A Note to Tomorrow's Children

A blog post in Persian, translated by the NIAC

"I will participate in the demonstrations tomorrow. Maybe they will turn violent. Maybe I will be one of the people who is going to get killed. I'm listening to all my favorite music. I even want to dance to a few songs. I always wanted to have very narrow eyebrows. Yes, maybe I will go to the salon before I go tomorrow! There are a few great movie scenes that I also have to see. I should drop by the library, too. It's worth to read the poems of Forough and Shamloo again. All family pictures have to be reviewed, too. I have to call my friends as well to say goodbye. All I have are two bookshelves which I told my family who should receive them. I'm two units away from getting my bachelors degree but who cares about that. My mind is very chaotic. I wrote these random sentences for the next generation so they know we were not just emotional and under peer pressure. So they know that we did everything we could to create a better future for them. So they know that our ancestors surrendered to Arabs and Mongols but did not surrender to despotism. This note is dedicated to tomorrow's children..."

It is incredible to see what is in the hearts an minds of so many Iranians right now. It is touching, it is moving, it is amazing. History tells us of armies of long dead people who put themselves in harm's way for the sake of freedom, but that can never compare to the reality of seeing it happening, right this moment, by people like you or I, who go to school, or have a job, who for all that matters could be our next door neighbors -placing freedom above all else. Moments like this make me fall in love with the people of Earth.

The Ayatollah made clear where he stands -and has given a clear warning to the people and opposition leaders -but the protests will go on in a few hours. I hope the cost to the people is not too high.