By Soraya Cochran
Iranian unity is alive!
While the Iranian people continue to deal with the turmoil following the recent Iranian election, a concerned group of Iranian-Americans (and some non-Iranians) gathered for the second day in a row on Monday June 15, 2009 at the Iranian Interest Section in Washington, DC to show their support for their fellow countrymen and women. “Iranians from around the world are standing shoulder to shoulder in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Iran asking for a new vote, the release of all prisoners, opening of all communication, and a national investigation into the election fraud,” said rally organizer Babak Talebi.
Green-clad Iranian-Americans carried slogan-filled posters, wore red-stained shirts replicating the bloodied shirts of their hamvatans (compatriots), and held up peace signs. One poster said, “we reject the current results and demand re-election” and asked mainstream media to “refrain from recognizing official results, stand with Iranians in demanding their true votes.”
Iranians living outside of Iran have been peacefully protesting around the globe to show their support on multiple platforms: some on the streets of major cities around the world, i.e. Paris, London, Los Angeles, New York, Rome, Stockholm, et. al., while others have been dedicated and sleepless cyber-soldiers working around the clock to spread information, pictures, videos, and witness accounts of on-the-ground happenings coming in from Iran. Iranians’ collective virtual activism has been the livelihood of major media outlets’ coverage. In fact, CNN has been following and getting their Iran reportage not only from renowned Iranian journalist Christiane Amanpour, but from the passionate cyber activists that have been updating their Twitter and Facebook statuses every minute. (One Facebook user even complained of getting warning messages from Facebook that their account would be shut down if they didn’t lessen their use.)
As President Obama phrased it, “the violence that has taken place” has also brought out the show of solidarity from non-Iranians as well. People who value freedom and are heartbroken over the disturbing images/videos that have made their way to us via a globalized and connected Earth, have been changing their Facebook and Twitter profile pictures to green (the Mousavi campaign’s trademark color, and perhaps now also the color of support for a free Iran and the physically battered young generation). In a show of distaste for the inhumane way that the people have been treated for expressing their opinion(s) some supporters have even been guiding Iranians break Iranian government enforced internet filters and helping them get online via international hosts.
Welcome to the cyber-revolution… Viva Iran. Viva humanity. Viva freedom.
If YOU want to stand united with Iranians, tint your profile picture green or copy the image below and use it to change your your profile picture, make stickers, t-shirts, or just wear green.
