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Going Inactive

Considering that everyone has all but forgotten the situation in Iran and that attempts to talk about it are pretty fruitless, I've decided to officially go inactive on this blog. At this point, it's pretty much a waste of time, since it's like shouting into the void; you scream and scream, hoping that someone will hear you, but all that you're left with is damaged vocal cords and an exhausted body. I'll leave my blog up, so that if anyone who might be interested somehow comes across it and wants to see what I have to say, they'll still have at least some idea about what we're STILL going through.

I'll just leave with these parting words: Tumblr, I'm EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED in your selective activism and hypocrisy. I get that certain causes may resonate more with some than others, that you can support multiple causes at once, and that compassion fatigue is a thing. I get all that. I'm not saying that all attention has to be on Iran all the time; that'd be extremely selfish and impractical. But some genuine interest and reliable allies who would help amplify our voices would've been a massive help. But, alas, we're in this fight all alone; we were just a flavor of the month used for "good people points" and "stylish activism," nothing more.

If I can leave a parting thought or two: I just hope people do some serious self-reflection and ponder why such double standards in activism exist. (And don't give me the excuse that it's the lack of media coverage, when Iranians are doing whatever we can to continue raising awareness. In fact, the lack of proper allyship is a major contributor to the biased and/or nonexistent media coverage about us.) And honestly, do you really think you can call yourselves feminists, for instance, when you completely forget what some women in the world are going through or when you want to silence them because it goes against your own worldview or interests?

Sorry if this post seems angry and bitter, but I'm just tired seeing how we've been going through a lot alone.

I pray for the day that Iran and Afghanistan are free.

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Women can't speak to each other in Afghanistan

Women can't speak to each other in Afghanistan

Women can't speak to each other Afghanistan

Women. Can't. Speak. To. Each. Other. In. Afghanistan.

No conversations

No hearing another woman's voice, no hearing her speak or pray

No way to share experiences no way to ask questions no way to organize

And if you ban education then they can't communicate by writing either

Women can't speak to each other in Afghanistan

Women can't communicate with other women in Afghanistan

People can't communicate with other people

That's how low we've gotten

Please don't forget about them.

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Women can't speak to each other in Afghanistan

Women can't speak to each other in Afghanistan

Women can't speak to each other Afghanistan

Women. Can't. Speak. To. Each. Other. In. Afghanistan.

No conversations

No hearing another woman's voice, no hearing her speak or pray

No way to share experiences no way to ask questions no way to organize

And if you ban education then they can't communicate by writing either

Women can't speak to each other in Afghanistan

Women can't communicate with other women in Afghanistan

People can't communicate with other people

That's how low we've gotten

Please don't forget about them.

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And don't forget that the Biden administration keeps giving money to the Taliban while pretending that they can be reformed. The administration that supposedly cares about democracy is actively funding a terrorist group that is openly against democracy.

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There really is no better example of the racism of low expectations when certain far leftists criticise condemnation of the fucking Taliban as “peak white liberal feminism.” Women and girls in Afghanistan are being systematically removed from public life, denied the right to education, freedom of movement, of dress, even the right to speak in public or to each other. Animals have more rights than women under the Taliban.

And then you have these arseholes saying it’s imposing Western cultural mores on non Western societies to care about the welfare of these women, as if Afghan men couldn’t possibly be expected to know how to treat women like fucking human beings and they have the audacity to hold themselves up as “anti racist.” You’ve clearly shown what an incredibly low opinion you actually have of non white and non Western cultures if you think the situation in Afghanistan is remotely normal or indicative.

It’s absolutely putrid.

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My blog is inactive, since I've given up on posting on here, but I'm glad I decided to log on here on a whim after all this time and that I was greeted by the pleasant surprise that someone cared enough to remember and post about this. I'm genuinely grateful that you had your eye on this case and that you cared to provide an update, even if it's something as upsetting as this, since it shows that there are still people out there who care.

But I'd also like to take advantage of this opportunity to talk more about Western complicity in the regime's crimes through appeasement and legitimization. Let's look back at how the US and Germany handled Jamshid "Jimmy" Sharmahd's case and what this shows about the West's hypocrisy and corruption.

To begin, Jamshid was a naturalized citizen of Germany and a legal US resident since the early 2000s. Despite pleas from his family to both the US and German governments to intercede on his behalf, neither government did anything for him. When President Biden engaged in the fake prisoner exchange last year that only "freed" people with ties to the regime and was a pretense to free up billions of dollars in frozen assets to the regime, they completely shut out Sharmahd's family and at first even lied that they'd rescued all prisoners from Iran. Eventually, they claimed that they couldn't do anything because he was just a legal resident - although, as his daughter Ghazaleh "Gazelle" Sharmahd, explains, he would also be protected by the Levinson Act - and passed off the responsibility to advocating for him to the German government, which did absolutely nothing to help him. Both governments ignored the Sharmahd family's desperate pleas, and Sharmahd was killed by the regime after years of torture. (I'd also like to point out officials in the State Department felt the need to comment on Sharmahd's execution and express their fake outrage after ignoring and dismissing his family for so long when they normally don't comment on executions by the regime. It's, in its own way, an admission of guilt.) Again, they didn't want to lift a finger for a real hostage and only worked to free fake prisoners who have documented ties to the regime to keep appearances and to have excuse to funnel money to the regime.

Furthermore, I'm glad you specifically brought up Germany's business with the regime, because that's indeed part of their calculus. Western governments claim to be outraged by the regime's human rights abuses, but they continue to do business with it and appease it, because they believe it to be in their interests. If you don't believe me, look at how the regime bought ammunition from European companies that was used to kill protesters. I repeat, European companies have been shamelessly selling weapons to a regime that is known for terrorism and repression for the sake of repression, and thus far, their governments have done nothing to penalize them for this. But this is part of their game, because they care more about benefiting from business with the regime than their empty platitudes about human rights.

I could go on and on about how the West has helped keep this regime in power, leading to 45 years of destruction for Iran and instability in the Middle East, but I'd be here all day. All everyone needs to know is that Western governments were responsible for this regime coming to power and have helped it remain in power by disregarding and misrepresenting the voices of Iranians and by paying the regime to keep killing Iranians and sow terror and discord throughout the world.

🚨🚨URGENT: ANOTHER Death Sentence Issued in Iran🚨🚨

Jamshid Sharmahd, an Iranian-German national, has been sentenced to death. The picture used in the article from IranWire alone is enough to break your heart. What's especially disturbing about his case are the circumstances surrounding his death: He was kidnapped while in Dubai and was subjected to extremely cruel treatment during imprisonment. The legitimacy of the accusations against him are dubious, and there's no telling whether an appeal will have any effect. Please be his voice. Say his name and save his life.

SOURCE

[shirzan140102]

Going Inactive

Considering that everyone has all but forgotten the situation in Iran and that attempts to talk about it are pretty fruitless, I've decided to officially go inactive on this blog. At this point, it's pretty much a waste of time, since it's like shouting into the void; you scream and scream, hoping that someone will hear you, but all that you're left with is damaged vocal cords and an exhausted body. I'll leave my blog up, so that if anyone who might be interested somehow comes across it and wants to see what I have to say, they'll still have at least some idea about what we're STILL going through.

I'll just leave with these parting words: Tumblr, I'm EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED in your selective activism and hypocrisy. I get that certain causes may resonate more with some than others, that you can support multiple causes at once, and that compassion fatigue is a thing. I get all that. I'm not saying that all attention has to be on Iran all the time; that'd be extremely selfish and impractical. But some genuine interest and reliable allies who would help amplify our voices would've been a massive help. But, alas, we're in this fight all alone; we were just a flavor of the month used for "good people points" and "stylish activism," nothing more.

If I can leave a parting thought or two: I just hope people do some serious self-reflection and ponder why such double standards in activism exist. (And don't give me the excuse that it's the lack of media coverage, when Iranians are doing whatever we can to continue raising awareness. In fact, the lack of proper allyship is a major contributor to the biased and/or nonexistent media coverage about us.) And honestly, do you really think you can call yourselves feminists, for instance, when you completely forget what some women in the world are going through or when you want to silence them because it goes against your own worldview or interests?

Sorry if this post seems angry and bitter, but I'm just tired seeing how we've been going through a lot alone.

I pray for the day that Iran and Afghanistan are free.

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Wow, so many reblogs, you guys! My "Activity" page is blowing up, so you all need to slow down a bit. Thank you sooo much for the support!

Looks like it's time for a new entry in the burn book I started in this post! Our new friend is Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland, who allegedly intends to retire when his current term ends.

Senator Cardin here REFUSES to mark up the MAHSA ACT, which means that he effectively wants to block any chance of passing this bill. This bill is one of the few demands of Iranian-American activists, as it would go a long way in holding the Islamic Republic occupying Iran accountable for its many wrongdoings and, hopefully, make it a little bit easier to overthrow them. Cardin's reluctance to bring this bill to the Senate floor has made his message perfectly clear: The desire of the people of Iran to be free of the evil regime doesn't mean shit to him, and he also couldn't care less about how the growing dangers posed by the IR can affect the people of America. When pressed about his inaction by activists, his office has failed to provide a satisfactory answer; it is beyond obvious that they want to kill the bill. Activists won't be deterred by his antics, however; in fact, earlier today, they held a protest in front of his office.

If you're an American resident or citizen who's not of Iranian descent, I strongly urge you to call Senator Cardin's office and increase the pressure on him to mark up the bill. As I've stated before, when it's only Iranian-Americans speaking up, it's easier to dismiss the matter as being the will of a minority or a fringe group; however, when a larger, more diverse and vocal coalition is formed, it'll be harder to ignore an issue. When people from all backgrounds and walks of life confront him for his refusal to take the most basic common sense step, Senator Cardin will be more likely to finally bring the MAHSA ACT to the Senate floor and, hopefully, bring it one step closer to becoming law. As I've said before, this policy is essential not only for the Iranian Revolution's success, but also for national security in the US. The regime is a massive threat that must be addressed, and this law will be a great help in addressing this problem.

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Reblog to kill it faster

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OP, I'm sorry, but she was unfortunately executed around the time that you posted this.

A young woman named Samira Sabzian is about to die.

She might have died already - she's been on death row for ten years, and her time might have just run out.

Samira was a child bride in Iran - she was married at 15 and, by 19, had given birth to two children. The regime of Iran is about to have her hanged, but by saying her name, you could help save her life. Please use the hashtags #savesamira and #samirasabzian - blog about her if you can, talk about her on social media if you can, spread the word if you can. Tag your mutuals here, tag any influencers you know or cool people you follow. Bit by bit, we can help make a difference, whether it be by raising awareness of her or helping ensure that she is remembered.

This information was sourced from various Instagram posts as well as an article from IranWire!

@biggest-gaudiest-patronuses @queen-ofsunflowers @pusheen @brightgoat @beedalee

If I made you uncomfortable by tagging you here, I'm so sorry. I hope you have a lovely rest of your day!!

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Child Bride Executed in Iran

I don't know if anyone talked about this when it happened, but friendly reminder that the Islamic Republic executed a child bride by hanging not too long ago. Samira Sabzian was married at age 15 and subjected to domestic abuse; she was arrested at age 19 for allegedly murdering her husband. She's left behind two small children, one of whom was an infant when she was arrested.

Some distressing stats about child marriage in Iran:

At least 27,448 girls under the age of 15 in Iran married in 2022 alone - you know, the same year when Mahsa Amini was killed.

In recent years, targeted efforts have been made to reduce the age of marriage for girls and encourage families to facilitate the marriage of their daughters.

One in five marriages involves minors, girls allowed to marry as young as 13. 

As usual, though, the world will be silent about this tragedy.

SOURCES

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Looks like it's time for a new entry in the burn book I started in this post! Our new friend is Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland, who allegedly intends to retire when his current term ends.

Senator Cardin here REFUSES to mark up the MAHSA ACT, which means that he effectively wants to block any chance of passing this bill. This bill is one of the few demands of Iranian-American activists, as it would go a long way in holding the Islamic Republic occupying Iran accountable for its many wrongdoings and, hopefully, make it a little bit easier to overthrow them. Cardin's reluctance to bring this bill to the Senate floor has made his message perfectly clear: The desire of the people of Iran to be free of the evil regime doesn't mean shit to him, and he also couldn't care less about how the growing dangers posed by the IR can affect the people of America. When pressed about his inaction by activists, his office has failed to provide a satisfactory answer; it is beyond obvious that they want to kill the bill. Activists won't be deterred by his antics, however; in fact, earlier today, they held a protest in front of his office.

If you're an American resident or citizen who's not of Iranian descent, I strongly urge you to call Senator Cardin's office and increase the pressure on him to mark up the bill. As I've stated before, when it's only Iranian-Americans speaking up, it's easier to dismiss the matter as being the will of a minority or a fringe group; however, when a larger, more diverse and vocal coalition is formed, it'll be harder to ignore an issue. When people from all backgrounds and walks of life confront him for his refusal to take the most basic common sense step, Senator Cardin will be more likely to finally bring the MAHSA ACT to the Senate floor and, hopefully, bring it one step closer to becoming law. As I've said before, this policy is essential not only for the Iranian Revolution's success, but also for national security in the US. The regime is a massive threat that must be addressed, and this law will be a great help in addressing this problem.

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This is everyone's friendly reminder to double-check what you're reblogging/sharing, especially when it comes to the Middle East. I've noticed quite a few people on here and on Twitter sharing stuff that can clearly be traced back to the occupying regime in Iran (or regime agents/apologists). I truly applaud your desire to speak up for what's right, but you're just amplifying the voices of oppressors and, in turn, promoting their interests, which ultimately doesn't benefit anyone, including the people whom you're supporting.

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According to some accounts of what happened, they ordered her to put it on at the lashing. She replied, “I will not. Put your Quran under your arm and do it.”

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Many argue that the execution of the lashing sentence violates the law since the recent hijab law passed by the parliament does not include lashing as a punishment.

Persian social media has been flooded this weekend with angry comments since the incident was publicized. People praised Heshmati for her courage to reject the forced hijab, even after her lashing.

In a statement published by its official news website, Mizan, the judiciary claimed on Sunday that Heshmati was sentenced and flogged because she had connections to "an organized group outside Iran" and had received money to defy hijab rules publicly "in a very indecent manner," presumably to encourage others to do the same. The statement added that the sentencing to 74 lashes was confirmed due to the extent of her actions, which were seen as a violation of public chastity and morals.

…

In a note published on Instagram after being lashed, she vividly described how a man hit her shoulders, back, backside, and legs with a leather whip in a small room, resembling a medieval torture chamber, while she whispered a song named “Rise, for Woman, for Life, for Freedom” under her breath.

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