The coiffure, the maquillage, the manicure, the rather polished professional-looking(*) poster with its English text and globalized semiotics.... all very fishy, if you ask me.
Of course it's over-determined, like everything else. There are plenty of people in the Islamic Republic who have every good reason to be unhappy with the existing order there. It doesn't seem likely that the CIA all by itself could get any appreciable number of people in the streets just by sending a well-placed tweet, or a few million well-placed greenbacks. But if the Langley reptile fund is not a big part of the events today in Tehran, I'm a lizard.
You've gotta admire 'em, really, the gold-braid gang on the bridge of the imperial Death Star. The last couple of weeks in Egypt have really shaken their world. They may yet come out on top again, even there; but they weren't expecting it, and it scared 'em. Poor Obie looked like a deer in the headlights.
Nevertheless, they haven't entirely lost the ability to learn from experience, and hats off to 'em for figuring out how to co-opt, for their own purposes, the technical elements (like Twitter) and the thematic elements (Death to Dictators) of the Egyptian insurrection for their own wicked purposes.
Despise 'em strategically, respect 'em tactically -- it still seems like good advice.
-----
(*) Okay, it's pretty low-end. But maybe that's the idea? -- I know this is starting to sound like an English-department thesis about Measure for Measure.
Comments (22)
The specter of women's repression is becoming a leitmotif re: what a peace-treaty-with-Israel-breaking new regime in Egypt is definitely going to mean. Here's one Alan D taking a premtive stand on behalf of Egyptian feminism, to site one of the more subtle exambles.
Posted by Peter Ward | February 15, 2011 12:35 AM
Posted on February 15, 2011 00:35
Interesting also how the cat got the tongue of some usually highly loquacious pundits, though they'll be sure to chime in on Iran.
Posted by sk | February 15, 2011 12:35 AM
Posted on February 15, 2011 00:35
The coiffure
It's a ponytail. Also that's a homegrown manicure.
I don't know anything about the Middle East (or North Africa), including what exactly has been happening there politically — or, more specifically, I know less than nothing; I know things that ain't so — but, I do genuinely hope the people there manage to take back what they have been consistently denied by US-installed oppressors. Including professional manicures! Viva la revolución.
Posted by Emma | February 15, 2011 5:30 AM
Posted on February 15, 2011 05:30
Father is still barking remote guardian
For ringo and the roughs
And I salute him for that
But this looks like spontaneous raw pro class tweeterian rag time
Btw I don't get the sense Barry sees this as frightening just a hard passage
Between two nasty extreme outcomes
Challenging perhaps
But hey these chaps have their illusions of progress too
Posted by Op | February 15, 2011 5:54 AM
Posted on February 15, 2011 05:54
I'm sure Barry prefers fair and free ballot farces to
Uncle's Mug on the bloc thug of the month club
Now there's your Cheney types now they might have a different centerfold in their mind
Much as father has ringo
And I have Hugo
Can't I be terribly unfair
Why father loves Hugo too
He loves all the guys and gals ready to stick uncle in the eye with a thumb
It's me with the weak stomach for what amounts to a goats breakfast
Posted by Op | February 15, 2011 6:00 AM
Posted on February 15, 2011 06:00
I wouldn't mind seeing Mahmoud and the clerics get tossed if and only if the new group in control generally represents the working class, isn't corrupt and isn't a bunch of US stooges. That outcome doesn't seem likely at all. From what I've seen, this "Green Movement" looks very Made in America and doesn't seem to represent a whole lot of Iranians. It may not be as bad as the "Purple Revolution", but at best it's still a colour revolution.
Posted by FB | February 15, 2011 7:25 AM
Posted on February 15, 2011 07:25
Whatever the source, the Green Movement people in the streets aren't there, from their own perspectives, in order to make the US stronger.
Posted by Jack Crow | February 15, 2011 7:55 AM
Posted on February 15, 2011 07:55
jc makes a point
but not the key point
are too many of these folks
not implicitly anti us empire
are they using contradictions between enemies of the people of iran
or are they " cosmo humanist"
citizens of the global enlightenment
ie unintending pawns
of
the hegemon on the potomac
one can always find ties
between real national liberationists
and rivaling imperial powers
from the 16th century dutch
to yenan hanoi and on to cuba
in fact can teheran be said to need national liberation in the usual sense or something else
something vague and liberalistic
like " inalienable rights of citizenship "
to peaceful candle light assembly
and freedom to growl in public
at the "state "
are these folks clear headed enough
to play this game
and still come out
with a liberated AND small d democratized nation ???
i agree with fb
the class struggle here looks one step the wrong side of nascent
whereas in egypt....
Posted by op | February 15, 2011 9:50 AM
Posted on February 15, 2011 09:50
in re reading an earlier comment of yours insincerely
i notice i never built the proper bridge
my reflections on barry
and his alleged knocking knees
that was apropos egypt not iran
i'm certain barry like the jfk in black face he is
eagerly awaits the next langley dirty trick agin
ringo and the terrible turbos
Posted by op | February 15, 2011 9:58 AM
Posted on February 15, 2011 09:58
no more comments from the detroit
broken axel
i promise
Posted by op | February 15, 2011 10:00 AM
Posted on February 15, 2011 10:00
But the good news is that the stakes of militarily attacking Iran are now immensely higher, right? That's big progress.
Let's hope the Egyptians also find a way to reopen the tunnels to Gaza, plus more...
Posted by Michael Dawson | February 15, 2011 12:57 PM
Posted on February 15, 2011 12:57
What a low-level apolitical post.
Posted by Louis Proyect | February 15, 2011 7:01 PM
Posted on February 15, 2011 19:01
puss face proyect ????
master of a grove
designed for the lowest of low
hanging pink ecumenical meme-fruit
lipless butt plugged censor
wildly self important
candid only when taking a shit
his tedious cough syrip brand
of coconut marxism
oughta crawl up its own colon
i'd take our man crow over lulu
on pot luck date nite....
in a manhattan heart beat
Posted by op | February 15, 2011 9:27 PM
Posted on February 15, 2011 21:27
no more comments from the detroit
Promises, promises.
Posted by Clapham Omnibus | February 15, 2011 9:36 PM
Posted on February 15, 2011 21:36
come on
when the flamingo of morningside heights
flaps over for a quick peck
gotta take out the sawed off
and pop at it eh ??
Posted by op | February 15, 2011 10:05 PM
Posted on February 15, 2011 22:05
I'm a subscriber to Louis' list, and consider it worthwhile for the occasional gem. But as with most political mailing lists, the signal-to-noise ratio is low. I'm not sure what Louis considers 'political' as opposed to 'apolitical', but I imagine I have sinned because my jargon quotient is deplorably low -- no references to bourgeoisie, proletariat, democratic, etc.
I've been gestating a little essay for some time on the combinatorics of Marxist vocabulary; perhaps this will encourage me to bring it to light soon. Thanks, Louis.
Posted by MJS | February 15, 2011 10:27 PM
Posted on February 15, 2011 22:27
That's Marxian terminology father
Marxian
One of the delicious pleasures of toting with over earnest
Marxicocals
They run like sardines in glittering schooling herds
Round and round
A real IMAX spectacular
However
When they break from the school and fend for themselves
They look like .......bait
Correction
A bait fish dangling lonely on a line
That thinks it's an eel striking from concealment
Posted by Op | February 16, 2011 8:19 AM
Posted on February 16, 2011 08:19
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/16/business/16monopoly.html?src=busln
An opportunity for another 'low level apolitical post'.
Posted by Nonny | February 16, 2011 2:42 PM
Posted on February 16, 2011 14:42
LOL. Have to say that OP is funny as hell when he is policing the boundaries of the kraal! Bravo! Especially at 9:27. Splitters, indeed!
Posted by Brian M | February 16, 2011 2:43 PM
Posted on February 16, 2011 14:43
goat's breakfast paine ??
list of questions
leftist political prisoners
answered b4 they were executed
in the great islamic revolution
iranian style
'Are you a Muslim?'
'Do you believe in God?'
'Is the Holy Koran the Word of God?'
'Do you believe in Heaven and Hell?'
'Do you accept the Holy Muhammad to be the Seal of the Prophets?'
'Will you publicly recant historical materialism?'
'Will you denounce your former beliefs before the cameras?'
'Do you fast during Ramadan?'
'Do you pray and read the Holy Koran?'
'Would you rather share a cell with a Muslim or a non-Muslim?'
'Will you sign an affidavit that you believe in God, the Prophet, the Holy Koran, and the Resurrection?'
'When you were growing up did your father pray, fast, and read the Holy Koran?'
weimar time cabinet of lady lux
takes oxy to the very time and place
imagine oxy following some red fool
into the "green " room
oh ya
he has no party
leaves no finger prints
he's safe back in los angeles
Posted by op | February 16, 2011 5:18 PM
Posted on February 16, 2011 17:18
moi au contraire ..
"i repeat mr paine Will you publicly recant historical materialism "
errrrrrrrrrrr
'think a reversed john candy
in that peace corps comedy
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090274/ )
"allah is the only god and begin is his prophet "
"WHAT???.. mr paine "
Posted by op | February 16, 2011 5:28 PM
Posted on February 16, 2011 17:28
More Obarrassment:
"What has been true in Egypt should be true in Iran, which is that people should be able to express their opinions and their grievances and seek a more responsive government. What's been different is the Iranian government's response, which is to shoot people and beat people and arrest people."
Posted by Save the Oocytes | February 16, 2011 10:17 PM
Posted on February 16, 2011 22:17