I had been informed over a year ago, that I am of similar disposition with  
His excellency Mahmood Ahmadinijad, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran.  
Since then I have sought to listen to him at every opportunity. I was not 
able  to discern his dispensation because he gives two types of speeches. Those 
given  in Iran for local consumption and those given when he is accorded an  
international stage. I was however able to distinguish one or two common themes  
of Hon. Ahmadinijad.
 
I will afford myself this opportune privilege to share thoughts on current  
global conditions and perceptions.
I will come back to Life and purpose in democracy later. Please forgive the  
temporal, if diversion therefrom.
 
It seems Ahmadinijad and I hold similar views on Democracy and the  
underpinnings of a viable democracy. I hasten to add though that he does attach  
qualifiers to democracy as he understands it, qualifiers which are unique to  Iran's 
culture and people. I am not as familiar with those uniquenesses as the  Hon 
Ahmadinijad is and therefore I may not offer opinion on them. One idea I  
would liket to share with him is that my understanding of democratic governance  
is that Presidents are elected by universal suffrage to preside over the 
affairs  of state and its administration. It is burdensome to interpret election as  
President to mean assignment as Spokesperson for the people of Iran. The  
Presidency must not assume agency as spokesperson for the citizens. They  are two 
distinct roles. Further, it is highly improbable that a position of  
Spokesperson for all citizens of any nation would be valuable or productive.  
Democracy has recognized this difficulty and that is where it is separated from  
religion. The prophets had an immense task of explaining that they speak for  
God/Allah and they have arguably achieved various levels of acceptance or  success. 
That is why they declare faith (sans innovation and query) as the  bedrock of 
the religions. It is much harder to convince millions of unique  citizens 
that having elected me to oversee the affairs of the nation implies  agency for 
speech for them. Democracy however is simultaneously premised on  various 
cultures and disparate interests if you will, but that those cultures  and 
interests be permitted to speak for themselves without fear of oppression or  
subjugation. This is the value of elections and indeed all tenets of democracy  in 
national administrations. Without this, democracy is dis-eased. Therefore,  amid 
arrests, torture, murder, decimation of intrinsic human rights, it is  
difficult to assert with moderate precision that you speak for the nation even  at 
international fora. I do agree with Hon. Ahmadinijad though that coercing  
agency for speech for another is equally deplorable. There lies the dilemma. I  do 
not know if Mahmood, Hon., understands democracy to be an equalizer of  
pseudo-democracy, or if he believes democracy is a system or mode of governance  of 
a collection of unique individuals who form a nation. I believe in the  latter.
 
Another area where I'm afraid there may be a divergence of perception would  
be the quest for knowledge and discovery. I'm aware, especially in a speech he 
 gave at Columbia university that Scientific discovery and inquiry ought not 
be  stifled or managed. I hold this same view. I do have trouble marrying that 
view  with his management of inquiry and scientific research in Iran. I had 
expected  that if he were only interested in Man's capacity and desire for 
discovery and  knowledge, he would accord citizens of Iran the freedom to pursue 
any area of  study and inquiry and he would encourage unfettered expression in 
any and all  disciplines of inquiry. He did plead with us to inquire more into 
the cause of  the holocaust which leads me to believe that he does accept the 
historical fact  of its occurrence. He urges us to review the circumstances 
of the holocaust so  that we may make ammends and prevent its repetition. I 
understand him to share  with us that Palestinians did not have anything to do 
with the holocaust and I  agree with him as I'm confident all those who are 
familiar with that history do.  I join him in pleading with Israel to review the 
concerns of Palestinians as  they forge ahead in re-establishing a national 
identity. I guess I'm not sure  why the need for more inquiry into the cause of 
the holocaust would lead him to  condemn the state of Israel and for all 
intents and purposes, to deny Israel's  right to exist. In deference to him though, 
he has qualified that submission to  mean the condemnation of Zionism or 
expansion of Jewish nationality at the  expense of Palestinian nationality. Perhaps 
there will be a convergence of  perspectives soon. One idea I wish to share 
here with him is that the allowance  of research and inquiry unfettered does 
include the burdens he himself places on  such in Iran. It is not enough to 
recognize the fault of others. It is wise to  review our own faults, and to the 
extent that contributes to the fault of our  fellow man, we must endeavour to 
mitigate them.
 
I advise the US, Europe, Asia, Africa, South America,  Australia, and Arabia 
to support the citizens of their nations and consider  deference to minority 
citizens on contentious issues because they have the most  to lose in any 
ensuing conflict. I urge Sarcozy and France to tone down  rhetoric of belligerence. 
Liberation and Freedom movements are not only a  necessity, they are valuable 
in maintaining equilibrium in the geo-political  system.
 
Haroun Rashid, Al Mutawakkil. MQDT. Darbo.




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