With tears of sadness and a heart filled with respect, I offer my prayers and support to the people of Iran.

My prayers and thoughts have been with the people of Iran each day as events have underfolded since their election.  Their struggle for freedom, for their votes to be counted and their voices to be heard is inspiring and moving in so many ways mere words can not express my respect and admiration for their courage.

Their struggle can teach all of us a great deal.  As Americans we take a lot for granted including our freedoms. When it comes to the affairs of other countries we too often jump to conclusions before we have all the facts and an adequate understanding of the culture, and too often let the news and political rhetoric blur our thinking.  We paint an entire nation with one brush based on what little we know about the leaders and news soundbites we hear.  But the people of Iran are good people, with courage and respect for life, with traditions and a religion that is honorable and inspiring.  However, their leaders have used these against them and twisted them into lies and deception in order to control the population and try to bully the rest of the world.

The fight for freedom means something different for each country and manifests differently in every culture. However, at the core the struggle is the same for all people.  From this common ground, we can grow our understanding and offer our support to the people of Iran that they succeed in their fight for freedom – a freedom that the people of Iran chose and create. 

As the people of Iran face the harsh retaliation and violence from their own leaders my heart aches for them.  I also realize just how close our country came to having our version of a religion-based government and leaders claiming to speak for God controlling our every move.

Fortunately, last fall the majority of Americans took notice and millions voted to change the course of America that after 8 years of Republican rule was heading even further down a path to right-wing religious control and violence, with fear mongering and ego-based zealots as our leaders who would have trambled our rights and freedoms just as quickly as the government  in Iran. 

I am thankful that in our country we value and put into law the separation of church and state, for the right to vote and for our individual freedoms.  But we can not take these for granted.  The struggle in our country does not manifest as a clashes in the streets or our government sending armed forces to raid our homes.  But there is still a struggle and there are right-wing Republicans who would rule just as strickly and harshly as any mullah. They work behind close doors, use lies and twisted logic to create fear and deceit in their quest for power, and sometimes that struggle does erupt in violence here at home (such as the recent shootings at Holocaust Museum and woman’s health care clinic).

Blessings and Peace to all who have given their lives in the fight for freedom and to all who continue the struggle.    Lady Rose

Related posts:
The Real Lesson Of Iran — Beware America’s Republican Mullahs – by Frank Schaeffer, a former right-wing leader, posted onuffington Post. A look at the behind the scenes goals of the Republican right-wing and the on-going battle between oppressive religion and freedom.
Comparing the Ongoing Struggle Tehran and Anchorage Protests – by Philip Munger, author of Progressive Alaska blog. A look at the importance of keeping religion out of politics.

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