Government’s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.” —Ronald Reagan
Iranian authorities on Sunday closed the office of the country's main human rights organization, headed by Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi. Dozens of plainclothes detectives and local police officers entered the Center for the Defense of Human Rights in Tehran and shut it down hours before a ceremony was to take place commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
According to members of the organization, which has been active since 2000, the police had been informed of the meeting, at which political activists were scheduled to speak. "The general human rights activities of this nongovernmental organization are the reason for this illegal reaction," the center's leadership said in a statement. THE MULLAHS THAT CONTROL IRAN'S THEOCRACY POLICE STATE BROACH NO DISSENT!
Center officials speculated that the closure was in part a response to a United Nations resolution issued Thursday that expressed "deep concern" about the human rights situation in Iran. SOURCE: WASHINGTON POST
In contrast to the oppressive actions of the Iranian police state authorities. The city of Baghdad in war torn Iraq has the first-ever public Christmas celebration in Baghdad!
It was held Saturday and sponsored by the Iraqi Interior Ministry. Once thought to be infiltrated by death squads, the Ministry now is trying to root out sectarian violence -- as well as improve its PR image. The event took place in a public park in eastern Baghdad, ringed with security checkpoints.
Interior Ministry forces deployed on surrounding rooftops looked down at the scene: a Christmas tree decorated with ornaments and tinsel; a red-costumed Santa Claus waving to the crowd, an Iraqi flag draped over his shoulders; a red-and-black-uniformed military band playing stirring martial music, not Christmas carols.
On a large stage, children dressed in costumes representing Iraq's many ethnic and religious groups -- Kurds, Turkmen, Yazidis, Christians, Arab Muslims not defined as Sunni or Shiite held their hands high and sang "We are building Iraq!" Two young boys, a mini-policeman and a mini-soldier sporting painted-on mustaches, march stiffly and salute.
"All Iraqis are Christian today!" said Interior Ministry spokesman Major General Abdul Karin Khalef. Khalaf said sectarian and ethnic violence killed thousands of Iraqis. "Now that we have crossed that hurdle and destroyed the incubators of terrorism."
He then said, "and the security situation is good, we have to go back and strengthen community ties." Even though the spokesman is surrounded by heavy security.
This celebration shows that the security situation in Baghdad is improving. Many of the people attending the Christmas celebration appear to be Muslims, with women wearing head scarves. Suad Mahmoud, holding her 16-month-old daughter, Sara, tells me she is indeed Muslim, but she's very happy to be here. "My mother's birthday also is this month, so we celebrate all occasions," she says, "especially in this lovely month of Christmas and New Year." SOURCE: CNN
And yet there are those who believe our invasion and occupation of Iraq was only going to make Muslims hate us more! This illustrates the fallacy of that argument and clearly shows the difference that freedom has on events that affect the populace.
A wise man once said, "War is preferable;e to subjugation"!
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