07/27/2005
Human rights groups around the world have condemned the hanging of two gay youths in Iran yet there has been no statement from the U.S. State Department regarding the hangings. There has also been no Associated Press story as of yet. According to Michael Petrelis, who contacted AP, an AP reporter has promised to phone the State Dept. regarding this atrocity. Also, via Raw Story comes an interview with gay activists in Iran regarding the situation in that country.
Posted 4:23 PM EST by Andy in Elsewhere | Permalink
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Words, words words. Our State Dept. condemning the killings is really going to change things.
Maybe we should invade Iran and liberate their people. Right?
Posted by: Mitch | Jul 27, 2005 5:34:55 PM
Does it really surprise you that our State Department doesn't have a comment on the story???? I mean, really....
Posted by: Roy | Jul 27, 2005 6:07:58 PM
During Gay Day at Disneyworld, members of the religious right follow gay men all over and videotape everything they do. Their excuse is that they are worried about the gay men molesting a child.
Posted by: Joey | Jul 27, 2005 6:26:26 PM
The religious right would have been better off going to Aruba to videotape heterosexual boys kidnapping photogenic girls.
Posted by: RDiggy | Jul 27, 2005 7:34:03 PM
I don't think journalism exists anymore. (Maybe with the exception of Democracy Now)... Anyone know how this story has been covered outside of the U.S.?
Posted by: RedMonkey | Jul 27, 2005 8:36:32 PM
Mitch
There you go, trying to downplay things. Do you not understand irony. I do. Just by looking at you and your response to the situation.
Why do you seem to believe the United States have the power to crusade around the world, invading countries at random.
And someone please tell me why all the mutherfuckers who support these invasion won't enlist themselves in the military so that they can ship their own desensitized asses to their graves?
It'd be nice if the Administration had words. In a time when we hardly have anything for Iraq.
Posted by: Damon | Jul 27, 2005 9:06:31 PM
"During Gay Day at Disneyworld, members of the religious right follow gay men all over and videotape everything they do. Their excuse is that they are worried about the gay men molesting a child."
This grotesque stereotype truly gets on my last nerve.
When will the religious right realize that homosexual men are among the least likely to molest a child? Any mental health professional will tell you that!
You're safer leaving your kid with a homo than a hetero, its just a matter of numbers and statistics really.
Too bad homos arent welcome in the church.. they could have prevented some unpleasant things.
Posted by: Jason | Jul 27, 2005 10:38:26 PM
What does the religious right following gays around at Disneyland have to do with two people being hanged in Iran by the state?
Damon, the point I was making is that our relationship with Iran is so bad, as it should be, that our State department saying something would have absolutely no effect. Zip. Nada. The words would make us "feel" better, but would change nothing. I would suspect that the State department hasn't said anything because in the grand scheme of Iran's human rights violations, this one is pretty minor. Sad, but true. Another possibility is that the State department doesn't respond to such atrocities out of fear that it might motivate the mullahs to commit more of them just to enrage us.
Posted by: Mitch | Jul 28, 2005 12:32:21 AM
Mitch is right. In fact, I worry if this story is being put out there to whip up emotions and generate support for another - possibly nuclear - aggressive war, this time with Iran. It has the feel of pre-war atrocity porn to me.
Posted by: Antaeus | Jul 28, 2005 5:14:33 AM
Worried about enraging Iran by speaking out? That must be why we haven't said a word about their nuclear program for the past five years.
Oh wait . . .
Yes, it's outrageous that our government won't speak out about this. But since the federal government won't address hate crimes in our own country, we know why - our lives continue to have no meaning to them.
Posted by: Brian | Jul 28, 2005 8:09:13 AM
Er, no worth is probably a bit more accurate.
Posted by: Brian | Jul 28, 2005 8:12:46 AM
Scene: Karl Rove, big closet case that he is, [and why hasn't SOMEONE in DC outed him? are all the call boys that unscrupulous?] gets a call from Dobson and Roberts asking if they can start hanging gay teens here.
Karl - "Are you going to do it on tv? On your power hour at 11?"
James - "Sure."
Pat - "Sounds like a plan."
Karl - "OK, let me know which Sunday, I'll go on Meet the Press that week. No one will notice."
Posted by: David | Jul 28, 2005 8:31:25 AM
Are you kidding me? Do you really think the US government gives a shit about two Iranian queers? Look at our current sociopolitical climate. Evidence? See the Love in Action story above or visit your local airport to witness how embracing the majority of Americans are of people from that region of the world. This is such a sad time for humanity.
Posted by: CriticalRN | Jul 28, 2005 11:28:02 AM
I would not be surprised if the State Dept did eventually make a statement, IF a reporter asked the question about the matter in the regularly scheduled State Dept press briefings.
That may be the hold up here. No reporter has had the gumption to "pop the question" yet. Although the AP may finally be stirring to do its duty here.
Posted by: Cassius | Jul 28, 2005 12:00:14 PM
In my own opinion, the only thing more tragic than the murder of those two boys is the fact that, if one or either of them had escaped Iran and come to the US for asylum, they would certainly have been deported back to Iran.
Posted by: Knott | Jul 28, 2005 4:51:43 PM
Other press reports say these boys were executed after confessing to raping a 13 year old boy. They claim it was okay to do as others do it.
In Iran all rapist are executed. Regardless of sexuality. Why aren't we up in arms over that?
I am not wanting to defened a horribl regime like Iran but if they did rape a child as they apparently confessed too, then fine.
Posted by: nativeokie | Jul 30, 2005 1:06:20 AM