Iran's Pursuit of Freedom

On May 1, 2003, President George W. Bush announced the end of major combat operations in Iraq.

A portion of the speech he delivered that day aboard the U.S.S. Lincoln seems particularly relevant when considering the recent events in Iran.

You might remember that President Bush said, “Everywhere that freedom arrives, humanity rejoices; and everywhere that freedom stirs, let tyrants fear.”

Of course, President Bush was speaking directly about Iraqis, many of whom aided the American-led coalition in ousting Saddam Hussein. Additionally, he was speaking of other oppressed peoples who would clamor for freedom in the future.

This being the case, I cannot help but recall these words as I watch ongoing coverage of the Iranian people protesting the results of the presidential election held on June 12.

In reality, the election never had a chance to have a fair outcome.

The supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, chose the four candidates whose names were placed on ballots. Even before this, it was already a forgone conclusion that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad would “win” re-election. This point is only made clearer by the fact that Ahmadinejad was declared the victor even before all ballots had been counted. After conducting a preliminary study of available election data, Walter Mebane, a professor of political science at the University of Michigan, concluded that the initially released polling station data show evidence of significant distortions in the vote counts.

In other words, vote tallies appear to have been manipulated in some fashion.

The point is that the Iranians have every reason to protest.

As Americans, we can certainly understand why the people are inundated over the election results. As our own Declaration of Independence states, “We hold these truths to be selfevident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”

From this passage, we are reminded that the rights of mankind do not come from a king or government. Instead, our rights and freedoms are given to us by our Creator. Any power that government does have is given to it by its people.

Unfortunately, we realize that all men everywhere are not free today. This includes the people of Iran. These people have been forced to live under the dictatorial regime of Ayatollah Khamenei and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

As Americans, we should stand for freedom, as well as for the people who are clamoring to reclaim it from those who have stolen it. I’m not saying we should march into Iran and forcibly create a democracy, but we should support the large movement for freedom which now exists.

President Obama should take a stronger stance in support of these brave individuals. To his credit, the president did make statements over the weekend calling on the government of Iran “to stop all violent and unjust actions against its own people. The universal rights to assembly and free speech must be respected, and the United States stands with all who seek to exercise those rights.”

It is possible that the outcry of many Americans who support the Iranian protestors have reached the ears of the president.

Let us hope such is the case. These brave individuals have risked their very lives to stand for the freedoms which have been long absent from their lives.

As I said before, I am pleased President Obama has begun to make stronger statements about the Iranian situation. Sadly, however, his statements are still a far cry from those made by previous American presidents in support of freedom loving people.

President Obama should long remember and emulate the 1981 example of President Reagan. In that year, the Polish government stripped its citizens of their freedoms and liberties. In response, President Reagan said, “I want emphatically to state tonight that if the outrages in Poland do not cease, we cannot and will not conduct ‘business as usual’ with the perpetrators and those who aid and abet them. Make no mistake, their crime will cost them dearly in their future dealings with America and free peoples everywhere. I do not make this statement lightly or without serious reflection.”

Unquestionably, the United States of America stands with the people of Iran. Hopefully, our leaders will do everything in their power to aid them in their pursuit of freedom. By now, Khamenei and Ahmadinejad should have come to the realization that President Bush was correct when he said that “everywhere that freedom stirs, let tyrants fear.” Due to recent occurrences, both Khamenei and Ahmadinejad should be very afraid. Truly, freedom is on the march in Iran.

--As Appeared in The Daily Mississippian on Wednesday, June 24, 2009