Will, I got one better: Or if you show up to an airport in a hijab listening to Cat Stevens and your name is Ted Kennedy - No Fly List!
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Originally Posted by skada
Underground kids drinking proves nothing. Even Afgans in mid 70s consumed alcohol (privately) and I don't see them liberated anyhow.
The condition of Iran is quite different they are quite modernized already. like fourth largest bloggers, extremely high women literacy (Women today compose more than half of the incoming classes for universities, are in army , in sports and have Womens' Movement) and it's classisfied as Semi-Developed Nation by UN. And even after this we see fundamentalism.
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I think the fundamentalism is in the power structure and of course in the populace too. But it's not quite so black and white. There is definitely a large (my interpretation) underground movement like the already mentioned bloggers, students, intellectuals, exiles - in other words, Iran is not doomed to be an extremist theocracy. I believe, there is a good chance it may turn assuming certain factors fall in place (kind of a long shot I know) but it exists. From my studies and readings, there is a good amount of people who do not support the regime, don't hate the US, and even believe the gov't is building nuclear weapons. I believe there was a recent student protest (can't recall details) too in Iran. This is why I was a bit disappointed that Clinton blew the chance to engage when they did have a moderate president.
Your Afhgan reference is interesting. I think I saw something about the Taleban drinking alcohol, listening to Britney Spears, sell drugs and all sort of behavior banned by the Taleban as being unIslamic. Talk about irony. Supposedly the current regime is liberated and has allowed women to go back to schools etc.