Photo Credit: alisonfi - http://twitter.com/alisonfi

Even though they may seem like small things, turning your profile image green, re-tweeting information from people on the ground in Iran, setting up hundreds of proxy servers within days, coordinating rallies, giving maps on where to take injured people, pointing people to guerrila warfare tactics and first aid handbooks, and many other random acts have shown the Iranian people that the world is watching, that we do in fact stand behind them, and that they are on the right side of this fight.

Personally, I have gone through many different emotions at various times throughout the week, from guilt that I have never had to fight like these people do at this moment in history, to utter sadness and horror at the widely circulated “Neda” video, who has become our generations “Tank Man”. The “Neda” video really moved something in me. I am a child of the information age; I am desensitized to a lot of things just due to the sheer nature of how many things I see on the internet on a day to day basis. It is one thing to see someone get shot or hit by a car. It’s another thing entirely to actually watch someone die. To watch the life fade from her eyes. And all this because the people of Iran wanted their most basic right to be upheld, to have a voice in their own future. This makes it all the more sad, yet, remarkable since this martyr’s name, Neda, happens to mean “voice” or “call” in Farsi. Indeed, this was the call to arms for the opposition movement.

Obama has been careful and received a lot of criticism for not being tough enough. I believe he has been spot-on with his comments thus far, and if any real outside pressure is to be put on the Iranian government, it needs to be done as a world effort, with many countries coming forward together, as opposed to a singular order from the US.

This is the Iranian’s fight for their own freedom. They have to do this for themselves. Freedom must be fought for and many deep sacrifices will be made. Most of us will never have to face what these people are facing right now. A comment from a friend’s blog really struck a chord with me:

memzilla wrote:

We marched on DC in May 1971 — http://tinyurl.com/may71dc . We were teargassed, maced, arrested, and thrown into RFK Stadium. But we never thought for a second that DC Metro Police would be shooting us from the rooftops, even though the kids at Kent State had been gunned down a year earlier.

We polished our anti-war credentials and used them to get laid. Also.

But we see none of that with the Iran protests. No after-march parties. No egos. No student leaders with their own sub-agendas. No inanities. Just the largest, most brutal reality show in the world: “So You Think You Can Vote.”

Funny, the biggest worry about computers back in the ’60s was that the All Powerful State would use them to control us all. Now it’s a 180 reverse.

F**k totalitarianism, f**k despots, f**k theocracy of any brand. All power to the people. The Whole World Is Watching.

Posted 21 Jun 2009

We end up taking so much for granted, living in America. I’ve had words with a couple people who were criticizing the online community’s avid involvement, citing the fact that there were “no people in the streets when the US election was stolen in 2000″. I don’t disagree with the fact that people should have been much more upset over how this was handled. But there are some dramatic differences, one of the primary ones being communication tools: the major communication mechanisms in use with Iran were not in existence at the time (Twitter-2006, Youtube-2005, Facebook-2004, Myspace-2003, countless blogs that have sprouted up since) so information couldn’t be spread in such an efficient, swarm-like manner, with important things naturally floating to the top. Sure, there is mainstream media, but they get to choose what’s important enough to show the public, whether their intent is truly for “good” or whether for corporate interests. With the online mediums, each person chooses what’s important and what you’d like everyone around you to know and appreciate, and the most important tidbits make their way in front of everyone’s nose, sooner or later.

So where does this all stand? Currently, everyday the crackdown gets more and more brutal, as the Iranian government increases the amount of Basij on the ground. The demonstrations are being broken up before they can reach “critical mass” level like what was seen within the first few days after the election. Internet and cell phone service is being filtered more and more rigorously, and the Iranian government has made many arrests and even murdered people over trying to communicate and share information with the outside world.

Does this mean it’s over?

No. Not by a long shot. The on-the-street demonstrations are smaller currently due to the fear of violence brought upon the people by the Basij, IRG, and police forces. But, behind the scenes, much support is being drummed up and fortified by Ayatollah Rafsanjani, who was president of Iran under Ayatollah Khomeini after the revolution. He is the primary opposing force of Ayatollah Khamenei and President Ahmadinejad, and arguably, the only one powerful enough to take Ayatollah Khamenei out of power. I heard an interesting comparison the other day of the similarities between our country’s founding fathers and Iran. All these main players have been around since the ’79 revolution, and were supposedly making it more of a “state of the people”, although, some took a hard-line right turn.

In their religion, the primary days of mourning are the 3rd and 40th, and as was seen in the ’79 revolution, I would expect violence and demonstrations to escalate in about 30 days from now when it hits the 40 day mark from the beginning of the violence. The most critical thing that I am keeping my eye on is whether or not a nationwide strike takes hold. This was what brought the country to a standstill under the Shah and forced him to step down from power. I saw estimates of about 30% of the workforce went on strike on Tuesday, when it was first called for, but communication out of the country has been getting progressively worse since then and I haven’t heard anything new. The main sector to watch would be the oil industry, as it provides Iran with a lion’s share of it’s wealth.

It’s hard to just standby and do nothing, but for anyone who is not an Iranian citizen, that’s probably the best thing to do at this point, other than showing passive support for the “Sea of Green”. So from over here, I will continue to watch as the occasional tweet, violent Youtube video, or horrifying photo trickles out, providing a glimpse at largely hidden fight for freedom that the Iran people have undertaken.

1. 2007-12-07 – http://www.ksby.com/Global/story.asp?s=7510034
2. 2007-12-22 – http://www.ksby.com/Global/story.asp?s=7535638
3. 2008-01-05 – http://www.ksby.com/Global/story.asp?s=7583042
4. 2008-01-24
5. 2008-01-24
6. 2008-01-24   (four spills at separate facilities, one day)
7. 2008-01-24 – http://www.ksby.com/Global/story.asp?s=7771799
8. 2008-01-29 – http://www.ksby.com/Global/story.asp?s=7793474
9. 2008-03-02 – http://www.ksby.com/Global/story.asp?s=7983929
10. 2008-03-05 – http://www.ksby.com/Global/story.asp?s=7979098
11. 2008-04-22 – http://www.ksby.com/Global/story.asp?s=8209092
12. 2008-05-01 – http://www.ksby.com/Global/story.asp?s=8258940
13. 2008-05-29 – http://www.ksby.com/Global/story.asp?s=8404336
14. 2008-07-25 – http://www.ksby.com/Global/story.asp?s=8738731
15. 2008-08-14 – http://www.ksby.com/Global/story.asp?s=8844591
16. 2008-11-26 – http://www.ksby.com/Global/story.asp?s=9421141
17. 2008-12-26
18. 2008-12-27
19. 2008-12-28 – http://www.ksby.com/Global/story.asp?s=9588026

The Sierra Club reports over 41 spills this year by their count. Greka has also received over 250 citations over the last eight years or so. According to this article from the Oakland Tribune, “the Santa Barbara County Fire Department has responded at least 400 times [since 1999] to Greka oil spills and gas leaks”.

Why does this keep happening? How many times do they have to be so obviously negligent to make the proper authorities put an end to it?

I also love how the president of Greka, Andrew DeVegvar, thinks they are being “targeted” and “victimized”. Here are a couple of select quotes from the man himself from the past week or so:

“There are oil companies that are putting oil into the ocean, and there [are] other oil companies in Santa Barbara that are having oil spills and have had oil spills, and none of these companies are being victimized by stop work order.”

“We regret that this happened but it wasn’t because of our infrastructure, it wasn’t because of our operator procedures, it wasn’t because of the way we do business. It was because a human being made a mistake and that can happen anywhere.”

An occasional accident is one thing, a regular occurrence of the same issue is something completely different. None of the other companies are screwing up as often as Greka has been recently. If they were, they would be in the news as well.

The reference he made to human error was about the latest three spills over the holiday break. I disagree with him; I do believe it was because of the way that they do business, by cutting corners and not providing enough watchful eyes, especially when you have been under fire so much in the past. But that aside, there are 16 other spills over the last year that you can’t just attribute to human error (and even if you can, you obviously need to better train your employees). So I reject that argument. There is no excuse for a business to repeatedly mess up, especially when in this case the stakes are so high, posing a real danger to the surrounding environment and life.

At least there are some people in government who recognize this company is an utter failure and really should be shut down. Assemblymember Pedro Nava (D-35) has authored two bills (AB1960 and 2911) to enforce stricter penalties and to help cleanup efforts when there is a spill.  He even has a website devoted to keeping tabs on Greka. But there is still much progress to be made, as they are going to continue to have these spills until they are shut down permanently.

So where does it stand? Well, they were issued another stop-work order by the county after the most recent spills. That’s the fifth or sixth time that they have had an order issued. They are not allowed to open that specific facility until the state and county have conducted an investigation and have deemed the facility fit for operation. But here are other facilities and all of them have had these problems. It’s time to start putting pressure on the people towards the top to let them know that this kind of gross neglegence is intolerable. We can’t let Greka (or others in the future) continue to get away from being held accountable for cutting corners and their disregard of safety in order to fulfil the bottom line. Email the Governator, email Assemblymember Nava, email the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors. They are the ones who can force this to stop and as we’ve seen, as long as nothing is done, it surely won’t be long before there is another spill.

“God forbid we should ever be twenty years without such a rebellion. The people cannot be all, and always, well informed. The part which is wrong will be discontented, in proportion to the importance of the facts they misconceive. If they remain quiet under such misconceptions, it is lethargy, the forerunner of death to the public liberty…. And what country can preserve its liberties, if its rulers are not warned from time to time, that this people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to the facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure.”

- Thomas Jefferson, on Shays’ Rebellion in a letter to William S. Smith, November 13, 1787

If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

It’s the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen, by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different, that their voices could be that difference.

It’s the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled. Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of individuals or a collection of red states and blue states.

We are, and always will be, the United States of America.

It’s the answer that led those who’ve been told for so long by so many to be cynical and fearful and doubtful about what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.

It’s been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this date in this election at this defining moment change has come to America.

A little bit earlier this evening, I received an extraordinarily gracious call from Senator McCain.

Senator McCain fought long and hard in this campaign. And he’s fought even longer and harder for the country that he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine. We are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader.

I congratulate him; I congratulate Governor Palin for all that they’ve achieved. And I look forward to working with them to renew this nation’s promise in the months ahead.

I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart, and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton … and rode with on the train home to Delaware, the vice president-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.

And I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last 16 years … the rock of our family, the love of my life, the nation’s next first lady … Michelle Obama.

Sasha and Malia … I love you both more than you can imagine. And you have earned the new puppy that’s coming with us …to the new White House.

And while she’s no longer with us, I know my grandmother’s watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight. I know that my debt to them is beyond measure.

To my sister Maya, my sister Alma, all my other brothers and sisters, thank you so much for all the support that you’ve given me. I am grateful to them.

And to my campaign manager, David Plouffe … the unsung hero of this campaign, who built the best — the best political campaign, I think, in the history of the United States of America.

To my chief strategist David Axelrod … who’s been a partner with me every step of the way.

To the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics … you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you’ve sacrificed to get it done.

But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to. It belongs to you. It belongs to you.

I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn’t start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington. It began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston. It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give $5 and $10 and $20 to the cause.

It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation’s apathy … who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep.

It drew strength from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on doors of perfect strangers, and from the millions of Americans who volunteered and organized and proved that more than two centuries later a government of the people, by the people, and for the people has not perished from the Earth.

This is your victory.

And I know you didn’t do this just to win an election. And I know you didn’t do it for me.

You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime — two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century.

Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us.

There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after the children fall asleep and wonder how they’ll make the mortgage or pay their doctors’ bills or save enough for their child’s college education.

There’s new energy to harness, new jobs to be created, new schools to build, and threats to meet, alliances to repair.

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even in one term. But, America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there.

I promise you, we as a people will get there.

AUDIENCE: Yes we can! Yes we can! Yes we can!

There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won’t agree with every decision or policy I make as president. And we know the government can’t solve every problem.

But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And, above all, I will ask you to join in the work of remaking this nation, the only way it’s been done in America for 221 years — block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.

What began 21 months ago in the depths of winter cannot end on this autumn night.

This victory alone is not the change we seek. It is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were.

It can’t happen without you, without a new spirit of service, a new spirit of sacrifice.

So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of responsibility, where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves but each other.

Let us remember that, if this financial crisis taught us anything, it’s that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers.

In this country, we rise or fall as one nation, as one people. Let’s resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long.

Let’s remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House, a party founded on the values of self-reliance and individual liberty and national unity.

Those are values that we all share. And while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress.

As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, we are not enemies but friends. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection.

And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn, I may not have won your vote tonight, but I hear your voices. I need your help. And I will be your president, too.

And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces, to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of the world, our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand.

To those — to those who would tear the world down: We will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security: We support you. And to all those who have wondered if America’s beacon still burns as bright: Tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyielding hope.

That’s the true genius of America: that America can change. Our union can be perfected. What we’ve already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.

This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that’s on my mind tonight’s about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She’s a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing: Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.

She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn’t vote for two reasons — because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.

And tonight, I think about all that she’s seen throughout her century in America — the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can’t, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.

At a time when women’s voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.

When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs, a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.

AUDIENCE: Yes we can.

When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.

AUDIENCE: Yes we can.

She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that We Shall Overcome. Yes we can.

AUDIENCE: Yes we can.

A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination.

And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change.

Yes we can.

AUDIENCE: Yes we can.

America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves — if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment.

This is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope. And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can’t, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can.

Thank you. God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America.

President-Elect Barack Obama
Chicago, 2008
Shortly after winning the United States presidential election