Her Name Was Neda...

The Basij are ruthless murderers similiar to the Taliban they have no respect for life and are cowards. They shot her because she was a young female student who didnt have her face fully covered. These militants patrol every city beating students and women and sometimes killing them.

I said this a few days ago that the Iranian Military will sit back and let the Basij go around shooting and stabbing people.

Even if there was a over throw of government this is the group that would have to be hunted down and destroyed. Otherwise they will go around bombing and doing mass killings.

Those of us who have followed this uprising literally minute by minute for the last 8 days know that this isn't about Iran or Iraq or the United States or any nation. It isn't about Islam or Christianity or any religion. It is about humanity and the simple fact that when a people care enough to fight for what they see as a just cause, humanity will respond.

The people of Iran have many advantages. They were blessed with the advantage of technology at what was the right time for them and with the knowledge of how to use it. But, over and above all else, they were blessed with a fire of the spirit that led them to seize the moment when it came upon them.

Whether or not they prevail - and I believe they will - there is no guarantee that their nation will change its policies and that old enemies will become new friends. Even the most serendipitous moment cannot redefine national imperative. That requires the will of the people.

Iran is not more deserving of our sympathy and support than Iraq or Afghanistan or the United States or any other nation. But any people who will draw a line between justice and injustice, who will risk their life's blood to hold that line will always invoke the support of like spirits, without regard for the boundaries laid down by ideology.

And that is why we honor Neda. She was not the only one to die but she was the only one we all saw die. She is the symbol of that life's blood and of the cost her people have paid to hold the line. And, like all people who suffer injustice, only they can determine the price of success or failure.

May the family of Neda have comfort,

the people of Iran, have peace,

May all those who suffer, get through these hard times,

May all who read these words look at each other without fear, without hatred,

You are not alone.

We are here with you.

Dear Synthesis.

First of all, thank you for brining this up. This is a sad and horrific time for Iranians. When I saw this video, I burst into tears.

I want to say that Neda, along with the Iranian people fighting for their freedoms, deserve much sympathy and respect, more than anything else. No American will ever grow so much courage and ambition for freedom than the people of Iran. Neda will be a permanent momument to true freedom.

Thankyou for your post. I think every should view this footage, as horrible as it is as it not only only humanizes the issue but shows what the people in Iran are facing almost every hour of the day.

I don't believe in a God, but if I did I'd pray her death is not in vein and and becomes a lasting image of the fragility of human life and the risks some will take to right a wrong.

I've seen that video hours ago and i'm still shaken by it. I'm so deeply sad for her and i feel sick now for how i went on my day. My heart breaks for her. I'll be praying for her and ask God to take care of his Angel in heaven along with all the protesters that died. It's so sad that became the supreme leader's arrogance and the current false president's selfishness has resulted in her Death.

Her eyes will haunt me and i will never forget her.

Verily we belong to whom we return. Rest in peace, dear sister.

I have not seen the video- the descriptions alone break my heart. Some comments here were unsympathetic... but even the coldest person should realize that what these demonstrators are doing may result in the savings of millions of lives INCLUDING YOURS browncoww.

I keep drawing parallels with the rise of Hitler in Germany, with the hatred that sounds a lot like Ahmadinejad. I'm no pro-Israel pusher... but anyone who can talk about erasing a country and its people has got to be stopped. If the people of Iran actually voted him back in, I could say that they will deserve to share his fate. But the voters wanted change, I hope toward a more enlightened approach, centering on improving the lives of their citizens above the drumbeat of hatred for Israel, USA , UK ...or whatever.

The people of Germany found out the hard way that standing aside and not confronting evil only opens the path that may result in the horrors of war for everyone. It's happening again... this time with nukes. The people of the world should be praying hard for those people of Iran willing to stand up to a dictator and his shock troops.

The Iranians may still hate the West anyway (they have legitimate gripes after all), and Islamic faith is not the problem... the religious leaders are letting themselves be blinded by hate- which leads to ignoring the vote if it isn't what falls in line with their narrow minded backward looking focus of revenge. Hitler's rise was fueled by Germany's painful memories of World War I. What did it get them?... a smoking holes in the ground that used to be Berlin, Hamburg, and Dresden. No matter who "wins", Tehran and many more cities would probably join that club.

These demonstrators are fighting a battle that may eventually derail that march to another world war. I deeply admire her father's courage for standing up for his peoples' rights to choose a leader, and wish his pain of loss could be relieved by the knowledge that Neda did not die in vain... I can only hope that the people of Iran and their Persian heritage can eventually take a peaceful place among the proud civilizations of the 21st century.

I can only hope her loss makes a difference.... anything less makes the pain unbearable.

The Iranians may still hate the West

You might find it strange but that Iranians are actually very pro-west.

The coward from afar that shot this flower will have what goes around come around- i just hope they can be identified so i know which utube video not to watch.

I have seen the video as soon as it was posted in youtube. Neda was standing beside her father watching the protest, a basij sniper was on the roof. She became a good target for him, she was staying in one spot - he sent a bullet in her direction straight to her heart. Her father was screaming trying to save her, she died less than two minutes. A beautiful girl, a bystander, killed insanely by her own government. Neda's blood and all blood of the martyrs will pave the road of Iran towards democracy. Freedom was and will never free, somebody always has to die so others may live. God bless the people of Iran, pray for their safety.

God bless Neda’s sole, her death will not be in vein. The pictures of those directly responsible for shooting of innocent people in Iran must be captured and displayed to the world via the internet. Once those thugs realise they are on the world stage, they will fear the day of reckoning soon to come.

God bless Neda’s sole, her death will not be in vein. The pictures of those directly responsible for shooting of innocent people in Iran must be captured and displayed to the world via the internet. Once those thugs realise they are on the world stage, they will fear the day of reckoning soon to come.

Sythesis, this was beautiful, very moving, very sad.

I was in contact with the person who posted the video early yesterday afternoon, when he was doing everything he could do get CNN's attention to show it, and it wasn't being seen. To say that it finally got wider viewing is an understatement of the first order. It is a heartwrenching piece of video, to witness the last moments of an innocent's life slip away, but the world needs to see it to see the atrocities happening on the streets of Iran.

Here's my own piece on it, which is now the most viewed article on Open Salon in the past 24 hours:

Her Name Was 'Neda'

Is the worth, is not a life worth more than political post, what does these leaders want, just for the sake of power, the need to kill the subjects they hope to rule over...do you have to runle over a people forcefully...God does not rule us forcefully...He gives us liberty to choice either to obey or disobey..why are men compelling people to be their subjects...it makes no sense to me....may the gentle soul of NEDA rest in Peace, but something is sure she did not die in vain...He death , is a stronger statement to what any mortal man can influence...mortal man

For 30 years this Islamic regime has been killing tens of thousands of innocent Iranians behind the close walls of Evin, but this whole week they are showing the world...

If you guys haven't seen/heard this, I would strongly recommend it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKUZuv6_bus

A woman's haunting poem, recited while the people of Tehran cry out to God from their rooftops in the dark.

This is just an amazing and heartbreaking thing. I am inspired by the people of Iran and send them my prayers.

From a source within Iran:

The name of the girl who was shot and murdered yesterday was Neda Salehi.

great work here.
let the world understand that this could be anywhere in the world whereinwhich the government(s) decide that their survival is paramount to the wishes and desires of the people; to respond with cruelty and murder is barbaric and ultimately shortsighted. the tragedy of her death and others will work to strengthen the opposition and hasten the end days of this regime

Was that the woman I saw on Common Dreams...on the left? I despise right wing thugs. This is what we can expect here too, from our own police, military, and government for our resistance and the Green revolution's resistance to class hierarchy, religious hierarchy.

These reactionary thugs, police seem the same, no matter which class state/regime you pick out. Their whole point of view is that privileged power, class power, must be maintained at all cost, and social power, democratic power on the street is to be seen as "terrorist". Our own government, even under a liberal class regime, continues this same class despotism as Iran's clerics. The only difference is in the form, one is secular, the other is relgious.

In all class regimes, the police are the shock troops for fascism, despotism, who now have called protestors here, "low level terrorists". Remember Kent State, Jackson State, where white and African American students were gunned down??? That is what is in store for us when we have our own Green Revolution against the Empire and Kleptocracy.

Long live the IRANIAN resistance to this right wing, reactionary class power, Long live the secular resistance of the Green revolution to parochial class/religious/patriarchal despotism. We need a world revolution against all Class thugs, religious and secular, to promote an end to class history where social and democratic forces finally rule. We must learn from IRAN, and Iran must learn from all others who resist global despotism....class tyranny.

Watched this before church today. It was difficult to sit in church and not thing about the image of her passing.... so sad. I bawled when I watched it and will always remember it. For what it's worth.

I have watched the video once and that was enough. I am tired of crying, I am tired of the people that have no sympathy or don't care or think it is all a joke. I am tired of crying, but I am not dead and my fingers still work If I can ever find the words that would suit this insanity I will write them. How can anybody think that violence will achieve anything.She was only 16 and could have been any ones daughter or sister or niece. God I am tired of the tears.

Dear Synthesis,

it feels very awkward to say the following, but thank you very much for this. I watched the video and my stomach started to ache and protest, my heart aches, and my throat feels like it´s being tied up and I can´t breath freely. This is almost too much to handle, then nobody knows how or when this will stop. What will happen next? The death of Neda is so tragic, still, how many Neda´s are to come? That is the question that scares me the most.

I live in a European country. I am free. My will is free, my thoughts are free ans my actions are mine. I do not know how it is not to be free, having to fight leaders that do not want freedom for their people. And I hope, I will never have to find out what it means being held like a prisoner in my own country.

I hope, that the people of Iran will stand their ground with strength and unity and fight for the right of free will. But, and here speaks the nonreligious part of me, prayers will not help. To pray for Neda and the people of Iran will not help them, it only eases the ego and the bad feeling not being able to be active in this. But it does not help, unfortunately. It is not that easy, I´m afraid.

"There ain´t no mountain high enough, , there ain´t no valley low enough, there ain´t no river wide enough"

I have to think of these lyrical words when I think about what I wish for the people in Iran.

Stay strong, keep together, present yourself in unity, believe in yourselves, have faith in what you do. But whatever you do, be active. Stay active. Do not give up!

These are my thought in this very moment.

To those who think we should go to Iran:

Watching a lot of clips coming out of Iran and "Listening" to the people in Iran through Twitter, their voices are what I hear. They are insulted that their government would try to blame the demonstrations on President Obama because it is their voices and their fight. By involving the United States in their fight, they feel it diminishes what they are fight for.

Senator John McCain, Senator Penske, Senator Cantor and all others speaking out in the media against our President's foreign policy regarding Iran is a disgrace and dispicable action by our elected official.

John McCain just recently was singing, "Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Iran and now what - what does he want the United States to do. Bomb them? Or does he want us to send our troops in (like we have men and women in a spare closet ready to jump out and die for his stupidity)

I am just sicken to the very core of me by the republicans actions toward our President. He is Our President and I am proud of his reaction to Iran and I am please by his calm, clear head to deal with this because if McCain was president or another Bush - We would be sending our sons and daughters and mothers and fathers, uncles and aunts in to another war we have no business be in.

President Obama does speak for me and many others and I would suggest if the Republicans can not be constructive then STFU. You are acting like spoiled brats and sore losers - get over it and get on with helping OUR President fix this freaking mess you left this whole country, not just the Democrats or the Republicans or the Independents. Everyone is feeling your "economic policies" and your "foreign policies". You have made us less safe. You have given the Ayahtola fodder to use against their own people. YOU MAKE ME SICK.