Tyranny anywhere is a threat to freedom everywhere. -Alex Storozynski
So I’ve been following the situation in Iran for a few days. I know people personally who are from Iran, and when I say my friends are terrified right now, numb from constantly wondering if their families are even still alive. It's a lot. As of today over 35,000 people have been murdered by the Iranian government, shot in the streets and in their homes – all for exercising their human right to protest, a right we in America are feeling less and less of by the degree. This horrifying example of what we’re fighting to prevent in the US is happening right now in Iran, and it feels like hardly anyone is talking about it. and i mean, people i expect to be talking about it arent talking about it. if i didnt know people personally effected, i might not even know this was happening. indeed, America is currently facing a dangerous internal threat, and it is good to be fighting and protesting and staying focused, but that does not mean we need to stay silent about what is happening overseas. It is not our country and it is not our government but it IS still our fight. Let’s talk about it in the same breath, because none of this is acceptable.
Iran keeps blacking out communication, but if you want to follow what’s going on I hear Iran International is the recommended source for official live coverage (sadly not in english but they do have english posts). My Iranian friends do not recommend BBC news. The main goal right now is spreading awareness, if people arent hearing about this, it’s by design. The people of Iran are demanding freedom from a dictator and the response has been genocide. Families arent leaving their homes out of fear of being executed in the streets. Why havent the world powers done anything? 36,000 people is obscene, imagine digging through that many body bags just to see if your son is dead or not. Really think about that.
I don’t like to get overtly political on my silly little robot art blog channel cuz honestly I don’t have the constitution to really argue with people anymore. but hey, I was asked directly to say something, and it’s really the least I can do. i get this is a lot yall, but i aint saying to give into despair because of the horrors. i get theres not a lot we can do to fix global atrocities. we can barely even fix our own government. but people are fighting, let’s not give up, because it’s not just about fixing things. it’s about being informed, mindful, understanding that this is human history and we are a living part of it, and in light of all that to still choose kindness. The other day, my neighbor (who i dont even know) helped me shovel out the icebergs that formed around my parking spot without me even asking – just saw me struggling with my little hammer trying to chip away the ice into chunks small enough to shovel and he helped me clear a mountain of snow. Thats the kind of thing that reminds me of our humanity. Be extra kind to your Iranian neighbors this season, look out for one another, spread the news, and stay safe wherever you are.
