Iranian Election: Curb your enthusiasm

Next week’s Iranian parliamentary election makes many people puzzled  and amused, not hopeful or excited.

“Selection” is a more appropriate word to be used for Iranian parliamentary election because seats will be distributed among diehard Islamic Republic supporters who were allowed to be present in this election by the Council of Guardians.

Iranian election is neither competitive nor fair but it can provide some interesting information because Iranian dictatorship is heterogeneous and different groups compete for a lion share in a market called Iran. A heterogeneous Iran does not mean that it is democratic, half democratic as some try to describe or impotent democratic.

1-Does he shave? Founder of Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Khomenei’s grand son, an engineer, was first disqualified by authorities to participate in election. Then his story made a lot of noise, he got qualified but finally he quit. Interesting story is that he said some people/agents came to his  neighborhood and asked if he shaves or wears a suit.

2-Double circumcised? Several reformist candidates who served Islamic Republic and some who are already MPs were banned to become candidates. Some of them including clerics were said that there is doubt about their faith in Islam!! Imagine you are a MP, a  cleric and circumcised (I guess the last one I did not see any report from eye witnesses on this issue), then you are told are you a real Muslim? May be they needed to be double circumscised!

3-A Brick in the wall: Most of reformist candidates who may challenge conservatives were banned from election. In some cities even they have difficulty to present a list. Reformists presented two separated lists but 80 percent of names are the same. Conservatives are divided in two major groups: President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad supporters and his main conservative competitors such as M.Ghalibaf, Tehran’s Mayor, M.Rezai,former leader of Revolutionary Guards and A.Larijani, former chief negotiator of Iranian nuclear team.

Outcome for Iranian people is not at all significant. Iranian parliament  was dominated years ago by reformists. Nothing really moved toward democracy and prosperity of country. A reformist MP is another brick in the wall.

4-Careless Whisper: If  I were in Iran, I would vote without any enthusiasm but I would choose somebody who can raise his/her voice in parliament for a good cause. Even a whisper against injustice and for democracy is a great achievement in Iran. Most of the time people pay high price for such careless whispers but they create hope. Hope takes longtime to die, illusions too may be it is why I would vote!<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />