IRANIAN ISLAMIC EXTREMISM

IRANIAN - ISLAMIC EXTREMISM
Part 1 - Voice, her views on the Iranian government and the nuclear power plant.
by Tomas Drawde
Photography by Edward Biamonte

Before working on this story I had to ask myself, why do a story about the Iranian elections, a murdered girl named Neda and the Hijab or burka? And why use the stories to support a fashion feature in a lifestyle magazine? Here’s the back story.

The murder of Neda, the Iranian elections were explosive and captured the news for days. A huge block of Iran’s voters were denied their rights to have their votes counted by their terrorist Islamic state that murdered one beautiful innocent by-stander named Neda during one of many protests. And, after her death the murder of many protesters who were arrested while waiting for trial by Iran’s Islamic extremist jailers.

Also, French President Sarkozy while speaking to the French Parliament stated he want’s the “Hijab banned from France.” Three weeks prior Sarkozy’s statement hitting the press, President Obama delivered an address in Egypt concerning US relations and the Islamic world. In contrasting views, French President Sarkozy want’s the Hijab banned while President Obama wants it accepted and supports law that defends the Burka in public use.

Obama stated, “Moreover, freedom in America is indivisible from the freedom to practice one's religion. That is why there is a mosque in every state in our union, and over 1,200 mosques within our borders. That's why the United States government has gone to court to protect the right of women and girls to wear the hijab and to punish those who would deny it. So let there be no doubt: Islam is a part of America…”

His statement caused the publisher of Fujah to ponder the drastic change in US diplomacy, but one we were told was on the way. However, in Ironic contrast-- who would have ever thought a forceful voice for liberty would come from France. And, a tepid response at best from the US by President Obama concerning the hijab, suffrage and murder of innocent Iranians.

With all do respect to President Obama his rhetoric is called political side stepping. Why is he trying to appease a group that are greatly responsible for terrorism around the world (i.e.) Islamic Extremist. Does he realize his appeasing double talk is a direct confrontation to Americans and all who have suffered from Islamic terrorism? Does he not realize the Hijab is a blatant sign of oppression, death and terrorism? Or that extremist only care about their ideological position and they want to purge the world of all who do not believe the way they do?

The fact is - Islam is directly responsible for most of the terrorism around the world. Be it the Saudis or the current Iranian regime, Sunni’s or Shia's they openly promote it’s expansion around the world. Furthermore - US son’s and daughters are being blown up by Iranian extremist as they fight for the liberty of those oppressed by Islamic extremism? If Iran gets enough high grade plutonium, which evidence shows Iran is on the fast track to process, is President Obama so naive the Iranians will not kill millions?

Perhaps President Obama should have stated the facts about the oppression of women who have to wear the hijab. The women beaten and even killed for breaking this and other oppressive Islamic laws. Simply summarized, Obama’s rhetoric, overt political correct ideology and confusing actions are leading many to ponder if they made the right decision on one fateful day in November of 2008. Recently- Fathima Rifqa Bary, a Muslim raised teenager converted to Christianity and fled the state of Ohio and her family in fear of being killed by her father. Honor killings are practiced by many Muslims through out the world. A Florida court will decide the fate of the teen, return Fathima to her family or allow her to stay in Florida.

Fujah decided to fuse politics with fashion to create an edgy editorial about Neda’s death and a fashion feature “Free the Beauty” concerning the hijab or Burka, oppression of women and world politics. But how could Fujah get the information for the editorial? The internet was shut down by the Iranian Government and Western reporters were not allowed in. Information had to come from an insider and what we were getting was little streams of grass root information which in whole has turned out to be very powerful and a valid condemnation to any government that would support the current terrorist regime in Iran. Fujah was able to interview a young Iranian women concerning Iran. In Neda’s honor she speaks candidly concerning her governments Islamic extremism, oppression, women’s rights, Israel, Iraq, the nuclear power plant and the big question Revolution.

Some might ask, what can a 21 year old woman from Iran possibly know anything about the politics of Iran and it’s global relations? Why should her opinion matter? She is the Voice of the youth in the streets. Their whispers matter, they are the heart beat of a new Iranian majority and they want true democracy. Her perception “a grass roots perception, is a common perception held by many in the streets and one that Fujah had no idea existed do to government propaganda by the mullahs and lack of press.

A restaurant owner from where I hail is Persian, he didn’t want me to use his name and he doesn’t use the moniker Iranian do to the extreme negative baggage created by the ruling terrorist. I ask my friend if he would do an interview, he hasn't been to Iran since the Shah was deposed and exiled so he would have no current heart beat on Iran. However, troubled by the recent news he paused a bit to reflect. With a twinkle in eyes he stated “I recently met a young Iranian woman, I will contact her to do the interview.” She agreed, I will call her Neda in respect to the voice that was silenced by a terrorist’s bullet. This is her perception, a grass roots perception, a common perception held by many in the streets and one that Fujah had no idea existed do to government propaganda by the mullahs and lack of press.

Not really knowing what to expect I waited patiently for my Iranian interview, for Neda, to arrive at a local restaurant. The door to the lounge area off the patio opened. Out of the bright light stepped a young small frame tan women in a pastel sun dress. Her delicate shoulders and long tousled hair was far from the black burka / hijab I thought she would be wearing. She walked over to where my friend and I were waiting for her arrival. She engaged us with a beautiful smile and kind greetings. After brief introductions we sat down as her brown almond shaped eyes gave me her full attention. Her English was broken yet surprisingly good and her voice soft, slightly nervous. Her name is Voice to protect her identity. She may want to return home and Fujah want’s to protect her. This is what we talked about:

Fujah: Where are you from?
VOICE: Tabriz, the second largest city in Iran

Fujah: How old are you?
VOICE: 21

Fujah: Have you lived in Iran your whole life?
VOICE: Yes

Fujah: Your English is surprisingly good, where did learn English?
VOICE: In school.

Fujah: Iran is pretty bent on the destruction of the US - how is it that you would have an option to learn English?
VOICE: It’s the largest language group and the second language used by most people, we learned English based on British rules.

Fujah: A great concern many Americans have are the extreme intensions by your current President Akmadinijad, what is your opinion of your President?
VOICE: He doesn’t care about people - all he cares about is power.

Fujah: In the last election - the primary candidates are not really different in view point. How did you vote?
VOICE: I was not there for the recent election but I did vote in the prior election. They reduced the age to allow 16 year olds to vote to get more votes. What I remember, I voted against every thing that was against the government.

Fujah: What I want to get is an understanding of your perception and what your demographic, your age group thinks about the ruling Mullahs and the current government?
VOICE: The President before Akmadinijad, Rafsanjani came up and was in office for 8 years. He came up and talked about change and did not do anything even though he came up wanting change. History repeating, no one does anything.

Fujah: So you’ve seen a lot of hypocrisy, a lot of promises mentioned that were never going to become reality. Why do you think these men run for office, is it power, financial security, establish their families?
VOICE: It’s power and money. Rafsanjani, is one of the richest men in the world because he got a lot of money as president.

Fujah: So basically they’re just spoke persons for the Mullahs? Why would the people pick some body like Akmadinijad? Someone who is seen by most of the world as a complete nutcase, somebody unstable, an extremist?
VOICE: Um- after Rafsanjani, The whole regime felt they were loosing power over people, the whole world. Rafsanjani didn’t do anything different but they wanted somebody to show power, to bring back the power. Akmadinijad was a good choice because he does not care about people and he can and will do anything he wants.

Fujah: Someone who is seen by most of the world as a complete nutcase, somebody unstable, an extremist?
VOICE: Um- after Rafsanjani, The whole regime felt they were loosing power over people, the whole world. Rafsanjani didn’t do anything different but they wanted somebody to show power, to bring back the power. Akmadinijad was a good choice because he does not care about people and he can and will do anything he wants.

Fujah: In your last election many people were disenfranchised and believed Akmadinijad lost the election. We saw people go into the streets in peaceful protest against the government. What is your opinion of this and do you think this is the beginning of something powerful for the people of Iran?
VOICE: In the beginning I was saying this is just history repeating, I did not want to vote but my friends said they wanted to be part of it this time. I wasn’t there at the time of the elections and I was never in college in Iran so I really don’t get where they’re idea is right now. In the beginning it was all about religion and not the people, after the election it was not about religion but all about the people and you know, the people that got killed and arrested, right now it’s all about the people.

Fujah: About the perception of the rest of the world then, they really don’t care do they?
VOICE: No they don’t. When Akmadinijad came up, this whole atomic bomb and atomic energy came up. It seems like they feel like when they have that their supported and they don’t have to care about anything, they wanted to show that they have the power and no one could shake them.

Fujah: Ok - let’s talk about that whole energy issue. Especially with wind, solar, natural gas and oil there is no need for Iran to have nuclear power. Many feel that it’s basically to create the inevitable. When you here about the response of the world community and you lived there, how does it make you feel as an Iranian?
VOICE: Of course it makes me feel bad, but most of the people know that they as Iranians are different from the government.

Fujah: How do we know that?
VOICE: The more we go on and travel the people realize that the people of Iran are different. The people on the outside and inside are trying so hard to show we are different to show the world we don’t want this. Many people want us to be Persia not Iranian, but the world doesn’t know what Persia is? We want to be proud. There’s a lot of channels that are broadcasting from the states like from LA and London. The Iranian channels are mostly entertainment but some are just about politics.

Fujah: They’re are many people that feel there will be a military strike against the new power plant. What is the word on the street in Iran about
the reality of this happening?
VOICE: If someone wanted to they could do it and many of the people would help them.

Fujah: Wow- what your saying is that the people would help to destroy the power plant? Why don’t they do it themselves?
VOICE: They don’t have the power or the support to. If someone were to give them the support they would or they would help them to.

Fujah:So the people are actively trying to show the rest of the world that they are different and want to change the current government? What do you think it’s going to take? I studied a little bit of Iranian history and about Persia. Persia was a name given by the Greeks. Iran really identifies you as a people as a culture, the people in their struggle? What do you think it’s going to take for the people to take your country back? We know there was a revolution to depose the Shah 1979, do you want to return to that, to the time of the Kings or do you want a real democracy like in the west?

VOICE: We have always had a royal family except for the last years after the Shah, I think we are over having a Royal family, we want a real democracy- not something like this a dictatorship. The Son of the Shah, the Prince - he is really trying to help. He says he doesn’t want to be the King or part of the government after this regime. He wants a real Democracy, the prince realizes it’s not working for him to be the Prince or leader of the country anymore. We want something democratic - modern.

Fujah: Do you want it to look like a democratic republic in the US or like the British- what do you want it to look like? What is the word on the street? A Republic that is governed by the people?
VOICE: Yes!

Part -2 September 7th.
Fujah: That’s pretty cool. I‘d like to go in a different direction. There’s this whole political ordeal that we have to talk about concerning the word on the streets about Israel...

Video Link - Will Iran get Nuclear Weapons?
http://www.foxnews.com/video2/video08.html?maven_referralObject=8672196&maven_referralPlaylistId=&sRevUrl=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,543040,00.html