Iran has been antagonistic with the west ever since the Islamic Revolution of 1979 and the following hostage crisis. Iran was becoming more amiable around the second millennium, but soon reverted to its 1979 self. Iran’s refusal to disclose information about its nuclear program and proliferation of anti-western sentiment has pushed them further away in the eyes of our people and our government. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (2005-2013) were leaders responsible for the direction Iran has recently taken.
Yet reading today's New York Times article gave me hope that I hadn’t felt in a long time. Recently-elected Iranian president Hassan Rouhani is promising the change that can improve and fortify relations between Iran and the US: he is emphasizing flexibility in negotiations, releasing political prisoners, and promising that Iran will never seek nuclear weapons. Already working on the reforms he promised during his campaign, Hassan Rouhani seems like he truly wishes to repair and strengthen Iran's ties with western nations. Even the anti-western Supreme Leader (who is the true ruler of Iran and much more powerful than any president could ever be) is endorsing his plan.1
 |
| Rouhani at a press conference before his inauguration. |
So why am I so happy about this? I am happy that America may reconcile with one of its biggest adversaries, yes. But I’m excited for the people of Iran and the US.
Though some Iranians are anti-western fanatics who believe nothing but the creed the revolution was founded upon, many Iranians understand that the West, and in particular the US, is comprised of good people. It’s the US government the Iranians don’t like, not the people. Unfortunately, we Americans do not view Iran and Iranians the same way. Believing that every Iranian imitates the ideals their government displays, many Americans develop an internal mistrust or dislike of Iranians that is rooted to our core.
When many US citizens hear about Iran, they are only capable of seeing the image of the enemy. We hear speculation about Iran’s ongoing nuclear program and fear for the worst. We see an American flag-burning on TV so we denounce them terrorists. These scenarios are real in Iran, yes, but it is imperative to realize that they are not representative of all Iranians. It’s representative of a tiny minority, and Americans judge nations like Iran off of those small moments that receive disproportionally large media attention.2 What if Iranians saw the Westboro Baptist Church protesting the Sandy Hook vigil? Iranians would conclude that Americans believed that those murdered kids got what they deserved.3 Those scenarios are not at all representative of our beliefs or attitudes, but they are used as a foundation for judgment and condemnation.
In regards to Iran’s nuclear program, it is likely that it was initiated for harmful purposes. But the same way that it wasn’t individual Americans’ faults that we sent troops into Afghanistan or Iraq, it is not Iranians’ fault they have that program—Iranian citizens do not even know how developed it is because the government keeps that information classified. I’ve studied the Iranian political scene; the institutions are not democratic and citizens have much less influence than we do over policy and policymakers. It’s not the citizens’ fault, and we must recognize that to break the stereotype surrounding Iranians like a dense smog.
I think I have these viewpoints and am particularly interested in Iran because two of my best friends are Iranian. I became friends with them before I knew too much about Iranian-US relations, but I don’t think it would have mattered. Becoming friends with someone who differs from us illuminates the humane, relatable side they had all along—the side often ignored when minorities or potential enemies are depicted. I was fortunate to have been exposed to diverse people from a young age. Sure, their skin color and religion and culture are different, but they have the same feelings, sense of humour, and basic wants we all have. We cannot continue to stereotype and condemn a people because their government follows policies we don’t agree with. It is not fair to them and to ourselves.
This is why I’m so happy that Hassan Rouhani is bringing Iran closer to the US. Though ideally we should appreciate the Iranian people for who they are, many Americans are blinded by the stereotypes they're consistently exposed to. But if Hassan continues to bring Iran closer to us, we see Iranians up close and recognize that they are no different from us. With increased exposure to them, the attitudes once held will vanish to but a whisper of our biased past. A world full of growth and friends is out there. We just need to let ourselves see it.
__________________
1. There is a good chance this is just because the sanctions have crippled Iran’s oil income.
2. So does the media control our perception of the world around us? Another time, passion blog.
3. If you’re curious why the Westboro Baptist Church protested the vigil, it’s because they believed the murderer’s acts were judgement from God —judgement we deserve for allowing gays and lesbians to live in our society (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/16/westboro-baptist-church-picket-connecticut-school-shooting_n_2312186.html).
No comments:
Post a Comment