On day 10 of the Iranian revolution, the Ayatollah has fled

seadoug said:
I suppose you didn't see the thousands of protests that took place last weekend. I'm sure many included college students. But they were over oppression in the US, not Iran. Oh wait, we have our own issues.
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US citizens have several luxuries that Iranian citizens don't have. The irrevocable right to peaceful protest and assembly is one...well, two, technically.

Representation in government is another, and that's achieved through an electoral system. Iranians don't have either of those.

They also don't have a Bill of Rights, and their constitution is purely theological, as is their justice system. Iranians have little recourse if they are killed en mass or individually by law enforcement or their own military for speaking out against their supreme leader, for example, or for causing any type of damage to his posters, monuments, and buildings, whether intentional or not. They certainly can't sue them....or anyone, for that matter.

The US does have problems, but its people have various means of solving them, or, at least, to call attention to them so that someone with the ability or authority can solve them, and/or vote for people who are determined to solve them.

Americans have paths to justice and fairness that simply do not exist in Iran.

Not at the moment, anyway.
 

Tazx said:
What exact rights do you think the lgbt are losing? All humans have the same rights, no more no less. The problem became a problem and people became divided when the lgbt expected more! More what? More laws? For what? If you discriminate, its discrimination. Assault has always been assault. Harassment has always been harassment. And so on, with every law.

Because according to the law that I have always known, every single human being in America/Canada has equal rights. There are no special caveats for any segment of society. Is there a law book that we dont know about?
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Most are transgender rights but laws are being proposed targeting the LGBT community in general. I'll just point out one in general that has nothing to do with assault or harassment.

Non-discrimination Protections: Efforts are underway to weaken existing civil rights laws, which could allow employers, businesses, and even hospitals to refuse equal treatment or turn away LGBTQ+ individuals. At the federal level, executive actions have rescinded orders that called for LGBTQ+ people's health equity and non-discrimination protections. Proposed policies also aim to define gender narrowly, potentially stripping LGBTQ+ people of protections against discrimination in housing, federal government employment, and other programs.

Don't get me wrong. I, personally, am happy with the rights I have and the freedom to be married and have my husband make health decisions should I become ill, but if I were looking for a job and couldn't get employed or was turned away at a hospital because I was gay those are rights I would lose that everyone else has.
 
"Peaceful protest" is a tough one. No one (I hope) wants to take away the right to assemble, to carry signs, to chant slogans. Monitoring and/or filming law enforcement are also protected rights.

Blowing whistles, banging drums at arrest sites, trying to block law enforcement vehicles -- there you start interfering with law enforcement operations. You may be breaking laws. And you are certainly acting stupidly, ticking off people who are in tense situations to begin with and who are carrying deadly weapons.
 
Been There said:
Will the protests in Iran be enough to get rid of the Ayatollah and allow freedom to come into the people’s lives?
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What's going on there is way beyond protest. imo The toughest barrier for Iranians is that the Ayatollah and his brethren have tons of money and influence, and lots of weapons.
CallMeKate said:
I'm going to put on the "Cynical Kate" hat today and answer this with "maybe only for a while."
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Historically, no one's been able to completely eradicate the Islamic regime's hold on Iran.

People reporting on the situation are saying that's because, in previous uprisings, the Iranian people gave up when the killings started. They aren't going home this time, and it's what...day 21, 22? They've held out, but you're thinking is right; what comes after the fall will determine Iran's future.
 
Been There said:
Will the protests in Iran be enough to get rid of the Ayatollah and allow freedom to come into the people’s lives?
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Sadly, it’s not just the Ayatollah.

Iran is a collection of government sanctioned militias and terrorist organizations.

I’m afraid that it will be a bit like playing whack a mole before a new more stable regime finally comes to power.

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Aunt Bea said:
Sadly, it’s not just the Ayatollah.

Iran is a collection of government sanctioned militias and terrorist organizations.

I’m afraid that it will be a bit like playing whack a mole before a new more stable regime finally comes to power.

View attachment 480459
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You’re right. I wanted to add additional information to my post, but was called away by a phone call and when I came back to the forum, I had completely forgotten what it was I was doing and moved on.
 
Murrmurr said:
But when that happens, there's an investigation, which can lead to a criminal court trial, and people can get justice.
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The Feds said there will not be an investigation of the killing of R Good in Minneapolis. I’m really hoping that Minnesota can do their own, but as the feds are not sharing any of the relevant evidence, they have I have my doubts.

As for Iran, I really feel for the people that live there, and the people that are protesting and being slaughtered. I hope positive change occurs for them.
 
Teacher Terry said:
The Feds said there will not be an investigation of the killing of R Good in Minneapolis. I’m really hoping that Minnesota can do their own, but as the feds are not sharing any of the relevant evidence, they have I have my doubts.
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Videos of the incident and the officer's badge-cam have been released. Based on those, the state attorney's office decided not to prosecute.
 
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Aunt Bea said:
Sadly, it’s not just the Ayatollah.

Iran is a collection of government sanctioned militias and terrorist organizations.

I’m afraid that it will be a bit like playing whack a mole before a new more stable regime finally comes to power.
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Iran's crowned prince held a press conference yesterday, and he gave a speech first. He said that various international agencies are actively vetting IRGC police and military men who claim to be defectors, and it's been *implied* that US federal agents and possibly Israeli intelligence are working with Iran's current vice president to identify internal and external Ayatollah loyalists with the aim of preventing a re-take after the regime falls.

It was an excellent speech. I watched the entire conference on YouTube. Title is LIVE: Reza Pahlavi holds major press conference in Washington, and the channel is DWS News, if anyone's interested.

I didn't post it because political questions were asked, and they were specific.
 
Murrmurr said:
Videos of the incident and the officer's badge-cam have been released. Based on those, the state attorney's office decided not to prosecute.
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No, as of January 17, 2026, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has not decided against prosecuting ICE agent Jonathan Ross.
In fact, the Attorney General's office and the Hennepin County Attorney's office are actively pursuing their own investigation despite significant opposition from federal authorities.

Current Prosecution Status
  • Independent State Probe: AG Keith Ellison and Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty have launched an independent state-level investigation into the January 7 shooting.
  • Collection of Evidence: Because federal agencies (FBI and DOJ) have blocked state investigators from accessing primary evidence like the vehicle and shell casings, the AG has set up a public portal for witnesses to submit video and photo evidence.
  • No Statute of Limitations: Ellison has publicly stated that "there is no statute of limitations on murder," signaling his office's commitment to a long-term review of the case regardless of federal roadblocks.

Legal Obstacles to Prosecution
While the state has not declined to prosecute, legal experts note that Ellison faces an "uphill battle" due to federal protections:
  • Federal Immunity: The Trump administration, including Vice President JD Vance, argues that Ross has "absolute immunity" as a federal agent acting in the line of duty.
  • Supremacy Clause: Under the Supremacy Clause, a state prosecution can be dismissed if a federal judge determines the officer's actions were "necessary and proper" for their duties.
  • Jurisdictional Battle: Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has declared that Minnesota has "no jurisdiction" to investigate, a claim Ellison and Moriarty are actively challenging in court.

Federal vs. State Divergence
The confusion regarding "refusal to prosecute" often stems from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), which has declined to open a criminal civil rights investigation into Ross. This federal decision led to the resignation of several prosecutors in Minnesota who disagreed with the DOJ's focus on investigating the victim's family instead of the agent.
 
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