news.bbc.co.uk— This is a BBC-translated full interview with Neda's fiancee, giving further depth to the woman who tragically died in the iconic video that has sparked grief and outrage around the world.
Jun 22, 2009View in Crawl 4
Change the word "died" to "suffered and died" and censormagnet is right with millionsActually, here are some stats on deaths from the Philadelphia Inquirer: Combined with tallies based on hospital sources and media reports since the beginning of the war - in 2003 - and a review of available evidence by the Associated Press, more than 110,600 Iraqis have died in violence since the U.S.-led invasion. The number is a minimum count of violent deaths. The official who provided the data to the AP estimated that the actual number of deaths is 10 percent to 20 percent higher because thousands are still missing and many civilians were buried in the chaos of war without official records.<a class="user" href="http://www.philly.com/inquirer/front_page/20090424_Iraqi_death_toll_at_least_110_600.html">http://www.philly.com/inquirer/front_page/20090424 ...</a>
Yet again, it is mere speculation that it's the work of the government.It's entirely possible that someone did this to incite violence. There ARE anti-governmental militias in Iran, believe it or not.I know most people on digg are eager to watch a bloody revolution for some reason, but the situation in Iran is a lot more complex than a peaceful gathering of people demanding their freedom. In fact, that does not mesh with the reality in Iran at all. The protests from the very start turned unruly and violent. Thousands of angry people gathering is hardly ever peaceful, any place or any time. This story doesn't even go with the whole "martyr" theme of the last few days, because this article says she was in the wrong place at the wrong time and not a part of any protest. Yesterday she was a part of the protests. Today she is "minding her own business".For a democratic society to operate, truthful information needs to be obtained and facts need to be checked. It requires a lot more than just the freedom of speech and a lot more than knee-jerk interpretations of highly emotional events. It requires patience and diligence. Otherwise, you're just a puppet and someone else is pulling the strings.I would hope America could lead by example here, but if the last decade has proven anything, it's that Americans, themselves, are incapable of the effort that democracy demands.
That's what a symbol is. We may not have access to imagery of the other tragic losses of life, but Neda's death offers a way to connect to what is happening there, to understand its horror and identify with it. She's not more important that the other deaths, rather, she represents all of them.
remember the FBI sent in instigators to stir up violence during the anti-Vietnam War peace protests so that the Nixon thugs could crack down on the peace demonstrations... this is simply the reverberations of nixonian draconianism. Hoover used the same tactics to disrupt the Civil Rights marches in the 60s. the government hires "hooligans" to break windows and set cars on fire so they can justify the crackdown on a peaceful protest.
pixiemom1970Jun 23, 2009
Change the word "died" to "suffered and died" and censormagnet is right with millionsActually, here are some stats on deaths from the Philadelphia Inquirer: Combined with tallies based on hospital sources and media reports since the beginning of the war - in 2003 - and a review of available evidence by the Associated Press, more than 110,600 Iraqis have died in violence since the U.S.-led invasion. The number is a minimum count of violent deaths. The official who provided the data to the AP estimated that the actual number of deaths is 10 percent to 20 percent higher because thousands are still missing and many civilians were buried in the chaos of war without official records.<a class="user" href="http://www.philly.com/inquirer/front_page/20090424_Iraqi_death_toll_at_least_110_600.html">http://www.philly.com/inquirer/front_page/20090424 ...</a>
Closed AccountJun 23, 2009
Yet again, it is mere speculation that it's the work of the government.It's entirely possible that someone did this to incite violence. There ARE anti-governmental militias in Iran, believe it or not.I know most people on digg are eager to watch a bloody revolution for some reason, but the situation in Iran is a lot more complex than a peaceful gathering of people demanding their freedom. In fact, that does not mesh with the reality in Iran at all. The protests from the very start turned unruly and violent. Thousands of angry people gathering is hardly ever peaceful, any place or any time. This story doesn't even go with the whole "martyr" theme of the last few days, because this article says she was in the wrong place at the wrong time and not a part of any protest. Yesterday she was a part of the protests. Today she is "minding her own business".For a democratic society to operate, truthful information needs to be obtained and facts need to be checked. It requires a lot more than just the freedom of speech and a lot more than knee-jerk interpretations of highly emotional events. It requires patience and diligence. Otherwise, you're just a puppet and someone else is pulling the strings.I would hope America could lead by example here, but if the last decade has proven anything, it's that Americans, themselves, are incapable of the effort that democracy demands.
sporkmongerJun 23, 2009
That's what a symbol is. We may not have access to imagery of the other tragic losses of life, but Neda's death offers a way to connect to what is happening there, to understand its horror and identify with it. She's not more important that the other deaths, rather, she represents all of them.
waphlezJun 23, 2009
@11oopsAre you seriously comparing the elections of the US to Iran's "democratic" elections?
osullibheanJun 23, 2009
Oppressed people? What do you know about oppressed people? Try talking to those who survived the reign of the Shah and his Savak secret police.
osullibheanJun 23, 2009
It's the BBC. They don't do 'news' or 'information'.
larryodbcJun 24, 2009
remember the FBI sent in instigators to stir up violence during the anti-Vietnam War peace protests so that the Nixon thugs could crack down on the peace demonstrations... this is simply the reverberations of nixonian draconianism. Hoover used the same tactics to disrupt the Civil Rights marches in the 60s. the government hires "hooligans" to break windows and set cars on fire so they can justify the crackdown on a peaceful protest.
jamesmcjamesmcJun 24, 2009
<a class="user" href="http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/06/24/coughlin.khamenei/index.html">http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/06/24/coughlin ...</a>more conflicting info:The death of Neda Agha Soltan, the 27-year-old "Angel of Freedom" who was killed by a government sniper as she joined an anti-government protest with her father, is a graphic illustration of just how ruthless the regime can be in suppressing the protests.