First, welcome everyone! I'm astounded and overwhelmed by the enormous support I've been receiving in getting the word out.

Many of you, in different forums (Yeah, I know...it's fora. But it looks stupid.) have been complaining about the indifference and apathy of friends, family, and acquaintances. You've been telling me that they won't listen, they don't care, and most importantly they feel it has nothing to do with them.

I'm going to repost something I wrote several weeks ago. Something that lost me a lot of friends. But it's important, damnit. Feel free to repost in whole or in part if you think this might help educate those around you.

Remember always: Silence implies consent. The enemy of freedom is silence.

I am increasingly disgusted with the apathy and lack of foresight of the American people. I am saddened by how very few of my friends, here on LJ and elsewhere, are paying any attention to the revolution in Iran. No one seems to care. The popular concensus seems to be that it is not important, or has nothing to do with us, so let's just post some more Michael Jackson videos and rehash his career.

Iran is the most important thing happening in the world right now, and every one of us should be concerned and should be doing all in our power to give aid and support to the people there. Here's why:

If the protesters succeed in their quest for freedom and democracy, it will change the entire face of the Middle East.
It will increase stability.
It will encourage other Islamic governments to take a more moderate approach.
It will mean that there will be no nuclear arms race in the Middle East.
It will mean that the voices of the people WILL be heard, no matter what oppressive tactics are used against them.
It will mean that Islamic governments throughout the Middle East will have to allow democratic reform, or risk being overthrown.
It will mean one more huge step towards a world without the threat of nuclear war.

If that's not enough, it will mean lower gas prices.
It will mean that terrorists will no longer have unlimited funding and access to weapons, training, and safe haven.

What can you do to help?
Pay attention. The protester want the world to know of their plight, while their suppressors are doing everything in their power to silence them.

If you have the bandwidth, set up a proxy server so the people on the streets of Tehran have more safe opportunities to get the truth out.

Go here to support the effort to provide internet access to Iran: http://blog.austinheap.com/

Talk to people, post on your blog, get the word out. The more people who know and understand what is happening, the more pressure can be put on our governments to provide aid to those who need it. Tweet, Digg, post on Facebook.

Donate to the Red Crescent. Currently, they are being denied the opportunity to help the protesters, but they will need funds for when they are allowed to provide assistance.

Make your voice heard. Help the protesters to be heard.

Contact CNN and the other networks and tell them you want them to cover the real news.

Keep the people of Iran in your thoughts and your prayers.


As human beings, we have an obligation to support and encourage those who fight against injustice, those who demand freedom and democracy and the most basic human rights. If we ignore this situation, if we go about our daily lives with no thought but our own concerns, we diminish ourselves.

Gods bless the people of Iran.