Iran's pivotal human rights struggle overshadowed by Jackson's death

THE OLYMPIAN | • Published November 06, 2009

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Earlier this year, on the other side of the world, a controversial election in Iran gripped the attention of the international community.

On one side was the old regime, led by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a hard-line leader. The opposition was led by Mir-Hossein Moussavi, a more moderate leader promising reform for the nation of Iran.

He portrayed himself as an agent for the people.

A controversy arose when the results of the election from state-run polls had Ahmadinejad re-elected by a landslide.

Supporters of Moussavi thought the election should have been much closer than what was reported. They took to the streets to protest.

Aside from the political revolution that was taking place in Iran, a technological one was also under way. Social networking tools such as Twitter and YouTube allowed users to upload first-hand accounts of the protests for viewers to see with their own eyes what was happening within the borders of Iran during and after the election results were posted. What they saw was violence erupting in the streets of Iran, violence against those who supported Moussavi by the Iranian government.

Eyewitness accounts also mentioned peaceful protesters being jailed and beaten by the government officials and supporters of Ahmadinejad.

Then, on June 20, an image of a young woman, Neda Agh-Soltan, lying lifeless on the pavement became the symbol for an international outcry for human rights in Iran.

Despite your race, gender, religion or political affiliation, you cannot help but feel that this is no longer an issue of election protests, but rather an issue of the right to live.

Agh-Soltan was shot and killed on her way to protest the results of the election by a member of the Basij militia — supporters of Ahmadinejad. International support from every day citizens, politicians and other prominent public figures could not have been higher. They said, in one voice, that this type of act cannot be tolerated.

The day possibly could have marked the beginning of an Iranian revolution.

An internal struggle had captured the attention of the world.

June 25 also marked the tragic loss of Michael Jackson, a cultural icon. For weeks on end, every radio station you listened to, every channel you watched, every newspaper you read, people couldn’t help but see or hear a story about the life and death of Jackson.

Tragically, American interest on the situation in Iran became virtually nonexistent.

Did our fascination with pop culture cause the Iranian revolution to lose its steam? Or is it the media that determines what captivates our minds?

What does this say about what we view as important to us?

Sure, Jackson had several chart-topping albums and transformed the music industry with his new sounds and dance moves. But does news of his death outweigh the plight of an oppressed people in an entire nation?

Any momentum gained in a re- examination of the results of the contentious presidential election between Moussavi and Ahmadinejad and any outside pressure on the human rights situation in Iran quickly dissipated.

Videos of the violence that were still being uploaded after June 25 from within the borders of Iran went unwatched.

Videos alone cannot generate sympathy or support when everyone is looking away. Technology by itself is not capable of raising awareness. People have to care.

Chris Chau, a recent graduate of University of Washington, is an assistant records officer with the Employment Security Department. A member of The Olympian’s Diversity Panel, he can be reached at sideoutchau@gmail.com.