Facebook provides details of the opposition candidate against Ahmadinejad in Iran in the disputed election. As the streets of Iran are reported to be filled with supporters of Mousavi, he is said to be ready for martyrdom.
The value of social networking sites and citizen journalism is no better displayed than on Facebook and Twitter. Mousavi has his own page that outlines his background, political views, education and other facts. There are various groups listed who are supporters or fans, and he has a network of more than 75,000 friends on the social networking site called Facebook.
Mousavi, described as a conservative, is also considered by some to be somewhat of a reformer, certainly compared with Ahmadinejad, the disputed President of Iran. He was seen campaigning with his wife, which was seen as a major breakthrough in a country where women have been unable to participate politically. He has been described as ready for martyrdom in statements on his Facebook page, according to CNN.
As the people protest the election of Ahmadinejad, the value of interactive sites is the news coming out of Iran that has formally cut off live broadcasts of the demonstrations.
Citizen journalists continue to provide news from the Iranian street via the social interactive sites like Facebook and Twitter. The revolutionary technology is said to be a major part in what is now being called in some ways a revolution in Iran. People in the United Kingdom, France, Canada, the United States and all around the world are watching events live as they happen because of citizen journalism and social interactive sites like Facebook and Twitter.
In the meantime the supporters and friends of Mousavi not only contribute to
Twitter but to
his Facebook page. The page encapsulates in a fashion what may turn out to be a significant change in the modern history. Mousavi was born in 1941 and is described as a political moderate.
Mousavi's Facebook page contains not only his biographical data but comments from people around the world. One picture shows a body lying on the street in a pool of blood. A comment later talks about what's happening in Iran and the death of a man's daughter as he describes it here:
at 6:18pm June 20
Khameneie!You called yourself,the father of all orphans of Iran-Iraq war,but here you made a father witness the martyrdom of his daughter,in minutes,in his arms.You took away a mans,but Iran's daughter.He didnt believe it at first,saying:Neda,dont be afraid,dont be afraid..then when blood covered her face,he came to and cried:Neda,stay..Neda,stay... Read More!....The doctor who was there was helpless as the shot was in the chest.My dear Neda,you are now loved by all more than ever,my tears are nonstop for you,but you died for Iran to be free and Im proud of you,may you rest in peace in heaven.And you Khameneie,you will certainly pay for this and definitely go to hell!
The man's name who tells the story is given publicly on Mousavi's page, and disclosed after the incident took place.
The citizen media and citizens of the world, in the meantime, are participating in effecting that change, even as the traditional media brings the words to the world from those who are working hard at the grassroots level to tell the important story. Demonstrations continue to bring protesters and supporters onto the Iranian streets and rooftops to declare Mousavi the legitimate President of Iran even as Ahmadinejad and the Ayatollah Khomenei enforce crackdown on the media and the people who protest and warn of terrible consequences.
