Letter to the Editor

To the Editor, concerning your published opinion piece “Defending Ahmadinejad”, I feel obligated to correct Mr. Crane’s proposed reality. As it stands, his editorial reminds me far more of Iranian state-run media than independent thought and compassionate rationality, which I have seen and expect from my fellow Hoosiers and their work.

Let me be clear: to call Mahmoud Ahmadinejad legitimately elected is not only foolish and ignorant, but unconscionable. Putting aside the obvious ballot fraud committed in the election itself, Iranian presidential candidates are screened by the Supreme Leader (Khamenei) and his cohort. If candidates are even a minimal threat to Khamenei’s leadership, they are officially judged as not sufficiently Muslim and cannot participate.

Would Hillary Clinton have been a legitimately elected president if the Supreme Court had banned John McCain and Barack Obama from the election because they didn’t seem Christian enough?

The millions of Iranians who protested the fraudulent election learned the truth of Ahmadinejad’s legitimacy in June and December 2009 as he and the rest of the Iranian regime ordered their murder by the dozens and their torture by the hundreds. Ahmadinejad has consistently collaborated with and aided Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad and currently harbors key al-Qaida figures and financiers. I have no wish for my country to hear criticism from those who have committed far worse crimes than any agent of America has.

Had I the space I would elaborate further on the inanity of Ahmadinejad’s rhetoric and the nature of Iran’s political structure. For now I would merely suggest Mr. Crane research how Iran’s government functions and remains in power before he ascribes legitimacy to them as the leader of the “oppressed people of the world.”

Respectfully,

— Stephen Szrom