A Genuine Revolution

Michael Jackson's death temporarily removed a country's possible revolution from the news headlines. His death was the top story, followed with such intensity that it affected the way the internet functions.

The Reuters article expresses my initial reaction to the revolution. First, that it would be suppressed, and second that the underlying roots of the uprising will grow and eventually have enough momentum to create change in Iran.

Reuters: It’s not a Twitter revolution in Iran

... the vast majority of Iranians have no access to Twitter...A relatively small number of young, economically well off Iranians do use Twitter. A larger number have access to the Internet. However, in the beginning, most demonstrations were organized through word of mouth, mobile phone calls and text messaging.

They organized silent marches through word of mouth and phone calls since the government had shut down text messaging just prior to the election. Contrary to popular perception, these gatherings included women in chadors, workers and clerics – not just the Twittering classes.

It’s a genuine Iranian mass movement made up of students, workers, women, and middle class folks. It may not be strong enough to topple the system today but is sowing the seeds for future struggles.