Iran Election Stories From Friends and Family

From Iran today:

November 4, 2009 Battle 13 Aban

Number 2 boy stayed home from school today. Neither he nor I were in the mood for slogans.

Number 1 boy had an exam in the middle of the day, so, wearing a bright green scarf, I agreed to take him first thing in the morning and see what the atmosphere was like in school and if it was tolerable.  The principal in the middle school had assured me that while they would discuss the historical significance of this date, they would not make the kids shout anti-US slogans. I told him I would sit and watch and if I did not like what was going on I would leave with my son. Everything proceeded smoothly until one of the English teachers gave a short political speech in English and ended by calling on the kids to say “Down with America” three times. As he led the chant the 400 or so school kids responded half-heartedly once and twice. By the third time the principal had whispered something into the teacher’s ear and the teacher dropped the chanting.

After that the religious character-building teacher informed the kids that the Middle School Basij students would join their fellow Iranian compatriots in chanting political slogans, but that they would not go out into the streets, but chant during recess in school. Well, when morning assembly was over I asked number 1 son what he would like to do and he said, “Go home.” So we informed the principal that we would come back later in the morning to sit the exam and that he would then leave.

We drove home. Our drive to and from my son’s school involves passing by the front of the Shiraz University Student Dorms. At 6:50 am when we passed by first some Sepah (IRCG) police and soldiers were already stationed across the square from the student dorm complex. The second time we passed by the same area, a few more security personnel had gathered. But there was nothing going on in the streets or in the dorms at that time.

I drove home with my son and waited for his exam. Later I dropped him off and went back home again. The third time I left my house I took number 2 son with me as I planned to drop my kids off at my parent’s house before going to a quick dental appointment before lunch.

When number 2 and I went to pick up number 1 son the streets were still quiet. The soldiers and Sepah were positioned, but there was no action. We went to the school. The school bell took longer than anticipated to ring. We waited, 10 minutes, 20 minutes. The bell rang. My son came out with his bag and by 30 minutes after our entry we left the school. Well so much time had passed that I could no longer drop them off at grandmas and still be on time for the dental appointment. So I mentioned that since they each had books to read, they could tag a long with me and then we’d all go to grandma’s together.

We jumped into the car and drove off toward home (and the dental office) on the usual route – the route that takes us onto Baghe-Eram Blvd and past the student dorms. When we entered Baghe-Eram we saw that in addition to the Sepah and soldiers were the special black-wearing anti-riot police we had seen his summer. They almost look like evil cartoon villains with their black clothes from head to foot, helmets and eye cover, and tons of built in padding in their clothes to protect them from hits and probably bullets. They look like super strong but skinny muscley, muscle-men.

Cars were backed up for miles and many of them were honking their horns. At first I did not see people on the streets. I turned into the street and kept hearing honking. Then I saw them. Almost directly in front of me the guards were beating up some young men. One looked dazed. He was seated on a motorcycle between two of these villains dressed in black. Another student was being beaten with a baton and dragged toward a white van that when I looked was already full of young people. People were honking but these thugs kept going about their business. I started yelling at them and cursing at them to leave the young men alone. They were right in front of my car. We couldn’t move for a few seconds. I turned to see both of my boys crying and screaming. They were seeing everything. I lay on the horn. A Basiji man approached me in a very aggressive manner and asked me why I was honking my horn. I said (in Farsi), ‘Because you are beating up other people’s children in front of my children!!! Look at what you are doing to them!!!!!’ And I pointed toward my sons. I kept honking and he yelled at me to move on. I did (in my own aggressive manner) and rounded the square (is that possible?). As I went around I kept honking as many people were. A truck next to me was honking too. Our eyes met and he encouraged me to keep honking. I kept it up and then he turned me in! An officer approached my car and demanded to see my license. I told him I didn’t have one. He told the guy next to him to remove my front license plates. They couldn’t. Three of them tried to take them off and they couldn’t. The first guy again demanded my driver’s license. Again I shouted back I didn’t have one. They told me to pull over. I said I wouldn’t and with that started moving forward. One Basiji stood in front of my car but I kept moving forward. So many cars were honking and so much other stuff was going on that he finally moved and I sped off. My sons were screaming that I’d better go fast or they would get us, but no one followed us. I am sure they recorded my plates. We shall see what happens.

I took off towards home and called for my hubby to join us to the dental office as the kids really needed him.  So he dressed in a flash and got in the car where everyone told him what had transpired. We all tried to calm each other down. He was very good with the kids.

We made it to the dentist’s office only 1/2 hour late! And he took care of me. While talking with the boys they expressed that it was the first time they had actually seen someone being beaten.  They cried and screamed and did not like it at all. I also reminded my son that ultimately, this is what the Basiji’s are being trained for. It is NOT the Boy Scouts! The reality sank in. My other son couldn’t think of enough swear words with which to describe those in charge.

We then picked up my daughter and headed back to my mom’s for lunch. We though we’d go a calmer route. Well, traffic was backed up in the entire city it seemed. We couldn’t go anyway except back past the student dorms. This time things were different. While we did not see anyone getting beaten up, we saw hundreds of young people shouting, “Marg bar Dictator”. I believe it was a smaller group than had gathered just before we reached there judging from other peoples’ comments. On the other side of the street behind the student dorm fence hundreds of students had gathered and were chanting, “Ya Hossein, Mir Hossein” for Mousavi.  Black meshed up trucks were sitting there waiting to transport prisoners. Thousands of people were milling in the streets. Many people were wearing green today. Green people would honk at and wave to strangers wearing green in a sign of solidarity.

I heard later that there were protests 30 Metry Saadi Street. I also heard that in the Maali Abad area last night a lot of people were chanting “Allahu-Akbar”.

I am sure we will hear more in the days to come.  At 3 pm things had still not quieted down at the dorms.

LA Times picture today showing "A man" running in an Iranian protest today. This is not a man, this is a child. All over the world, our children fight the battles we are too afraid to fight.