The Image of Iran's Protest: Neda
Words have lost their power. Where Shakespeare discussed how the pen is mightier than the sword, the writer of our times (Dan Brown? Sue Grafton? John de Guzmán?) should say, "Video is super, super powerful. Much more than pens or guns or sticks or stones."
In fact, it's hard for many to wrap their minds around something unless they are visualizing it. (Just ask any Los Angeles jury... they don't believe anything unless it was caught on video. Even then, there's doubt.) So, I'll post a couple of examples of crisis-defining media, then I'll introduce one of the scariest videos you'll ever see. It puts a shape on Iran's current situation. I'll warn, though, that the video from Iran is haunting, so read on with that in mind. It is NOT for children.
Tiananmen Square:
This video perfectly communicated the magnitude and desperation of the Chinese 1989 protest. Finally, the rest of the world got it. No amount of written reporting communicated as much as this simple minute of video.
In fact, it's hard for many to wrap their minds around something unless they are visualizing it. (Just ask any Los Angeles jury... they don't believe anything unless it was caught on video. Even then, there's doubt.) So, I'll post a couple of examples of crisis-defining media, then I'll introduce one of the scariest videos you'll ever see. It puts a shape on Iran's current situation. I'll warn, though, that the video from Iran is haunting, so read on with that in mind. It is NOT for children.
Tiananmen Square:
This video perfectly communicated the magnitude and desperation of the Chinese 1989 protest. Finally, the rest of the world got it. No amount of written reporting communicated as much as this simple minute of video.
Vietnam:
This single picture of an assassination changed American's thoughts on their involvement in the Vietnam conflict. Of course the media had written about mindless assassinations on the street, but until this picture made it out into the world, people didn't understand mindless assassinations were happening on Vietnam's streets.
Iran:
Now we turn to Iran as the country riots in response to last week's tampered election. For those who don't know, Ahmadinejad, the incumbent President who has denied the Holocaust and believes Israel should be wiped off the map, had some formidable competition from challenger Moussavi. The votes, when tallied, showed a landslide in favor of Ahmadinejad, even in Moussavi's home town. It screamed, "tampering," and the people rose up in protest. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei -- the country's true authority -- said he had no reason to believe there was tampering with vote results.
Iranians are not having it, and they still take to the streets to show their displeasure, despite warnings from President Ahmadinejad that protesting would not be tolerated and the government would use deadly force against it. Though Iran has put the kibosh on press coverage, footage is still sneaking out. Like tweets. And this video of Neda, a young woman who has been shot in the heart while protesting. Again, it is haunting and not for children.
I have chills all over me.
This video just might put the context of Iran's struggle into the world's collective conscious. I have the feeling Neda will live forever.
Source: Gawker
This single picture of an assassination changed American's thoughts on their involvement in the Vietnam conflict. Of course the media had written about mindless assassinations on the street, but until this picture made it out into the world, people didn't understand mindless assassinations were happening on Vietnam's streets.Iran:
Now we turn to Iran as the country riots in response to last week's tampered election. For those who don't know, Ahmadinejad, the incumbent President who has denied the Holocaust and believes Israel should be wiped off the map, had some formidable competition from challenger Moussavi. The votes, when tallied, showed a landslide in favor of Ahmadinejad, even in Moussavi's home town. It screamed, "tampering," and the people rose up in protest. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei -- the country's true authority -- said he had no reason to believe there was tampering with vote results.
Iranians are not having it, and they still take to the streets to show their displeasure, despite warnings from President Ahmadinejad that protesting would not be tolerated and the government would use deadly force against it. Though Iran has put the kibosh on press coverage, footage is still sneaking out. Like tweets. And this video of Neda, a young woman who has been shot in the heart while protesting. Again, it is haunting and not for children.
I have chills all over me.
This video just might put the context of Iran's struggle into the world's collective conscious. I have the feeling Neda will live forever.
Source: Gawker
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