# Pitting Dopers for not protesting (or even mentioning) the "election" in Iran... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 20, 2004, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-dopers-for-not-protesting-or-even-mentioning-the-election-in-iran/230206 "2004-02-20T15:06:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2004, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-dopers-for-not-protesting-or-even-mentioning-the-election-in-iran/230206/21 "2004-02-20T17:42:26Z")
Yeah, what sort of heartless bastards would not flock to express their indignation about a fraudulent election being held in Iran, on a US-based, general-interest message board? After all, any potential discussion by the eight or ten posters who might participate in the thread would automatically negate the election results in Iran, right? Ah, I see the problem; **GoHeels** apparently thinks this board is some sort of official outlet for The Liberal Agenda™, and that everyone here spends all their waking moments crafting press releases on the issues of the day. What a silly idea, and what a silly person. Personally, I’m blaming Birdbrain Flu for the recent outbreaks of drooling idiocy here. ---
**Author:** ![groo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecd19e/32.png) [@groo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/groo)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2004, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-dopers-for-not-protesting-or-even-mentioning-the-election-in-iran/230206/22 "2004-02-20T17:42:27Z")
No one seems to have pitted [gravity](http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/topstories/story/0,4386,236138,00.html) or the guy who **[set puppies on fire.](http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_2666384,00.html)** The residents of [Bapsfontein](http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,6119,2-7-1442_1486063,00.html) are under threat of imminent death. What have you done about it? On a more serious note, people are [starving](http://www.alertnet.org/thefacts/reliefresources/107694323713.htm) [in](http://allafrica.com/stories/200402020781.html) [Africa.](http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/fromthefield/107723833476.htm) There’s only so much outrage to spread around, and it’s tiring trying to feel guilty 24/7. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2004, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-dopers-for-not-protesting-or-even-mentioning-the-election-in-iran/230206/23 "2004-02-20T18:04:00Z")
Piffle! What do the elections in Iran have to do with containing the dreadful menace of Cognitive Dissonance, the Number One threat to our Republic? Nothing, that’s what! I alone carry on the struggle against CD here on the Boards, and I will not stop, and I will not be silen…ooooh, shiny! ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2004, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-dopers-for-not-protesting-or-even-mentioning-the-election-in-iran/230206/24 "2004-02-20T18:59:05Z")
> [@](#): > > No one seems to have pitted gravity or the guy who set puppies on fire. I burning your dog! ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2004, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-dopers-for-not-protesting-or-even-mentioning-the-election-in-iran/230206/25 "2004-02-20T19:07:00Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Piffle! What do the elections in Iran have to do with containing the dreadful menace of Cognitive Dissonance But **Luce** , Democracy is FLOWERING in Iran! This is the final proof we needed that the neocon’s vision of a conquered Iraq fostering freedom and stuff throughout the middle east is more than just chickenhawk feces dressed up to look like pie. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2004, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-dopers-for-not-protesting-or-even-mentioning-the-election-in-iran/230206/26 "2004-02-20T19:17:49Z")
Yeah, it’s a weak OP but in your haste to join the pile on, I don’t think many of you bothered to understand it. He is specifically pitting _non-American_ Dopers, more specifically the non-American Dopers who criticize the current US Government for being too concerned with religion. His point is that they are being hypocritical for not being concerned with the Iran situation which is a worse “government being too concerned with religion” situation. Get it? He’s not pitting Americans nor is he pitting Iranian mullahs. I do not agree with the OP but at least I comprehend it. Haj ---
**Author:** ![Mojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Mojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mojo)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2004, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-dopers-for-not-protesting-or-even-mentioning-the-election-in-iran/230206/27 "2004-02-20T19:53:47Z")
> [@Rysler](#): > > Dear fellow Tarheel, > > Stop embarassing my people. > > Maybe we’re all too busy holding our breaths hoping nothing blows up. **hawthorne** expressed the situation beautifully. Iran keeps a very delicate balance between freedom and dictatorship, and no one wants to see the progress toward moderation in the last 10 years because some American jackass decided to run his mouth. > > Iran deserves peaceful elections, and peaceful protests (like the mass resignations, the marches), and _so far_, they’re doing okay on their own. Not great, but it could be much, much worse. Is a peaceful sham election better than a violent legitimate one? If the ayatollahocracy sweeps the elections and rounds up and punishes dissidents I’d say that’s worse than a lot of the other possible outcomes. I think you need to view both of them as means to an end, not the end itself. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2004, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-dopers-for-not-protesting-or-even-mentioning-the-election-in-iran/230206/28 "2004-02-20T20:38:18Z")
> [@](#): > > He is specifically pitting non-American Dopers, more specifically the non-American Dopers who criticize the current US Government for being too concerned with religion. Nope, don’t buy it. Yes, in couple of places he mentions non-American Dopers (who clearly make up a minority of the total membership), but against that the title, the use of the phrase “the Straight Dope nation” (ha, a collection of Balkan states if there ever was one), and the statement “the board is full of shit”, all suggest that the OP wishes to tar(heel) the entire membership. To top it off, after dropping his little turd in the punchbowl, he announces he won’t be responding till at least Sunday. I really don’t see where this thread is anything at all other than a T…Tr…er, thing made for no other reason than to get a rise out of people. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2004, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-dopers-for-not-protesting-or-even-mentioning-the-election-in-iran/230206/29 "2004-02-20T20:44:22Z")
Sorry. I’ve been too busy drooling while watching reality TV, driving my giant SUV to fast food places, praying for gays, and, um, let’s say experimenting with cosmetics on small defenceless animals. But I’ll get on that Eyerawn thing as soon as I’m done with all that. ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2004, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-dopers-for-not-protesting-or-even-mentioning-the-election-in-iran/230206/30 "2004-02-20T20:53:01Z")
> [@GoHeels](#): > > (Note: For all those folks who’ll call me an asshole for posting this, I won’t be able to respond until Sunday, as I’ve got to hit the road and go out of town this weekend. Note: do not read until Sunday. ASSHOLE! > [@](#): > > Gotta watch my Tar Heels pound Florida State this weekend.) Nobody gives a fuck. Of course the situation in Iran is lame. Guess what? - the sky is blue, film at 11:00. Sorry I didn’t get around to starting a thread on _every_ fucked-up thing in the universe; I’ll add that to my list, right after: The Nazis Stalin Pol Pot North Korea China Africa The Genocide against Native Americans Slavery Rape Gang murders Depletion of fossil fuels Global warming Cancer A.I.D.S Child abuse War Poverty Hate People who turn right on a red light without stopping first ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2004, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-dopers-for-not-protesting-or-even-mentioning-the-election-in-iran/230206/31 "2004-02-20T21:08:16Z")
Resolved: right-wing jerks in Iran shouldn’t fool with free elections. If anyone disagrees with this statement, please let me know. I’ll be the first to start a thread in GD retroactively stating my outrage. ---
**Author:** ![Tusculan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecd19e/32.png) [@Tusculan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tusculan)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2004, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-dopers-for-not-protesting-or-even-mentioning-the-election-in-iran/230206/32 "2004-02-20T22:13:47Z")
I rarely post in the Pit and IIRC have never started a Pit thread. Being a non-American doper, I feel personally insulted by the OP. I do not have an obligation to the OP or anyone else to voice my concern over the situation in a foreign nation by engaging in this rather quaint ritual of ‘Pitting’. I am aware that this is a US-centric message board and have accordingly tried to engage in respectful debate when discussing things that are specific to the US. I don’t start Pit threads on US affairs, I don’t flame people over US affairs. So why should I, or anyone else be obliged to do so over the difficult situation in Iran? The OP seems to want to smear _every_ non-American doper with the same broad brush. I know that there are non-American dopers who voice opinions that are inflammatory, but I can hardly be held responsible for any random idiot who posts around here, and nor can any other non-American doper. The Pit is intended as a let-out for feelings that are inappropriate for other fora. I do not believe that it should be a forum for slagging of a whole group of Dopers who have not posted anything stupid or specifically aimed at the OP. The only thing that heartens me in this whole sordid affair is to see that most Dopers agree that the OP is not to be followed in his sorely misguided opinion. The only thing to be learned of the OP is that he has feelings, strong feelings for sure. Unfortunately feelings are no replacement for intellect, and these feelings in particular do not have any other merit than to show the person who voices them in a most unattractive light, intellectually as well as morally. :rolleyes: Of course, an American doper could express the above message in a much shorter form. We all have our special gifts. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2004, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-dopers-for-not-protesting-or-even-mentioning-the-election-in-iran/230206/33 "2004-02-20T22:32:30Z")
> [@Tusculan](#): > > Of course, an American doper could express the above message in a much shorter form. Yeah. Fuck 'em! Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2004, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-dopers-for-not-protesting-or-even-mentioning-the-election-in-iran/230206/34 "2004-02-20T22:41:38Z")
I used to get all riled up by the likes of **GoHeels** , but it’s really not worth the time. He’s using the Rush Limbaugh/Bill O’Reilly school of debate, wherein you base your argument on inflammatory rhetoric designed solely to excite other braindead mouthbreathers without having any actual basis in fact. By the time you’ve gone to the trouble to point out why every aspect of their argument is bogus, they’ve moved onto something else. **GoHeels** : Look at those people protesting the war! You ever notice how they don’t protest Saddam Hussein? That proves they hate the U.S. and love Saddam! non-stupid people: Well, actually, most people only take the time to protest things they hope to influence, which is why you don’t see a lot of crowds outside of hospitals protesting cancer… **GoHeels** : Whatever! It’s just like when the liberals wanted to let the U.N. run the country instead of the president. non-stupid people: Actually, no one ever said anything even remotely resembling… **GoHeels** : You’re just saying that because you hate America. It’s just like when Hillary dropped out of the presidential race this year, because she was scared to run against a real American like G.W. non-stupid people: But Hillary was never planning to run for president… **GoHeels** : Go Tarheels! Woooo! ---
**Author:** ![Jojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecd19e/32.png) [@Jojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jojo)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2004, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-dopers-for-not-protesting-or-even-mentioning-the-election-in-iran/230206/35 "2004-02-21T15:16:23Z")
Although I don’t know if it pays to get too excited about the “reformers” in Iran anyway. These are the main Conservative parties: **Militant Clergy Association Islamic Coalition Party Association of Islamic Revolution Loyalists Moderation and Development Party E’telaf-e Khedmatgozaran-e Mostaqel-e Iran Iranian Nation’s Welfare Party** As regards the reformers, many of them united in 1999 into one group. The main parties that make up that group are (and remember these are the reformists): **Militant Clerics Society** - they sound like fun **Islamic Iran Participation Front** - sigh **Executives of Construction Party Society of Forces Following the Line of the Imam** - hmm **Organisation of the Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution** - yes, yes but what are their policies on transportation and health care? **Islamic Labour Party Workers’ House Islamic Iran Solidarity Party** So even if the reformists were to gain power one day, I think Iran’s democracy may still have some way to go. Even the reformists are nuttier than a barrel of squirrel shit. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle\_east/3496723.stm](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3496723.stm) ---
**Author:** ![GoHeels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b3f665/32.png) [@GoHeels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GoHeels)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2004, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-dopers-for-not-protesting-or-even-mentioning-the-election-in-iran/230206/36 "2004-02-27T02:14:14Z")
Would you guys mind terribly if I took a mulligan on this thread? I apologize for a poorly conceived and dumb OP. No lame excuses, I just wasn’t thinking when I wrote this thread. I’ll try to post a more reasonable thread related to this subject on Great Debates. ---
**Author:** ![Astroboy14](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@Astroboy14](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astroboy14)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2004, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-dopers-for-not-protesting-or-even-mentioning-the-election-in-iran/230206/37 "2004-02-27T02:40:10Z")
> [@GoHeels](#): > > Would you guys mind terribly if I took a mulligan on this thread? **Shrug** Fine with me… no hamsters were hurt during the making of the OP, I assume? ---
**Author:** ![LogicinMotion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d07c76/32.png) [@LogicinMotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LogicinMotion)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2004, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-dopers-for-not-protesting-or-even-mentioning-the-election-in-iran/230206/38 "2004-02-27T03:59:30Z")
Dear Tusculan. _polite applause_ You were typing eactly what I was thinking. Thanks for saving me the time. Nice post, eloquent and succinct. Logic. ---
**Author:** ![htns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ba8739/32.png) [@htns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/htns)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2004, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-dopers-for-not-protesting-or-even-mentioning-the-election-in-iran/230206/39 "2004-02-27T17:53:57Z")
> [@GoHeels](#): > > (Note: For all those folks who’ll call me an asshole for posting this, I won’t be able to respond until Sunday, as I’ve got to hit the road and go out of town this weekend. Gotta watch my Tar Heels pound Florida State this weekend.) Yeah, I’m calling you an asshole. You think others might not have similar reasons for not posting at your whim? I noticed the election, all right, but is it worth commenting on? Face it, elections in repressive regimes are political propoganda. Besides, most of us just ain’t interested. Deal with it, and move on already. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2004, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-dopers-for-not-protesting-or-even-mentioning-the-election-in-iran/230206/40 "2004-02-27T18:57:04Z")
> [@GoHeels](#): > > Would you guys mind terribly if I took a mulligan on this thread? > > I apologize for a poorly conceived and dumb OP. No lame excuses, I just wasn’t thinking when I wrote this thread. > > I’ll try to post a more reasonable thread related to this subject on Great Debates. Wow, a sincere apology. That takes some gonads. I salute you. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-dopers-for-not-protesting-or-even-mentioning-the-election-in-iran/230206.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-dopers-for-not-protesting-or-even-mentioning-the-election-in-iran/230206.md?page=3)