by Allen Alberson

Created on: July 01, 2009   Last Updated: July 04, 2009

Right now as we sit in our homes and worry about our economic woes and the newest Harry Potter movie, the people of Iran are taking to the streets in search of freedom. Not that there is anything wrong with worrying about the economy because it does affect us. Job loss in America is pushing many people to the breaking point. Still we tend to forget how easy we have it.

As a country we haven't bled for our own freedoms since the American Civil War, well over 100 years ago. In fact, we seem willing to let the government whittle away at our freedoms with nary a whimper from us. We live in a wonderful country but we have become complacent.

In Iran they are remembering what freedom feels like and at taking to the streets. Blood has already been spilt and neither the protesters or government appears ready to back down.

The turmoil has given rise to hope that the Iranian people will overthrow their corrupt theocratic leadership and become a model for democracy in the Middle East. That is certainly possible but it could also lead to horrific slaughter. Even if the government is toppled there is still no guarantee that a democracy would arise or if any government there would be friendly to the United States and western nations. We have to expect this possibility and we have to accept it.

The best thing we can do for the people right now is to stay out of it. Any interference by America could only backfire. The government will be quick to label the protest as a plot fostered by the west if there is any sign of physical support. Any support could also lead to a backlash from the very people we are attempting to help. Our invasion and occupation of Iraq has left a bad taste in the mouths of the average Middle eastern citizen.

We don't dare risk uniting the people behind the very government we hope is about to topple. We should offer moral support. We should condemn the Iranian leadership for using the military and militia to crack down, but we shouldn't go farther than that. Interference in an internal struggle will just further alienate the Islamic world at a time when we are trying to repair our relations.

If a new government forms, we should be quick to offer aid and we should be willing to accept their refusal. Too many times in the past we have turned an unfriendly country into a sworn enemy by our interference. The US government along with Great Britain was instrumental in overthrowing an elected government in Iran once and we are paying the price for that today.

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