When I was a little dude, I can recall seeing this poster announcing a speech by
Minister Louis Farrakhan called
"Power at Last...Forever!" I've never heard the speech, but I remember the poster
vividly. Minister Farrakhan behind a podium,
Fist raised and mouth photographed in a
shout! That was about
1977. In
1979, Students in
Iran, took hostages at the
American Embassy demanding the return of the
Shah Mohammad Rezā Shāh Pahlavi,
Shah of Iran. The Shah, said by
some to be a
US Puppet, died while being treated for cancer.
The Student Revolt ushered in rule by the Ayatollahs. Iran was transformed from a cosmopolitan country to a theocracy. Why?
Some say the Shah had secret police force that arrested and imprisoned critics crushed opposing views and quelled dissent. Some say? Some say, that the Shah gave too much of Iran's resources (Oil) away for too little to foreign powers. (Europe and America) Some say, that the true will of the people was being denied by outside influences. (America)
So in came the PREACHERS! The Clerics with the will of the People and the blessings of God would create a more equitable society based on time honored, solid religious principles. Iran would be a virtual Heaven on Earth!
"Power at Last...Forever!"
The Shah should have known the power of discontent. He disposed his own Father to come to power. He could not have done that without some serious backing from the people. But he stifled debate, crushed the opposition and one day was done the same.
Now 30 years later, I think it's fair to ask is the will of the people being honored? Did the Clerics indeed create a virtual Heaven on Earth? Did they create a fair, more equitable society ruled by solid, time honored principles? Not according to the Magi's (Zoroastrians) Not, according to the Bahai's! Not according to scientists, Women who were lawyers and Doctors pre-1979! Not according to Muslims who's individual religious rights have been trampled!
If the people say NO! Then can or do they have the power to try something else? Will those once ushered into power by the will of the people relinquish it by the same will of the people?
If they will and do then you may indeed have a fair and more equiable society.
But what if they don't, Mista Jaycee? What if they won't, Mista Jaycee?
History has shown us that Power often, unfortunately, has to be taken! And when the new crowd comes in with the will of the people. Perhaps, they will remember, the Shah's secret police, the 1979 Student Revolt, the rule of the Ayatollahs and realize that No, we can not make Heaven on Earth but we can try to make at least a fair, more equitable society.
Now as we enter the Age of Obama, perhaps the Democrats, should well remember, the election of 1994 that placed the Republicans in power. Don't take the will of the people for granted! If W. Bush had learned the lessons of History, perhaps he, and his party would not have been so wildly reviled. Eh?
BE Mindful! BE Prayerful! BE Careful!
Jaycee
I can just imagine the conversations that such a line who instigate. Here's some of the ones I came up with. Feel free to comment and add your own.
