An Open Letter to the Brave Protesters in Iran

This is a letter from an American to all the brave protesters in Iran right now. I hope this reaches some of you.

I imagine there are many of you right now that are having doubt. I think there are many of you that are afraid and, sadly, there may even be some of you who feel like hope is lost. In such times, it’s hard for people not to feel like that.

However, I am here to tell you that not to give into that fear. The government is working tirelessly to instill that fear in you. They have killed people, beaten them, jailed them. They have made you think they are everywhere. They are trying to make you feel you are alone. But you are not alone. There are still now many who feel the same way you do. There are still those who don’t believe the government should be allowed to do this to people and are willing to fight with everything they have for that. They are in the streets, they are next to you, they are shouting from the rooftops, they are with you. You are not alone.

Not only that, but there is support for you all around the world. There are many people out there who, if they were able to, would be right there with you now, fighting with you if they had the chance. I know because I am one of them. I cannot tell you how much it hurts me to be so far away, unable to be there with you. I have never met you all but the messages I have seen from you and those like you have tugged at my heart. They have moved people from all over the world. We are with you. We will do anything we can to help you. And, I can honestly say, if I could be with each of you right now to give you the encouragement you need in person, I would.

Unfortunately, all I can do is write this letter to you. So I think I speak for all the supporters around the world (who are too numerous to count) when I say we are with you. We are moved by what you are going through. Our heart aches when we see what your government is doing to you. And, most importantly, we believe in you. We have seen your courage, we have seen what you are fighting for, and we know in our hearts if you keep fighting you will achieve it. You will have your voices heard and your dream for a better country will become a reality. We believe in you, so make sure that you also believe in yourself.

There is a reason the government wants you to be afraid and feel alone. In fact, the reason is quite simple. The truth is that the government is far, far more afraid of you than you are of them. That is why they have resorted to such cruel acts, why they try to silence your voice, why they try to prevent communication. They know they are outnumbered, so they try to make you think you are alone. They try to make you think you are helpless because they know you are not. They try to make you think you can’t bring about change, because they KNOW that you can. They think what they are doing will make everyone lose hope and have their dreams turn into dust, but that is impossible. The government cannot stop the ideals you believe in. No force on this earth is able to do that. And if you’re willing to fight for what you believe in with everything you have, you will be able to succeed.

Sometime it may be hard to believe that, especially since many people have died. But the things you believe in, the cause you fight for, can never die. Many have died, but that is exactly why you must go on. It is not right for people to be killed by their government simply for wanting their voices heard. It is not right for a sixteen year old girl to be murdered in cold blood simply for being a bystander. It is not right for evil men to be allowed to kill and beat their own people, while the State TV insists they are doing the right thing. No person deserves such oppression, so that is why you must continue on. You must show the government that they cannot treat their own people so unjustly. If you continue stand up for what is right, if you continue to see the truth, if you continue to believe in yourself and make sure those around you believe in themselves too, you can change things for the better. Your beliefs, your ideas, are strong and ideas can never be stopped with a bullet.

I understand you may be afraid. But I want to make sure you know that true bravery is not being without fear, but knowing you are afraid and doing the right thing anyway. You have this bravery inside you. I have seen this. The world has seen it and knows this too. So do not forget that. You have shown myself and the world what true bravery is. You have stood up for what’s right. You’ve defied injustice and refused to accept oppression. For that, all of you are heroes. Never forget that. Don’t doubt yourselves.

I’m sure you already know this, but I feel I should repeat that the State TV and reality are two very, very different things. The State TV is now nothing more than a way to spread fear and doubt. They will lie, they will intimidate, and they will do anything if they think it will make you doubt yourself. They are puppets dancing at strings. Do not let them get to you. Do not believe their lies. There are ways for you to find out the truth. Use them. And help others find the truth as well.

There are still ways you can communicate. Find them, use them, and make sure the others who are with you know of it as well. You are not alone. You are intelligent. You are capable of great things. All of this is possible if you believe in yourself, make sure doubt is not allowed to spread, and you keep thinking. The regime’s tactics are changing, so your tactics must as well. You are smart people, much smarter than me, and you are capable of strategy. Communicate as securely as you are able in any way you can. Know when to communicate securely and what to say publicly. Use what you know of the government’s tactics to your advantage. Do not be deterred. Share your ideas, stand together, help one another, stay united. Remember, despite what your oppressors want you to believe, you are not alone in this and you will never be alone.

Most importantly, do not feel like you can’t do anything to make your country a better place. You can. The potential to do so exists in every person and, united together, nothing can stop you. The government believes that if they lie enough, if they are cruel enough, your spirit will be broken and your ideas will fade away. It is up to every one of you to prove them wrong. Let your voice be like thunder and your spirit like iron. Show the regime that you will never be deterred, that you will never give up, that you are a force unlike anything ever seen before. You can do this. Never believe otherwise.

I hope my letter has been of some help. I honestly wish I could do more to help but there is only so much I can do from this corner of the world. The rest is up to you. My belief, my hope, and my heart goes out to all over you. I wish you the best.

Yours Faithfully,

Corey