quadruplify | Jun. 18th, 2009

Still following the situation in Iran, which is growing more tense by the day. I think we're seeing a revolution just beginning to form, if it hasn't formed already.

This is why it matters (boldface is mine):

"Among the more moving emails I've received these past few days have been from Iranians asking why on earth I seem to care so passionately about what's happening right now. The premise - that somehow Iranians' fight for freedom is a parochial issue that the rest of us should not be concerned with - is heart-breaking. But here's my answer: this is the central event in modern history right now. The forces of democracy have marshalled in Iran for accountability, transparency and fairness. Wherever they marshall, we should stand with them, especially in the blogosphere, where our Iranian brothers and sisters built the foundation for this moment.

Moreover, Iran is at the very heart of the global struggle between the forces of distorted and politicized religious tyranny and the power of real faith and freedom. This struggle was never ours' to impose, however good the intentions. It was always there for the people themselves to grasp. And grasp it they now have - with astounding courage, clarity and calm.

And so at the white-hot center of the global conflict, this astonishing force has emerged to resist escalation, unwind conflict, get past ideology, insist on change, and demand a better future. This is hopeful enough. But the use of technology to achieve this offers a whole new paradigm for world politics. We saw its power in the Obama campaign, which harnessed a similar spirit in utterly different circumstances. Now it's transforming the other side of this previously unstoppable conflict." -- Andrew Sullivan
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/06/why-iran-matters.html

( More excellent quotes behind the cut... )

As I've said before, I can't make any of you care about what's going on, but I hope this explains why current events in Iran are extremely important, and why I'm personally affected by this.

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