Iranians may force non-muslims to wear badges

[BayCityProgressive]

The US and Israel need to help non-muslims leave Iran immediatley before they build a Persian Auschwitz. Apparently Iran may force Jews, Christians, Atheists, Bahai's, and Zoroastrians to wear badges identifying themselves. I am a liberal and I do not think we should have a soft stand on Iran at all. These people are fucking disgusting. Iraq was a mistake and those soldiers could have been used to calm the Darfur crisis. Now our standing in the world is so low we will be able to do nothing about the Iranians. God help the minorities in that country and God help the world if these nuts get the bomb...They already murder rape victims and homosexuals in Iran. They also fund terror attacks on the Jew sin Israel. I don't know how anyone could defend this country.

http://www.beliefnet.com/story/191/story_19187_1.html

[ramblin_dave]

1. debunked

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=1238695&mesg_id=1238695

[Recursion]

11. Remind me why I should believe the debunking?

The fact that Iran is standing up to W doesn't mean that every bad thing about them is false.

I'm not saying this story is true or not; it's just that all I see now are conflicting reports.

[muriel_volestrangler]

13. Conflicting? Everyone in Iran denies the story

Journalists, a Jewish Iranian MP, other Iranian MPs. The only source for the story is an Iranian expat in Canada - who isn't even a journalist. What would they know? And why trust expats, after the Chalabi saga?

[Recursion]

14. Sorry, I didn't make my skepticism clear

Journalists, a Jewish Iranian MP, other Iranian MPs .

How do you know that? Because a different journalist said so? Do we have verifiable interviews on the record with any of these people? If so do we know whether or not they are being candid?

If I had to guess, I'd say one of the expats got a hold of the law somebody mentioned to give tax breaks to "traditional" garment makers and turned it into a "badges for religious minorities" story. But I don't know and I suspect no one else here does either.

[muriel_volestrangler]

15. See the linked articles in this other GD thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1238695

The "colour-coded" story named one source - an expat in Canada. He didn't actually point to the law, so that people could check it out. The other stories name a Jewish Iranian MP, with quotes from him, and other Iranian legislators, with quotes. There are official denails from Iranian embassies. They come from more than one organisation. They come from the country, rather than a person in exile. Sure, you can be so sceptical that you never believe anything you read anywhere. In that case, you limit yourself to radio and TV, and then you're at the mercy of the editing process. Or you can listen to every rumour put around by interested parties, and demand physical evidence before you disbelieve it. If that's the way you work, you'll end up knowing almost nothing.

[malaise]

16. Are the Palestinians still carrying badges in their

homeland. Haven't seen too many articles about this one.

[babylonsister]

2. Not according to this:

http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=6...
Experts say report of badges for Jews in Iran is untrue


Chris Wattie, National Post
Published: Friday, May 19, 2006

Several experts are casting doubt on reports that Iran had passed a law requiring the country’s Jews and other religious minorities to wear coloured badges identifying them as non-Muslims.

The Iranian embassy in Otttawa also denied the Iranian government had passed such a law.

A news story and column by Iranian-born analyst Amir Taheri in yesterday’s National Post reported that the Iranian parliament had passed a sweeping new law this week outlining proper dress for Iran’s majority Muslims, including an order for Jews, Christians and Zoroastrians to wear special strips of cloth.

According to the reports, Jews were to wear yellow cloth strips, called zonnar, while Christians were to wear red and Zoroastrians blue.

The Simon Wiesenthal Centre and Iranian expatriates living in Canada had confirmed that the order had been passed, although it still had to be approved by Iran’s “Supreme Guide” Ali Khamenehi before being put into effect.

[Emit]

10. For what it's worth, from what I've read about the author

of the original piece, Amir Taheri, he is a neocon associated with Benador Assocs and has been criticized for his support of the return of the monarchy (support of Reza Pahlavi).

Iranian author Amir Taheri was editor-in-chief of Kayhan, the most important newspaper during the reign of Shah Reza Pahlavi, and is a member of Benador Associates.

http://www.benadorassociates.com/article/18928

Beware the Monarchists. That's Reza Pahlavi and his coterie. Whenever you see Reza Pahlavi or hear from his supporters (that includes the National Review crowd: Amir Taheri, Rob Sobhani, Michael Ledeen etc.) ask yourself one thing: how many former members of SAVAK are affiliated with Pahlavi? SAVAK, you'll recall, was the Shah's secret police. It was oppressive, it was brutal, and it was one of the main reasons Iranians overthrew the Shah. How many SAVAKie, as they're known, still work for Pahlavi? He won't answer that question, because he says he wants to focus on the future, not the past. But the past is right there with him: it's the SAVAKie and the former men of the Iranian military who still call him "your majesty," and are hoping to ride American money back to their former lives, after the people in Iran have died to smooth the way.

http://www.unfogged.com/archives/week_2003_06_15.html#000417

[pocket]

3. bullshit zionist propaganda!!

[RDU Socialist]

5. funny, the only people i've ever seen use zionist as an epithet

are religious fanatics and Holocaust deniers...

[AlienGirl]

6. Sure, because the Greedy Oil Party couldn't think of this on their own

:sarcasm:

:eyes:

[brentspeak]

7. Zionist???

You're being sarcastic, right?

Er, I hope so.

[madeline_con]

4. Beliefnet???

:eyes:

[walldude]

8. Debunked and even if it wasn't I would have a hard time

believing this was true. Sounds exactly like the kind of thing Rove or someone else would throw out there to drum up support for the bombing of Iran. The Iranian leader is a total nutcase but he's not stupid. Invoking the Nazi's by making the Jews wear "stars" would be akin to painting a target on Tehran.

[BayCityProgressive]

9. Okay

if I am wrong then I apologize for wasting peoples time with this! I have seen it posted and reported in a few different places now and just couldn't believe my eyes! I do hope that it is not true!

[babylonsister]

12. Not your fault, BCP. You posted an article, and got the real skinny.

No harm, no foul.;-)