Protests in Iran are “different.” Will they make a difference?

• Scott LaMar
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  Scott LaMar has worked in both radio and television for more than four decades.
  
  Currently, LaMar is the Host and Executive Producer of The Spark program on WITF-FM, 89.5 & 93.3 in Harrisburg, Pa.
  
  Previously, LaMar was WITF TV’s Sr. Public Affairs producer and produced the station’s award-winning weekly public affairs TV program, Smart Talk.
  
  In addition to his on-air duties, LaMar has moderated political candidate debates, including those for candidates running for Pennsylvania governor and the U.S. Senate and was a regular contributor to BBC World News TV before and after the 2020 U.S. Presidential election.
  
  LaMar often emcees or moderates local events and has gone as far as California to emcee a national event.
  
  The American Society of Civil Engineers honored LaMar with their national Excellence in Journalism award in 2020. He has been nominated for five Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards.
  
  LaMar and The Spark have been recognized throughout the Central Pennsylvania community including ADVOZ Lancaster’s “Dignity in Dialogue Award”, the South-Central Assembly’s “Regional Citizen Award” and was named a “Humanitarian Hero” by The Humane Society of the United States/Pennsylvania.
  
  A native of Coatesville, Pa., LaMar has also worked as a broadcast news anchor, sports play-by-play announcer and manager.

Silhouette of raised arms and clenched fists on the background of the flag of Iran. The concept of power, power, conflict. With place for your text.

Airdate: Wednesday, September 28, 2022

Violent protests continue in Iran – sparked by the arrest and death three days later of a young women who was accused of not properly covering her face.

Twenty-two year-old Mahsa Amini was arrested in Tehran on September 13^th. Since her death there have been demonstrations and protests throughout the country.

The BBC is reporting 76 people have been killed as police have cracked down. State media in Iran says 41 have died.

State media branded the protesters “hypocrites, rioters, thugs and seditionists”, while state television said police clashed with “rioters” in some cities.

What’s driving the protests and will they change anything in Iran?

On Wednesday’s Smart Talk, Dr. Mehdi Noorbaksh, Professor of International Affairs and Business, Information System Engineering and Management,  at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology and Vice President, World Affairs Council Harrisburg talked about what the protests are about,”Accumulated demands is not about hijab, is not about, you know, covering is about, freedom. Iranian revolution in 1979 took place to end the rule of one man. And for the sake of ushering in the new era, in the Iranian politics, for participatory politics, for the Democratic do you know politics? And this group of clerics, they dominated the politics of Iran. And little by little, they kick everybody out. They dominated the government. They don’t know how to govern the same as Taliban, the same as, many others. They don’t know the art of governing. And they have been in Iran for the last 40 years. And the situation at the moment is to the point that I can say that this government, for the majority of the people, does not have any legitimacy whatsoever. And this just in these demonstrations in every cities of Iran, all are fought calls for the end of the dictatorship and, of course, the beginning of a democracy and freedom inside of Iran.”

Noorbaksh added that these protests are different in Iran,”The level of crackdown compared to others is not comparable. The government cannot suppress this demonstration and protests very easily as we have seen it in the previous ones. In a matter of two or three days, they could wrap it up. But this time they cannot because every segment of the population is involved, religious, non-religious scholars, all of them are involved in these demonstrations.”