Pragmatic Pessimist #EatTheRich

To those of you living in free countries, watching the images coming out of Europe, Canada, and America, I feel there's an experience I need to share. Because today's news to you reminds us of a catastrophe we've been paying for for decades. I'm Iranian. 47 years ago, Iran was rich in natural resources, with an educated workforce and rapid development. Living conditions were improving. Women participated freely in public and political life. Iran helped maintain regional security, commanded international respect, and was a model for developing countries. Then, an Islamist ideology arrived disguised as justice for the oppressed. Islamists, communists, and the radical left formed a deadly alliance and took power. Then, the Islamists crushed their former allies. The regime imposed Sharia law, stripped away freedoms, and survived through imprisonment, torture, and execution. A country with enormous potential fell into corruption, economic crisis, and mass emigration. Today, it's known as the world's leading sponsor of terrorism. From the start, the regime openly declared its ambition to export its dark ideology, a threat your governments didn't take seriously. For about 30 years, generations born after the revolution have repeatedly risen up to take their country back. While we paid with imprisonment, torture, and massacres, your government signed political and economic deals with our oppressors. The regime expanded its networks of influence and propaganda. Today, you see the results in your cities. Movements like the pro-Palestine movement and socialist Islamists claiming to defend the oppressed while spreading hatred and destruction. I'm Iranian and I'm speaking directly to you. Don't let Islamists use your freedom of speech, your tolerance, and your democratic rights to gain power and then take those freedoms away. We've paid the price for their promises. Stand with the people still fighting to end this regime. Don't let what happened to us become your future.