Pro-Democracy Iranians to Obama: ‘You’re with Them or You’re with Us’
After President George W. Bush employed the words, “You’re either with us, or you’re with the terrorists,” addressing a joint session of Congress in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks – as the President prepared for the impending war in Afghanistan – liberals eventually treated those words with consternation as if the blunt declaration reflected poorly on America. But pro-democracy activists in Iran seem to like a similar message, as a group of protesters in Iran called on President Barack Obama to support their cause, chanting, “Obama, Obama, either you’re with them or you’re with us!”
Uniquely among the broadcast network evening newscasts, NBC Nightly News correspondent Ali Arouzi – stationed in Tehran – showed a clip of anti-government demonstrators chanting their message to President Obama, as he translated their words into English. During a report that focused mainly on the government-orchestrated anti-America protest organized to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Iranian Hostage Crisis, Arouzi also passed on the activities of anti-government activists: “On a day when anti-American sentiment runs high, the opposition was looking for support from President Obama, chanting, “Obama, Obama, either you’re with them or you’re with us.”
The CBS Evening News did run a similar story about both sets of demonstrators, relaying that anti-government protesters faced violent retaliation from government forces, although only NBC picked up on the message to President Obama. ABC’s World News with Charles Gibson did not mention the anniversary of the hostage crisis, although they coincidentally ran another story that also reflects poorly on the Iranian government, informing viewers of a large weapons shipment intercepted by the Israeli military that was headed from Iran to the terrorist group Hezbollah.
Below is a complete transcript of the relevant story from the Wednesday, November 4, NBC News:
[...]
CLIP OF PROTESTERS CHANTING: Obama! Obama!
AROUZI: -chanting, “Obama, Obama, either you’re with them or you’re with us.” Opposition has also vowed to convert all future holidays into opportunities for political protests. Ali Arouzi, NBC News, Tehran.
So far, Obama appears to be with the fascist oppressors in Iran. Sad.
