Lessons from Iran

I have taken quite an interest in the story of two Iranian teens executed for homosexuality and assorted other sundry (and sordid) crimes. For those unfamiliar with the incident, two teenage boys were executed in Iran in July. They were executed for a number of crimes. One of the crimes considered worthy of death: homosexuality. The other: participating in the gang rape of a 13-year-old boy.\nHaving read a handful of the English commentaries, most of which dwelled on the boys being executed for being gay and neglected any other crimes they might have committed, I feel compelled to concur with the opinion of the Brooding Persian (http://broodingpersian.blogspot.com) that one must take a full measure of the crimes being punished when discussing the issue.\nI'm not saying that these boys deserved what happened to them. I hold a blanket opposition to all execution on practical, religious and ethical grounds. But I also think there are those in the United States who would not hesitate to support the execution of two American boys accused of a similar crime.\nWhile I add my voice to those expressing outrage at the executions, in part because of their sexual orientation, I think it disingenuous for Americans to pretend this sort of savagery is something that could only happen "over there." \nI don't have the slightest doubt there are certain states (particularly those of a more ruddy complexion, but also more true in blue states) where the revelation that the accused was a homosexual would bias a good number of jurors in favor of conviction regardless of the actual guilt of the defendant. The fact that there are American political leaders who have advocated juvenile execution ultimately gives us little room to wag a finger.\nFor example, a bill was introduced in Texas by Republican Rep. Jim Pitts to set the death penalty at age 11 following the Jonesboro, Ark., school shootings.\nI also think that this is ultimately an issue over which little can be done. The Mullahs of Iran are not in power solely to execute young gay rapists (something, I think, that Messrs. Falwell and Pat Robertson here in the United States would approve of). Rather, they are in power in order to preserve their power. \nThere is an ideology that fuels their claim on power, and there are likely hundreds in government and millions in the country that believe in that ideology. But, there are also those enmeshed in the system that use the ideology for their own ends. Iran is also not the only country that has people in political power manipulating religious sentiment. It is something many fear in our own country. \nA genuine faith will always have a place at the table when we begin to discuss politics. But the shameful misuse of faith for selfish ends needs to be halted, for it is corrosive and corrupts both politics and faith. It is this corruption that Iranians know they must address. And so must the United States.