Recordpub.com - Iranians at KSU watching unrest: Students, faculty anxious for news

By Colin McEwen

Record-Courier staff writer

VJ, who asked to have his name withheld out of fear for his safety and his family's safety, has spent the last two weeks glued to news reports, connecting to social networking Web sites and calling home for the latest news about the recent civil unrest and violence following this month’s disputed election in Iran.

The Iran native is set to begin studying financial engineering at Kent State University this summer, after moving to Ohio a few years ago to attend Bowling Green State University.

But now, VJ has more on his mind besides books and classes. He is worried about friends who still live there, and he is concerned about the country where he was raised.

VJ’s parents were part of the protests last week, until people started getting killed in the streets.

“They’re not young enough to run from the police,” VJ said. “They are fearful, and they are worried about the future. Nobody knows what’s going to happen next.”

The civil upheaval in the Middle East nation following its June 12 election has captured the attention of people worldwide — including VJ, other Iranian students at KSU and area residents.

The death toll is now believed to be as high as 25, after days of massive street demonstrations by protesters who say hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stole his re-election win.

Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said Wednesday that the government would not yield to demonstrators demanding the annulment of the country’s disputed presidential election.

Foreign journalists have been barred from covering the protests, making social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook even more critical to natives like VJ.

The news that does make it out of the country worries those who call Iran home — as well as others who have close ties to the nation.

Ray Heisey, emeritus director and professor in the School of Communication Studies at KSU, has also been fastened to the unfolding events in Iran.

He lived in Tehran from 1975 until 1978, when he was the president of Damavand College — an all-women’s school.

Heisey said he still has friends and colleagues living in the country, whom he has been staying in touch with since the election.

He and his family left Iran in 1978, just months before the country’s revolution broke out in 1979.

“People are having a bigger voice than they usually do,” Heisey said. “This is a different regime being challenged. The (regime) while we were there had been assisted by the United States.”

He said he agrees with President Barack Obama’s decision not to intervene in the process — but added he is troubled by the way things have turned out.

“The people started out protesting election results, but now they are challenging the very nature of the government — that makes this a much more broadened conflict,” Heisey said. “Iranians themselves must determine the kind of democracy they want to have. The U.S. is not involved one way or the other in this conflict — they are only the side of human rights, of course.”

The events have been called Iran’s version of the shootings at Kent State University on May 4, 1970.

VJ said he agrees — to a point.

“I think what happened in Kent was a smaller version of what’s happening in Iran right now,” he said. “In Iran, it’s not just about students. Young people, old people, even handicapped people, are all protesting right now against the government — workers, students, teachers — everyone.”

The overriding sentiment of everyday Iranians, VJ said, is a sense of frustration. He said he believes election fraud is certainly a reality in the election.

“There’s a huge sense of disappointment in the community,” he said. “People think the way to establish democracy has been blocked. There’s is no legal way to establish democracy, and cancel the election.

“Some people are still hoping for some long-term solutions through these protests.”