Whole Lotta Rioting Goin’ On

November 21, 1977 — U.S. Editorial


The Mossadegh Project | March 29, 2019                     


SHAH IS THE U.S. PUPPET — DOWN WITH THE SHAH

Soon after the well-publicized clash of pro-Shah and anti-Shah demonstrators during Mohammad Reza Pahlavi’s state visit to the United States, this editorial appeared under different titles in various American newspapers.




Rioters Are a Disgrace

Once again the nation has been treated to the spectacle of mob action, this time involving the disgraceful riot (no other word fits the scene) upon the Shah of Iran’s arrival ceremonies at the White House. [Nov. 15, 1977 outdoor reception with President Jimmy Carter and the First Lady]

One may argue all he wants about the Shah’s record on human rights in his own country, but those arguments melt into irrelevance under the assault of a crazed, club-swinging mob attacking police, counter-demonstrators or anyone else unfortunate enough to be in its path.

Had they limited their demonstration to parading and sign-waving in front of the White House the demonstrators would have made their point. As it was, the only point they made was that a large number of Iranian nationals studying in American universities have learned nothing about the civilized conduct they pretend to represent.


Newspapers that published this editorial included:

The Latrobe Bulletin (Latrobe, Pennsylvania) — Nov. 21, 1977 (title: Rioters Forget A Cause)
The Altoona Mirror (Altoona, Pennsylvania) — Nov. 22, 1977 (title: Rioters Are a Disgrace) Filed under “As the Editor Sees It”
The Camden News (Camden, Arkansas) — Nov. 26, 1977 (title: Rioters forfeit a cause)


"Iranian troops, in American gasmasks so new that one still bears its label, moving into action against rioters in Teheran." — Associated Press photo, Dec. 1978


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Related links:

‘Why did Carter roll out the red carpet for the Shah of Iran?’ (Dec. 28, 1977)

No Tears For The Shah | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Sept. 14, 1978

Won’t Get Fooled Again? | The Spectrum (SUNY at Buffalo), Dec. 7, 1979



MOSSADEGH t-shirts — “If I sit silently, I have sinned”

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