As a kid I would always go into the family room to watch the news with my grandfather. Politicians here, crisis rising there, but most often what caught my attention was the Middle east. When I was six I learned about the Iraq war, then I turned ten and my grandfather told me about political parties and how there is no better option than the republican party. Finally I entered middle school and there was the place I learned that past event in history always intertwined with current events. One past event that really caught my attention was the Iranian Revolution….

As an American it can be hard to discuss the Middle East here at home. I’ve heard parts of Iran’s revolution but I’ve never gotten the full story and I don’t even know the true motives that started this revolution. This revolution peaked my interest because I’ve always known that the U.S. and Iran did not have a good relationship but my why questions were never answered. When I was sixteen I saw the movie Argo and instead of answering questions the plot was too thick that I just became more confused. I asked even more questions that the people around me had no idea how to answer.

During my 2015 intersession on a bus ride home from L.A. my art teacher Jeff Robin played a movie called Persepolis. A woman depicted her childhood and young adulthood throughout Iran’s revolution. This was the first time since Argo that I felt interested in Iran. It was amazing to see someone who lived through a revolution, hearing her experience made me feel as though I was there. She gave her opinion as she grew up and she told us, the viewer what was going on the entire time. Watching her movie and reading about her graphic novels made me feel safe about the topic, for the first time I felt as though I could be curious about the Iranian revolution.

Is the Shah bad for being a puppet and not true to his country? Or are the Muslims too extreme? Who was wrong and who was right? And why was the U.S. even involved, what peaked our interest. As a child it’s hard to imagine war. Who? What? When? Where? Why does war happen? Too many questions not enough answers.

The Shah of Iran I believe came from a dynasty or monarch or something. I think he was placed there by the U.S. but I don’t know/can’t remember. The Shah also had his own personal police force that I am interested in because, I don’t know if its true but I hear that they killed a lot of innocent people. He was overthrown by an islamic organization and this islamic guy took over and ran the Shah out of power. Acts against the Shah started in 1977 and in 1979 the rebellion and war was well underway. From what I understand there were those who really wanted an islamic power to take over. And then there were those who were very loyal to the Shah because they didn’t want anything to change.    

Wars, revolutions, rebellions they’re all so unsure, it scares me and honestly not knowing about the middle east leaves me anxious so I ought to face my unsure fears straight on. My not knowing anything about the middlest east has to do with the fact that it is a very controversial topic that most people try to avoid. I always felt uncertain and nervous when opposing opinions came forth in a school that wasn’t High Tech High. Wanting to know more stems from a basis in being curious about all sorts of things. All my life I’ve continuously asked questions or brought up issues people didn’t want to here. Having that ability to do whatever I want helps me to continue to ask questions and think. The iranian revolution for me is something that I have never had the creative space to explore or think about. That’s what draws me to it the most, knowing that I can discover something new without getting in trouble or being judged for it makes me feel secure.