Iran's president doesn't seem the kind of man to care about moral pressure. But Emanuele Ottolenghi's idea is still a good one:
This year, Hanukkah coincides with Christmas. On December 27, the third night of Hanukkah, Hanukkah candles should be lit in public ceremonies across the streets, in front of Iranian embassies around the world. Jewish communities should organize a lighting ceremony in all those capital cities where Iran has an embassy, and in New York it should be done in front of the U.N. building, right beside the Iranian flag. According to Jewish law, anyone can light the Shamash, the candle that is used to light all others. Prominent leaders with bipartisan support should be invited to perform this symbolic act to reaffirm the light of freedom over the darkness of tyranny.
Ann Althouse, meanwhile, notes that Ahmadinejad is banning western pop music:
I hope this inspires people to push back... [T]aking people's music away should strongly impress them that the government is repressive beyond reason. If only Western music were better, the impression might be stronger. Unfortunately, I can understand the feeling that the music of the outsiders is eroding your culture. I've felt, as a traveler, that the music of my own culture was eroding the culture of the foreign place I wanted to experience.
Trying to make amends to the world at large, Hoder recommends two books to give to non-Iranians at Christmas. (Yes, one of them is the wonderful Persepolis.)
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