Plenty has been said about President Obama’s response, or lack thereof, to the situation in Iran. This is one issue I will not attack him for. I do not think our dear POTUS fully understands that he is supposed to be “The Leader of the Free World” and I also think his Fourth of July invitation to Iranian diplomats is in extremely poor taste. Yet, I understand why he does not want to provide the Iranian Regime with the “American foil” they would love. Considering our less than stellar history of meddling in Iranian politics, it might have been wise to let the Europeans take the lead on this one. Still, I hope President Obama uses his international star power to inspire “change” in the places that need it the most.

I am not going to pretend to be an expert on Iranian politics. I am not going to pretend I know what those protesters are going through, although I thank my grandfather every chance I get for not allowing me to be born and raised in a similar position. The word brave does not do them justice. Our generation of Americans has never, and most assuredly will never, had to display the mass quantity and quality of courage that has been required of our Iranian counterparts the past few days. I am not saying we are incapable of it, Americans have always been capable of it when needed. Fortunately for us, however, our democratic values are enshrined in our culture, protected by the generations that preceded us, and they are not going anywhere.

We will have innumerable debates in the coming months, lively debates with our government leaders regarding the economy, foreign policy, and healthcare, but none of us will have reason to feel our lives are threatened. We will not have our internet access shut down for criticizing President Obama’s healthcare plans. Our friends on the left did not get arrested for their criticisms of former President Bush.

Most importantly, none of us will ever have to be Neda. I know the video is graphic but I hope everyone who has ever criticized the American government will watch it, along with this one. This is not me saying we should refrain from criticizing our government. I myself do so often and believe it is necessary. But too often we take our right to criticize for granted. We forget there are so many who do not have that right. So many people around the world right now are risking their lives, disagreeing with their governments so that one day their children can take the right to disagree for granted like we do. Disagreement is what makes America what it is, it is what makes our democracy work. Our founding fathers did not always agree and they made sure Americans would always be allowed to state their opinions without fearing a government backlash.

If there is one thing that Republicans and Democrats can take away from what is going on half a world away on the streets of Tehran, it is that our system works, regardless of its flaws, that countless others would risk everything for the rights we have, and that we should honor those rights in every way possible. So the next time you hear people disagree with a government position, feel proud, even if you disagree with them.

Last 5 posts by Abel S. Delgado

• Let’s Support the Cantwell-McCain Bill - January 6th, 2010
• Deeds Gets Dirty, Doesn’t Win Anyway - November 2nd, 2009
• Obama & The Berlin Wall - October 25th, 2009
• The Nobel Prom King - October 11th, 2009
• Bureaucratizing Interrogations a Horrible Idea - August 28th, 2009