I think that the most overlooked aspect of the current election crisis in Iran is the fact that the western world has finally had a human portrait of Iranian men and women painted for them.
Time recently ran a photo-essay titled “The Faces of Iran” which can be viewed here. Do you see what I see? Young people attending university. Thriving art and business communities. Modern cityscapes.
This photo collection single-handedly shatters misconceptions held about Iran, its people and its culture.
Where was this humanity from the mainstream media when the President of the United States deemed Iran a member of “The Axis of Evil?” Where were the photo-essays during Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s visit to New York City in the September of 2007?
This is not a political post. I’m simply pointing out that our perception of Iran and its people until recently has been defined by photos of Ahmadinejad and that has been unacceptable.
After all, George W. Bush certainly did not win the 2000 United States presidential election with 99% of the popular vote.
Actually, there have been several predecessors of presenting positive views of Iran; in particular, Marjane Satrapi’s “Persepolis”–a 2-volume graphic novel that was later turned into a movie. The publication and movie release happened during the Bush years and Persepolis (2007) was nominated for an Oscar (as well as nominated for and winning dozens of other film competitions).