Iran cries out for true democracy

The violence that has erupted from Iran is a clear witness to the human spirit's innate desire for liberty and democracy. Unfortunately, bloodshed seems a prerequisite for true democracy. The Iranian people, while in theory have a democratic government, are crying out for true democracy. Tony Blair called democracy "a universal value of the human spirit." The outcry from Iran is a testament to the truth of this statement. In a land where the United States of America, the banner-carrier for democracy, is portrayed as the root of all evil, there is still a desire for a truly democratic form of government. If the values of democracy - elections, free press, speech and religion, among others - were not universal, then Iran would certainly be content to live under a tyrannical dictatorship. In a paper titled "There Are No Alternatives to the "Western" Model of Democracy," Gerard Alexander argues that social pretexts are required before democracy can thrive. Moreover, he argues that these pretexts are generally absent from non-western nations and in countries where they are present, democracy thrives. Some of these pretexts include fair elections, leaders held accountable, the right to freely organize and speak out and more. Until this point, these pretexts have been restricted in Iran. Held down by a powerful Islamic religious leader, the people of Iran have generally accepted, rather than rejected. That is, until the most recent elections. It is my argument that the people of Iran are moving toward a more "Western" model of democracy. These values though, are not western, but are universal. "Western" is merely a label used in academia. The truth is that democracy is man's choice of government by nature, not by reason or logic (though certainly these would help). We can watch and wait to see if the results of Iran's outcry for freedom are successful, or we can stand as advocates for their freedom. Personally, the latter is more noble and honorable than the former.