The Antisocial Socialist

I somehow missed the story about TD Bank closing the accounts of Iranian-Canadians until protests made the news.

I gotta say, I'm gobsmacked. TD seems to be the only bank doing this, so it can't be a government-imposed sanction that all banks are forced to do. They also like to promote themselves as Good Corporate Citizens, QUILTBAG-friendly in their advertising, diverse and all that. So to pull a move that is not only racist but is a terrifying echo of WWII-era xenophobia (what's next? Are we going to round up Iranians and put them in internment camps like we did to Japanese-Canadians?) is just astounding. Oh, and we're not even at war with Iran or anything. Also, these are Canadian citizens we're talking about, not that it matters.

So, why aren't we up in arms about it? Can they even do this?

When headlines read like this.* While all this Twitter shit is interesting, and maybe we can analyze it after, can't we be interested in what's going on in Iran for its own sake?

Anyway, there are some good analyses I've read, but you've probably all been following this more closely than I have as I've been swamped with school. Still, if you have links, toss 'em my way.

Is this going to be branded the [insert descriptor here] Revolution? You know, like the Orange Revolution and the Cedar Revolution?

Edit: Interesting articles. Apparently neo-cons like Ahmadinejad better, albeit for the same reason misguided leftists prefer Republicans to Democrats. Of course, neo-cons are largely misguided former leftists, so I guess that makes sense.

* Hat tip frandroid.

Since you asked, I thought it was incredible, but I expected nothing less owing to how much I loved the comic. It's also a work that can't be separated from the present political context, which is why it requires a more in-depth post than, "Gaaaah. Go see it." (You should go see it, though.)

For those of you unfamiliar with the comic, it's the story of Marjane Satrapi, the daughter of bourgeois Iranian intellectuals. Many of her family members are communists, including some who have been imprisoned for their opposition to the Shah's rule. When massive street protests break out in Tehran, they see it as a sign that they'll finally be free of a cruel dictatorship. Obviously, the revolution doesn't go so well, and the first book is the story of bright, independent young Marjane struggling to survive under a brutally misogynistic theocracy.

The film is visually stunning. It breathes life into the beautiful drawings from the comic. It's so rare to see traditional animation on the big screen these days.

It's also very funny. That was the one thing my friend S. kept commenting on, because there's apparently no other Iranian movie that's funny. But it's a tragic humour, because—SPOILER—the story is basically one horrific event after another, so you laugh, you let your guard down, and then Satrapi delivers a gut-punch.

( Now, let's talk about the politics )

Okay, so let's get to my one big criticism of the film. It's Persepolis I and II condensed into the same movie. They really should have made two. They cut out my favourite scene and spent more time than they should have, I thought, on the Vienna parts. But if my largest criticism of a movie is "it should have been twice as long," that's the kind of criticism that should make you want to run out and see it.

Thanks a lot, frandroid. You sure know how to cheer a girl up.

[Poll #955787]

[Poll #905458]

P.S. Invading Somalia and Iran? (Well, okay, trying to provoke Iran into a war. Potato, po-tah-to.) Did someone run out of schools to paint in Iraq or something?

P.P.S. Go Greece. Heh. How exactly do you launch a rocket into a toilet?

This came via my friend G., an Iranian artist and activist living in Toronto. She's urging as many people as possible to take part in this action. All you need to do is click the link and follow the instructions.

She's also curious about how many people have heard about the June 12 arrests; apparently most major news outlets aren't covering the story. So if you did hear, let me know who you heard it from.

Please forward. Or re-post on your LJ.

-> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> ->
Subject: Electronic Solidarity Action
Dates: June 16 - 19, 2006
Go to: http://opinionware.net/iran
-> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> ->

Please join us in an urgent action in solidarity with Iranian women's movement and in support of the tens of people who were detained on June 12, 2006 in Tehran. Some detainees are apparently scheduled to attend court on Saturday, June 17th. This action is an electronic sit-in on the website of the Presidency of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Help send a strong message to Iran's President to demand the immediate and unconditional release of all detainees.

( background and more info )

Good morning! Let's start off with some good news!

First off, as predicted, the National Post has retracted the story about Iranian Jews, Christians, and Zoroastrians having to wear coloured badges. Now Harper is in trouble for believing them. This is great news for everyone: Iranian religious minorities, reality-based Canadians, and anyone who likes to see the Post get pwned.

Speaking of unconfirmed reports, it seems that TTC drivers aren't going to make us pay to ride buses and streetcars. I say unconfirmed because I took two streetcars this morning and no one seemed to be riding for free. It seemed a bit impolite to ask the drivers. Anyway, does anyone know if this is true? Because if so: Best. Job action. Ever.

---

It seemed like a lot of people liked my post yesterday about my Zionist relatives flying off the handle. (Question: What triggered the avalanche of comments? Usually my political posts don't get that much discussion, so is it the family drama element?) Here's an update.

I e-mailed my aunt back, as promised, with the last two sentences of that post. She wrote me back!

I don't have to examine anything. I know where I stand and what I stand for and it is Israel's survival. The Palestinians were offered everything and they turned it down. The only people who will look after us is US!!!!!!! Wake up and smell the roses before it is too late.

"I don't have to examine anything." My point is made, yes?

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Finally, I stayed up late last night because there was a fascinating discussion on Alas, a blog and Pandagon (and various other places) about using birth control pills to stop your period.

( cut for the squeamish )

The front cover of the National Post today featured a headline blaring the news that Jews living in Iran were going to be forced to wear clothing identifying them as such. There weren't any Iranians on the cover—just pictures from the Holocaust of German Jews wearing the yellow star. Now, Ahamdinajad is such a nutbag that I wouldn't put this thing past him, but the fact that the National Post was covering this story and no one else was made me wonder. Since I won't pay a cent for that nasty little rag, I waited until I got home and then checked the website. There was a two-page article expanding on the headline—apparently all Iranians were getting some sort of standardized uniform—traditional Islamic garb for Muslims, yellow ribbons for Jews, red for Christians, and blue for Zoroastrians. Still an evil plan, but not quite as genocidal as the headline would have you believe.

Feministe posted about it, and one of the comments linked to this story, which has Israeli reporter Meir Javedanfar calling bullshit on the whole deal.

I re-checked the National Post site, and the story was down. About ten minutes later, this was up. (If the link goes dead, the new headline is "Experts say report of badges for Jews in Iran is untrue" and quotes Javedanfar, among others. I believe the other story quoted Stephen Harper as denouncing the law (but I don't remember for sure); now he's saying that he thinks Iran is capable of it, anyway.

Okay, if they actually passed this law, it's utterly awful and ought to be condemned and all that. But I'm thinking that the Post jumped the gun in an effort to rouse Canadian sentiment against Iran. Thoughts?

It seems that this story, however, is true. Click this link to find out how you can help an 18-year-old Iranian woman who faces the death penalty for defending herself against a rapist.

The fact that the U.S. is threatening to use nuclear weapons to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons is justification for Iran to develop nuclear weapons.*

Discuss.

* I believe that no one has the right to nuclear weapons. This said, the U.S. has them. Given this scenario, does Iran have the right to defend itself against this threat?