[thechat] A balance of opinion.

[Hugh Blair]

> -----Original Message-----
> On Behalf Of Erik Mattheis
>
> EXAMINE STATEMENT: "Iran not democratic"
> RETURN FALSE

<<<< TILT >>>>

Iran reality lesson #1:
Democracy has never been served to the Iranian people, neither 
by the Shah's regime nor by the present government. 
http://www.angelfire.com/home/iran/

Iran reality lesson #2:
Since the establishment of the Islamic government in Iran, many 
Iranian women have fled their homeland fearing gender-related 
persecution by their government. Their refugee claims have been 
some of the most compelling because the oppression women face in 
Iran is not simply the result of the government's inability or 
unwillingness to prevent violent acts against women by public 
authorities or private citizens but is institutionalized by a 
plethora of laws and policies intentionally devised to abrogate 
the human rights of women and to circumscribe their lives. 
Furthermore, women who oppose these laws and policies are faced 
with drastic sanctions from the authorities themselves. 
http://www.irainc.org/text/nletter/su97fa97/gender.html

Iran reality lesson #3:
In trying to define the political character of Iran today, perhaps 
one trait stands out: the freeze, or at least stagnation, in the 
opening up of the political atmosphere since last year's elections 
to the Majles (parliament). The conservatives who hold all the keys 
of real power have increased their efforts to close down the 
political space of the country, and to take back all those domains 
they had lost control of. They have redoubled their assault on the 
press and on the independent or semi-independent circles and 
associations. Every repressive instrument has been brought to bear 
on this task. They have put such efforts into this task that one can 
safely say that some of the achievements of the last few years are 
in danger.
http://www.iran-bulletin.org/Theroadahead.html

Iran reality lesson #4:
The Baha'is of Iran are being denied their right to obtain an 
education.
http://www.peak.sfu.ca/the-peak/98-3/issue13/lastword.html

Iran reality lesson #5:
The IRSP's International Department announced that it had learned 
that the Islamic Republic of Iran's Soccer Federation has granted 
permission to 300 Irish women to watch the Iran - Ireland match at 
being played in Tehran on November 15, but is continuing to ban 
Iranian women from entering the stadium and watching football matches, 
as has been the case for the past 23 years. 
http://irsm.org/statements/irsp/archive/011112b.html


Iran reality lesson #6:
Recently, an Iranian Islamic court found a woman guilty of adultery. 
For this heinous crime, she was sentenced to death by stoning. Here, 
in its most cruel and brutal form, is reflected the worse features 
of class society. 
http://www.marxist.com/women/origin_womens_oppression.html

Iran reality lesson #7:
Iranian women have a rough road ahead, more difficult than ever before. 
On the one hand, they share the same complex living conditions as their 
other half, and on the other, they carry the weight of discrimination 
and double oppression. 
http://www.badjens.com/

Iran reality lesson #8:
Islamic fundamentalism establishes its thesis on the differences 
between the sexes and the conclusion that the male is superior, and 
hence, the female is a slave at his service. A parliamentarian in 
Iran is on record as saying, "Women must accept the reality of men 
dominating them, and the world must recognize the fact that men 
are superior." 
http://www.uri.edu/artsci/wms/hughes/mhviran.htm

Iran reality lesson #9:
Aside from the strict regime in Afghanistan, countries like Iran and 
Pakistan are home to a power system which oppresses women. Although 
life for women in Iran is not as harsh as life under the Taliban-their 
plight is not as horrific as "wear the burqa or die"-the complex 
social system of Iranian legal unions treats men and women unequally. 
http://www.ccchronicle.com/back/2001-11-26/campus1.html

Iran reality lesson #10:
The last 22 years have been some of the darkest in people's lives, 
especially women's lives. The Islamic regime brought nothing but 
repression, death, torture, lack of rights and dark reaction. For 
22 years Islamic laws have been and still are in full force against 
women in Iran. 
http://www.eclipse.co.uk/women/relativism.htm

Class over.