Son's Death Has Iranian Family Asking Why

[DiveCon]

By FARNAZ FASSIHI

TEHRAN—The family, clad in black, stood at the curb of the road sobbing. A middle-aged mother slapped her cheeks, letting out piercing wails. The father, a frail man who worked as a doorman at a clinic in central Tehran, wept quietly with his head bowed.
Minutes before, an ambulance had arrived from Tehran's morgue carrying the body of their only son, 19-year-old Kaveh Alipour.
On Saturday, amid the most violent clashes between security forces and protesters, Mr. Alipour was shot in the head as he stood at an intersection in downtown Tehran. He was returning from acting class and a week shy of becoming a groom, his family said.
The details of his death remain unclear. He had been alone. Neighbors and relatives think that he got trapped in the crossfire. He wasn't politically active and hadn't taken part in the turmoil that has rocked Iran for over a week, they said.
"He was a very polite, shy young man," said Mohamad, a neighbor who has known him since childhood.

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i found this part very disturbing

Upon learning of his son's death, the elder Mr. Alipour was told the family had to pay an equivalent of $3,000 as a "bullet fee"—a fee for the bullet used by security forces—before taking the body back, relatives said.

 

[strollingbones]

how sad...even more sad is the world stood by and watched and did nothing.....the younger ones want freedom but cannot do it with rocks.....i heard yesterday they banned chanting "god is good" due to the protesters saying that...so we support democracy in countries that didnt want it....iraq but not in countries begging for it....and i didnt hear either party making any strong statements

 

[JBeukema]

Whoever told you America believes in Democracy was lying to you on several notes, bones

 

[strollingbones]

i know jb...we are in reality very anti revoluntionary....too terrified to upset the balance when it counts....wasnt it churchill who said....americans will do the right thing after they have exhausted all other options?

 

[JBeukema]

Oh, we'll support violent overthrow. The main issue seems to be which tyrant or puppet state is best for American financial interests, followed by our national security and political interests

 

[Neser Boha]

I feel so sorry for the family - and all the Iranian families that have to go through similar experiences... I wish we could help them... I wish anyone could help them... However, numerous societies before Iran have gone through similar uprisings and even civil wars to free themselves from fascist usurpers and we can see from history that there is very little other countries can do about it when it has already started... (unless you want to make it even worse). I'm sure there are people of other opinions. However, I don't think American guns are what is needed to help these people - maybe global words of encouragement streamed on Al-Jazeerah would provide some sort of moral support... all the other ways of helping I don't know...

 

[editec]

Sadly people around the world have gone through periods like this.

Governments get so out of step with the will of the people that the people revolt.

Naturally, those government will not go gently unto the dustbin of history.