Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Ar(gh)avan Rezai is a Traitor, Full Stop

The video below is a part of Ahmadinejad's promotional video during last year's presidential (s)election. The young girl in the video is the Iranian born French tennis player, Arghavan Rezai or Aravan Rezai as she calls herself. I have no idea who the other older chubbier woman is, it may be her mother, but since Arghavan Rezai has been overcome with so much emotion after meeting Mahmood Ahmadinejad and can't speak herself, the other woman starts speaking on Rezai's behalf until Ar(gh)avan composes herself:

Woman - She has been waiting for this moment to meet and speak to Mr. Dr. Ahmadinejad that is why she is so emotional

Reporter - What gift did you give to Mr. Ahmadinejad?

Aravan Rezai - Two tennis rackets

Reporter - Mr. Ahmadinejad is not a tennis player, is he?

Aravan Rezai - May be he will become one

Reporter - Do you love Mr. Ahamdinejad?

Aravan Rezai - Yes very much so

Reporter - Why?

Aravan Rezai - Because he has shown all the world the strength and power of Iran and I am really proud of him



So you would think this is a no brainer, Aravan Rezai is a traitor and a sycophant, full stop. Imagine my surprise however when I saw so many Iranians on Facebook, expats who call themselves supporters of the Green Movement outside Iran congratulating themselves on the recent success of this tennis player champion! First I thought may be they have never seen this footage but then further to my surprise they were still defending her. Below were some of their justifications:

- This was before the protests!

So, one year has passed, so many atrocities against the people of Iran have happened, protesters have been beaten, raped and killed, has she ever publicly regretted her appearance in this promotional video? No, in fact her and her father Arsalan Rezai have appeared numerous times on Iranian state TV. Her father is said to have won a large business contract as a reward for his daughter's appearance on Ahmadinejad's promotional video.

- Its not her fault, its her father's fault!

We can find some root cause for any traitor's actions, does it make a difference? We can say the same thing about a Baseeji saying its their family upbringing etc. at least Aravan Rezai lives in France and has more access to free information to make a judgement than a Baseeji in Iran. She certainly does not need the money either.

- She is only 22!

So? Is there a minimum age limit for being a traitor? If so what is it? Do you have to be 25+ before you can be labelled as a traitor? Again many of the Baseejis are 22 or even younger.


- She should be judged for her tennis ability and not her politics!

I am sorry, if she has taken such a politically blatant partisan side by her own accord, then she should face the music for her politics too.

- She may regret her support soon

If it happens, all well and good, until it happens, Aravan Rezai is a traitor.

Finally the last justification of these confused weak minded expats who get too excited and drop all their principles when they get celebrity struck:

- Her coach seemed to be wearing a green wrist band in the last match

Well she may have even been wearing a pair of knickers with shades of green, if she wants to be forgiven she should do a lot more. She can be just as vocal as she was in the above video.

If we do not learn to ostracise traitors and sycophants, then I am afraid we will live in tyranny for a long time. This all reminds me of a Persian poem about a proud eagle who is shot down by an arrow, when the eagle looks at the arrow, he notices the eagle feathers used in the arrow and laments 'What happens to us is no one's fault but our own'

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Very well said. However... I would just like your opinion on this.

So she loved Ahmadi and said this on state TV, maybe now she hates him and does support the green movement.

But, if she comes out and says anything, then do you think she can go back to Iran again? There will even be more catastrophic consquences for her family, eg, her dad. But more importantly, she wont be able to go back to Iran.

Everybody always looks after their own agenda, and there seems to be a strong decentive for Miss Rezvai to apologise for this video - even if her views have changed.

So I ask you Potkin, do you really propose she apologise for this, given that the consequences to herself will be catastrophic?

Anonymous said...

It's counterproductive to look at this ideologically. I think overall she could be a very useful asset and a good role model to the oppressed mentality of Iranian women inside Iran (particularly the traditionally conservative Iranians). I've heard that gave interviews with the IRIB channel.

Does her support of Ahmadinejad mean that she supports everything the lunatic does? I highly doubt it.

Nader said...

Here is pro-ahamdinejad paper, Raja News condemning those who have criticised her for her support of Ahmadinejad calling them counter revolutionaries
http://www.rajanews.com/detail.asp?id=50467

Xerexes III said...

anon1

We have musicians like Shajarian who insisted after the coup that none of their songs be broadcast from state TV. When Ahmadienjad called protesters dirt and debri, Shajarian publicly said 'I too am a dirt and debri' and that he would be willing to spend time in jail for the sake of the people of Iran, at a time when there is so much heroism from all walks of life by the people of Iran, why can't she take a risk to amend her wrong?!

By the way her father is a French citizen they left Iran few years after the revolution. Probably monarchists too. No one changes colour as quickly as Iranian monachists! They are a disgrace, first people to join Khomeini's camp were the very people who had benefited from the Shah himself

Anonymous said...

I think what irritates me the most is when people say 'But if she comes out.....more importantly, she won't be able to go back to Iran'!!!

Those who are silent are just as bad as those murderous bastards!

Last sunday 5 people were executed and more are still sitting in jail waiting for death to come knocking!

Wake Up! We are stronger together, remember?

What is happening should be told to anyone who will listen. What is happening should be shouted from the rooftops, particularly if you are not in Iran!

"V" Ta Piroozi!!!

Arash said...

Potkin Jan I don't see why you're surprised that some members of the "Green Movement" would continue to support her...she's a regime supporter and so are Mousavi's Green lot! Those two have more in common with eachother than with secularists or nationalists! Of course they're going to stick up for her, the same way they'll stick up for Makhmalbaf!

Jonebeshe sabze Mousavi hich akharo aghebati nadare.

Arash

barmakid said...

How could you mean that Arash?

What other choice do we have but to ride the "Green Movement.(GM)" I mean, I get that Mousavi is an establishment figure, but the movement was out of his hands a long time ago.

People chant "marg bar dictator" and "marg bar jomhouri islami" all the time now in Iran. As far as the hoi polloi are concerned this is more than a reform movement.

And even if it wasn't more than a reform movement, I am sure you have family in Iran like the rest of us - don't you think reform will make their lives slightly easier?

I guess I'm saying, it's better than nothing.

But no one can deny that the GM has had an unintended an unalterable impact on Iranian politics and society. What comes from it is anyone's guess, but I'm going to be optimistic because their simply isn't another option to pursue right now.

PEace,
barmakid

Neda Mehregan said...

it's very disappointing to hear a young person publicly support Ahmadinejad. Don't know why but it's obvious that the vast majority of those who support the IR, do so because of financial gain.

As for the Green Movement, everyone is united in removing this blood thirsty regime, but there are many shades of green. This is what weakens the movement because there is no brand loyalty.

Some of those who say they are green, and support Mousavi, want to keep the status quo and just get rid of Ahmadi. What does it take for people to see that the IR, is rotten through and through?

Anonymous said...

there are plenty of others speaking out against the regime that have family in Iran still... Shajarian told IRIB to stop using his music, he has called himself "Dust & Trash" and his music for the "dust & trash" of iran. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dM6wxC1uYQc
what about the team melli players who risked their careers in Iranian football and wore green against korea???
REZAI is a traitor/Vatanforoosh.

Anonymous said...

yes she's a Vatan Foroosh but so are all monarchists. Beh payeh ham peer sheed!