Members of Parliament protesting the Guardian Council`s methodology in disqualifying the incumbent MPs said on Sunday that certain elements behind the scenario have attempted to strip the Islamic Republic of its republican aspect.
| No! Really? Who'da thunkit? |
Deputy head of the Majlis Commission on National Security and Foreign Affairs Mohsen Armin read out the twelfth statement of the sit-in MPs challenging the obstacle the Guardian Council created in determining the religious commitment of applicants. They reiterated their belief that constitutionally it is not up to the Guardian Council to gauge religious commitment of the applicants and maintained that the conservatives who suffered a humiliating defeat in the year 2000 election have launched a campaign against the reform camp to humiliate the incumbent MPs.
| Y'might say that. They're using whatever weapons are at hand... |
"It is a dictatorial mentality to humiliate the others by disqualifying people`s representatives to see whether they have religious commitment," the statement said broadcast on FM radio. "Don`t play with public conscience. Don`t pretend yourself as advocates of people. Disclose your despotic desire to manipulate people`s votes," part of the statement said. "Democracy cannot be harnessed by adding the adjective `religious` to it. It has only one meaning. When you respect democracy, you should take it for granted that it will comply with the religious values of the community. You cannot sacrifice democracy under pretext that we want religious democracy," the statement said.
| On the other hand, you can have theocracy and call it "democracy," and a certain number of the rubes will buy it. Won't they? |
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