Iranians and YouTube

I never cross-post, but in this case I’m making an exception, because perhaps the comments section here might bear some fruit. Here’s a slightly modified version of what I posted over at the LRC blog:

There isn’t a whole lot the American public can do to stop a war that its political class wants. Yet I wonder if the Iranian people themselves could contribute to the cause. The single most important thing for them to do is to speak directly to the West in general and the U.S. in particular. Make a YouTube. Tell us about yourself, your life, your country. The West is being told that Iranian officials are eager to incinerate Israel and the U.S., even at the cost of the total destruction of Iran itself. Give us your take on this.

Above all, this kind of activity would humanize Iranians. Most Americans know nothing about Iran and have never met or even seen a regular Iranian citizen. They need to be humanized for Americans, to make it all the harder to demonize them.

Now here’s the problem: Internet censhorship in Iran. The Iranian government has cracked down on many outlets, including Facebook, that it fears might be used to express dissent. This alone suggests the regime’s days are numbered, with or without the counterproductive “help” of the U.S. government. But I don’t know if that means even YouTube use is restricted. The regime is so afraid of its own people that it may be preventing them from influencing Western opinion away from the idea of war on Iran — a task on which the Iranian regime itself has done an exceedingly poor job.

Whatever restrictions exist, Iranians should use whatever outlets are available to reach the rest of the world, and make clear that they, like us, are normal people seeking a better life. And if the restrictions at home are too great, then Iranians living abroad should pick up the slack.

John Pazniokas

From wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship_of_YouTube)

“On December 3, 2006, Iran
blocked YouTube, along with several other sites, after declaring them
“immoral”. The YouTube ban came after a video was posted online that
appears to show an Iranian soap opera star having sex. The block was later lifted and then reinstated after the 2009 Iranian presidential election.”

In racing to their own destruction, governments, of course, accelerate matters. They can’t help it.

I’m reminded of the ironic title verse from Sting’s song “Russians”, back near the end of the Cold War: “I hope the Russians love their children, too.”
John Pazniokas

Hell, perhaps the Iranian government can show some intelligence and understand this, and release their censorship as a self-defense mechanism. Would you like to rule over the Iranian people for the next month or two, and keep them from seeing naughty videos? Or would you like to rule over them for longer, with a little less control, but while (hopefully) allowing your own people to defend themselves, through this sort of personalizing of a war?

I know, I’m asking an awful lot of forward thinking from a government. It might be a little pipe-dreamy…
http://twitter.com/Conservative_76 Bob

I think that would be a great idea. I was having a conversation with someone about the prospects of boming Iran, and I mentioned that innocent people would inevitably be killed if a war were to break out. This person told me that there were not any innocent people in Iran because most support terrorism. I don’t believe that is the case. The majority of Muslims are not suicidal terrorists. I think it’s easier to say “bomb them” if those living in Iran are painted as radical extremists. Everyone needs to think about the consequences sanctions and war have on innocent people. If we strip people of their humanity, the chances of war increase. So I feel it is critical for Americans to know who the Iranian people really are and maybe then people will be more hesitant about going to war with Iran.
John Pazniokas

Interestingly, it looks like Iran is pretty lax in their censorship: there are ways around the censorship that apparently only go down around anti-government-worthy activities, like elections.

http://blogs.wsj.com/tech-europe/2012/03/16/dodging-iranian-state-censorship-to-be-a-food-critic/
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1465443732 Rachel Dobbs

There are definite youtube videos about life in Iran. Here is a humorous one called, “How to find love in Tehran” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ty1hkLL9wD4
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1465443732 Rachel Dobbs

here is another interesting one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhqY1Suuv4E&list=UUzR94q3271HKUtcPSpMQ39A&index=5&feature=plc
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1465443732 Rachel Dobbs

This is an Iranian American comedian named Maz Jobrani. He’s pretty funny. Check out this video during one of his stand up routines: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiJCLJMpC9Y&feature=related. As you can see, there are actually several youtube videos up from regular Iranians. I found these out while I have been doing research on Iran. In addition, here is a video from my favorite phantom, Ramin Karimloo. He is an Iranian Canadian: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXQcH6yz2Ug&feature=related and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUPmaZifKzg&feature=relmfu. Btw, both Maz Jobrani and Ramin Karimloo were born in Iran.
Ivan

Let’s assume you are right about the majority of Iranians (I tend to agree with you on that one). But, that is besides the point: the problem is not whether “the Iranian people” should be bombed or not, but whether Iranian mullahs with the nuclear weapons are acceptable thing for the West. You may argue they are, but then you are not defending the “Iranian people” against bombing, but Iranian mullahs against the accusations that they want to use those weapons against Israel, or whatever.

If your criterion for a “just war” is that no innocent people can be killed in it, then apparently no war could ever be justified. Every war, defensive or not leads to innocent deaths. I am not saying that the possible war against Iran would be justified in these circumstances, I am just saying that if you think it is not, you have to find some stronger argument than “the innocent will die”.
DWF

I think the point is to take blind, ignorant hatred out of the equation so a more rational discourse can be had.
peaceprosperityliberty

Tom, Thank you for shedding light on the importance of embracing humanity when dealing with human lives. Your articles, blogs, posts, videos, etc. are always informative and enjoyable. My knowledge of Iranian issues is probably minuscule compared to yours. With that being said, I want to highlight your statement “The West is being told that Iranian officials are eager to incinerate Israel and the U.S., even at the cost of the total destruction of Iran itself.” …The West is being “sold” (a bag of lies, what’s new, right?) about the misquote that turned into every warmongers’ dream!
This report is dated 2007…the speech this “misquote” was extracted from is dated 2005. “Across the world, a dangerous rumor has spread that could have catastrophic implications. According to legend, Iran’s president has threatened to destroy Israel, or, to quote the misquote, “Israel must be wiped off the map.” Contrary to popular belief, this statement was never made.The full quote translated directly to English:The Imam said this regime occupying Jerusalem must vanish from the page of time.”http://www.antiwar.com/orig/norouzi.php?articleid=11025Iran wants regime change in Israel… No different than the U.S. wanting regime change in Syria, or the “flavor-of-the-month country” the U.S. chooses.‎”Ahmadinejad did not say he was going to wipe Israel off the map because no such idiom exists in Persian,” remarked Juan Cole, a Middle East specialist at the University of Michigan and critic of American policy who has argued that the Iranian president was misquoted. “He did say he hoped its regime, i.e., a Jewish-Zionist state occupying Jerusalem, would collapse.” Since Iran has not “attacked another country aggressively for over a century,” he said in an e-mail exchange, “I smell the whiff of war propaganda.”http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/11/weekinreview/11bronner.html?_r=1I’m sure you have known the truth for much longer than I. I’m in the infancy stages of U.S. foreign policies, beginning with the late Chalmers Johnson’s trilogy collection (Blowback, Nemesis, and The Sorrows of Empire).True humanity on this video (Israeli citizen to Iranian citizen). Enjoy!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYjuUoEivbE&feature=share
Anonymous

I wonder when Tom’s radio show will start…
http://www.TomWoods.com Tom Woods

Wheels are turning. Need to get ISDN working, website up, etc.
Anonymous

I have high hopes for this. An un-tapped market, huge potential, and an opportunity to mythbust two hours a day.

There are only a few handfuls of liberty radio hosts with any real market penetration and everyone of them Doyle, Schiff, & Church have seen *exponential* growth over the past 2 years.

It’s a message that people are starving for.
http://economicharmonies.wordpress.com/ Joel Poindexter

Another “Phan,” huh? Cool.

It’s interesting this came up, since I watched an interview with Mustafa Akyol, a Turkish writer, by Jeffrey Tucker this morning. The interview and Akyol’s lecture at the Mises Institute are excellent, by the way. One of the points brought up is how peace and prosperity are advanced when commercial and cultural exchange between groups/nations occurs.

The more Iranian culture that Americans are exposed to the better, whether it’s an Iranian film winning an Oscar, like “A Separation” did this year, or Iranian actors/singers or comedians it’s all to the good.
zebra24

1st War decision de-facto belongs to the government NOT to the people, even in the USA, not to mention Iran.

2nd Just imagine they ARE suicidal and angry and hatred and GOING to destroy Israel and so on. What will be their words BEFORE they will get ability to do it? Wouldn’t they deny all allegations and facts??

3rd After they will get nuclear weapon they will get immunity to all possible hostile actions, since nobody will confront them in fear of nuclear war!!

4th I would leave this decision to the Israel, since their security and wealth under big threat.

5th USA can promise security for the Iran, dramatically reducing their needs and wants for the Nuclear Weapon. But USA never wanted to do so, even when they were offered at some point (AFAIK).
photon1125

I remember reading in the mid ’90′s of young Iranians – hundreds of thousands – demonstrating against the Iranian Govt in the streets after soccer games. Virtually all those involved were young (30 y/o, or less) in a nation where the majority are young. The demonstrations were in favor of having their society more westernized.

It became obvious to me, as I thought of the momentous political possibilities such events could herald, that if we simply left Iran alone, in a short two decades those in the streets would be in leadership positions. Given that those active in the streets would be leaders in a few years, logic would dictate that Iran would then naturally tilt to a more westernized type society. Should this take place, it would be the nidus that could very well serve to change this entire fetid region of the planet.

From the above, it also became obvious to me that the actions of the U. S. vs Iran could be used to learn the true intentions of the U. S. in that region of the world. If the U. S. were to leave Iran alone and let things develop over the next 2 – 3 decades, it would signal the U. S. is, indeed, interested in peace and takes a long world view of events there, satisfied that the forces of westernization would ultimately triumph as the future leaders came of age. On the other hand, if Iran were to be taken on by the U. S., those in the streets would be isolated in their own country, nationalism in Iran would rise and there would be those on both sides agitating for war. Given the current state of events with respect to the U. S. and Iran, we can now know the true intent of the U. S.

“Trade with all, entanglements with none”, coupled with “hurt no person, or their property”, are what I believe in and would very much like to see such be the guiding ideas of this nation. Sadly, that is quite obviously not the case. The current Iran/U.S. imbroglio, in spite of what could have been, reveals what guides this nation. It is certainly not the sage advice given and quoted in the foregoing.
http://www.facebook.com/people/William-Schooler/100003032488972 William Schooler

Life is simply everywhere, creating ideas and making choices. If only we could simply understand life for what we do and not how to control it, how to hate it or how to kill it. We are all dying so why not be in fear of never living, in the US that time is growing near because we cannot control our own lives while we attempt to control all other lives.

All I see in Iran is life, all I see in the rest of the world is life and all I see in America is so many who do not respect life at all. Only America was born on the concept of independent life, liberty and the pursuit of Happiness free of others dominating it and I cannot even live with the concept I was born with.

Its not Iran I fear, it is those running America into death camps of lifelessness, no community, no productivity, no common sense where criminals are free to roam and steal from me. Iran has a right to fear us because we fear us and that is the sad truth isn’t it?
Anonymous

Wow. They still offer ISDN? I had to use it once a few years ago in an odd location and we had a bizarre and difficult time even finding decent (enterprise-grade) hardware that was properly compatible. Even most phone companies have migrated to SIP on their backbones….
Anonymous

http://www.facebook.com/israellovesiran

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=sCdHlGaALc0
JFF

I went to graduate school with an Iranian girl who is Jewish. It’s funny, but she always used to refer to her fellow countrymen, Jew or Arab, herself included, as “Persians.” As much as her and I didn’t get along, it was a beautiful sentiment.
http://www.facebook.com/luneleger James M Peterson

The saddest thing about this is how it makes me think of the Silence of the Lambs and how they tried to humanize the girl the psychopath had kidnapped by having her parents use her name repeatedly on press conferences. It turns out, we’re the psychopath.

Bless you Tom Woods.

How blessed are those who make peace, because it is they who will be called God’s children! - Matthew 5:9
Arash

I’m a Persian Jew . I was born in Iran and my family fled after the Islamic revolution. The Iranian people are actually very tolerant and very hospitable people. The culture places such an emphasis on hospitably and civility. It’s interesting because before the Islamic revolution, Jews and Muslims were so well integrated in Iran. And you see it here in the US in Persian communities such as LA and Great Neck, NY.

I’m amazed how many people genuinely believe that Iran will try to destroy Israel as soon as Iran gets nukes, even if it means Iran’s own destruction. The propaganda is spread far and wide. There’s this underlying idea, expressed either subliminally but often overtly, that the Iranian government is irrational and fanatically religious. If that were true, why would they wait for nukes? Why not just attack Israel now or at any other point in time in the past 50 years? Why does Iran have 20,000+ Jews still living in the country that are allowed to live in peace? It’s clear demonizing for the purpose of going to war. I’m glad many people aren’t falling for it this time around.I don’t like the Iranian government, but the US has only itself to blame that the current hard-line regime is still in power, what with the sanctions and warmongering. Iran isn’t going to attack anyone unless attacked first in my opinion. They certainly haven’t in modern times.

Just a quick note on Persian vs Iranian- Persian is the ethnic term while Iranian is the national term. Very much like “Jewish” as ethnic and “Israeli” as national. Persian also happened to be the national term until 1935.
Greg

strange how you want people of iran, who have suffered greatly, to support and protect the dictators who are oppressing them. you should be encouraging them to rise up and throw the dictators out of power. instead you want them to make videos which then will only serve the iranian dictators!!! STOP IMPLICITLY SUPPORTING DICTATORS!
Greg

the mullah are BAD (in american parlance evil) the question is what is the best way of getting rid of them while minimising suffering of civilians.

if we bomb them we may create strong support for the evil ones. if we support a revolution that could backfire and we could get an even worse regime or strengthen the position of the evil ones while at the same time loosing face.
if we invade that would be very costly and may cause blowback.
if we do nothing the evil ones may fall or they may evolve into a more liberal government or they may just build a bomb and bomb europe and usa.

out of the options a few surgical air strikes doesn’t sound so bad. hopefully the mullah will not sleep so well if they have a few JDAMs through their windows. in anycase the evil ones must be destroyed http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahmoud_Asgari_and_Ayaz_Marhoni
Greg

looks like Woods is just fine, just dandy with this
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahmoud_Asgari_and_Ayaz_Marhoni. NO, iran is EVIL, real people are really suffering there right now. the only question is how to best cleanse it of the crazy theocracy.

iran is right now controlled by the spanish inquisition (yes, the catholics have a lot of baggage). if we look back at the actual spanish inquisition, it was destroyed by Napolean (probably the only good thing he ever did). the same must happen in iran. iran can be liberated only by outside force!!!
http://www.facebook.com/people/William-Schooler/100003032488972 William Schooler

Greg, its funny you worry about all these other countries while yours slip into the biggest toilet of all. Everybody’s leaders are EVIL except ours right? Stop reading so much and look, what is the debt? The sucking sound of your livelihood swirling in the bottom of the bowl rushing for the drain of despair.
DWF

Greg,

I hope you agree when I say that you often represent the
dissenting views on this forum. I
appreciate you posting. I believe a very large percentage of Americans
agree with you and without the dissenting opinions that appear here, there
would be no debate. That being said….

Putting aside my objections to war without congressional
approval, are you suggesting that the Iranian leadership is unaware of the
USA’s weapons capability and we should demonstrate it by assassinating these
Mullah? I guess you do not accept that such action would only serve to unify
the people of Iran in defense. I don’t find it easy to put myself in the
position of peoples living in foreign countries, who’s beliefs, language and
political climate I don’t understand fully.
Heck, I find it difficult to fathom the thoughts, actions, and
motivations by many people in my own country. Often, the best I can do is put attempt
to put myself in their in their shoes, so I can at least make an attempt to
understand them.

In this case, I would
consider this: What I we (in the USA) think if some foreign country with an axe
to grind assassinated some our more of our government or religious leader. I
doubt seriously the population, as a whole, would be cheering the invaders on,
even if the themselves did not like those that our own were assassinated.   Rather, I believe it would only serve to
unite the American people against the invader.
This could very well be the case for the Persians living in Iran.

On another point, my understanding is that Iran is populated
by many educated people and has very good universities. It is my feeling that eventually, most
countries will have weapon’s capable of great destruction, nuclear or otherwise
eventually. We, in the USA had better
figure out how to live in the same world with them peacefully instead of giving
beat downs to those we disagree with.

My limited experience with Persians living here is that they
are thoughtful people working to change their present system.   We need to give them a chance to change their
own direction without mucking the whole process up.

And that is one purposes of the YouTube suggestion. To understand that many there ARE trying to change things and they don’t all go along with the current
leadership and are real people. With
many of the hopes a dreams a desires, you, yourself, might share.
Mike

Strange how the US government wants the same isn’t it? Installing its brutal dictators across the globe in the name of “making the world safe for democracy”. The utter hypocrisy of this is hilarious. The “it’s okay when we do it but not when they do it” is childish and pathetic.
Mike

He’s a naive child who who knows next to nothing about the world. Somehow, US politicians are completely immune to the trappings of power. LOL! Sorry but these people only deserve ridicule at this point. How can anyone not possibly get it yet? How blatantly obvious does it have to be?

Even from a practical standpoint this world gestapo has to end. Let’s see. Over $15 trillion in debt? Hello? We can’t afford to play world wide gestapo anymore.
Greg

yeah, the western countries are WORSE than the rest. right!? wrong. there is a reason why every wants to immigrate to the west!! because its better here, hands down!
DWF

Hey all. Is there an “on the fly” spelling and grammar checker out there for download? It annoys me no end that my own post above is so difficult to read.

Thanks
Greg

yeah, its childish for the west to make sure its citizens are safe and better off. during the cold war we put dictators into power who would fight communism. all of those dictators were a lesser evil than communist rule. today we have to mop up but compared to how it was pre 1991 (the world was a button click away from a nuclear winter) it is a MUCH safer world. i would rather we have iran and iraq and a few other dictators we can bomb than USSR which the west could never take on militarily without ending the world. its childish how myopic you are.
Greg

you are right of course. and it is true that we, and especially me, know nothing about the subtleties of iran and iranian/persian cluture. i think that the iranians, as a people have a glorious and admirable history and i wish for them to have another golden age.

however, i do know that i deeply oppose the theocracy in iran. and i think it would be wrong for the west to stand by and not do anything IF it can do something against it. in my opinion we can do something and we should.

another thing. i do not dissent. i agree with everything people think/say on this site. and i agree that large wars cause some growth of government etc. the thing which really annoys me is that Woods always makes it sound like we are the bad guys and that the world is just full of countries minding their own business. this is not true. the world is full of dictators who want the things dictators want. and the west, under the leadership of usa, should never forget this and should always be concerned with security and about having the biggest stick on the playground.
DWF

I have spent most of my most of my life helping design Big Sticks for the DOD. I don’t disagree that having a big stick to resort to for legitimate defense is a good thing. But, I don’t think poking at at the Mullahs with those sticks by flying a missle into a few of their bedrooms will achieve anything at all. Nor will sanctions, or any other offensive action. We have the technology to defend ourselves when it is necessary and an offensive stratedgy is counterproductive to achieving peace and prosperity in our country. If you feel we need to create peace and prosperity for other countries by intervening in their affairs and killing their leaders, you are definetly not alone here in the USA. But it MUST be done as a declaration of war by congress. There must be a debate on such things so those like myself can at least show why we believe such behavior is a bad idea and undermines our own security through unintended consequences.
http://www.facebook.com/James2039 James Moore

Greg,

We’re destroying our own country by trying to “keep the world safe.” Do you donate all your money to charity and let your kids starve because there are hungry people in the world?

If you think us playing world policeman is doing anything but making us enemies and bankrupting the country, you’re fooling yourself.
http://www.facebook.com/James2039 James Moore

Not for long it won’t be, not if people follow your advice for sure. What do you think is going to happen when the dollar loses reserve currency status? Do you have any knowledge at all of what causes hyper inflation or what has kept us in good shape all this time?
http://twitter.com/Conservative_76 Bob

I think when we talk about taking out the Iranian leadership and their nuclear facilities, we need to talk about the innocent lives which will be lost as a result. If we decide the Iranians should not have nuclear weapons, we might very well have to invade the country in order to prevent the Iranians from acquiring nuclear capabilities. This could lead to innocent people dying. So I don’t think one can separate the two.

As for my definition of a just war, I believe it is a war waged in defense of a country. A pre-emptive strike on Iran would not fit into this category. So I think arguing that many innocent people will be saved as a result of restraint is a very compelling argument to all rational people, especially if we make the case that the American people are in no danger of being attacked by Iran.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Paul-Sedkowski/100001467305337 Paul Sedkowski

here’s one of the best Iranian comedians in the UK – Omid Djalili

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haz3i35vV8A
Mike

Like I said. A Naive child.
Mike

Sorry, Greg is too busy shouting, “USA! USA! USA!

Gotta love ignorance nationalists. Sometimes it’s so entertaining!
http://www.facebook.com/people/William-Schooler/100003032488972 William Schooler

No kidding when it is slapping you in the face you still cannot see it, and then you call me wrong. Ok mr right, you keep on THINKING its A OK. Why is it so many have to be hit by a mac bus before they can view simple results. Thank goodness I don’t have to be right just honest.
Sean Cummins

America can still read: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0393325970/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/181-3727778-3878404
jen

Two things about this false name of ‘war w/ iran’ is that it doesn’t exist:

- It is a global war, not just war w/ iran. Russia and China and others have already indicated that they would attack if the US attacks Iran. Inept or corrupt or silenced politicians keey saying war w/ iran in order to not speak truth that it is infact a world war that the US and its ally wants to start.

- The people already revolted in 2009, but the GOP and DNC politicians and infleuntial people have no desire for regime change or peace. If the US really wanted peace, then they would side with the people who revolted, but instead they sided with al qaeda and the current iranian regime. So, any war obama and gop and israel starts is not for peace because they could have long gotten peace by siding with the people, but the opportunity for peace was stomped upon by the American people and the politicians it wanted to lead and control them.
jen

the iranian people already rose up in 2009, but the American people ignored the true peaceful revolt for democracy to boot islamists from power.

the problem is that americans have long fallen for Islamists and will not support secular democracies.
jen

That is just the way the american people and Israel wants things – destruction.
jen

That is just the way the american people and Israel wants things – destruction.
jen

the west is infact worse now, because it is infiltrated with islamic terrorist cells. they will be more controlled than the rest of the world, but no point in fleeing because the rest of the world will soon feel the wrath of the american people on them.
jen

the west is infact worse now, because it is infiltrated with islamic terrorist cells. they will be more controlled than the rest of the world, but no point in fleeing because the rest of the world will soon feel the wrath of the american people on them.
Anonymous

Free trade will topple Iran’s regime much faster than war. Their youth getting their hands on western movies and books and music will do more to hasten the change of public opinion than war.

War actually entrenches the regine in power because then they use cries of Patriotism to silence dissent.It’s the political class on both sides that’s the enemy of freedom. Iranians need to be humanized further because most people don’t think that Iran is some modern country, but they somehow think that Iran = terrorists. It’s sad.