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15 comments

President of Cameras

Kamangir | August 27, 2006 | Category Iran

There are two kinds of houses in Taleghan, where Ahmadinejad is opening a dam. First, there are fancy summertime villas for people from the outside, this is how I got to know the fantastic place. Second, there are poor farmers’ ones. To have a sense of how appreciated this region is, just note that the very dam which is opened now has been an open project since I remember. So, Mr President goes there and does all sorts of funny stuff he affords to do. Still, he does not think he has gained the popularity which is worth the suffering of riding a helicopter and then a Mercedes Benz. So, give me a poor creature so that I can listen to him! In Taleghan, and many other rural places, what is just around any corner is old poor ladies with bad skin and pathetic shapes. So, bring me one! And this is what happens next.

What is wrong mom [this is the friendly way of talking to an old lay in Iran]?

Hey! Who took this picture?

Or this one?

And this one?

Reader's Comments

  1. Vilas | August 27th, 2006 at 1:56 pm

    What’s the point of this posting? All elected leaders of all nations do similar things - they are called photo ops. Are you just so inherently anti-Ahmadinejad/anti-Islamic revolution that you will take any opportunity at all to insult the leadership of Iran even when it is obviously not warranted? Here Ahmadinejad is mocked for using a helicopter and Mercedes, would you rather Iran go back to the times of the shah, and host extravagent parties costing millions of dollars celebrating constant monarchy in Iran while much of the country can hardly afford simple things?

  2. kamangir | August 27th, 2006 at 2:22 pm

    Show me another example where a political figure gets engaged in a theatrical “talking to the poor” show like the above and the press do not destroy his career.

  3. kamangir | August 27th, 2006 at 2:23 pm

    And about the Benz, I tried to be funny. :)

  4. ella | August 27th, 2006 at 7:08 pm

    Show me another example where a political figure gets engaged in a theatrical “talking to the poor” show like the above and the press do not destroy his career.
    Putin in Russia ;-)

  5. kamangir | August 27th, 2006 at 7:28 pm

    Fine!

  6. Lesly | August 28th, 2006 at 12:26 am

    Bush in New Orleans?

    There was a striking dicrepancy between the CNN International report on the Bush visit to the New Orleans disaster zone, yesterday, and reports of the same event by German TV.

    ZDF News reported that the president’s visit was a completely staged event. Their crew witnessed how the open air food distribution point Bush visited in front of the cameras was torn down immediately after the president and the herd of ‘news people’ had left and that others which were allegedly being set up were abandoned at the same time.

    The people in the area were once again left to fend for themselves, said ZDF.

  7. M | August 28th, 2006 at 12:56 am

    Seems you are new to politics. I’m not defending A.N., but these kind of photo-ops are common among politicians all around the world. You are also a newcomer to the free world (as you’ve mentioned in the introduction of your blog), so be patient, live and learn.
    As for examples of theatrical show, there are abundant. Look around, and you’ll see for yourself.

  8. kamangir | August 28th, 2006 at 2:12 pm

    Lesly,
    So there is ZDF to report against Bush and no one approaches them with a handcuff. I am afraid there is no Iranian substitute for this.

  9. kamangir | August 28th, 2006 at 2:13 pm

    M,
    I was looking at your comment. It seems that except for trying to show how naive I am, you have no other argument. Thanks for the criticism and I am still waiting for a real point from you.

  10. kamangir | August 28th, 2006 at 2:17 pm

    M, or Rahgozar,
    May I ask what makes you this much angry?

  11. anonymous | August 29th, 2006 at 1:27 am

    یه ضرب المثل هست Ú©Ù‡ میگه: “مارادونا رو ول کن، غضنفر رو بچسب.”:
    http://www.haloscan.com/comments/cernig/115663352346132963/#440581
    واقعا که هر چه بر سر ملت ما بیاد حقمونه. آخه آدم حسابی! تو اگه از رییس جمهور مملکتت بدت میاد، مشکلی نیست، به فارسی بنویس، دق دلت خالی شه. چرا انگلیسی مینویسی که آبروی مملکتت رو ببری؟ کم واسمون حرف درست میکنن؟

    من هم از این بابا بدم میاد. ولی هموطنمه، جلوی بقیه هواش رو دارم. اتفاقا از بوش خیلی بیشتر حالیشه

    حالا از ما گفتن. ولی من فکر نمیکنم که این مردم متحد!! و هماهنگ!! ما بلاخره بتونن مملکتشون رو آباد کنن. حقا که افرادی مثل ما باید یه قلدر بالا سرمون باشه

    Translation: We deserve whatever happens to us…If you hate the country’s president, it fine, write in Persian…Why do you write in English to disgrace the country? Aren’t they so suspicious of us? I hate him, too. But he is from my country. I support him in front of others. He actually knows more than Bush does….

  12. ella | August 29th, 2006 at 3:12 am

    M

    But Russia has tradition of such shows. They did it under communists and tradition still continues, even in Russia. Ever heard of Potiomkin villages? They were villages build when Czar went to see how well his people lived. They were build just for the czar’s view, with people herded inside for show, everyting completely staged.
    In my view, Ahmadinejad and Putin just continue this fine tradition.
    In the west there are too many different media around to do that now, not so in Iran.

  13. kamangir | August 29th, 2006 at 10:49 am

    Anonymous, M, Rahgozar,
    I really have no comment.

  14. ella | August 29th, 2006 at 9:07 pm

    Anonymous

    Should we, people who are not iranians know Iran only by the deeds of your president and the blogs who completely, 100% agree with him?
    If I want to know a country I want to know not only its beauty but also its ugliness. how can I like the country if I do not know both. If I would know the country only for its beauty I would be dissapointed when and if I go to that country and see ugliness there.
    I think that Archer shows us not only ugliness but also its beauty.
    Furthermore the government of Iran and its people are only one part of the people of Iran. As in all countries there are good and bad people and some are good or bad depending on circumstances.
    And I think that you have wrong image of other people, if we are suspicious of your government that is because of its behaviour and posting of Archer will not change that.
    I think his posting shows that there are different people living in Iran, some who agree with government, some who disagree and some who are just got used to this kind of government.
    I also think that it is better that he writes in English, at least that way people can see that the people in Iran are like all others and have different view-points.

  15. ella | August 29th, 2006 at 9:20 pm

    anonymous

    And one more thing.
    You mentioned that even though you sometimes do not agree with your president you support him in front of others. Do you think that what you are doing will make other people less suspicious of Iran or more suspicious.
    Think!!!

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