i’ve been following the happenings in iran very closely over the last few days, amazed at the incredible scenes of both violence and courage.  i’ve been keeping up with all this via youtube video and blogs and some mainstream reporting, but most obsessively via twitter.

lots of people have derided twitter, and lots of people still don’t get it, but for the people of iran today, it is the single most powerful tool they have in their struggle.

there is something about the immediacy and connectivity of the medium which simply cannot be brushed off.  i first became aware of it during earth hour (#earthhour), when watching people send picture after picture of darkened cities in domino fashion across the time zones of the globe, was simply mesmerising.  it was brought home to me even more so during the aftermath of dr. tiller’s murder, when it was personally comforting to see thousands of people mourning together, and honouring him in ways big and small (#tiller).  during the european elections, as the results rolled in late into the night and i was alone in my lounge with my outrage over the bnp,  there were others on the other end of the network, screaming along with me in unison (#notinmyname). and when the california supreme court upheld proposition 8, there was a virtual outpouring of support for those left disenfranchised by the ruling (#civilrightsfail).

those were all fascinating and powerful moments, but they’ve been thoroughly eclipsed by the aftermath of the iran election (#iranelection).

and in these past few days, when the state-ruled media has been trying so desperately to squash the dangerous truth of what’s happening on the streets of iran, when the reporters are being arrested, when protesters are being beaten and shot, when the hundreds of thousands are turning out in stark and silent declaration, when texting and internet coverage has all but been banned… it is twitter that they are turning to.  what used to happen largely unseen behind the iron curtains of oppression, is now happening in front of the whole world.  and the whole world can let them know they are watching, witnessing, expressing solidarity, carrying their voices and pictures into the light of day. it is an amazing and sobering phenomenom to behold.  reading the tweets of people who are *there* hearing the gunshots, or trying to locate their families, or gathering in the streets… there is no filter, no cautionary analysis, no measured response.  there is only anger and fear and pain, bleeding raw across the screen.

go. see for yourself. if you didn’t get twitter before, you will now.

(eta: last night the *state department* asked twitter to delay its scheduled downtime maintenance.)

things may or may not change in iran, for better or for worse – but if they do, i’ll be watching history happen.

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