Another Reason to Love Jon Stewart

Jon Stewart is taking a break from the Daily Show to direct his first film, Rosewater, based on a book by journalist Maziar Bahari (a Canadian) and Aimee Molloy.  Bahari was jailed in Iran for 118 days after the 2009 elections.  One of the things used against Bahari in his show trial was a sketch he did with the Daily Show. Stewart will direct from his screenplay.

I can't think of anyone who could better tell this story and get people to pay attention. The NYT described it as a 'passion' project. It's almost four years since the elections, and he has not forgotten Iran in all this time. What a guy.

Read more here.

Update: 22 Bahman

I have no time to blog now but in any event, the machinations of the powerful in Iran exceeded my comprehension months ago. Please follow the people in the right side links list to keep up to date on the continuing resistance by the Green movement. The regime continues to arrest, torture and kill protesters, despite the deteriorating economic situation in Iran. The people continue to demonstrate. Thursday, February 11th is 22 Bahman in the Iranian calendar, the 31st anniversary of the Khomeini Revolution.

Live-Blogging the Revolution

Wow. Rising up all over Iran (even in supposed Ahmadinejad strongholds). God or whoever bless them. On twitter follow @JShahryar, who has worked like a dog for #iranelection since before the election and whose early reports have borne out. Ultra reliable and lots of breaking videos. Here is his live blog.

The Revolution Continues

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/12/the-revolution-continues.html

On twitter,follow #iranelection for links to latest news stories.

Montazeri Dead

Grand Ayatollah Montazeri, champion of reform and the Green movement, has died at 87.

Where Is My Vote

Excellent website, and great resource. Here.

(I am living out of a suitcase at the moment, so not blogging much, but the right side links will keep you well-informed.)

Such a strange time it is, my dear!

Via @khoshkeledoc

In this dead-end (July 1979)
- Ahmad Shamlou

They smell your mouth
To find out if you have told someone:
I love you!
They smell your heart!

Such a strange time it is, my dear;

And they punish Love
At thoroughfares
By flogging.

We must hide our Love in dark closets.

In this crooked dead end of a bitter cold
They keep their fire alive
By burning our songs and poems;
Do not place your life in peril by your thoughts!

Such a strange time it is, my dear!

He who knocks on your door in the middle of the night,
His mission is to break your Lamp!
We must hide our Lights in dark closets!

Behold! butchers are on guard at thoroughfares
With their bloodstained cleavers and chopping-boards;

Such a strange time it is, my dear!

They cut off the smiles from lips,
and the songs from throats!

We must hide our Emotions in dark closets!

They barbecue canaries
On a fire of jasmines and lilacs!

Such a strange time it is, my dear!

Intoxicated by victory,
Satan is enjoying a feast at our mourning table!

We must hide our God in dark closets!

Amartya Sen on Democracy, the Left and America

"This reading that the plague that haunts the world today is American imperialism has a grain of truth in it, but that grain of truth is underneath a ton of other things. How can you emphasise that and forget everything else—forget the international threat of terrorism, of creeping fundamentalism across the world, not see the problems of dictatorial continuation, whether in Sudan or in our neighbourhood, Burma, or that democracy has not made much progress in recent years; not see our domestic problems like hunger and undernourishment, on which the Left is the natural party to protest loud and clear?"
- Amartya Sen

Cut the Rope

Stop the executions of children and others in Iran.

Bulla Ki Jaana

I never get tired of this song, Sufi lyrics, sung by Rabbi Shergill, a Sikh:

Roundup

Death sentence handed down to acvtivist for participation in protests. Look, the regime doesn't care how many Iranians they kill. They don't care about the people. They care about the oil and the power it gives them.


IRGC tightens its grip with Telecom move.

CBS: Cooperation rises between Iran and Taliban.

Dedicated to Housein Ali

Report: 16 year old executed for taking part in protests.

More protests/National Unity Plan

All over Iran, university students have been demonstrating against the regime.

EA on the National Unity Plan - will it all come down to the Larijani brothers and their Marjah connections?

World Votes: No to Ahmadinejad

Not too many delegates stuck around to hear Amadinejad's speech to the UN today:



CNN: "Walkout of this magnitude unprecedented." (via Sara)

Greenmail Update

Stand by Iran. Five easy ways to protest at your desk.