- 5 November 2009
- 3 Comments
- Congress, Human Rights in Iran, Iranian American activism
Texas Rep. Introduces Resolution Supporting Iranian People’s Struggle for Rights
5 November 2009 Posted By David Elliott
Congresswoman Kay Granger (R-TX) has introduced a resolution expressing continued support for the Iranian people as they stand up for freedom, human rights, and fundamental elements of democracy. The legislation, H.Res. 888, “condemns the brutal suppression of the Iranian people through censorship, imprisonment, and continued acts of violence” and calls on the international community to maintain robust communication with the Iranian people via the media, the Internet, and telecommunications.
Rep. Granger, as a founding member of the Trans-Atlantic Parliamentary Group, is also coordinating with members of the European Union Parliament and the Canadian Parliament to introduce similar resolutions in their respective bodies. Thus, the initiative transcends any one country or government, uniting an coalition of nations in support of the principles Iranians are standing up to defend: those of freedom, human rights, and fundamental elements of democracy.
If these are principles that you support as well, ask your member of Congress to support H.Res. 888.
3 Responses to “Texas Rep. Introduces Resolution Supporting Iranian People’s Struggle for Rights”
Human rights? The House of Representatives?
On November 4, 2009, the US House of Representatives condemned the Goldstone Report by a wide majority: 334 delegates in favor, 36 opposed and 22 abstaining.
David, I ask you, how is it that the US House of Representatives can so obviously and overwhelmingly vote against the human rights of the Palestinian people, while at the same time supposedly show support for an anti-establishment element in Iran- all in the name of human rights?
Do you not see the contradiction? The hypocrisy? The anti-Iran agenda?
What does this new Iran resolution accomplish? The Iranian Parliament will, like they’ve done in the past, pass a tit-for-tat bill of their own, condemning the US for its own recent human rights record. Take your pick: Guantanimo, Abu Ghraib, Bagram, incarceration of tens of thousands of Iraqi citizens without due process, military and economic support enabling Zionist occupation of Palestine, the inhumane siege of Gaza, etc. etc.
The net result? Keeps fueling the ongoing US/Iran cold war. Is that what we want? Don’t we want better relations, not worse?
If this was a sincere effort at improving human rights, that would be one thing. But this resolution merely stokes further Iran bashing, in a current level of intensity not seen since the build up of a US case to go to war against Iraq. That’s really what you’re playing with here. And if war does come, realize that your support for anti-Iran resolutions (however moral they may be guised) represented an element of momentum toward that horrific end for the Iranian people.
Now Trita is an intelligent young man. I’m quite hopeful he is aware of this danger. As a leader of Iranian-Americans, we’re just left to trust in his better judgement.
Congress being hypocritical is nothing new. But if our community never gets involved just because of that hypocrisy, we will be silencing ourselves and Iranian-Americans will be more marginalized than ever.
If Congress is going to be busy doing something while the President is negotiated with Iran, we’re all better off if they’re debating resolutions expressing moral support for the Iranian people (rather than counterproductive sanctions bills). If nothing else, it does send a signal of support to the people fighting for their rights, even while the US gov’t is dealing with the world as it is, not as we wish it were, and is working to make us safer through an agreement with Iran that takes us off the path to war.
@Pirouz:
I don’t think anyone would argue that congress is being hypocritical. This really should not be that alarming. Congress has determined that human-rights for Palestinians is not in the US’s national interest. Congress has determined that by pressing the human-rights violations of the Iranian government (of which there is no shortage), they may be able to get more support from the rest of world to pressure Iran on what they really care about, Iran’s nuclear program. Rest assured, if tomorrow the Iranian government accepted whatever the US wanted for the nuclear issue, then the US would suddenly have no problems with what the Iranian government did to its people.
There would be no hypocrisy. Congress would have no trouble sleeping at night knowing Palestinians are being arrested and killed by Israel, and that Iranians are being arrested and killed by their government. But would this be better for the Iranian people?
I agree it would not be better for the Iranian people to be attacked, but, at this point, I don’t see this resolution leading to the horrific end for the Iranian people. The real horrific end for the Iranian people that we are creeping towards is one where the Iranian government will become even more totalitarian and all hope for a free and prosperous Iran is gone.
And if that military state does come, realize that your support for the Iranian government (which very well may come from a great pride in all things Iran) represented an element of momentum toward that horrific end for the Iranian people.
I also agree that Trita is an intelligent young man. I feel very comfortable trusting his better judgement on this one.