Revolution '09 موج سبز

Revolution '09 موج سبز, originally uploaded by greggchadwick.

Gregg Chadwick
Revolution '09 موج سبز
48"x36" oil on linen 2009
(in progress - the revolution and the painting)

An Iranian citizen writes from Tehran:
(from Andrew Sullivan)

"I remember September 11, 2001. I remember watching TV all day worried and sad. I remember holding candlelight vigils with my friends for the victims. Then George W. Bush went on to declare us as one of the “Axis of Evil.” I remember asking myself, “Why?” Not a single one of the terrorists was Iranian, and I wondered why he didn’t bother to make a distinction between the government and the people. In fact, in all of the Middle East I don’t think there is a more pro-American nation than Iran, but no one made such a distinction. Consequently, the Iranian people were viewed with an aura of suspicion in every airport and embassy around the world for the rest of the Bush administration."

"But all of that unfounded negative stereotyping came to an end when, in the aftermath of the elections, the nation stood up to the manipulative authorities and separated its account from that of the government. We shattered the stereotype with the amateur photos and videos taken with our own mobile phones. We captured the true picture of the Iranian nation and relayed it to the world, a picture of a young and highly educated nation yearning to be free."

--PA

Much more at:
Andrew Sullivan at theAtlantic

Stand by Me for Iran free mp3

From Don Was:

On June 24, Iranian Superstar Andy Madadian went into an LA recording studio with Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora and American record producers Don Was and John Shanks to record a musical message of worldwide solidarity with the people of Iran.

This version of the old Ben E. King classic is not for sale - it was not meant to be on the Billboard charts or even manufactured as a CD.....it's intended to be downloaded and shared by the Iranian people...to give voice to the sentiment that all people of the world stand together....the handwritten Farsi sign in the video translates to "we are one".

If you know someone in Iran - or someone who knows someone in Iran - please share this link:

Stand by Me for Iran free mp3
Stand by Me for Iran Video



Much more at:
Andrew Sullivan at theAtlantic

New Video Leaks from Behind the Iran Curtain from June 20, 2009 - Basij Firing from Roof

New Video Leaks from Behind the Iran Curtain from June 20, 2009 - Basij Firing from Roof
All I can say is that the Basij firing from the roof is a coward and a criminal.

Ghoba Mosque: Protest Today In Iran - June 28, 2009

تجمع مردم معترض به نتایج انتخابات-هفتم تیر ماه 88 رو به روی مسجد قبا
واقع در محدوده خیابان شریعتی

Video report seems to confirm reports that thousands of protesters gathered today in & around Ghoba mosque. #iranelection #gr88 #neda

Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band @ Glastonbury June 27, 2009

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Blast Through Badlands Today (June 27, 2009) at the Glastonbury Music Festival in the UK

"For the ones who had a notion
And a notion deep inside
It ain't no sin to be glad you're alive...."


Letter from the late great Joe Strummer extolling Springsteen's virtues

Bruce Springsteen - Born To Run
Uploaded by Saklas. - Explore more music videos.

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band - Born to Run - Today (June 27, 2009) at the Glastonbury Music Festival in the UK
(New Zealand flag at 2:15 - praying you're safe persiankiwi)

Bruce Springsteen Dancing In The Dark
Uploaded by Saklas.

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band- Dancing in the Dark - Today (June 27, 2009) at the Glastonbury Music Festival in the UK

Bruce Springsteen - Glory Days
Uploaded by Saklas. - Music videos, artist interviews, concerts and more.

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band- Glory Days - Today (June 27, 2009) at the Glastonbury Music Festival in the UK


(For those who care all videos are pro-shot.)
Thanks BBC!

Courageous Non-Violent Protest in Iran

Cue David Bowie's Heroes as you watch this video from Iran which was posted today. Amazing courage.

Poems for the People of Iran by Simin Behbahani, Iran's National Poet

Simin Behbahani, Iran's national poet


A Poem For Neda Soltan
by Simin Behbahani, Iran's national poet


from NPR Simin Behbahani, Iran's national poet, spoke with NPR's Davar Iran Ardalan from Tehran on Friday June 26th. She recites two poems inspired by the protests -- one dedicated to the people of Iran and the other dedicated to Neda Agha-Soltan, the young woman mourned around the world because her death during last Saturday's protests was viewed by millions on the Web and TV.


A Poem for the People of Iran







Much more at:
Andrew Sullivan at theAtlantic

An Open Note to Arash Hejazi

Arash Hejazi's website has been dumped by the authorities in Iran, but I caught a screenshot of it as I wrote a comment to Dr. Hejazi. My words do not capture the true heroism of Dr. Hejazi and the citizens of Iran, but in the spirit of witness I post them here after I reprint Arash Hejazi's moving words:

Neda's Death. Eyewitness
As you might have read on Paulo Coelho's blog, I was the doctor who tried to save Neda. I am the one who sent the video of her cruel death for the world to see. I am the person in the video who tries to control her bleeding ... in vain. I was the one who looked into her eyes, right before they lost their light forever. A famous Iranian writer called Sadeq Hedayet wrote, "There are sores which slowly erode the mind in solitude like a kind of canker."

I have to live with this sore. But I am going to tell the story soon.

I wrote a comment:

Dear Dr. Hejazi,
I am but a painter and can not attempt to feel your pain or anger. But I do want you to know that the world is with you. My best friend, Phil Cousineau, is a writer like you and Paulo Coelho. And what makes the world smaller is that Phil's wife Jo Beaton did the publicity for Paulo's marvelous "The Alchemist" when it was first published in the USA. And my dear friend, Yareli Arizmendi did the first audio book version in the US as well. She was in the brilliant Mexican film "Like Water for Chocolate" where she met her husband Sergio Arau.
We are all "warriors of light" to use Paulo's term and we all defy the boundaries of clan or nationality. We feel the pain of you and your country and we are with you.
Gregg Chadwick

More at: The Full Story of Neda's Doctor and Paulo Coelho
Update: Video Interview With Dr. Arash Hejazi Who Aided Neda As She Died


Much more at:
Paulo Coelho's Blog

Kiss the Sky: Green Balloons Over Tehran, June 26, 2009

Kiss the Sky: Green Balloons Over Tehran, June 26, 2009

From the New York Times:

Keeping pressure on Iran's rulers, Obama emphasized the rights of the people there.

''Their bravery in the face of brutality is a testament to their enduring pursuit of justice,'' Obama said.

''The violence perpetrated against them is outrageous. In spite of the government's efforts to keep the world from bearing witness to that violence, we see it and we condemn it.''

Iran's violent postelection chaos has captured the world's attention and elicited increasingly sharp condemnations from Obama. Iran's ruling clergy have widened the clampdown on the opposition since a bitterly disputed June 12 presidential election, and scattered protests have replaced the initial mass rallies.

At least 17 people have been killed in a state-led crackdown on protesters.

Obama said Mousavi had captured the spirit and imagination of the Iranian people who want a more free society.

And he dismissed statements by Ahmadinejad, who on Thursday compared Obama to Bush. Obama said he is not meddling in Iran's affairs but rather calling for principles recognized around the world.

''A government that treats its own citizens with that kind of ruthlessness and violence and that cannot deal with peaceful protesters who are trying to have their voices heard in an equally peaceful way have moved outside of universal norms -- international norms -- that are important to uphold,'' Obama said.

Michael Jackson Dies at UCLA Medical Center

Jennifer Garner Dances to Michael Jackson's "Thriller"

Video Interview With Dr. Arash Hejazi Who Aided Neda Agha Soltan As She Died

Below I have posted the full text from the BBC, again to help circumvent the massive censorship and lies coming from the government in Iran:

Thursday, 25 June 2009 19:13 UK

Iran doctor tells of Neda's death

"We heard a gunshot. Neda was standing a metre away from me... I saw blood gushing out of her chest"

The doctor who tried to save an Iranian protester as she bled to death on a street in Tehran has told the BBC of her final moments.
Dr Arash Hejazi, who is studying at a university in the south of England, said he ran to Neda Agha-Soltan's aid after seeing she had been shot in the chest.
Despite his attempts to stop the bleeding she died in less than a minute, he said.
Dr Hejazi says he posted the video of Ms Soltan's death on the internet and images of her have become a rallying point for Iranian opposition supporters around the world.
He also told how passers-by then seized an armed Basij militia volunteer who appeared to admit shooting Ms Soltan.
Dr Hejazi said he had not slept for three nights following the incident, but he wanted to speak out so that her death was not in vain.
He doubted that he would be able to return to Iran after talking openly about Ms Soltan's killing.

Neda Agha-Soltan was shot in the chest
"I was there with some friends because we had heard that there were some protests and we decided to go and take a look," he said.
"Anti-riot police were coming by motorcycles towards the crowd."
Dr Hejazi said he saw Ms Soltan, who he did not know, with an older man who he thought was her father but later on learned was her music teacher.
"Suddenly everything turned crazy. The police threw teargas and the motorcycles started rushing towards the crowd. We ran to an intersection and people were just standing. They didn't know what to do.
"We heard a gunshot. Neda was standing one metre away from me. I turned back and I saw blood gushing out of Neda's chest.
"She was in a shocked situation, just looking at her chest. The she lost her control.
"We ran to her and lay her on the ground. I saw the bullet wound just below the neck with blood gushing out.
"I have never seen such a thing because the bullet, it seemed to have blasted inside her chest, and later on, blood exiting from her mouth and nose.

Ms Soltan has become a rallying point for protesters around the world
"I had the impression that it had hit the lung as well. Her blood was draining out of her body and I was just putting pressure on the wound to try to stop the bleeding, which wasn't successful unfortunately, and she died in less than one minute."
Dr Hejazi said he first thought the gunshot had come from a rooftop.
But later he saw protesters grab an armed man on a motorcycle.
"People shouted 'we got him, we got him'. They disarmed him and took out his identity card which showed he was a Basij member. People were furious and he was shouting, 'I didn't want to kill her'.
"People didn't know what do to do with him so they let him go. But they took his identity card. There are people there who know who he is. Some people were also taking photos of him."
Dr Hejazi said he knew he was putting himself in jeopardy by talking about what happened.
"It was a tough decision to make to come out and talk about it but she died for a cause. She was fighting for basic rights... I don't want her blood to have been shed in vain."
He added: "She died on the streets to say something."
Dr Hejazi said he did not believe he could now return to Iran.
"They are going to denounce what I am saying. They are going to put so many things on me. I have never been in politics. I am jeopardising my situation because of the innocent look in her (Neda's) eyes.

Much more at:
Andrew Sullivan at theAtlantic

Shirin Ebadi, Prominent Iranian Human Rights Lawyer and Nobel Peace Prize Winner, is prepared to represent Neda's Family

Update: Video Interview With Dr. Arash Hejazi Who Aided Neda As She Died


Ebadi said that Iran's constitution allows people to protest peacefully without permission [EPA]

Iran's Neda killing 'was illegal'
from Al Jazeera

(Again I have copied the entire article due to the incredible constraints and censorship put on the people of Iran by Ahmadinejad's government)

Shirin Ebadi, a prominent Iranian human rights lawyer and Nobel peace prize winner, has told Al Jazeera that she is prepared to represent the family of a young woman shot dead during a protest in Tehran.

The woman, named as Neda Agha Soltan on social-networking websites, has become a symbol for people protesting against the disputed re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president.

Ebadi told Al Jazeera on Wednesday: "I am personally prepared to legally represent her family against the people who ordered the shooting and those who fired at her.

"This act was against the law.

"Neda had not participated in the rally but, even if she had, hey did not have the right to shoot her."

At least 19 people have been killed after protests over the June 12 presidential election spilled over into violence, according to Iranian state media.

'Rights violations'

Ebadi, who has represented political prisoners and victims of human rights violations for more than 20 years, said that the actions of the police and pro-government militias violated the human rights convention.

"People were peacefully rallying in the streets to show their opposition to the outcome of the election but, as we saw, they were shot at and many were killed. Many others were arrested," she said.

"The prisoners who were arrested after the election must be immediately freed.

"According to the constitution of the Islamic Republic, peaceful rallying and demonstrations are allowed and do not need permission from any authorities."

Hundreds of people were reported to have been arrested after police used tear gas, water cannon and batons to disperse thousands of protesters gathering in central Tehran.

It was after this that reports about Neda began to emerge through the internet.

A video recorded on a mobile phone showed what appeared to be people attempting to save her life after she was apparently hit by sniper's bullet.

Ebadi said that the results of the election, which the two reformist candidates have complained was rigged, should be annulled.

"The people of Iran do not accept the outcome of the election, therefore ... a new election under the supervision of international institutions, including the United Nations [is needed]," she said.

The Guardian Council, Iran's highest legislative body, has said that there were some irregularities during the vote, but has ruled out a re-run of the election as demanded by the opposition candidates.

Neda Agha Soltan's Family Forced From Their Home By Ahmadinejad's Government

Update: Video Interview With Dr. Arash Hejazi Who Aided Neda As She Died


The home of Neda Agha Soltan in Tehran, Iran

Below is an article from The Guardian giving details on how Ahmadinejad's Government has forced Neda Agha Soltan's family from their home in Tehran. I am posting the article in full because of the heavy censorship in place in Iran. The world must bear witness to the injustice taking place now:

Neda Soltan's family forced out of home' by Iranian authorities
Parents of young woman shot dead near protests are banned from mourning and funeral is cancelled, neighbours say

A correspondent in Tehran
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 24 June 2009 18.00 BST

The Iranian authorities have ordered the family of Neda Agha Soltan out of their Tehran home after shocking images of her death were circulated around the world.

Neighbours said that her family no longer lives in the four-floor apartment building on Meshkini Street, in eastern Tehran, having been forced to move since she was killed. The police did not hand the body back to her family, her funeral was cancelled, she was buried without letting her family know and the government banned mourning ceremonies at mosques, the neighbours said.

"We just know that they [the family] were forced to leave their flat," a neighbour said. The Guardian was unable to contact the family directly to confirm if they had been forced to leave.

The government is also accusing protesters of killing Soltan, describing her as a martyr of the Basij militia. Javan, a pro-government newspaper, has gone so far as to blame the recently expelled BBC correspondent, Jon Leyne, of hiring "thugs" to shoot her so he could make a documentary film.

Soltan was shot dead on Saturday evening near the scene of clashes between pro-government militias and demonstrators, turning her into a symbol of the Iranian protest movement. Barack Obama spoke of the "searing image" of Soltan's dying moments at his press conference yesterday.

Amid scenes of grief in the Soltan household with her father and mother screaming, neighbours not only from their building but from others in the area streamed out to protest at her death. But the police moved in quickly to quell any public displays of grief. They arrived as soon as they found out that a friend of Soltan had come to the family flat.

In accordance with Persian tradition, the family had put up a mourning announcement and attached a black banner to the building.

But the police took them down, refusing to allow the family to show any signs of mourning. The next day they were ordered to move out. Since then, neighbours have received suspicious calls warning them not to discuss her death with anyone and not to make any protest.

A tearful middle-aged woman who was an immediate neighbour said her family had not slept for days because of the oppressive presence of the Basij militia, out in force in the area harassing people since Soltan's death.

The area in front of Soltan's house was empty today. There was no sign of black cloths, banners or mourning. Secret police patrolled the street.

"We are trembling," one neighbour said. "We are still afraid. We haven't had a peaceful time in the last days, let alone her family. Nobody was allowed to console her family, they were alone, they were under arrest and their daughter was just killed. I can't imagine how painful it was for them. Her friends came to console her family but the police didn't let them in and forced them to disperse and arrested some of them. Neda's family were not even given a quite moment to grieve."

Another man said many would have turned up to show their sympathy had it not been for the police.

"In Iran, when someone dies, neighbours visit the family and will not let them stay alone for weeks but Neda's family was forced to be alone, otherwise the whole of Iran would gather here," he said. "The government is terrible, they are even accusing pro-Mousavi people of killing Neda and have just written in their websites that Neda is a Basiji (government militia) martyr. That's ridiculous – if that's true why don't they let her family hold any funeral or ceremonies? Since the election, you are not able to trust one word from the government." A shopkeeper said he had often met Soltan, who used to come to his store.

"She was a kind, innocent girl. She treated me well and I appreciated her behaviour. I was surprised when I found out that she was killed by the riot police. I knew she was a student as she mentioned that she was going to university. She always had a nice peaceful smile and now she has been sacrificed for the government's vote-rigging in the presidential election."

Much more at:

Witness to Today's Unjust Violence in Iran

Allah - you are the creator of all and all must return to you - Allah Akbar - #Iranelection Sea of Green

thank you ppls 4 supporting Sea of Green - pls remember always our martyrs - Allah Akbar - Allah Akbar - Allah Akbar #Iranelection

we must go - dont know when we can get internet - they take 1 of us, they will torture and get names - now we must move fast - #Iranelection22 minutes ago from web

Everybody is under arrest & cant move - Mousavi - Karroubi even rumour Khatami is in house guard - #Iranelection -

they pull away the dead into trucks - like factory - no human can do this - we beg Allah for save us - #Iranelection



Lalezar Sq is same as Baharestan - unbelevable - ppls murdered everywhere - #Iranelection

they catch ppl with mobile - so many killed today - so many injured - Allah Akbar - they take one of us - #Iranelection

they catch ppl with mobile - so many killed today - so many injured - Allah Akbar - they take one of us - #Iranelection

in Baharestan we saw militia with axe choping ppl like meat - blood everywhere - like butcher - Allah Akbar - #Iranelection RT RT RT

reports of street fighting in Vanak Sq, Tajrish sq, Azadi Sq - now - #Iranelection - Sea of Green - Allah Akbar

rumour they are tracking high use of phone lines to find internet users - must move from here now - #Iranelection

phone line was cut and we lost internet - #Iranelection - getting more difficult to log into net - #Iranelection

all shops was closed - nowhere to go - they follow ppls with helicopters - smoke and fire is everywhere #Iranelection

ppl run into alleys and militia standing there waiting - from 2 sides they attack ppl in middle of alleys #Iranelection

so many ppl arrested - young & old - they take ppl away - #Iranelection - we lose our group

saw 7/8 militia beating one woman with baton on ground - she had no defense nothing - #Iranelection sure that she is dead

they were waiting for us - they all have guns and riot uniforms - it was like a mouse trap - ppl being shot like animals #Iranelection

I see many ppl with broken arms/legs/heads - blood everywhere - pepper gas like war - #Iranelection

The Full Story on Neda's Doctor and Paulo Coelho

Update: Video Interview With Dr. Arash Hejazi Who Aided Neda As She Died

Below is the story of the writer Paulo Coelho's dear friend who tends to Neda Agha Soltan's last moments. I post this in full from Paulo's site to help refute the lies coming from the hardliners in Iran. Please read for yourself this narrative told through emails between Paulo and the doctor:

The Doctor
Published by Paulo Coelho on June 24, 2009


Iran 2000, Brazilian Writer Paulo Coelho with Iranian Doctor and Translator Arash Hejazi

(Late Sunday I watch Neda’s video. I suspect that I recognize Arash Hejazi, but I prefer not to believe in what I am seeing. I send him and email)

Sunday 21 23:011

Dear Arash
I need to know where you stand, if things that I am seeing/reading are true. Then I can myself take a position - depending on your advice, of course.
love
Paulo

Date: Mon, 22 Jun 2009 02:05:05 -04:00
Subject: your country

Dearest Paulo,
I am now in Tehran. The video of Neda’s murder was taken by my friend, and you can recognize me in the video. I was the doctor who tried to save her and failed. She died in my arms. I am writing with tears in my eyes. Please don’t mention my name. I’ll contact you with more details soon.
Love
Arash


The doctor with Neda

(At this point, I decide to put the video in my blog)
(For the rest of the day, I try to contact him. At one point, someone answers his phone as a “CNN journalist”. I start to become worried)

Monday 22 17:46
Dear Arash
so far, no news from you. After I published the video in my blog, it seems that it spread worldwide, including posts in NY Times, Guardian, National Review, etc.
Therefore, my main concern now is about you. You NEED to answer this email, saying that you are all right
and
the name of the person where we spend the New Year’s Eve in 2001 together, just to be sure that it is you really who is answering this email. I don’t buy this CNN person answering your mobile.
If you don’t do that, I may leak your name to the press, in order to protect you - visibility is the only protection at this point. I know this because I am a former prisoner of conscience.
If you do that, unless instructed otherwise by you, I will stop the pressure for the moment. My main concern now is you and your family.
love
Paulo
P.S. - there are several trusted friends in blind copy here.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009 1:35 AM

Dearest Paulo
I am alright for now. I am not staying at home. I don’t know about CNN. The friend’s name was Frederick.
Love
Arash

Sent: Tuesday, June 23, 2009 1:37 AM

Dearest Paulo,
Trying to leave the country tomorrow morning. If I don’t arrive in London at 2 pm., something has happened to me. Till then, wait.
My wife and my son are in (edited). Their phone (edited) Her email (edited)
Please wait till tomorrow. If something happens to me, please take care of (name of wife) and (name of son), they are there, alone, and have no one else in the world.
Much love, it was an honor having you as a friend.
Arash

(At this point, a Brazilian journalist, Luis Antonio Ryff, who traveled to Iran to cover my visit, recognizes Arash in the video, and writes me to double-check. I confirm, but I ask him to keep his name secret until today. Ryff agrees – even knowing that this would be a major scoop for him. I would like to thank him here, for his dignity)

Wednesday 24
1:55 PM

Arash landed in London

Much more at:
Paulo Coelho's Blog

The Call - ندا -Neda

The Call - ندا -Neda, originally uploaded by greggchadwick.

Gregg Chadwick
The Call - ندا -Neda
36"x48" oil on linen 2009

Paulo Coelho and Neda

Update: The Full Story of Neda's Doctor and Paulo Coelho
Update: Video Interview With Dr. Arash Hejazi Who Aided Neda As She Died


The Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho, well known for his fable "The Alchemist", writes on his blog about the doctor who cared for Neda as she died in Tehran on Saturday:

"My best friend in Iran, a doctor who showed me its beautiful culture when I visited Teheran in 2000, who fought a war in the name of the Islamic Republic (against Iraq), who took care of wounded soldiers in the frontline, who always stood by real human values, is seen here trying to resuscitate Neda - hit in her heart."
-Paulo Coelho

Neda Agha Soltan

Coelho often writes of angels. Neda is being called "an angel of freedom." Below is a passage on angels from Paulo Coelho's site:

When angels talk
Nobody is courageous all the time. The unknown is a constant challenge, and being afraid is part of the journey.

What to do? Talk to yourself. Talk alone. Talk to yourself even if others think you have gone crazy. As we talk, an inner force gives us the security to overcome the obstacles that need to be surmounted. We learn lessons from the defeats that we are bound to suffer. And we prepare ourselves for the many victories that will be part of our life.

And just between you and me, those who have this habit (and I’m one of them) know that they never talk alone: the guardian angel is there, listening and helping us to reflect. What follows are some stories about angels.

And a story from Coelho:

Conversation in heaven

Abd Mubarak was on his way to Mecca when one night he dreamed that he was in heaven and heard two angels having a conversation.

"How many pilgrims came to the holy city this year?" one of them asked.

"Six hundred thousand", answered the other.

"And how many of them had their pilgrimage accepted?"

"None of them. However, in Baghdad there is a shoemaker called Ali Mufiq who did not make the pilgrimage, but did have his pilgrimage accepted, and his graces benefited the 600,000 pilgrims".

When he woke up, Abd Mubarak went to Mufiq’s shoe shop and told him his dream.

"At great cost and much sacrifice, I finally managed to get 350 coins together", the shoemaker said in tears. "But then, when I was ready to go to Mecca I discovered that my neighbors were hungry, so I distributed the money among them and gave up my pilgrimage".



Paulo Coelho's blog at:
Paulo Coelho's Site

How Long Must We Sing This Song?

U2 Sunday Bloody Sunday from the Self Aid benefit concert held in Dublin on 17 May 1986


For my dad and brother - Thinking of you on Father's Day.

New Video from today in Iran - Sunday, June 21, 2009

New Video from today in Iran - Sunday, June 21, 2009

Live Stream of Events From Iran From Persianq

Poem for the Rooftops of Iran - June 19th, 2009

RT: Hold the Holy Quran in Tomorrows Demonstration. It is a Mortal Sin to Kill People With Quran in Their Hands. #iranelection [PLEASE RT!]

"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win. "
-Gandhi

Oliphant

Iran Election Twitter Cloud

An amazing piece of work from Jeff Clark.

More of Jeff's work at:
Neoformix

On the Sixth Day

Today in Tehran. The Guardian has a source on the ground who estimates that today's silent protest has a drawn a crowd of up to a million people.

Much more at:
A Day of Mourning

Lakers Victory Parade in Los Angeles

LAPD officers take photos of the Lakers players along Figueroa Street.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Amid the post-parade crowd, I saw Rick Steves tonight in LA - he spoke at length about the political importance of travel and his new PBS program on travel in Iran. Bravo.

Iran Protests Peacefully for the 5th Straight Day

From a source in Iran:
"Today again we were hundreds of thousands of Sea of Green, chanting 'my brother - my martyr - I will claim your vote for you!'"



Iran / today / Krimkhan St / protest NOW #iranelection



RT from Iran:today's demonstration was a real victory & fortunately there were no basij/Sepah HQ in the way & nothing bad happened


Iran / today / Krimkhan bridge / protest NOW #iranelection


Confirmed - Iranian National Football Team show support for Mousavi - sea of green #Iranelection

Images of Tuesday's Silent Protest in Tehran

images of Tuesdays silent protest #iranelection, originally uploaded by .faramarz.

Images are coming in from today's new round of peaceful protests in Iran.



More at:.faramarz's photo stream on flickr

#Iranelection Cyber Protest Guide

Below are some thoughts on how we can help our brothers and sisters in Iran.

The purpose of this guide is to help you participate constructively in the Iranian election protests through Twitter.

1. Do NOT publicise proxy IP's over twitter, and especially not using the #iranelection hashtag. Security forces are monitoring this hashtag, and the moment they identify a proxy IP they will block it in Iran. If you are creating new proxies for the Iranian bloggers, DM them to @stopAhmadi or @iran09 and they will distribute them discretely to bloggers in Iran.

2. Hashtags, the only two legitimate hashtags being used by bloggers in Iran are #iranelection and #gr88, other hashtag ideas run the risk of diluting the conversation.

3. Keep you bullshit filter up! Security forces are now setting up twitter accounts to spread disinformation by posing as Iranian protesters. Please don't retweet impetuosly, try to confirm information with reliable sources before retweeting. The legitimate sources are not hard to find and follow.

4. Help cover the bloggers: change your twitter settings so that your location is TEHRAN and your time zone is GMT +3.30. Security forces are hunting for bloggers using location and timezone searches. If we all become 'Iranians' it becomes much harder to find them.

5. Don't blow their cover! If you discover a genuine source, please don't publicise their name or location on a website. This is REAL. These bloggers are in REAL danger. Spread the word discretely through your own networks but don't signpost them to the security forces. People are dying there, for real, please keep that in mind...

Austin Heap provides detailed instructions on his site on how to set up a proxy to help the Iranian cause.

Details below. Check Austin's site for troubleshooting:

If you’re using Windows, it’s pretty straight forward to setup a proxy and help give access to those in Iran who are being censored. If you’re running Redhat/CentOS, please use the linux instructions.

1) Download Squid for Windows
2) Extract that zip archive, and move the “squid” folder to the root of your drive (probably C:\).
3) After moving the squid folder, open “C:\squid\etc\squid.conf” in your favorite text editor (not Word).
4) Configure the DNS name servers on the line that says “dns_nameservers” to point at your ISPs DNS servers.
5) Now the fun part, locking access down the just the Iranian IP blocks.

Inside the text editor search (Control-W) for the line “http_access deny all” and change it to “http_access allow all”. This will make your proxy open and accessible to the world. If you would like to limit your proxy to Iranian IP blocks, you want to change “http_access deny all” to read “http_access allow TRUSTED” add a line (BEFORE the http_access line to setup an access control list [ACL]). This ACL line that defines TRUSTED should read:

acl TRUSTED src 62.60.128.0/17 62.193.0.0/19 62.220.96.0/19 77.36.128.0/17 77.77.64.0/18 77.104.64.0/18 77.237.64.0/19 77.237.160.0/19 77.245.224.0/20 78.38.0.0/15 78.109.192.0/20 78.110.112.0/20 78.111.0.0/20 78.154.32.0/19 78.157.32.0/19 78.158.160.0/19 79.127.0.0/17 79.132.192.0/19 79.170.144.0/21 79.175.128.0/18 80.66.176.0/20 80.69.240.0/20 80.71.112.0/20 80.75.0.0/20 80.191.0.0/16 80.242.0.0/20 80.253.128.0/20 80.253.144.0/20 81.12.0.0/17 81.28.32.0/20 81.28.48.0/20 81.31.160.0/20 81.31.176.0/20 81.90.144.0/20 81.91.128.0/20 81.91.144.0/20 82.99.192.0/18 82.115.0.0/19 83.147.192.0/18 84.47.192.0/18 84.241.0.0/18 85.9.64.0/18 85.15.0.0/18 85.133.128.0/17 85.185.0.0/16 85.198.0.0/18 86.109.32.0/19 87.107.0.0/16 87.247.160.0/19 87.248.128.0/19 89.144.128.0/18 89.165.0.0/17 89.221.80.0/20 89.235.64.0/18 91.98.0.0/15 91.184.64.0/19 91.186.192.0/19 91.206.122.0/23 91.208.165.0/24 91.209.242.0/24 91.212.16.0/24 91.212.19.0/24 91.212.252.0/24 92.42.48.0/21 92.50.0.0/18 92.61.176.0/20 92.62.176.0/20 92.242.192.0/19 93.110.0.0/16 93.190.24.0/21 94.74.128.0/18 94.101.128.0/20 94.101.176.0/20 94.101.240.0/20 94.139.160.0/19 94.182.0.0/15 94.184.0.0/17 94.232.168.0/21 94.241.128.0/18 95.38.0.0/16 95.80.128.0/18 95.81.64.0/18 95.82.0.0/18 95.82.64.0/18 95.130.56.0/21 95.130.240.0/21 188.34.0.0/16 188.93.64.0/21 188.121.96.0/19 188.121.128.0/19 188.136.128.0/17 188.158.0.0/15 193.189.122.0/23 194.225.0.0/16 195.146.32.0/19 212.16.64.0/19 212.33.192.0/19 212.50.224.0/19 212.80.0.0/19 212.95.128.0/19 212.120.192.0/19 213.176.0.0/19 213.176.32.0/19 213.176.64.0/18 213.195.0.0/18 213.207.192.0/18 213.217.32.0/19 213.233.160.0/19 217.11.16.0/20 217.24.144.0/20 217.25.48.0/20 217.64.144.0/20 217.66.192.0/20 217.66.208.0/20 217.146.208.0/20 217.172.96.0/19 217.174.16.0/20 217.218.0.0/15

6) Setup “visible_hostname” (normally just the public IP address).
7) Turn off logging by adding these two lines:

access_log none
cache_store_log none

7) Setup the Squid cache by issuing the following command: “c:\squid\sbin\squid -D –z” (No quotes).
Setup Squid to run as a service by issuing the following command: “c:\squid\sbin\squid –i”

Please don’t run this on a machine that you’re worried about or is used for production sites; and take basic security precautions, ie: moving ftp off the default port, using a firewall package, etc.

Once your server is up and running please DM @austinheap and let me know! I will no longer posting proxies on the public list. If you set one up, please e-mail me@austinheap.com to contribute to the private one or e-mail me if your an Iranian that needs access!

More details at:
How to Set Up A Proxy for the Citizens of Iran

Momentum Builds in Tehran

Tehran Rally Against Ahmadinejad اعتراض به نتایج انتخابات 25 june 2009, ۱۳۸۸ خرداد ۱۵ سال

Much more at:
Andrew Sullivan Follows the Events in Iran

Breaking photos from Iran on flickr:
Iran Today

Brand New Moby: Pale Horses Video

Moby
Pale Horses from his upcoming album.

Art for a New Iraq: Street Work from Tehran

Thanks to fryingpanfire for these images of vibrant, political street art from Tehran. The artists' identities remain hidden for their safety.

Non-Violence Will Win in the End

A supporter of Mir Hossein Mousavi helps evacuate an injured riot-police officer who had been attacking Mousavi backers during confrontation in Tehran on June 13, 2009.
photo by Olivier Laban-Matte

This photo will prove to be an iconic image of the green revolution in Iran. Mousavi's supporters want change and they want peace!

More photos of the events in Iran at:
Iran's Green Revolution

ماگوسفندنیستیم! We are not sheep!

Follow the breaking events at Andrew Sullivan at Atlantic Monthly. This is a sea change in Iranian politics. One of Andrew Sullivan's readers writes:

I just talked to my father in Iran a few minutes ago. He had been in the demonstrations. He was telling me people were chanting: "Ahmadi, Ahmadi 24 millionet koo?" ("Ahmadi, Ahmadi were are your 24 millions?") and "Ahmadi, Ahmadi 63-dar sadet koo?"("Ahmadi Ahmadi, where is your 63%").
He said that the protesters were chanting "Nirooye Entezami Hemayat Hemayat" (asking police for support) And he was also confirming that at the beginning when there were smaller groups, the police was attacking them, but as the crowd built up thay had to stand back.
We might be experiencing a true revolution here.

Live tweets from Iran at:
Live Tweeting the Revolution
ماگوسفندنیستیم! We are not sheep!

Los Angeles Lakers Win NBA Title, Kobe Bryant Wins MVP, I Think of Ed Ruscha

Ed Ruscha
The Back of Hollywood
22 x 80 inches oil on canvas 1977
© Ed Ruscha

The Los Angeles Lakers have won their 15th NBA Championship and of course I think of Ed Ruscha who has visualized the city of LA during most of the Lakers championship years.



Fabrik Magazine: The art critic Peter Plagens once said that while other Los Angeles based artists had the LA look, you “look at LA.” What is it about LA that you find so compelling to look at?

Ed Ruscha: I tend to borrow things from LA. Some of these ugly buildings I see in LA are really food for thought. Some of the simplest things in the world help me view and understand LA. When the sun is shining here there is this remote tie in with glamour that other cities don’t have. This place doesn’t seem to have anywhere to look up to. It’s totally open ended… But I think it goes back to simple things like orange trees, the sun shining, freeways, and Chicano car stylings. Chicano car styling is one of the most treasured cultural icons of Los Angeles. You can’t transpose that anywhere else.






Ed Ruscha
Hollywood is a Verb
© Ed Ruscha




by Ruets and Asylm
Go Lakers
graffitti on 110 Freeway

Photos from Iran: The Green Revolution

more photo's of todays chaos #iranelection, originally uploaded by .faramarz.

More photos from Iran at:
fhashemi on flickr
Tehran 24



Details of the election fraud/coup from garysick:
the classic definition of a coup in Iran

"On the basis of what we know so far, here is the sequence of events starting on the afternoon of election day, Friday, June 12.

Near closing time of the polls, mobile text messaging was turned off nationwide
Security forces poured out into the streets in large numbers

The Ministry of Interior (election headquarters) was surrounded by concrete barriers and armed men

National television began broadcasting pre-recorded messages calling for everyone to unite behind the winner

The Mousavi campaign was informed officially that they had won the election, which perhaps served to temporarily lull them into complacency

But then the Ministry of Interior announced a landslide victory for Ahmadinejad

Unlike previous elections, there was no breakdown of the vote by province, which would have provided a way of judging its credibility

The voting patterns announced by the government were identical in all parts of the country, an impossibility

Less than 24 hours later, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamene`i publicly announced his congratulations to the winner, apparently confirming that the process was complete and irrevocable, contrary to constitutional requirements

Shortly thereafter, all mobile phones, Facebook, and other social networks were blocked, as well as major foreign news sources."

"All of this had the appearance of a well orchestrated strike intended to take its opponents by surprise – the classic definition of a coup. Curiously, this was not a coup of an outside group against the ruling elite; it was a coup of the ruling elite against its own people."