yeah, that counts, and any other thing which might help people get closer counts as well.

I am not an Iranian in exile or anything like that.
As for closeness – does liking for and appreciation of Iranian jokes counts?

Are you an Iranian in exile or something like that? you are apparently very close to this country.

I have read couple of books on Revolution. Every author has different take on. One author, who I lived through it, wrote that what happened after revolution was somewhat planned in advance. I think he might be right, people who supported Islamic revolution could use mosques, and clandestinely prepare many things. Other people (communists, democrats ) did not have that opportunity. That is also the problem with theocratic system, it is very difficult to change some things. I am not religious person, but some of my friends are religious and I am pretty sure that they will have to really search their conscience before doing something which their religious people (clerics, mullahs etc) say is wrong. And in Iran some mullahs say democracy is not compatible with Islam. Myself, I think it is bullshit, but some ( I hope, not many) people believe them.

Imports. True, some people concentrated on one thing forgetting that idea of democracy consists of many things linked together. It is true that democracy in Switzerland is somewhat different from democracy in Ukraine or in the USA but many things are the same. So although I think that there are some things which can be changed, many can not be changed, because to change them will make this word/idea meaningless.
Hmm………..I guess I wrote nearly the same thing what you wrote in your post, I think.

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I still believe that sanctions would not be counterproductive. They may not stop crazies but they may make their life much more difficult.

I have decided to set Quran on fire as long as Islamic dictatorship of Iran:

1. doesn’t commit to Universal Declaration of Human Rights rules;
2. doesn’t stop executions;
3. doesn’t free students and opposition from prison;
3. doesn’t bring justice in Judiciary system and society.

I believe religious disobedience is the key to save Iranian people from ruling mullahs. They preach that Islam is religion of peace and freedom which is a hypocrisy in reality.
So as long as this hypocrisy goes in Iran, this fire is on Quran and I will continue to do so for unlimited time. Also I encourage you to set fire on Quran in every corner and leave the rest of it in the city because this movement should spread itself among everyday people.

I chose this date because it’s Islamic sacred month in the Islamic calendar which in this month the Hajj Pilgrimage takes place. So setting Quran on fire, I am sending this message to mullahs (clergies) who live in hypocrisy that if Islam has not brought peace and prosperity in Iran for Iranians as logic suggests, we should get rid of it like what I am doing.

Also I am asking from world citizens including Iranians to support this campaign.

Please promote ‘Fire on Quran’ and fight against Islamic dictatorship regime of Iran

as I see, we are closer than that I could imagine. just note that:

(1) bread and butter was just an abstract example, not an objective one referring to IRI or Shah: it was just to show that immature society might prefer a dictator for a while… and that is a stage in the way of social evolution, as you pointed out very well.

(2) “their revolution was hijacked by islamists” many emphasize on this point. agreed.
“2 revolution or 1″ was a good article I read about this argument, which stated that the revolution itself was a populist one in essence, but Islamists hijacked it in its last stages.

(3) about importing an idea, rate of change, tolerating people’s trial and error, changing the idea or the society to fit each other, etc:

Democracy, as I understand it (maybe an incomplete understanding), is a set of values plus a set of well stablished procedures to support and protect those values. but these 2 sets are not a complete system/order, and every democratic society makes its own system based on these values and using those procedures.

you do agree, I think, that the swiss democracy is somehow different from that of french, leave UK aside which still believes that some people are born common and some are born noble . many details of a democratic order should be determined with regards to that society’s history, roots, ego, etc.

but what happened in those ‘import’ acts was this: Mr X visits France (fro example), writes every single thing he observes there, comes here and wants to make a COPY of that model here, i.e. a democratic order (rather than democracy) comes in a single package, while this order is neither fitting the Iranians’ needs nor is the ultimate must to establish democracy.

this is why such movements were doomed to fail. but right now, the democratic movement in Iran is growing up much speedier than what even most optimistic people could imagine.

*****

and about the sanctions: I think they are less likely to help your cause, and indeed it is a counter productive strategy. it wont stop crazies, I believe.