On Iran

I’ve been slowly working on my next blog post, but for the most part I’ve been spending my time following the fallout of Friday’s election in Iran.

Now, I wish I had something insightful to offer you about the politics of Iran, but since I don’t, I want to simply encourage you to stay abreast of what’s happening. And to pray for the safety and health of the citizens of Iran, and for a peaceful, just outcome.

The executive summary of what’s happening: protests and violence have swept the country since the announcement of Ahmadinejad’s re-election, which is almost certainly a product of foul play and electoral fraud. Supporters of his opponent, the reform-minded Mousavi, took to the streets in protest. They have since been met with violence from various extremist groups and the police.

To get acquainted with the issue, and to stay up to date, here are a few excellent resources. If you’re following the situation and can recommend additional resources/websites, please do so in the comments section:

– Andrew Sullivan, who blogs at The Atlantic, has been indispensable in relaying information from around the web.

– The National Iranian-American Council blog is constantly providing updates.

– The Lede, from the New York Times, is also on top of the issue.

– The Huffington Post and the Boston Globe have been excellent, especially for posting photos from Tehran.

– Tehran Bureau was down for a while, but is back up and always a great resource.

– Also worth a read: Hitchens’ take, and this account from a Globe & Mail reporter who was beaten and detained, before being released.

– Finally, Twitter is also helpful for spreading information. The #iranelection hash tag is constantly producing news. I also recommend followed The Tehran Bureau’s twitter feed (@TehranBureau), as well as Lara Setrakian of ABC News (@LaraABCNews).

One final thought: situations like this remind me that we have it really good here in Canada. I don’t think we stop and appreciate that enough. Now let’s hope for the best in Iran.

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