Blame Game

Who's to Blame? 

The internet lockdown has meant that millions of Iranians who are typically very active on Instagram are silenced whilst regime sympathisers are encouraged to share propaganda.

The way most people who haven't experienced it, can't understand what it's like to be in an abusive

relationship, or "why she would stay", most people won't understand what it's like to live under the oppression of an authoritarian regime.

Those who have spoken for decades against this horrific regime have largely been ignored because it's something that's far away. Just the way they're "sympathetic" to girls in Afghanistan, but we haven't seen university walk outs in solidarity with those girls.

Most people live in their bubble until it's burst. Right now, the US is at war with Iran and suddenly there is all this talk of "sovereignty" and sudden concern for Iranian lives. But it's not really about Iranians, it's about Iranians when it comes to the US. Why? Because it suddenly impacts them directly. It's now their taxes and their economy being directly impacted.

And that's fine, it's entirely fair.

But there is a reason why we say "no one is free until we are all free”.

When it comes to countries where the people are held hostage by greedy authoritarian regimes it is not just the safety of the people in the country that's at risk. These regimes are a threat to global safety and security. 

If one regime can get away with cutting the people off from the outside world (North Korea) why shouldn't another? If collectively we do not have a mechanism for accountability, and continue to allow regimes to hide behind sovereignty, what stops the next horrific dictator from pushing even further?

These regimes spend millions of dollars on transnational repression, they spend billions on weapons to use in proxy wars.

They have no accountability. There will be no election in a few years that will make it better. There is no judiciary to hold them accountable. They act at their will.

If Iranians are against this war, they don't get to vote in the next election to make sure this doesn't happen again. They don't have any representatives to call or email or picket. Instead, if they go outside to protest, they are met with extreme violence and prosecution. 

They can't even come online and make a video to express their views or discontent.

So while everyone is busy trying to paint the regime as a victim of the US/Isreal, they were never the victims. They have been active participants. They have been pushing for this war since 1979. They are not the victims. They are active participants. If you are concerned for Iranian lives do not lessen the regime's involvement in this war.

Talk about the civilians killed, talk about the internet being shut down, talk about the threat of executions.

Standing with Iranians is more than being anti-war. We have been I warning for decades that this war is a possibility should this regime stay in power and now here we are. The bell has been rung and once a ceasefire is reached, the regime will take revenge on our people. Iranian civilians will feel the brunt of this war.

Stand with the people of Iran.