The simplest reason election fraud in Iran resulted in massive protests and in the U.S. it didn't

[scheming daemons]

70% of the population of Iran is under 30 years old.

35% of the population of the U.S. is under 30 years old.



The demographics of Iran are a ticking time bomb that the Mullahs won't be able to diffuse.

[Warpy]

1. The logistics here are staggering

Don't forget, there were protests here. Remember the eggs hitting Stupid's limo as he rolled down Pennsylvania Ave?

The media chose to ignore them.

[Captain Hilts]

2. Actually, they said it was 'normal'. It isn't. nt

[ieoeja]

12. I recall them mentioning that he was the first president to hide in the limo ...

... to the White House after being sworn in at the capitol.

So there was some reference to the crowd being more unfriendly than usual.

[imdjh]

3. Are the protestors in Iran protesting oppression, or simply who is oppressing?

I honestly don't know. I haven't followed it. The last time Iran had a revolution they through out that "horrible dictator" so they could replace him with a horrible dictator. I think I would have rather lived there under the Shah.

[scheming daemons]

5. AS my OP said.. 70% of Iran's population wasn't alive when the Shah was overthrown

[Gman]

4. At least the under 30's in Iran aren't threatening to vote Green in the next election!

:toast:

[depakid]

10. Actually, there are three candidates involved

[MADem]

16. Four--but the only two that count at this stage are Mir and Mahmoooooooood. nt

This is how the Interior Ministry says it shook out (cough, *bullshit* cough!):
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8098305.stm

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: 62.6%
Mir Hossein Mousavi: 33.8%
Mohsen Rezai: 1.7%
Mehdi Karroubi 0.9%
Turnout: 85%
Source: Interior ministry

[raccoon]

6. Wonder how much our CIA has to do with all of it. nt

[moggie]

7. 70% of 70 million is 49 million

35% of 300 million is 105 million.

[scheming daemons]

9. So?

In any particular area of the U.S.... only 1/3 of the populace is going to give a shit enough to protest.

In Iran, it's 2/3.


Tehran has about 8 million people... nearly 6 million of them are under 30.


Now... imagine if New York City (which also has about 8 million people) had similar demographics.


Powder keg.

[chill_wind]

8. 70% under 30 and underemployed/unemployed, with inflation rates at 23%

if any of this is at all factual, from earlier this year.


Background Brief: The State of Iran’s Economy

By Kristin Kooiman
National Democratic Institute

http://www.ndi.org/node/15383

[redqueen]

13. I was thinking along those same lines. (nt)

[MADem]

Yes, the inflation is terrible and the under/unemployment especially hard on the young.

Many of whom are quite bright, too.

[unpossibles]

11. to be fair the fraud was also more obvious from what I can tell

Don't get me wrong, I thought it was obvious here, but many did not and it was near impossible for me to even get them to consider it.

[JuniperLea]

14. I'm sure they aren't near as shallow as we are either...

Probably don't give a flying rat's ass who wins American Idol or that dance deal... or how many babies someone has.

When you look at the protest pictures, note which group includes women.

[Better Believe It]

15. It may be the simplest reason but not the main reason. The Democratic Party opposed mass protests.

The Democratic Party, including Al Gore's campaign committee, opposed mass protests.

The labor movement wanted to organize voter protests with other organizations in Florida until the Democratic Party told the union officials to not protest the election fraud beyond legal actions.

[Old and In the Way]

17. Certainly a factor in the equation.

I wonder how the general population likes being run by an Islamic theocracy? I'm thinking that a very high % of the protesters want more social freedom - that is currently severely constrained by the RW reactionaries that have the final say in social norms.

[chill_wind]

18. Sorry- I forgot to rec this before. K & R. n/t

[Juche]

19. Plus the US election was so close it almost didn't feel like fraud

If Bush had won 75% of the vote and had won states like California, Vermont, MA, NY and places like that, then I think the results would've been different.

With a bare majority, it didn't feel like fraud.

[Echo In Light]

22. In America, it wouldn't matter how obvious. Florida was as blatant as it gets. 04 wasn't much better

People long accustomed to entrusting M$M for their "news" of course wouldn't think there was any major election theft occurring ... why, that's the stuff of "conspiracy theories."

People see what they want to see, which is why America rarely finds fault with their govt despite how massive and ongoing it is.

[slackmaster]

20. Nice try but you are ignoring an even simpler explanation

Please think about it while I sign off for a few days.

[chill_wind]

21. ..