“Brave Iranians” by Songs From The Moon

Jonathan A. Berz: vocals, piano
Ed Sertage: bass, vocals
Ryan Looney: drums, vocals
Shaun Wisniewski: acoustic guitar, vocals
Dan Clark: electric guitar
Julie Wisniewski: vocals
Neil Koziara: vocals
Fred Robinson: vocals
Andrew Kehrig: vocals
Matt Dmits: vocals

produced by Ed Sertage at Woodshed Studios in Oak Park, MI in 2011 and 2012
written by Jonathan A. Berz

video:
edited by J. Berz and S. Wisniewski
produced by J. Berz, S. Wisniewski, Neil Koziara and Fred Robinson
2012

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WEDNESDAY AUGUST 5, 2009: THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MADDOW: After weeks of protests in the streets, defiant crowds, shocking police and paramilitary violence against civilians, and the American people showing a huge amount of un-cynical interest in an international news story that really wasn’t at all about us–today was finally inauguration day in Iran. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who the government says was re-elected in the elections held June 12th, was sworn in to office for another presidential term today.

Under heavy security and asphyxiating restrictions on reporting, we’re not able to give you much more detail on the protests of the inauguration today other than to say that we know that protests happened. We know that because–as has been true from the beginning of the antigovernment uprising in Iran–ordinary Iranians are documenting their demonstrations themselves, and then e-mailing them out of the country or uploading them online so the world will know what they’re doing even if reporters aren’t actually allowed to commit journalism inside Iran anymore.

I do want to show you one quick clip that was picked up by “The New York Times” today. It’s just about 20 seconds long. These 20 seconds of tape I think are worth many more than a thousand words in terms of what’s really going on there. The tape starts with a newspaper being held up to the camera–and I don’t read Farsi, but I think it’s so you can see that it’s being shot today. I think it’s today’s newspaper. That’s where it starts-check it out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(INAUDIBLE)

(PEOPLE CHANTING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MADDOW: You can see all the people marching. You can see the people also holding up cameras and phones filming at the same time that they’re marching, documenting the protests on their own phones and cameras.

What they’re chanting at the end there–and again my Farsi is a little rusty–but what I’m told people are chanting there at the end is, “Back us up. Back us up. Brave Iranians, back us up.”

They’re calling on bystanders and maybe even police to stand with them in their ongoing protests against the government. And, you know, the protestors did get a little backup today. Two former presidents and dozens of Iranian legislators just didn’t show up for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s inauguration today, and a significant number of legislators who did show up walked out as soon as Ahmadinejad started talking. He’s in trouble.

As several of our Iran expert guests have told us over the last couple months, this thing going on in Iran has a very, very long timeframe to it. But it appears that the uprising lives. We will, of course, stay tuned.