mind before you're 8 years old that Iran pollutes the purity of our American liberty and freedom. You remain unsure quite what that means, however, because you've never experienced how "unliberated" social bonds in Iran shape their own emotions and imaginations.
You're a poor, measly little American. How would you view Iran? Would your self image be shaped in relationship to Iran? Would you feel shame? Guilt for not doing enough for your family to live up to the image of aristocratic life presented to you by Iran, her power, riches, and fun? Would you feel angry when you find it between difficult and impossible to fulfill that image? How would you respond to what they're doing and saying? Would you wonder just how much they're actually responsible for how difficult it is for you to accomplish what you're trying to do for those you love? Even if you're not religious, would you be struck by their burning of bibles? Would you protest against Iran in anger? Seek a way out of your hell hole? Possibly seek to escape to Iran, or elsewhere?
Are your feelings and posture towards Iran suddenly not necessarily so simply entirely or absolutely either negative or positive?
* just for reference, photo taken from here: https://www.nbcnews.com/…/protests-erupt-over-quran-burning…
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]
