Ihsan

left-liberal Islamophobia watch (III): the case of Iran

Almost every day, left-liberal publications slam Iran on something or the other - some of these articles are based on faux Iranian dissidents' initiatives, others are just straight up Islamophobic - and use the term "theocracy" pejoratively to describe the Islamic Republic. Yet other articles are written by liberal-imperialists (often including academic Muslims) who only differ with the neo-cons on the question of tactics, not with the goal of overthrowing the Islamic Republic, and replacing it with something called "democracy."

Yes, I know, these articles, on the face of it, do not call for a military attack on Iran, but they do characterize Iran in a neo-conish light, that makes the country's government out to be a monster that must be overthrown - they then add the caveat "by its own people." This is the kind of psuedo-intellectual acrobatics that quickly falls on its face, and ends up discrediting the liberal-left in the eyes of many Muslims.

All of these articles circulate the (often Islamophobic) North American left-liberal groups, and helps to create a monstrous image of Iran - rarely, if ever, does one read anything that gives facts and figures about Iran, what gains the country has made since the Islamic Revolution, and where the country might still have some work to do... And it is absolutely beyond any of the left-liberalists to actually understand the role that Iran has played in influencing Sunni Muslim majority countries to improve their treatment of the Shi'a minorities.

What is interesting about all of this is that the gains Iran has made since the Islamic Revolution is not hidden, infact much of the data is readily available from the site of the World Bank (of all places) and the various United Nations data banks. Infact, most recently the World Bank recognized Iran as being #1 in the middle east and north africa, for creating a positive working environment for women. Why is it that the imperialists are willing to be more objective in the data that they present, while the liberal-left refuses to consider these numbers, as a way to counter the extremist right wing? I think this is just an extension of Islamophobia, and more generally an anti-religion attitude that blinds the left-liberalists.

Following are some charts based on the World Bank data that shows some of the remarkable gains Iran has made since the Islamic Revolution:

Literacy Rate



Life Expectancy:



Immunization



Child Mortality



Contraceptive availability and Birth Rate



see also left-liberal Islamophobia watch (I) and (II)

posted by redwood at 12/24/2007 02:19:00 AM