By: Ted Poe, Member of U.S. House of Representatives
Source: Poe.house.gov
Washington, Feb 2, 2009 – Mr. Speaker, there's a grim update coming out of the nation of Iran. Last week, the Government of Iran executed two of the 11 people who had been arrested and sentenced to death for peacefully protesting the government. They were hanged. Iran announced yesterday that nine more people sentenced to death will be hanged in the public square.
On Saturday, 16 more protestors went on trial for their lives. Hundreds of people were arrested in December when liberty advocates again protested in the streets of Iran by the thousands and at least eight people were murdered by the government.
What was their crime? Speaking out against the rigged presidential election last June, speaking out against a dictator who murders his own people, Ahmadinejad.
The people reject the Tiny Tyrant of the Desert, Ahmadinejad, and they're killed in the streets and sentenced by the government-controlled courtrooms to die for peacefully objecting to fraudulent elections.
So death by hanging from the Liberty Tree was their fate, but their silent voices are still heard proclaiming freedom throughout the land of Iran. They died martyrs for their country; they died for human dignity; they died alone but not for themselves alone but for every Iranian that believes in the human right of freedom.
Next week on February 11, Iran will mark the 31st anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. The revolution promised the people of Iran liberty, but it has imposed tyranny. The occasion is usually marked by government-run rallies throughout the country, but the leaders of the freedom movement are asking the people to once again risk their lives and stand in opposition to government tyranny and government-controlled rallies.
The government is accused by opposition leaders of executing two protestors to scare the people into silence on the anniversary of the revolution. Now, the Tiny Tyrant in the Desert, Ahmadinejad, says, The Islamic Revolution opened a window to liberty for the human race. What a lie. The Iranian Government doesn't know what the word "liberty" even means.
The head of the Islamic Revolution Guards in Tehran, Brigadier General Hossein Hamedani, warned in the media that the opposition movement would be barred from making an appearance on February 11. He said, "Any voice, color, or gesture which is different from that of the Islamic Revolution and from the Iranians' voice should be driven out of people's marches,"saying violators would be "severely dealt with." So much for freedom of speech. So much for freedom to peaceably assemble and protest the government.
Plus, those in the media are being controlled as to what they can report, allowing only government propaganda to be preached to the people. Is this what the Iranian Government calls liberty? This is tyranny by Dictator Ahmadinejad.
The United States should not remain silent about the oppressions of the Iranian people. The next great hope for the world and world peace is that the people of Iran remove their illegitimate regime and put in a government that is duly and legally authorized by the people. The United States should stand with the Iranian people with their request for freedom and let them know we support their voice for freedom over tyranny, liberty over oppression. And while the dictator may kill the body of those freedom fighters, he will not succeed in killing the spirit of freedom that they have proclaimed when they lived.
The Tiny Tyrant of the Desert, Ahmadinejad, is trying to intimidate his people and intimidate the world. He is trying to divert attention away from his unpopular government. He is threatening the world again saying Iran will "deliver a telling blow to global powers on February 11." Could this be a threat? Another advance in Iran's quest for nuclear weapons?
Our quarrel is not with the people of Iran. Our quarrel, the world's quarrel, is with the Government of Iran. The legitimate government of Iran is the world threat to peace. Ahmadinejad and his henchmen are waging internal war against the Iranian people, and he desires to rage war against other nations. We should join hands with the sons of liberty and the daughters of Iran in protest of tyranny, oppression, and murder in that country.
Iran needs a regime change because a nuclear Iran is not a nuclear option.
And that's just the way it is.
