The title, sent to me by my Shiraz contact today, is sarcastic. There is no official Down with America Day in Iran. Nov 4 is Student’s Day. Traditionally, on Students Day, the Islamic Republic and supporters arrange school and street demonstrations, and incite Down with America chanting during those demostrations.
This publicity stunt is fabricated and not an accurate portrayal of popular Iranian sentiment regarding the United States. However, as a propaganda tactic it has worked for years. The image of Iranians as rabid America-haters has dominated Western media coverage of Iran. Until the June 2009 uprising, this image fueled much of the world’s hatred back towards Iran. When the world hates Iranians, it becomes easier for the regime to justify their repressive tactics. As long as they seem like underdogs, they can pretend they have no choice but to use a heavy hand.
Unfortunately for the Islamic Republic, their population is now awake, and no longer afraid. They are not playing out the scripted publicity stunt. I already see footage of amazingly brave students refusing to chant “Down with America” and instead, chanting “Down with Dictator [ie Ahmadinejad],” or “Down with Russia” (because Russia has accepted Ahmadinejad as Iran’s president) coming from Iran. They are doing this to the faces of their school administrators! It is a clever and intelligent way to rebel, by taking the hatred-propaganda machine of the Islamic Republic and turning it back on them. It is also extremely dangerous as their identities are clear.
(Don’t see the relevance between students and the downfall of the US? It is connected because of the student-led take over of the US Embassy on November 4,1979. But really, the attachment of “student” to “down with America” is double-speak of Orwellian proportions. The U.S. Hostage Crisis is an embarrassment in Iranian history and there is no reason students should continue to be forced to feel proud, involved in, or responsible for it).
(This video shows high school students in Iran chanting against the religious regime. Long live youth!)
seamorg
spoonsun
amazing… thank you for this post. Brave soals, long live Iran’s youth.