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Neda Agha-Soltani's Death Sows Seeds of Revolution
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by stevesmys | June 22, 2009 at 03:45 pm
6607 views | 53 Recommendations | 40 comments
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Neda Agha-Soltani's Death Sows Seeds of Revolution | Photo 02
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The footage of Neda Agha-Soltani's death is deeply unsettling. Her eyes blazing eerie calm despite the melée around her. And with each passing second, you can see life slip further away and then she's dead, blood gushing from her mouth.
The graphic images of her suddent death are as potent a vehicle to unite the rally criers as any.
Everything about this death is symbolic. She was young – either 26 or 27, according to reports – itself a symbol of vitality. Her blood on the pavement a potent symbol of that vivacity ruined.
She was a student who, according to her fiancee, wasn't active in the protests. She was innocent.
And she was a woman, a symbol of empathy, fertility. Destruction? Nah. This is important for both Iranians – for which the women are integral in the current fight for freedom – as well as for Western sympathizers who don't know much about women's rights in Arab nations
We know very little about who Neda was or what she was about. Severe restrictions on journalists make verifying all angles of the Iranian protests very difficult.
But at this point, it doesn't matter who she was. Her bullet wounds are enough to get people wound up. What they represents is peace now subverted. It's the pinnacle of 10 days of brutality. Freedom restricted. The blood gushing like a geyser from Nadi's mouth is innocence lost and likely to bind more people to the cause.
TIME magazine points out that cycles of mourning in Shi'ite Islam "provide a schedule for political combat." They mourn their dead on the third, seventh and 40th days after death and, historically, these commemorations have led to patterns of confrontation between Iranian security forces and revolutionaries. Neda's blood may very well plant more seeds or revolution.
As Robin Wright writes: "Shi'ite mourning is not simply a time to react with sadness. Particularly in times of conflict, it is also an opportunity for renewal. The commemorations for Neda and the others killed this weekend are still to come. And the 40th-day events are usually the largest and most important."
This initially was supposed to be a peaceful protest. The Ayatolla, in his denouncing of the protests has seen to it that won't be the case.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (40)
at 16:42 on June 22nd, 2009
Looks fake to me....
at 23:20 on June 22nd, 2009
Look at this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neda_Soltani
at 20:19 on June 23rd, 2009
PLEASE READ ROGER COHEN'S ARTICLE IN THE NEW YORK TIMES JUNE 22, 2009 AND PLEASE SHUT UP!
at 16:48 on June 22nd, 2009
This video is fake. Look carefully her left hand movement and how it is synced with the blood that is coming out from her nose!
Also, analyze these images that is taken directly from the video:
http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/8468/neda4.jpg
http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/7443/nedaver1.jpg
http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/397/nedaver2.jpg
at 23:19 on June 22nd, 2009
Are you crazy?
We know her! She is really killed!
at 23:32 on June 22nd, 2009
U dont know her. Tell yr full name and address and explain how u know her. I bet it would be like another story similar to hundreds other flowing in the internet. Incoherent and inconsistent claims but noe could be authenticated.
Read all the reports about her, none of those could be independently verified and many of the stories have conflicting information.
at 00:20 on June 23rd, 2009
I am an Iranian living in same part of city which Neda was living. I know her and her home. I can not put my address and really name here, because I do not live in a free country, but if you do, please leave your phone number, I will call you immediately.
at 07:17 on June 23rd, 2009
i was standing next to her when she was shot. its not fake and if you dont believe it...hop on a plane down to iran and i will show you her blood and where she died.
at 23:36 on June 22nd, 2009
Could You Please Shut-Up I Was There She Was Died
at 23:42 on June 22nd, 2009
There u go! Another person who was there! Maybe u helped video tape the whole incident!
My god, imagine the scale of the lie, a whole loads of crowd are behind it!
A report, which cant be independently verified is now headlines in the newspapers around the world. Do u wonder, which groups could have this kind of reach in the international media?
at 17:36 on June 22nd, 2009
It could be fake. Could be. But I doubt it...
Have any of you seen what a person who's been shot looks like? Have you seen how the body reacts?
I have not, so I don't have the authority to call bullshit on this. Human deviance cannot be underestimated, I can agree with that. But this? A fake? Amidst the chaos and tension? Maybe...but I doubt it.
Even if it is: so what? It's rallying support for a justifiable cause.
at 23:22 on June 22nd, 2009
Your "so what question" runied yr disguise. U r an imposter, who has no problem in using a lie for yr own agenda. Maybe u r a propagandist just like the video maker.
We r not talking about how the body reacts, we r talking about the logical understanding about the appearances of the blood in her nose and descrepencies in the flow of the blood.
Also, what is justifiable cause, Ahmadinejad has secured the same percentage of vote that he got in his last election. Yes, at that time it was surprising too. As morons like u who think that the vote is only casted in Tehran, the surprise is understandable.
The vast majority of Iranian has voted Ahmadinejad. U ve problems because he does not speak yr language.
at 12:49 on June 23rd, 2009
Kind sir, personal attacks on my character are not warranted. Calling me, or anyone, a moron is uncalled for.
I am not a "imposter" (imposter of what, anyway?) " nor am I "surprised" by the results. I'm merely pointing out that a significant number of Iranians feel marginalized and that their rights, their votes, have been trampled on.
But the question IS about how the body reacts. You said it yourself – it's a question of understanding how blood flows from her knows. Are you doctor or a nurse? Are you qualified to make judgement calls on the authenticity of this video because of the way the blood looks on her face?
at 21:56 on June 23rd, 2009
Thank you!
Do people really think that "Iranians" of all people have this much time on their hands to create something fake right now? What the hay? With soo much TRAGEDY going on in their country right now...Do you really think?
It's VERY sad for people that aren't even authorized or experienced with a person dying right before them...That they think they're qualified to make such a judgment. I'm not familiar with someone dying right before me that's been "shot"...however I have experienced death right before me and also seen documentaries that explain that the body still moves when it is dead. It is VERY common for the body to continue to have reflexes or movements AFTER death. It's NORMAL!!! Just becasue this woman's body moves as she's dying...doesn't mean that she's not really dying!
Those that assume that this horrific video is fake watch too much tv and play too many video games. These Iranians are trying their HARDEST to communicate with the world as to what is going on. As much as their mouths are shut and their internet/ phone connections are shut down...Do you REALLY think that any Iranian would RISK their lives to create something "fake"? Do you really think that an Iranian would waste their time?
They are fighting for their democracy. They're not fighting for a leader...but to have a voice in who their leader is! Why would certain voting places be shut down or not have enough materials to allow a vote? Can you imagine that happening here? Why will Iran not allow any protestors? The only violence is that coming from the current dictatorship. Educate yourself please!
at 21:08 on June 22nd, 2009
It isn't fake.
at 23:40 on June 22nd, 2009
Es ist wahr!! Wir kennen Sie und Sie wurde vorgestern vergraben!!
at 23:44 on June 22nd, 2009
I do not know how you can doubt it.
Please search the name in Wikipedia, you can find more info about her
There is also a BBC reportage with her family about her killing.
at 23:58 on June 22nd, 2009
Wikipedia?! Huh! Try finding some other sources. Wikipedia source is not dependable at all. It has been proven many times before.
Look the report in BBC, somewhere it says the report could not be independently verified! Is it not surprising that suddenly it has become a symbol and political icon etc but the report source is not authenticated!
at 01:05 on June 23rd, 2009
The report could not be independently verified because your friend Ahmadinejad has deported their reporter from the country and given you an alibi to doubt the whole history. So he obviously has got his goal.
at 00:06 on June 23rd, 2009
I actually am more thinking WTF you are looking for to proove if she is dead or not?? I more thinkg that you either have some complexes and ate too much shit which is actually in your rain or you are a MF bastard of this islamic regime and you want to tell that these are lies and you F.. regime tells the truth.
go and f.. urself , und fick dich auch manchmal selbst, hoffe du greifst es auf diese sprache! ... Kartoffelfresser, ey
at 00:24 on June 23rd, 2009
Yr language speaks the kind of person and moral that u hold. Resorting to personal attacks and incitements is not a good approach to confront the truth! Also, u had tried to express yrself in some other language, maybe just wanted to avoid confrontations.
I feel sorry for yr like. Just to get to yr agenda u r ready to use any means (true or false) at yr disposal. Yr mother should be very proud.
Just FYI, I have never been to Iran and dont care about the regime. But Im a christian and believe that only truth can guide us in the right path. Without the truth the humanity is lost. I hope and wish that yr heart becomes also enlightened by the light of it.
at 00:34 on June 23rd, 2009
It's after viewing insane acts like the killing of Neda that make me so thankful that I live in America. I hope the protestors can change the corrupt and vile leaders in their country. I hope it doesn't come to that here in the U.S. God Bless you Neda. I hope the killer pays for his sins.
For those that think it is fake, if you have never seen a person killed before then I suggest you silence yourself. I have witnessed death in Vietnam and this is not fake. Stop wasting your time on youtube and video games.at 00:34 on June 23rd, 2009
if you would be such a kind human as you show here, you would get sad about just seeing such a picture. you can view here film on youtube if you are such interested whether if it is right or not! is you need to see more pictures you can see it everywhere these days. i don't want and dont need to proove anything to you! u r not in iran?? u dont care about the regime here?? so what r u looking for details of this guy named peyman?? i more think that u r one of these cia guys of this hateful regime!!
case closed for me
at 03:35 on June 23rd, 2009
Al-Jazeera does have a totally different take on this story as well as on the protest.
I do recommend the read of their coverage of Iran.
at 12:59 on June 23rd, 2009
Boy, Paschen, I would bet that they had a whole different take on the protest.
Kind of like seeing WWII as just a set of American atrocities in response to some unfortunate acts by Japanese. :)
at 22:18 on June 23rd, 2009
Said the master of propaganda of wish the US are one.
I never said any such thing Roy, This would be defamation, I did however say that the difference between the Crimes committed by the Nazi in Germany and the Military in Japan was that they where judged and sentenced for those and that not one war criminal ever received parole, wish i approve of.
However, the US, the UK and others have never been sentenced nor paid for their war crimes, such as Vietnam or Korea or Iraq.
The US war criminals from soldier to Presidents need to be judged before an International court as well as UK and other here. Same for crimes against Humanity and other crimes that still cry for justice.
So when will you stop defending Criminals and help bring them to justice in stead?
at 07:11 on June 23rd, 2009
In the video that was posted which supposedly showed Neda a short time before she was shot, the woman is wearing BLACK pants in that video. In the video of the woman supposedly being shot, the woman is wearing BLUE JEANS. I don't care to get into this debate of real vs. fake, but it seems to me, if the woman in both videos is supposed to be the same woman within minutes of each other, then a basic requirement would be that she have on the same clothes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OD7UjH9FYis
at 11:42 on June 23rd, 2009
Looked real enough to me. Accidents though can happen even in the more enlightened democracies, let alone the totalitarian regimes, so-called theocracies such as Iran. Ahmadinejad would do well to note the fate of Saddam Hussain in that he is condemning his country to poverty and ruin, as Hussain did Iraq.
Leaving your belief system out of it Xarxy, it looks like a nice young woman has been slain. That is a poor reflection on that society, and a damned hame.
at 00:49 on June 24th, 2009
What are the odds that not one but two people who "were there" are here now? on this little forum! Well, maybe you were the camera man. This video is clearly staged for propaganda purposes.
1) A gunshot wound to the chest would have killed her or left her unconscious. Yet she keeps looking not at the people she "knows". She looks at the cameraman! Getting ready for her closeup.
2)Look at the people on the street. Do they look like someone is firing shots in there direction? NO.
3) Do you see or hear anything that resembles a protest anywhere in that area? NO
4) I have seen two different versions of this on you-tube. They were similar but different. In one shes being hauled around like a sack of potatoes. There is no blood on the ground. This video is take 2. You can see where the first one that wasn't quite right was already staged by the "blood" spot. So they move her for who knows what other reason about 3 feet and lay her down instead of film for you-tube why aren't these people, I mean you posters here who um, "knew" her , calling for help on your phones instead. Fake fraud staged. Ahmedinejhad won. That's democracy. Some times your candidate wins. Sometimes they lose. Every poll I saw said he had a 2-1 lead and that's just about how it stands.
at 03:50 on June 24th, 2009
Nobody would have cared if she was ugly.
This is a sign Iran is more like the USA than you will ever imagine. Is that a good thing for the protesters? Probably. They aren't doing things exactly right, but the government is doing everything wrong. All the protesters need to do is beg the West for help. Current regime will fall immediately.
She is being exploited as a martyr (as all martyrs are). Would she have wanted it that way? I doubt she was thinking of anything but panic when she was shot. Being shot is EXTREMELY painful. Nothing like the movies or television.
She isnt the first to have died. She is the first exploited (at least that the West knows about). I want to know who took the movie and not caring for their own safety with bullets flying about.
I cannot hear the video (I am at work, no audio available). Are they speaking English instead of Farsi? If they are, WHY? So Westerners will tell everyone about it. We need pictures, audio, video. Stories arent enough. We wont remember it; we are saturated with too many things. This will be remembered forever.
I wait to see next what happens...