What an interesting mixed bag of humanity outside Harvard Square today! Lots of folks (150 or so) were there to let Khatami and Harvard University know that they were not pleased about Khatami's invite, particularly on the eve of September 11th. There were Iranians, Harvard students, Jewish organizations, Protest Warriors, local talk show host Michael Graham, and just plain folks. No feminists or gay activists that I could see, despite the horrendous record of Iran against both groups. Lot of local network news stations covered the event. Click on photos below to enlarge.
The highlights for me were Lily Mazahery's speech, which you can download from Publius Pundit, who writes: "She's a prominent human rights activist and lawyer down in Washington, D.C. who has launched many campaigns against the torture, public executions, and death by stoning in today’s Iran." She was an eloquent, passionate speaker.
The second highlight was when Michael Graham spoke after we heard from a number of impassioned Iranian activists. Graham led the crowd in chanting "Shame on Harvard! Shame on Harvard!" Damn straight. Good on Graham for coming out and supporting this. I wish I knew who the Iranian organizations were, I'd gladly publicize them (and donate money).
If you look at the enlarged photo, you'll see the sign has a photo of a man hanging from his ankles with open wounds on his back. One of our commenters below says that photo is not what it seems. He may be right, but brutal torture is alive and well (so to speak) in Iran, under Khatami a few years back, and worse now under Ahmadinejad. Google Images has plenty of material.
Child abuse, as LGF would say.
Apalling photo of a woman in Iran being stoned to death.
September 11th was on people's minds. Harvard has said that the date of Khatami's visit was "unintentional." Doesn't matter, it's still grotesque and insulting.
Publius Pundit has a good review here, and Teresa of Technicalities writes her impressions here (also provides background info on a few things). ABC and NBC local stations had decent coverage of the protests.
Now if only I could work a digital camera decently. LOL. Great job Miss Kelly!
Posted by: Teresa | September 10, 2006 at 10:26 PM
I cropped the photos when I got back home, but they ended up not a crisp. Must learn photo editing! I was very glad to be part of that today.
Posted by: misskelly | September 10, 2006 at 10:30 PM
They look great to me! My apologies if I end up tracking back numerous times - whenever I update it seems to want to do all the trackbacks to typepad all over again. Sheesh!
Posted by: Teresa | September 10, 2006 at 10:33 PM
This is pathetic. Please take my advice and don't bother with something you know next to zero about. That "man" hanging from his ankle is a wax figure in a museum that depicts torture during the Shah era. The rest of your shallow take on Iran and Khatami is also laughable. Please spare the Iranian people from your "goodwill".
Posted by: Siroos | September 10, 2006 at 11:08 PM
Siroos, are you the religious police? If so, I don't surrender. Are you going to whip me to death?
Check out Omid - a memorial in defense of human rights. All its citizens are dead - like the young girl whipped to death for swimming in her own backyard pool (a neighbor got a hard-on and reported her).
Laughable? No.
http://www.abfiran.org/english/memorial.php
Posted by: Catttt | September 11, 2006 at 12:10 AM
Cyrus the not-so-great, you strike me as a mediocre-at-best representative of the "Iranian People". I'm guessing you're either too young (or perhaps simply too comfortable still living in babajoon's big house here in the land of the free?) to know or care about the atrocities commited during and after the revolution with the implicit approval of so-called "moderates" like Khatami. Or perhaps you're just a Basij tool? In either case, you've yet to demonstrate why anyone here should take your advice on matters related to Iran. Out of curiosity, do your mother and sister wear a rusari or chador, Cyrus? In Khatami's perfect world they would.
Posted by: FredRum | September 11, 2006 at 12:18 AM
Excellent work, MB. Sorry I missed it.
Posted by: Sissy Willis | September 11, 2006 at 06:30 AM
lol most of you guys make me laugh.
First of all, al-Qaeda attacked NYC, not Iran you idiots.
If you tools even had a brain, you would acknowledge that Iran and al-Qaeda don't like each other. Iran hated the Taliban and almost went to war against them back in '98 when 13 Iranian diplomats were murdered in Mazar-i-Sharif.
Khatami condemned the September 11 attacks, but it's not good enough for most of you tards. Perhaps many of you should apologize for the CIA coup that ended democracy in Iran back in '53 and installing the ruthless shah in power, sowing the seeds for Khomeini's rise to power 2 decades later?
What's lacking amongst you Rush Limbaugh loving wackjobs is the abilty to be self-critical.
And also, I suppose many of you forget the constant attacks Shi'as receive from al-Qaeda in both Pakistan and Iraq, but many of you conveniently ignore that for your own gain.
Losers, get a job.
Oh, and you're getting laughed at on MidEastYouth
http://www.mideastyouth.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=94
Those posters have more of a clue than the tards there, and to think that they are Harvard students lmao
Posted by: antistupidity | September 11, 2006 at 03:56 PM
We're getting laughed at at MidEastYouth forum?! Heavens to mergatroid, we'd all better stop and go home then. We can't stand being laughed at!
Sorry, I don't take Khatami at face value when he says how wonderful dialog and communication are. Actions speak louder than words. And coming here on the eve of Sept. 11th WAS an insult, mostly on Harvard's part.
There's plenty to protest about what's going on in Iran now, and what went on in Iran under Khatami's watch. Everything in the world that you don't like is not the U.S.'s fault. The widespread, endemic dysfunction in so many Middle Eastern countries is not all our fault or responsibility.
There were many Iranians protesting at Harvard yesterday. Were they "losers" and "tools" too?
Posted by: Miss Kelly | September 11, 2006 at 05:40 PM
Lame attempt at sock puppetry cyrus/antistupidity. Too much of a kooni to post with the same name twice? The misinformation you're trying to spread re: AQ and Iran being bitter enemies makes me conclude that you are indeed a Basiji apologist. But you still haven't answered my very simple question. Do your mother and sister cover themselves?
I also can't help but wonder why a guy like you isn't living back in the homeland right now and instead chooses to pollute himself here in the US? If the peace-loving Khatami and Ahmadinejad are so awesome, what's preventing you and your family from basking in the warm glow of Persian democracy and fredom this very minute? Do tell...
BTW, great pictures Miss Kelly!
Posted by: FredRum | September 11, 2006 at 06:56 PM