Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Sept. 24 at Columbia University, said, 'In Iran, we don't have homosexuals, like in your country.' Although he might be stating this as a fact, it is indeed not. What the President meant to say was, 'In Iran, we do not tolerate homosexuality, like in your country.'
In Iran, the ruling law is called the Sharia. The Sharia is the Islamic religious that dictates of Iranians the day to day tasks and rules of life, from everything to a woman can only marry a Muslim man to 100 lashes for homosexual acts while single, and stoned to death if married.
The thoughts that gay Iranians do not exist in his country is ludicrous. It has become abundantly clear that homosexuals in Iran are being executed based on their sexuality.
On July 19, 2005, Iran committed a disgusting and discriminating crime against humanity. Mahmoud Asgari and Ayaz Marhoni were Iranian teenagers who were publicly hanged in Iran. Asgari and Marhoni were hanged in Iran for committing homosexual acts. The Iranian government stated the reason for the hanging was the rape of a minor, although Asgari and Marhoni were minors themselves.
In a blow to Iran's stand for injustice the Dutch government in October of 2006, it has ruled that gay and lesbian Iranians are a special group that is worth of asylum when fleeing persecution. Continuing the freeze placed by the Dutch Alien Affairs and Integration Minister Rita Verdonk. Verdonk stated, 'it appears that there are no cases of an execution on the basis of the sole fact that someone is homosexual.'
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad made a statement that put his country's record on human right in the spot light, and it speaks for itself: disappointing.
The fight against persecution in Iran has not ended. To get involved with stopping human injustices from happening around the world contact the Human Rights Watch, www.hrw.org . If you want to fight to good fight local contact the Human Rights Campaign, www.hrc.org, or here in Illinois, Equality Illinois, www.eqil.org . Human injustice does not stop unless you get involved.
TyJuan J. Cratic
Chicago, IL
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad facing protests and tabloid headlines calling him 'evil' and a 'madman,' stirred debate about free speech ahead of his appearance at Columbia University. Now, this is a tyrant, there is no freedom in his country, yet he has no fear or facing people who disagree with him.
However, if you wish to hear our Commander-in-Chief speak in person, you must follow certain rules. Among other things, the event must be open only to those with tickets tightly controlled by organizers. Those entering must be screened in case they are hiding secret signs. Any anti-Bush demonstrators who manage to get in anyway should be shouted down by 'rally squads' stationed in strategic locations. And if that does not work, they should be thrown out. But that does not mean the White House is against dissent—just so long as the president does not see it. In fact, the manual outlines a specific system for those who disagree with the president to voice their views. The techniques described have become familiar over the 6 1/2 years of Bush's presidency, but the manual makes it clear how organized the anti-protest policy really is.
It makes you wonder....
Carlos T Mock, MD
Chicago. IL
