IRANIAN ELECTIONS AND OUR ROLE

(The following was published in the Newsleader on June 26, 2009)

Okay, Iran had their Presidential election. Seriously now, did anyone really believe that this would be a legitimate exercise? Iran is a Theocratic dictatorship. It is not a democracy. Freedom does not exist. In Iran free elections are a joke. My first question is why would they need a President anyway? After all, they have their "Supreme Leader". He is none other than Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Khamenei runs the show all the way. The President is nothing more than a puppet who happens to make a lot of noise and the noise he makes is what he is told to make.

The Iranian people are apparently upset now. It also appears that they are rioting and marching in the street. I hope they succeed, but it is none of our affair. The Iranian people must decide what kind of a government they want and they also have to decide what they are willing to do to make it happen. We will continue to be blamed for anything and everything that goes wrong in Iran anyway because it pleases the powers that be to do so. I recommend however that we just lay back and wait a bit. We cannot and should not try to pick a government for them. When and if the Iranians get serious about shedding their yoke of oppression, then we could possibly be called on to assist. If, however, Iran persists in its pursuit of nuclear weaponry, a situation which the West will not allow, it is the Iranian people who will have to pay the price.

The Ayatollah has threatened the people with certain bloodshed. I am sure he is not kidding. He knows that if he doesn't put this insurrection down right away, it will soon be unstoppable. He wouldn't last five minutes in a free state and he knows that.

I will draw this parallel. America decided to shed her oppressors a few years back. Brave men and women issued their Declaration of Independence. They knew they were inviting retaliation. They knew that they were committing treason and could face death, but this was the slogan of the day, "Give me liberty or give me death." It is just possible that the Iranian people are issuing their declaration now. I don't know if they will be successful. I don't know if they have the courage to see this to the end.

I have read that the vast majority of Iranians are young and smart. I have learned that they (the majority) want to live a freer more western lifestyle. That is not to say that they would give up their religion or its influence, it is just to say they want to modernize. We will see.

If they continue their fight, many of them will die in their attempt. They will become the martyrs that the Ayatollah doesn't want. I wish them well.

As we come into our own celebration of our independence, we should never take for granted what our founders risked in order for this country to establish itself. We must never take for granted what our military risks everyday to keep us free. In reality we are not that far removed from the fight that is going on in Iran right now. Celebrate your freedom and remember those who are oppressed around the world. There but for the grace of God and the bravery and wisdom of our founding fathers, go we.

Ron Scarbro June 20, 2009