FROM TEHRAN WITH HOPE

Will democracy and free speech survive
the efforts of the Islamic Republic to stifle them?

by Julie Jigawnovich

I messaged my friend, Adrenaline, who is in Tehran now.
He and his friends voted for Mousavi or Kourubi for president
of Iran. They are protesting the claims Ahmadinejad
is making that he won the election.

3:16pmJulie
anyone you know hurt or arrested?

3:16pmAdrenaline
lol
more than u can imagine

3:17pmJulie
are the police firing real bullets and killing people?

3:17pmAdrenaline
first u gotta see it :
http://i42.tinypic.com/28802yq.jpg

3:17pmJulie
who is that?

3:17pmAdrenaline
one of moosavi fans
there are hundreds of them

3:18pmJulie
hurt by police or by sepah?

3:18pmAdrenaline
and not just boyz,,,they also beat girls as well
by anti-riot units

3:18pmJulie
did your friend take the picture?

3:18pmAdrenaline
yup !

3:19pmJulie
could we use the photo?

3:19pmAdrenaline
sure

3:19pmJulie
is Mousavi safe? he's not hurt?

3:20pmAdrenaline
hes safe

3:20pmJulie
is there a nickname of the photographer who took the photo?

3:20pmAdrenaline
he was in streets
with crowd

3:20pmJulie
should i put anonymous as the photographer?
[to protect him/her from prosecution]

3:21pmAdrenaline
wait,,,im asking him
use http://i42.tinypic.com/28802yq.jpg
shit
sorry
i mean use anonymous

3:22pmJulie
mamnun! [thank you, in Farsi]

3:23pmAdrenaline
khahesh mikonam [your welcome]

3:23pmJulie
anything else you want to add?

3:24pmAdrenaline
i dunno
i cant focus on that article right now

3:25pmJulie
ok. i hope all your friends live and will be healthy.

3:26pmAdrenaline
tanx

Later
5:30pmJulie
who started the violence today?

5:31pmAdrenaline
police killed four people today

5:32pmJulie
did the police kill people who were peacefully demonstrating?

5:32pmAdrenaline
yup. actually not police, some units like undercover polices and
security units."

Yesterday
5:25pmJulie
when you voted for Mousavi, what change were you hoping for?

5:26pmAdrenaline
obviously, if we start a another revolution, we will be like afganistan
but with the right president we can reach our goals!

5:28pmJulie
how will you be like afganistan?
what are your goals?

5:29pmAdrenaline
its so complicated. we want democracy, free speech, freedom!,
having respect in international and so many other things that you
already know.

5:30pmJulie
do you want diplomatic relations with the US?

5:30pmAdrenaline
that's what everyone wants--but not being used by other countries.
independence is the most important thing for iran

5:32pmJulie
some of the amadi supporters probably think he is independent.
but he is too mean sometimes. he makes it too easy for zionists to
talk about war with iran. real independence is very hard to find.

5:34pmAdrenaline
i cant speak for all of the people!

5:34pmJulie
US wants to be independent. in reality we are becoming economic slaves.
we owe so much money to China.

5:34pmAdrenaline
i just giving u my opinions

5:35pmJulie
i am also just giving my opinions.
but it is so nice to be able to talk!

5:35pmAdrenaline
true!

5:36pmJulie
i'm going to write letters. the white house pays attention when people take the time to write letters. talk to you later, Adrenaline!