Here is the Neda video and photos, a beautiful Iranian woman shot in the streets of Tehran by state militia, serving as a rallying cry for freedom in Iran and around the world. She was shot in the heart by a Basij soldier on Saturday June 20th while peacefully protesting on a sidewalk with her father, holding a sign that simply said “freedom.”
Neda: Iran Martyr, Obama Silent
Everyone but our own president seems to realize that we are on the cusp of an Iranian Revolution in Iran that Americans feel compelled to support. The silence of Barack Obama on the important democratic struggle taking place in Iran is dumbfounding.
Neda means “voice” in Farsi so she has quickly taken center stage as the voice of Iran in troubled times. You can read more about her here and here and here.
FDR assisted our democratic allies in Europe during the darkest hours of World War II. Ronald Reagan stared down the “evil empire” while famously demanding that Mikhail Gorbechev tear down the Berlin wall. George Bush appropriately labeled North Korea, Iran and Iraq an “axis of evil” for the way they suppressed their own people.
These presidents were not afraid to take the side of freedom, a long tradition among American presidents dating back to George Washington himself and something that is bred into our American psyche. Freedom is in our blood, and that of our fathers who spilled it so that others may enjoy democratic freedoms around the world. But not this tepid president who has straddled the fence of moral relativism, seemingly afraid or unwilling to choose a side in a historic struggle.
You can read a poem about her martyrdom. The photo above of the Iranian woman shot, Neda, is before she passed. The Neda Iran video is below the fold. Warning that this YouTube content is graphic, and presented as a key historical moment in the Iranian Revolution.
Update: a second video has been found which shows Neda before she was shot. She is in the black gown standing next to her father in the blue striped shirt.
Neda Video
Neda Before Shooting
June 21st, 2009 at 8:22 am
This should stand as an example of what will happen when Obama, the democrats and liberals (ACORN) try and steal the election in 2010 and beyond. American’s might take to the streets and if so they won’t be throwing rocks.
I’m quite willing to live with the results of a fair election of voting AMERICAN’s. If I disagree with the results I will try and make any changes I want with the ballot. Tinker with that only at your own peril.
June 21st, 2009 at 8:22 am
Michael
Are you saying all the soldiers who died in Iraq was for nothing ? Are you stupid enough to believe that it was only about hearts and minds ? Actually, it worked out pretty well. Would you like a list of all the successes and accomplishments that our guys died for ?
What about the N. Korea threat ?
Jeez you’re an idiot. Bambis lame on that front too, isnt he ?
Do those people have access to media that lets em know just how f*cked they are ? Are they rioting for freedom and what if they were ? Do you think harsh words from Bambi are going to solve it ? Sanctions ? Wanna deploy our whole pacific fleet out there ?
June 21st, 2009 at 8:23 am
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June 21st, 2009 at 8:30 am
I know you are worried that Obama hasn’t said loud enough that we condemn this, but having lived abroad and having many Iranian friends, I would say that “less is more” in this case. This “evil” government came to power because of a Revolution they staged in 1979–claiming America had played a propaganda game to overthrow their leader in 1953. By not saying he backs the oppposition, Obama is making a critical decision that is going to actually keep the ruling power of linking the current opposition to Western influence. Obama is starving the current regime of oxygen by NOT commenting. Opposition in Iran have actually stated the FEAR being linked to American intervention. If you want to support the opposition in Iran, the best thing is to shut up.
June 21st, 2009 at 8:41 am
Good call Krista.
Most of the comments I have seen here are by people who let Rush and the right wing conservatives do thier thinking for them.
We are in US are not without fault when it comes to bad decisions. We supported Ossama bin Laden against the Russians, suported the Shah of Iran over a democratically elected government and Saddam Huesain over Iran.
The problem is just when its time for ALL Americans to come together, Rush and his cronies do everything to split America apart.
June 21st, 2009 at 8:45 am
The Whitehouse has not been silent on Iran. Obama has been making statements. So this is a lie, MCCAIN. But this is not to be surprised, since, YOU ARE A LIAR, and liars tell lies–you know?–since that’s what they are:
Here is latest statement from the Whistehouse:
“The Iranian government must understand that the world is watching. We mourn each and every innocent life that is lost. We call on the Iranian government 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.
“As I said in Cairo, suppressing ideas never succeeds in making them go away. The Iranian people will ultimately judge the actions of their own government. If the Iranian government seeks the respect of the international community, it must respect the dignity of its own people and govern through consent, not coercion.
“Martin Luther King once said – “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” I believe that. The international community believes that. And right now, we are bearing witness to the Iranian peoples’ belief in that truth, and we will continue to bear witness.”
Now we got your lie out of the way, MCCAIN, what do you suggest we do? Send in the troops? Ok, you send your kids first.
June 21st, 2009 at 8:47 am
Micky,
No MY SON did not die for nothing. He may have lived if W had not rushed to judgement.
The object ball was NOT Iraq.
It worked out pretty well? Guess you don’t read much. Sectarian war, constant car bombing, very little economic benifit. (most of our aid was skimmed off the top by thieves).
We will be there for the next 50 years and more heroes will be kill. For what?
June 21st, 2009 at 8:52 am
Agree, Zakaria, as usual, has got it exactly right. I used to be a Bush supporter, but the truth is he got way more wrong than right. Obama is in charge now and his approach is now our approach. Only time will tell but we should all pray that his approach is more successful than Bush’s approach with Iran, which was a complete failure, as any objective analysis will reveal. Flying Monkey, you need to shut up and listen for a while, you might learn something.
June 21st, 2009 at 8:54 am
How would you feel if another country bombed Wichita because of the “rightwing terrorist” who killed Dr. Tiller…? (Barry is an avid supporter of abortion. If only his mother had felt the same.)
Dr. Tiller was also a killer and a terrorist of the worst kind. No one should carry out a death sentence without a trial by jury. That should include an abortion of a fetus that is not a threat to the health of the mother.
June 21st, 2009 at 9:00 am
Micky:
So much hatred so early in the morning on Father’s Day. Are you alone? No calls from children who love you? No comment on how you FEEL about seeing a young girl murdered?
You must be torn up inside that the tide of history is moving without you.
We need to hear more from you so that we can remember what an artifact from the past you are.
June 21st, 2009 at 9:15 am
It just strikes me that the people who control Iran today are just using its citizens to finance and staff its policies of domination and world aggression and its mad rush to become a nuclear power. Same with the regieme of North Korea where the people are virtual prisoners and slaves to. People are being used by “so called” governments to further the leaderships goals, not to live their own lives. Nuclear weopons will magnify the power of both these governments to yet further push their aggressive dominant policies. Yet clearly Khomanei and Ahmadinnajad, and Kim Jong 11 and his north Korean generals and ministers are criminals. They cheat. lie, steal, and misappropriate, terrorize, ship illegal weopon technology, counterfiet, and kidnapp and run notorious prisons and prison camps for their own people. Plus the utter arrogance of their personalities is truely psychopathic and you can see they are bullies and sick people hiding behind state power just as hitler and stalin once did, though fortunately much smaller countries. They should be tried in the world court in abstentia and labeled for all the world to see. khomanei is no more about islam than he is about personal power. The same with Kim jong 11. These tyrants have kidnapped the people in their own countries and made them slaves of their regiemes. They both use particularly difficult mind games on their own people claiming divine power, whether it be islam or personal. Their level of narcissism and psychopathology just boggles the mind and how they get away with impunity with murder, kidnapping, and imprisoning and torturing their won people, and foreigners is just amazing. Fortunately it was the democracies that first got their hands on nuclear weopons.
June 21st, 2009 at 9:18 am
First off Boob, the situations are not the same. The USSR was set up to fail by Ronald Reagan. The dominoes had already begun to fall starting with Poland. Russia did not have the resources to stem the tide and their satellite puppet governments were on their own. George H.W. Bush didn’t have to do a thing.
June 21st, 2009 at 10:14 am
Look Mike.
Dont talk to me about anyone jumping to conclusions when its you morons who are running around saying things like the right is calling for troops to invade Iran and that were saying we should bomb them and bla bla bla and a bunch of crap that no one said.
“He may have lived if W had not rushed to judgement.”
Nobody “rushed to judgement”
Saddam had all of about ten years of warnings and diplomatic initiatives put his way.
Spare me the boring cliche` disproven left wing rhetoric that I chew up and spit out in my sleep all day long.
The process in Iraq was flawed as is with any war. I’ll ask you again.
Wopuld you like to see the list of accomplishments that have taken place in what is a free and soveriegn nation today ?
Damn right your son didnt die for nothing, and bless him.
“We will be there for the next 50 years and more heroes will be kill. For what?”
Would you really like me to answer that ?
If you have to ask such a question maybe then you do think your son dies for nothing. Either being there is a waste or it was not, make up your mind.
You cant bash policies and strategies that are designed to save American and other lives and then turn around and say that lives invested were wasted without looking like an idiot.
——————–
Fregan.
Nice try.
If you’d actually like to engage me on a issue I’d be happy to oblige you.
Until then go on looking like the pedantic obfuscating a$$hole that you are.
“the tide of history thats moving on without me ?”
I certainly hope so.
I f*ckin hope you can swim
June 21st, 2009 at 10:30 am
KLO.
No, the whitehouse has not been silent but as weak and ambiguous as Obamas statements have been he might as well say nothing.
America simply needs to let these people feel empowered, motivated without fear to move on that if worse comes to worse weve got their back, thats what weve always done with any nations people who are confronted with oppression. What truly hinges on this and is what will determine the outcome of any revolution is what side the military and law enforcement fall on. When the force that are repressing these people no longer feel thay can brutalize and fire on their own people that is when a revolution has been completed.
This is why we need to let these people know that we support their wish for a new regime and not go out for f*ckin ice cream and say that you support the supreme leaders call for a re-count.
Thats pathetic, thats disgusting, that gives an honorific the man thats brutalizing these people.
Nice cherry pick cut n paste KLO, but theres way more to this than your simple little mind can concieve.
The more you morons keep asserting this crap that the right is calling for an invasion or that we want to bomb Iran the dumber and more ridiculous you and your fake politically driven argument looks.
Its not so much about Obama or what the right would do as it is what the whole world left or right sees as the squashing of basic human rights all in the name of a theological dictatorship who is hell bent on having nuclear arms.
June 21st, 2009 at 10:37 am
There is just no limit to the stupidity of the right wing. You don’t understand what is going on in Iran. This is not an uprising against the Islamic revolution. It is instead a split in the revolution. With the moderate Islamic faction (Mousavi, Khatemi, Rafsanjani)backing the protests and the reactionary right wing faction (Khamenei, Admadinejad) trying to use State power to crush them. In the end the US forcefully backing Mousavi would be counter productive. But I don’t expect subtlety out of you. Why carefully consider the implications when you can instead charge in with guns blazing (not that any of you will actually be doing the charging of course – chickenhawks!)
June 21st, 2009 at 10:45 am
Your title is shameless, you ignorant people. How dare you take advantage of other people’s suffering, for the sake of your small and parochial agenda? The world is not the GOP’s backyard. Why don’t you read a little more about the results of the American interference in Iranian politics, since the 1950’s??? Who killed the Iranian democracy & freedom in the first place, you morons? Stop attacking a decent President, who has a much better idea about the workings of international diplomacy than you will ever do. Didn’t you listen to what Henry Kissinger said recently about Obama’s position in relation to Iran? Go back to school.
June 21st, 2009 at 10:56 am
Micky
Obviously you are sick with many issues.
No use dicussing with someone who can’t see past the nose on your face.
Please seek help.
God bless you.
June 21st, 2009 at 11:21 am
Mike.
If thats the best fight you’ve got in you it explains the liberal chicken livered approach to Iran. Your suggestion that one get help when you cant argue the issues coherently is all too old and predictable.
Barnie, you act like you’re such an authority when your statement in itself defines your limited scope on the issue.
Mousavi and Ahmajinedad stand for much the same thing. The only difference is that Mousavi may offer a little more hope to negotiating a more moderate resolution with the US and its allies.
These Iranians on either side are sick of a theocratic dictatorship regardless of who the Ayatollahs elected mouthpice is.
Turn on your TV for crust sake. Do you see anymore signs that say either Ahmajinedad or Mousavi ?
“not that any of you will actually be doing the charging of course – chickenhawks!)”
If you were as knowledgeable as you claim you would know that the majority of our volunteer forces vote republican. 75% of our troops voted republican in the last election.
Try again.
Its you hypocritical morons on the left who cry for everyones rights yet are are always the last ones on the front lines to do anything about it.
You can make the false argument that american intervention will drive violenece on the part of the supreme leader all you want its just plain false and a lie as even the mind numbingly weak statements Obama has offered are already are acting as fodder for Ahmajinedad and the Ayatollah to say that American intervention is whats driving the resistance.
Ahmajineada has already gone on record as saying its our rhetoric thats driving this while saying that right now Iran is the most stable nation in the world.
Two of the biggest lies any of us have heard in a long time, wouldnt you agree ?
Obama could say absolutely nothing or go all right wing radical it wouldnt matter.
This regime is going to do everything they can To make it look like anyone and everyone elses fault but theirs. Thats what they’ve always done.
June 21st, 2009 at 11:25 am
John Galt, What agenda exactly is the right wing furthering by Neda’s death? Freedom? Someting the left wing couldn’t give a flip about.
You care so much about the rights and freedoms of terrorists locked up at Gitmo while Bush was in office, but now you actually see what these Islamic Extremist thugs are all about and all you do is excuse Obama for his silence.
All you can say is, Wow, what a smart guy we have in the Oval Office.
Obama is simply weak. He waits to see how focus groups react to his reactions or non-reactions before he says a damn word. Pathetic.
June 21st, 2009 at 11:37 am
I agree with Leo, reply #1.
The right sucks.
Fortunately, the American people have finally awakened — thanks to the administration of the past 8 years.
Blogs/posts like this, and the supporters comments from the far right, do nothing but further expose the ugly truth about the far right wingers.
June 21st, 2009 at 1:40 pm
Ed.
Yeah, were woke up. Thats why Obamas numbers are dropping and his base is dumping him.
Now that theres a contrast people are able to look back and see just how functional and American GWs policies were.
Even Obama has looked back and had the realizations that led him to resort to using almost every one of Bushs security and foreign policies.
You’re right, everyones waking up thanks to the last administration for giving us the examples needed to look back and reflect on as to what a free and demcratic society looks like. People are waing up and seeing that Obama is slowly but surely driving ourbasic freedoms and rights into the sh*tter with govt. inervention dictating almost every aspect of our lives. We dont want to be like Iran in a couple years where the opposition is silenced be it by fainess doctrines or a liberaly biased media, or have an economy similar to theirs where the govt dictates pay and product stripping private enterprise of pivate ownership of private property, or medical date bases that give the fed access to what always use to be private.
Gee, kind of explains whyObama doesnt speak out more forcefully against the oppression but instead has given honorifics and benefit of the doubt to the supreme leaders and Ahmajinedad.
June 21st, 2009 at 1:41 pm
Look the right wing is nuts if they believe that telling Khamenei off is going to help. Remember Khamenei is saying that these demonstrators are being spurred on by western powers that are anti-Iran. If we come out in strong support for the demonstrators we will be playing right into Khamenei’s hands, most prominent Iranian scholars in the US have said exactly this. So republicans, it’s time to stop being imbeciles for once. Let’s not ruin this for the demonstrators in Iran by doing something stupid like condemning the Iranian government now and making it seem like we caused the protests. Your way failed for 8 straight years, time to do it the correct way. Peace and love right wing fools.
June 21st, 2009 at 1:43 pm
Thank God we have a thinking president.
June 21st, 2009 at 2:06 pm
Barb.
Please tell me what hes thinking.
William.
No matter what we say the leadership will blame America. Read. They’re already blaming us even after Obamas weak statement.
“lets not ruin it for the protestors ? WTF are ytou taking about ? These people are asking for our help and willing to die for their freedoms and you schmucks are just going to follow in lockstep with your lrader who doesnt give a rats a$$ about the Iranians. Its your party who is ruining it for them. Right now they’re all screaming “where are the Americans “?
Screw your prominent scholars. They are not the ones out on the street from LA to NY protesting on behalf of the Iranian people. They are not the ones who are living under a theocratic dictatorship. Which can only lead me to ask what they’re doing in America. Wanna guess why they’re here ?
Wise up, you guys talk a real big game but when push comes to shove are always the wimpy little sh*ts hiding under the bleachers.
Pathetic.
“oh yeah, the Supreme leader should have a recount, stop the violence. Hey girls, lets go get some ice cream”
Unfrickinbelievable
June 21st, 2009 at 2:08 pm
Obama is not making any decisions.. someone makes it for him, he just comes out and gives a speech..