Shah, Khomeini Likened to Hitler
November 20, 1979 — Spartan Daily (Letters)
November 20, 1979 — Spartan Daily (Letters)
| The Mossadegh Project | August 28, 2015 |
The first, by an SJSU faculty member, centered around the Shah, the second, by a Photojournalism major, was all about Khomeini. The common denominator? — both made Hitler comparisons.
Deport shah
Editor:The invasion of the American embassy by the Iranian students was ill-advised. It has broken international law, pushing Iran into the position of pariah of the world community. However, the U.S. government has blown up the situation — attempting to put the blame on the shah’s victims.
The first Palavi [sic—Pahlavi] — the shah’s father — was installed by U.S. imperialism. [it was Britain, not U.S.] He was deposed in favor of the popular leader, Mossadegh. [No. In 1941, Reza Shah abdicated at the behest of the British and others in favor of his son, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.] The CIA overthrew Mossadegh against the will of the Iranian people as they did later with Allende in Chile [Salvador Allende] and established the younger shah, continuing to support him for the next 20 years. This modern-day Hitler was responsible for the highly organized imprisonment, torture, and death of tens of thousands of Iranians. He permitted no dissent of his royal reign. When the butcher was finally overthrown by the recent revolution, the U.S. pledged that it would not give sanctuary; instead, our puppet in Mexico gave asylum. Now, for “medical reasons” the U.S. has gone back on these promises figuring that the world opinion would accept this gesture of support to a “dying man.”
It is understandable that the Iranian students turned their anger against the American embassy, as part of our government. Harboring the shah has instigated this counter reaction. And now the government via the media has whipped up and fanned an explosive anti-Iranian sentiment. White chauvinism is not in the interests of students, working people, and minorities, it has been whipped up before and turned against blacks, Japanese, Mexican national minorities, etc.
It is in the interests of Kissinger, [Henry Kissinger] Rockefeller, [Nelson Rockefeller] their spokesman, Jimmy Carter, and other imperialists to defend “this loyal ally who has given us so many years of good service,” in the words of Kissinger.
The U.S. government is responsible for the short and long term situation. There is no escape from this responsibility. It is necessary to return this international criminal to the land of his crimes. Deport the shah, not the Iranian students.
Teresa Lentfer
Accounting Technician to Controllers Office
Blackmail
Editor:Iranian students dare to talk about freedom and humanity. The ayatollah dares to call Carter a terrorist. All this while America is being blackmailed and American civilians in our embassy are definitely losing their freedom at the hands of Iranian students.
This ayatollah sits on American television condemning the fascist shah. Then in the second breath he refuses to hear simple questions because they weren’t approved first. Who’s the fascist here?
While his student supporters blackmail Americans, the ayatollah says he considers it an insult that Americans call them terrorists.
Then the ayatollah announces the release of the black and women prisoners. He is hoping to cloud the issue. The ayatollah hopes to divide a nation his terrorism has united. He seems to think that by recognizing civil and women’s rights he can divide us. Quite a move by someone who is such a noted oppressor of women.
Washington meanwhile cannot respond because they don’t dare jeopardize the prisoner release. The ayatollah is smart, but then Hitler was smart, as well as insane.
Now the ayatollah threatens to arrest our diplomats as spies and execute them. If we, if our government allow them to get away with this, no American will be able to hold up his head.
Steve Sloan
Photojournalism
Search MohammadMossadegh.com
Related links:
Iran visit is ‘bad omen’ — Letter to Cal Poly SLO newspaper Mustang Daily, June 2, 1972
Worth listening to — The Cedar Rapids Gazette, June 12, 1980
Former Iran hostage Col. Chuck Scott on U.S. support for the Shah (VIDEO)
MOSSADEGH t-shirts — “If I sit silently, I have sinned”
