New Report Ranks Iran Last in the World on Fundamental Rights

A recent report from the World Justice Project ranked Iran last in the world on fundamental rights.  The report measured whether the government and its officials were held accountable under the law, whether laws were clear, publicized, stable and fair, and whether they protected the security of persons and their property.  It also measured the process by which laws were enacted, administered, and enforced, and whether access to justice was competent, independent, and free from interference.

Some of the key findings of the report in regards to Iran were as follows:

• Iran’s law enforcement is fairly strong and effective, but is often used as an instrument to commit abuses
• Iran suffers from a lack of government accountability
• Government corruption is prevalent in Iran
• Courts are efficient, but lack independence and are subject to corruption and interference
• Iranians lack access to fundamental rights such as the right to assemble and petition, freedom of opinion and religion, and basic privacy

Unfortunately, much of this news isn't all that surprising.  This report simply validates further what the world witnessed following Iran's June 2009 elections and the subsequent abuses up to the present day.

If you would like to read more, see page 68 of the report to view Iran's scores.


Follow @zstickney

U.S. Must Work to Solve its Middle Eastern Crisis of Legitimacy

Note:  This is something I wrote a few weeks ago but decided not to do anything with.  It was an attempt at an Op-Ed, so the content is anything but exhaustive, as anyone who has ever attempted to write an Op-Ed should know.  If you have any questions, please post them and I'd be happy to discuss.

President Obama has received a lot criticism for his recent statement that “the borders of Israel and Palestine should be based on the 1967 lines with mutually agreed swaps, so that secure and recognized borders are established for both sides.”  Both Israeli leadership and U.S. Congressmen alike have decried the statement, saying that it is “inconceivable” that Israel could possibly return to such “indefensible” borders.  Despite this criticism, Obama’s call for constructive dialogue may be Israel’s — and the United States’ — last chance to choose between taking the initiative or becoming a pariah on the issue of Middle East peace.

Earlier this year, the Palestinian Authority announced that it would seek United Nations membership if a peace treaty with Israel couldn’t be reached by September.  This may not seem particularly dire due to the fact that the United States holds permanent membership in the U.N. Security Council, a body which holds veto power over membership requests.  But the fact is that the legal basis for denying Palestinian statehood is actually quite weak.  According to the Montevideo Convention, the article of international law which defines statehood, the state of Palestine meets the requirements already.  Palestine has a permanent population, territory (currently defined as “occupied Palestinian territory”), a government, and recognition by other states.  Palestine is currently recognized by over 130 nations, a solid two-thirds majority of the 192 nations represented in the U.N.

Despite this, it’s highly likely that the United States will nonetheless veto the request should it come to a vote.  If it does so, the decision will solidify the United States’ Middle East policy as merely Israeli-centric.  This serves well for our relationship with Israel, true, but it simultaneously crumbles the much more broad American interests in the Middle East and beyond, exacerbating an already severe U.S. crisis of legitimacy among those nations.  Many Muslim nations will seek to diminish their ties with the United States or even perhaps find a counterbalance to American power.  Without a true regional power to fill the void, most nations will turn instead to a rising power in world politics — the People’s Republic of China.

Examples of this shift to an Eastern orientation can already be seen.  Iran, already an international pariah and the target of multilateral sanctions, has been able to circumvent punishment to a high degree by shifting its trade contracts to China.  In recent years, trade between the two nations has been as high as $30 billion annually.  There has even been evidence that China supplied crowd control weapons and vehicles to Iran during its 2009 protests — a precursor to the Arab Spring — and that China is possibly supporting Iran’s nuclear program behind the scenes.  More recently, China was represented by 144 companies at Iran’s annual Oil Show this April, despite the “crippling” sanctions the United States and its allies hoped to employ.

China has also been at work elsewhere in the Muslim world.  Earlier this week, an article in the Financial Times reported that Pakistani Defense Minister Chaudhary Ahmed Mukhtar has asked the Chinese to build a naval base at the port city of Gwadar.  If built, the naval base would allow China to have a permanent military presence near the Strait of Hormuz, achieving overnight what Russia was denied throughout the Cold War.  Though China doesn’t appear to be directly challenging the United States in either of these instances, these actions nonetheless illustrate an attempt to counterbalance U.S. interests.  Any loss of U.S. legitimacy among Middle Eastern nations will drastically increase the likelihood of conflict in the region, costing an unknown amount of American lives and treasure.

The United States must move beyond an Israeli-centric Middle East policy and instead embrace its broader interests in the region.  This does not mean abandoning Israel.  It means getting Israel back to the negotiating table and convincing the Palestinians that pursuing statehood without Israeli consent is against their interests and will undermine prospects for a lasting peace.  The stakes are high, and the status quo is unsustainable.  A change is necessary, and the future of Israeli security and American leadership depends on it.

Follow @zstickney

2 Year Anniversary of Iranian Protests

This Sunday, June 12, marks the 2-year anniversary of Iran’s fraudulent 2009 elections — a precursor to the current wave of protests known collectively as the Arab Spring. Though the 2009 protests didn’t lead to any substantive change in government in Iran, they nonetheless gave the world its first glimpse at a Middle Eastern energy source far more important than oil: a nascent people power asking only for dignity and solidarity among the fraternity of nations. The movements in Iran, Tunisia, Egypt and elsewhere have proven that Islam and democracy are not at all incompatible, as some would suggest.

Though the struggle for justice in the Middle East is far from over, these protests nevertheless signify a watershed moment for the future of U.S. policy with the Muslim world. In the past, political expedience for the sake of energy security allowed the United States to side with dictators and demagogues instead of democrats. The tides have clearly begun to turn, and the United States must turn with them. The new U.S. policy toward the Middle East must place principled leadership over expediency regardless of the short-term cost.

UPDATE:  This letter to the editor was published in Ogden's Standard Examiner

Follow @zstickney

The Persian Phoenix

Today marks the 31st anniversary of the Islamic Revolution in Iran.  The whole world was prepared for massive demonstrations by Iran's Green movement.  The result of today's protests, however, were underwhelming.

What happened?

Despite what Ahmadinejad or his puppeteer Khamenei might like you to think, today's seemingly lax amount of protests were not at all the result of apathy on the part of the Iranian people.  Rather, today's events were the result of the sheer fear Iran's government has of its own people.

A CNN article chronicling the protests showed that, by around noon, reports were already circulating that Mehdi Karroubi, an opposition leader, was attacked while on his way to meet with protestors.  Similar attacks occurred around the same time, with many opposition leaders being the victims of tear gas attacks and other violence.  A witness in Iran said that he had "never seen so many Basij militia in the area."

My friend Maryam confirmed these reports.  Maryam's contact in Iran said that she felt like a prisoner in her own country and stated that "the streets were lined with tanks, Basij, and anti-riot vehicles." 

This is just one example of the great lengths Iran's leadership is willing to go to silence Iranian citizens.  The CNN report also documents loud speakers being set throughout Tehran to drown out any potential protests and to attempt to indoctrinate the masses of the supposed legitimacy and benevolence of the Government.  All this just days after two men were hanged for "waging war against God."

All this overcompensation is a key sign of something huge going on in Iran.  It is a sign of the cracks which are slowly breaking down Iran's theocracy.  The Green movement is far from dead.  Like the Persian phoenix, the protestors will once again rise from the ashes of defeat and prove their indefatigable spirits to the world.

Iranian-Americans to Protest Chinese Influence in Iran

Beginning February 5th, Iranian-Americans from 6 cities will launch a campaign in solidarity with the Democratic protestors in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The protests will be taking place outside the Chinese Embassy in Washington, DC as well as the Chinese Consulates to the United States in Houston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York.


The Iranian-American community has organized these protests due to the increasingly apparent involvement the Chinese have had in Iran’s post-election crisis. The Chinese have recently signed a 25 year contract with Iranian oil companies worth an estimated 100 billion dollars. In exchange for oil, the Chinese have agreed to increase their trade with the Iranian regime. Notably, it has increased its trade in riot-control equipment and crowd control vehicles. The Iranian government uses this trade to fund and equip its Basij militia and to maintain its stranglehold over the peace-seeking protestors in Iran.

The protestors gathering at the Chinese Embassy and Consulates are calling on China to 1) Cease its support for Ahmadinejad, 2) To cease arming and supplying the Basij militia and Revolutionary Guards, and 3) To cease its support for tyranny and terror. In addition, they ask for the Chinese to support the peaceful protestors in Iran in their call for 1) Human rights for all Iranian people, 2) the immediate release of all political prisoners, and 3) Free and fair elections which can be monitored and verified by an independent observer.

The timing of the Iranian-American protests is paramount. February 11th is the anniversary of the Islamic Republic of Iran and many speculate for large-scale protests to be taking place in Iran at that time. As such, Iranian-Americans wish to express their solidarity for the peaceful protestors within Iran while calling for international support for their struggle.

Urgent Iran Action Needed!

Read this link on Dalian Eagle Sky Company's actions in regard to Iran

This report is as of yet unconfirmed in the mainstream media, but the pictures of these anti-riot vehicles and equipment have been circulating from Tehran for a few weeks now.  The trucks are equipped with two high-powered water cannons which are controlled from inside the vehicle and are capable of firing teargas and other chemicals great distances.  From the reports I've read, Iran has been amassing these trucks and other anti-riot equipment, likely in preparation for February 11th, which is the anniversary of the collapse of the Shah's rule, which was essentially the beginning of Iran's shift to an Islamic Republic.  Presumably, the street protests and civil disobedience which began last year on June 12th will continue in full force on this important date.

With the Iranian regime spending so much on these vehicles and equipment (the trucks alone are said to cost $650,000- mainly due from their rush order from China) it is clear that those in power are afraid- afraid of the power of justice, liberty, and freedom which has awakened the Iranian citizens.  This in a way is good news, because it shows that Khamenei and his puppets are losing their grip around Iran's throat.  However, this is also bad news because Khamenei is no where near prepared to back off without a fight.  And if we've learned anything from the brutal crackdowns of the past half a year, any continued protest will likely result in the injury, imprisonment, and death of many Iranian citizens.  February 11th may become Iran's version of what June 4th is for the Chinese- this could very well be a Tienanmen square-like disaster.

Though success in Iran will ultimately be won through the Iranian citizens themselves, we should not feel helpless and apathetic everywhere else in the world.  We need to let Iran know that the whole world is watching, and that we believe the Iranian people are fighting the good fight for justice and freedom.  We must support them through solidarity- through sending our letters and calls and dissent to Iran's current despots, and by sending our love and support and kindness to those in Iran who fight for the truths we hold to be self-evident: that all men are created equal and that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights.  The Islamic Republic of Iran has failed to protect the rights of its citizens in any way, shape, or form.  It is therefore time for the severance of the bonds between them.

Videos From Iran

Here are just a few videos I found while researching Iran at work.  These are often sad and distressing, but overall I think they convey a message of hope for the brave citizens of Iran.  Watch these videos, think about what you see, and then please act in solidarity for the people of Iran!  They deserve no less.

Solidarity, Not Sanctions

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has stated that the United States would pursue “crippling” sanctions against Iran if diplomacy over Iran’s nuclear program fails. The only crippling that will occur should the United States pursue these sanctions is the crippling of the Iranian people and the crippling of the United States’ standing among them. Despite the hype surrounding the idea of sanctions, the civic strategy of solidarity with the Iranian people is the only strategy which will result in positive concessions from the Islamic Republic.


Since the hostage crisis of 1979 the United States has imposed multiple sanctions against Iran. The goal of these sanctions was to create dire economic conditions to pressure Iran’s fundamentalist leaders. But economic pressures do not always result in political changes. The ultimate goal of the sanctions- undermining support for Iran’s theocratic regime- has failed. In fact, the sanctions backfired and gave Iran’s ayatollahs more ammunition to justify their monopoly on Iranian politics and power. They also allowed the Iranian regime to fuel the Islamic Republic’s greatest myth- the myth that depicts the United States as the “Great Satan” and the American people as enemies of Islam.

Despite these past failings, many of our government officials are convinced that sanctions will prevail this time around. During a hearing of the Senate committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, Senator Charles Schumer described economic sanctions as “the preferred method of choking Iran’s nukes.” This myth of sanctions as a demoralizing agent needs to be debunked. Sanctions will choke ordinary people in Iran, not nuclear ambitions.

Regardless, the United States is in the process of developing multilateral sanctions against Iran. Two powerful allies, the United Kingdom and France, have voiced their support for the strategy if Tehran does not make acceptable concessions on its nuclear program. Yet two equally powerful countries, Russia and China, are much less enthusiastic. Russia’s Prime Minister Vladimir Putin recently stated that sanctions “would not be creating favorable conditions” for resolving the nuclear issue. Similarly Jiang Yu, a Chinese foreign policy spokesperson, has voiced Chinese opposition as well: “We believe that sanctions and exerting pressure are not the way to solve problems and are not conducive to the current diplomatic efforts on the Iran issue.” With both China and Russia holding veto power in the United Nations Security Council, it seems unlikely that sanctions will work. But suppose we do come to an agreement and Russia and China back the sanctions fully. Wouldn’t that make the plan successful?

Successful sanctions, though uncommon, are not outside the realm of possibility. But the result that is more likely is a continuation of failures that could potentially escalate into something nobody desires: a war with Iran. As with the “Oil for Food” sanctions against Iraq a decade ago, sanctions against Iran will reward smugglers, enrich those in power, and stifle civil society. With the Revolutionary Guard already in control of the majority of the Iranian economy, small businesses will be undercut and the average Iranian will suffer. With these conditions in place, Iran’s hard-liners will frame the sanctions as “proof” that Americans are using the hardship of the Iranian people for the furtherance of their own interests. Uncontested control over Iran means Ahmadinejad will remain the Middle East’s provocateur and could feasibly trigger a war with the United States or Israel. It is precisely this endgame that we should try to avoid.

Instead of playing its regular tough guy role, the United States should pursue a different strategy. America shouldn’t feel the need to de-legitimize Ahmadinejad even further- he can take care of that himself. America should instead use a power that has always been its major advantage over dictatorial regimes everywhere. This isn’t our power to kill or cause harm- this is our power to offer a brighter future to the Iranian people. President Obama has already extended the hand of friendship to Iran and promised that changes in our relationship will be “grounded in mutual respect” –not threats. Promoting human rights in Iran isn’t just doing what is best for the Iranian people; it is also the best security strategy the United States can invest in.

House Resolution 175

Below is a copy of the letter I sent to Representative Rob Bishop and Senators Orrin Hatch and Bob Bennett. The letter asks for the Congressmen's support in House Resolution 175 and Senate Resolution 71, bills which request that the United States reaffirm its opposition to the Islamic Republic's continued abuses against the Baha'i religious minority of Iran. The Iran Human Rights Documentation Center report refferenced can be found here. Please feel free to use or copy this letter if you wish to send in one of your own! Constructive comments of any kind are also appreciated.

Honorable Representative (name),

It is doubtless that you have heard of the issues in Iran surrounding June’s elections and the protests and rallies carried out thereafter. During this political fallout it was difficult to see exactly what was going on in Iran due to the extreme measures the Iranian government took to cover up the state sponsored violence and abuses of civil and political rights. Fortunately, the world was able to get a frightening glimpse at what was going on due to the efforts of courageous individuals who risked their very security in an attempt to gather strength from the international community. Sadly, many of these freedom fighters lost their lives during the turmoil and more still continue to be unfairly tried in televised state tribunals.

Unsurprisingly these heinous crimes are not isolated events taking place only recently in the Islamic Republic. The strategies of coercion, violence, torture, and abuse have long been part of the necessary stratagem for the Islamic Republic to retain its power. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, his predecessors, and many others, have used these same strategies to force what is essentially genocide upon one of Iran’s most prominent minority religions- the Baha’is. A report released by the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center entitled Crimes Against Humanity: The Islamic Republic’s Attacks on the Baha’is outlines in detail the multifaceted approach the Islamic Republic has taken to murder, coerce, imprison, or otherwise harm the Baha’i minority.

I am writing to you today to encourage you to read the aforementioned report in full and to request that you co-sponsor and support House Resolution 175, a bill which reaffirms the United States opposition to these practices by the Islamic Republic and which asks for the immediate release of a number of Baha’i political prisoners who are currently detained solely for their religious affiliation. I also urge you to publicly gather support for this bill as a means to increase the likelihood of the release of these prisoners. Time is of the essence and the survival of those individuals may very well depend on the timeliness and efficiency of all those who oppose the brutality of the Islamic Republic.

Sincerely,
Zachary J. Stickney

Prison Conditions in Iran

One of the major recurring human rights abuses by the Islamic Republic is the torture and abuse of detainees in Iranian prisons. Although these practices are nothing new, they have recently become a lightning rod of controversy amid the hundreds of arrests following the election protests this June.

Political prisoners within the walls of Iranian prisons such as Kahrizak and Evin prison testify that they are victimized by one or multiple of the following mistreatments: beatings, cutting, flogging, being held completely incommunicado, hours of interrogation, various degrees of mental, physical, and sexual torture, humiliation, forced confessions, and brutal rape.
Due to the opacity of the Iranian legal system it is often very difficult to come up with a concrete verification for the claims of abuse expressed by those incarcerated. However, the consistency of the claims made by the detainees and the physical evidence seen on their bodies and observed in their mental state upon leaving these prisons strongly suggests the truth within the allegations.

To get an idea of the extent of the abuse seen within these prisons one need look no further than the case of Zahra Kazemi, a Canadian-Iranian photo journalist who died in Iranian custody a mere 19 days after her arrest. (A full report on this incident can be found here. This report is the property of the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center and is not affiliated with Omid for Iran.)

Kazemi was in Iran on June 23rd, 2003 to take photographs of parents gathered at the gates of Evin prison in an attempt to find out what had happened to their children, who were arrested days earlier for taking part in a demonstration. Kazemi had a government issued press card for this event which, to her knowledge, allowed her to work throughout Tehran. As Kazemi was taking pictures a guard emerged from the prison and asked her to turn over her camera- a request Kazemi refused. After a short violent scuffle, Kazemi was detained by the guards and taken into custody at Evin.

Although specifics of exactly what happened to Kazemi in custody is still a bit fuzzy, it is clear that she was passed around between multiple Iranian ministries who questioned her for hours on end and held her completely incommunicado both from her family and proper legal representation. Nothing else was known about her treatment in the prison until July 11th, 2003, the day she was brought to Baghiyyatollah al-Azam Military Hospital and was pronounced dead.

The original report from the government stated that Kazemi had suffered a tragic stroke while in prison and died from the complications thereof. A few days later the report changed to state that Kazemi had been on a hunger strike while in prison and had collapsed from exhaustion and hit her head. With all these contradictions in the reports the real truth was finally revealed- Iran’s then-Vice President Mohammad Ali Abtahi conceded to the press that Kazemi had been killed as a result of being beaten.

Almost 2 years later Kazemi’s case became an extreme controversy when Shahram Azam, a staff physician at al-Azam, stated that he had examined Kazemi in the hospital shortly after her arrest and found multiple signs of torture. Kazemi’s body, according to Azam, had been subject to a skull fracture, two broken fingers, crushed toes, a broken nose, bruising all over the body, scratches, marks of floggings, and evidence of what he described as a “brutal” rape.

Though it is clear that the extremes seen in Kazemi’s case are not typical, it remains blatantly obvious that a grotesque abuse of power is present in the Iranian prison system. Far too many others have claims similar to what is seen in Kazemi’s case and, in fact, deaths continue to occur in these prisons, as seen in the recent death of Mohsen Ruholamini, who died in Kahrizak prison from repeated beatings early in August.

These conditions can and must be changed. Iran is a signatory of both the International Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Signing these declarations affirms a nation’s commitment to securing human rights for its entire people. If those aren’t enough, Iran’s own constitution “guarantees” similar rights including the right to protest peaceably, freedom from discrimination, and equality before the law. These rights look great on paper, but if the Iranian people are to reach their full potential not only in their own lives but also on the world stage the Iranian government needs to put its own constitution into practice. They either need to do this, or, in the words of Grant Ayatollah Montazeri, “… at least have the courage to announce that this government is neither a republic nor is it Islamic.”

Omid For Iran

August 25th was my second official day as an intern for the human rights organization "Omid for Iran."  My boss, Amir Soltani, is an exceptionally intelligent man who has written works regarding Iran, Islam, and the Middle East in publications such as the Boston Globe and the Harvard Divinity journal.  Needless to say, I'm very excited to begin working for his organization and helping out in any way I can, even if the help I offer is minimal.  Working for an organization that gives me an opportunity to support global unity, human rights, and international relations while uprooting torture, ignorance, and injustice on a daily basis is really exciting.

Right now my main purpose is to gather information for Amir regarding current events in Iran and to collect any documents we can use including human rights reports, newspaper articles, etcetera.  Amir uses these documents to flesh out a concrete plan of action for Omid and to create articles of his own which detail possible paths to unity between the United States and Iran.

Collecting this information is very much like preparing oneself to write a term paper or extensive essay.  In the two days I've worked I've only barely scratched the surface of the information available and already I feel far more knowledgeable than I was previously.  It is very rewarding to be able to learn something new every day at a job.

But with the rewards and blessings of knowledge always comes the knowledge of despicable acts- acts which are not only unjustifiable in any situation but also incompatible with assertions of basic human dignity.  As you may or may not know, the Islamic Republic of Iran is a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which essentially is the international equivalent to the United State's "Bill of Rights."  The ICCPR requires that signatories guarantee certain rights to their citizens and allow for international groups to observe elections, treatment of prisoners, and a variety of other governmental institutions.  In addition to Iran's ICCPR agreement, the Iranian constitution also guarantee rights such as freedom from discrimination, equality before the law, rights of human dignity, and freedom of assembly.  These institutions and guarantees of rights look great on paper, but as we have seen time and time again these "guarantees" are yet to be put into practice.

A recent story from the New York Times helps to put the egregious violations of the Iranian government into perspective.  The article describes a young boy of about 14 years of age who joined a group of friends in the recent "Green Revolution."  The boy wore green bands on his arms and shouted the slogans of the movement- asking only that the votes of his parents, friends, and fellow Iranians be legitimately counted in the elections.  He was one of the millions who yearned for solidarity in his homeland.  Sometime later, the boy was taken into custody with a number of his friends, "fellow conspirators" his captors called them.  While in prison the boy was beaten, tortured, psychologically demeaned, and sexually abused.  The boy said that he was raped multiple times and forced to have sex with his friends- all for practicing his "guaranteed" freedom of speech and assembly.  After his treatment in the prison the boy was forced to sign multiple documents "confessing" to his crimes against the nation and was forbidden to ever speak of the treatment he received.  He is now on suicide watch by his doctor, who confirmed to the New York Times that the injuries the boy still bears are consistent with his story.

I don't know specifically about how anyone who reads this feels about Islam, Arabs, Persians, or whatever, but I do know that anyone who reads this in good conscience can clearly see that this treatment is, quite plainly, wrong.  It is wrong because because the Iranian government is lying to its people.  It is wrong because this boy, and countless others, gathered in a peaceful fashion to protest a controversial election- two rights, that of assembly and speech, which are guaranteed in the Iranian constitution and in Iran's covenant to the world.  It is wrong because this boy, and countless others still, were tortured, demeaned, held incommunicado in secret prisons, beaten, raped, and forced to do unspeakable acts, all in the name of preserving the "Islamic" Republic, which in reality is in and of itself an affront to both the true meaning of "Islam" and "Republic."  

It is by this premise that I encourage you all to join me on this journey- not a journey of appeasement of this terrible government but rather a journey to encourage the Iranian Republic to legitimately pursue the guarantees of its constitution with its people.  This can be done through diplomatic pressure and the creation of international observation of Iran's policies and treatment of its citizens.  Pursuing liberty and justice in Iran will not only benefit Iranians, but it will also benefit the United States and the rest of the world by forming a legitimized nation of freed individuals equipped with liberty, civil and human rights, and above all common human dignity.  You can join in this journey by visiting www.omidforiran.org and reading the petition posted there.  Make it clear to Iran's leadership that their actions are intolerable, but that there is still time to make right their many wrongs and failings.  As Ghandi once said:

"We never wanted to bring you to your knees,

we only wanted to bring you to your senses."

This is Iran's Moment

Saturday, June 20th will, without a measure of doubt, go down as one of the greatest and most prideful days of my summer.  On this day myself and 150+ other activists gathered in Salt Lake City for a rally in support of the solidarity of Iranian citizens.  

The day started off with little but a hint of modest success.  Upon the arrival of Jo Anne and I there were maybe only 15-20 supporters present.  There were plenty of signs lying around, but with no one to carry them their message would mean very little.  We grabbed our signs- one with an Iranian flag and another with a juxtaposed image of Iran and a twitter bird- and joined in the congregation.  As we joined in, others started coming in as well- one by one, two by two.  Slowly but surely this rally was building.  Within an hour or so the tiny group of 15 or so people had grown 10 times in its size- still not an extremely significant number, but ever symbolic of grassroots decisions and their building influence over time.  

As the group reached its zenith in population we began our march toward the capitol.  About this time it began to rain as well, only a trickle at first, but soon the combined dampness of cloth and chilly gusts of wind made us all at least a little cold and uncomfortable.  As if preaching to the choir one of the main rally leaders announced: "Please stay even though it's raining- this cause is too important!"  But I doubt anyone would leave.  All of us there already knew the stories of the rain of injustice falling upon the Iranians- rain of boiling water dropped from helicopters, rain and fog of tear-gas canisters, and the rain of innocent blood from the mostly-peaceful protesters.  Our predicament of cold was nothing when compared to their unhindered bravery.

The night after the rally I went to KSL's website to observe the half of my face that was on television and also to read the comments posted there.  Many of them were from people who were both disrespectful and uninformed who believed that the rally was used to "bash" the United States and that everyone at the rally should "go back to Iran."  If I could speak to these people directly I would advise that they take advantage of their opportunity to get a decent education in the United States, because judging by their spelling errors (littered throughout their paragraphs like a field after Woodstock) and their blatant racism, arrogance, and ignorance.  Luckily, this movement isn't about them.  This is about Iran's moment.  This is about Iranian solidarity and the long-awaited human rights that they must be rewarded.  Let's not give up on Iran- even if our support here seems insignificant I'm confident these grassroots will grow- just like they did in our rally.