This is all over the web, but that's no excuse not to include it here...the original, as far as I can tell, came from kheirkhah.ir, which in turn apparently took it from a Farsi-language newspaper.
Can bad Photoshop be a sign of moral turpitude? Ahmadinejad was apparently "chosen" to win the "democratic" election by the Ayatollah who functions as the "Supreme Ruler" of Iran—whose minions, in this case, are not above not-so-subtly enhancing the approved selection's crowd support. Worse, reports are filtering out of Iran that this "Supreme Ruler"—who is, remember, a religious leader—is considering the use of massive violence to put down the street protests.
That has to be the most disgusting thing I've heard in a long time—and it's had lots of competition.
Various and sundry American Christian leaders periodically disgrace themselves with hypocrisy and bad behavior (a spectacle I confess I find intermittently entertaining, in the aggregate although certainly not in all particulars), but at least they're not in any position to order the wholesale slaughter of their own flocks.
For a bracingly balancing view of Iran and its people, I recommend Rick Steves' "Iran: Yesterday and Today." It's not the whole story either (being sanitized and Iranian-government-approved, as Rick explains)—it's just a side we see less often.
(Thanks to numerous tipsters)
F#@K The Ayatollah and Amadinnerjacket.
Posted by: charlie d | Saturday, 20 June 2009 at 04:39 PM
PhotoShopping must be on the approved activities list; Iran did it before with faux missiles to exaggerate their prowess. You see this faking a lot with totalitarians. It must be a variant of p***s insecurity.
Re Christian 'leaders' versus the 'Supreme Leader' of Iran... the difference between the two is that the Koran supports egregious behavior whereas the New Testament doesn't. Khomeini, Khameni, et al fit the Mohammed archetype; Jimmy Swaggart, the Bakers, etc., no more represent Christianity than Mary Mapes, Eason Jordan, and Jayson Blair represent ethical journalism, i.e., "Hypocrisy is the tribute that vice pays to virtue."
I tend to agree with Pascal; even if the God of Christianity doesn't exist, wouldn't the world be a better place if everyone lived as if He did?
Posted by: ObiJohn | Saturday, 20 June 2009 at 08:54 PM
I think this is one of those times where it's best to back away from the worms.
I'm surprised at you Mike.
Posted by: Robert Howell | Saturday, 20 June 2009 at 10:32 PM
The fake missile photoshopping was done by North Korea.
Posted by: Realist | Sunday, 21 June 2009 at 12:20 AM
Mike,
Speaking both as a Roman Catholic and a sometime-lecturer on the history of faiths, may I say that our guys would have sewn it up centuries ago if we'd had Photoshop. And the stake/manacles/rack/red-hot pincers, too, of course.
Posted by: James McDermott | Sunday, 21 June 2009 at 02:03 AM
Come on Mike, please don't throw the Christians in with the Muslims.
Posted by: Kurt | Sunday, 21 June 2009 at 03:19 AM
It shouldn't be a can of anything if people didn't jump to clichés - even though those are related to photography, if only etymologically :) - about religions.
And I'm thankful Mike did put this up or I'd have missed it.
Plus, funniest title I've seen in a long time!
Thanks!
Posted by: Ludovic | Sunday, 21 June 2009 at 10:03 AM
Hi Mike:
Thanks for the report. My comment is considerably less significant than the content you’ve presented, but knowing your precision with language, I will point out that although the phrase “various and sundry” is widely used, it is, in fact redundant.
The Language Police (self-appointed).
Posted by: Tom | Sunday, 21 June 2009 at 11:21 AM
"Plus, funniest title I've seen in a long time!"
Ludovic,
Just for the record, I take no credit for the title. Similar posts about this issue with that same title are common all over the web. I just, um, "borrowed" it.
But I agree with you, I thought it was funny too....
Mike
Posted by: Mike Johnston | Sunday, 21 June 2009 at 02:03 PM
You want to hurl brickbats, try the Burmese generals. Unbelievable.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8111738.stm
Posted by: Robert Howell | Sunday, 21 June 2009 at 04:06 PM
More Iranian Photoshoppery: In the lead up to the farce, er "election", Ahmadinejad "borrowed" the image of a now scrapped 43 year old Irish locomotive for his posters (see http://www.independent.ie/national-news/iran-on-track-with-help-of-irish-rail-1767781.html ).
The caption apparently reads "The country is advancing as rapidly as a train.", but believe me, having been on trains pulled by those, they never advanced anywhere repidly, so quite appropriate really.
Posted by: John McLaughlin | Monday, 22 June 2009 at 06:03 AM