Sorry to go on a political rant, but the U.S. is a country built by immigrants. The Irish, the Italians, etc. As an immigrant myself, it’s obviously an issue close to my heart that affects me. And it hurts me to see so much discrimination against the people who toil endlessly and without recognition to keep this country afloat.

— Cobra Starship (& ex-Midtown) frontman, Gabe Saporta

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE AMERICAN DREAM? →

Making an example of American Apparel (LA Times).

Thankfully my parents became American citizens decades ago. And where are my parents now? They are successful entrepreneurs that own land and pay taxes. They are active in their communities and create jobs for oth…er people (illegal or not!). I’m so angry right now. How is the government being rational right now? “Without comprehensive immigration reform, it’s hard to see what good will come of throwing undocumented workers out of their jobs”.

I say, Sir, well have you heard that this country is unequal still?

History continues itself. And I did not create the rules.

From all I’ve heard and all I’ve seen, this place has broken my American heart.

— Piebald

MARJANE SATRAPI, author of Persepolis writes...

Almost 20 years ago, when I started studying art in Tehran, the very idea of “politics” was so frightening that we didn’t even dare think about it. To talk about it? Beyond belief!

To demonstrate in the streets against the president? Surreal!

Criticize the supreme leader? Apocalyptic!

Shouting “Down with Khamenei”? Death!

- NYTIMES

I was one of the last Western journalists to leave the city. Ignoring the revocation of my press pass, I went on as long as I could. Everything in my being rebelled against acquiescence to the coterie around President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, whose power grab has shattered the balances of the revolution’s institutions and whose goal is plain: no eyewitnesses to the crime.

— A Journalist’s ‘Actual Responsibility’ by Roger Cohen, NYTIMES

Everything is closed due to pollution?

Tehran’s pollution committee has decided to close all government agencies, schools, and factories for the next two days due to heavy pollution.

The timing of the closures seem very suspicious, coinciding with the major 10-year anniversary of the 18th Tir student protests. Several readers have noted that a national day of strike was called for the anniversary, and these pollution closures would take that action off the table.

- HuffPost

Key Iran cleric’s party dismisses vote results

— 

Ayatollah Rafsanjani’s party is demanding a restoration of public confidence over what it called “massive electoral fraud” and an inquiry into a crackdown on protesters.

- LATIMES

A week later, he is released from prison, after agreeing to sign “a confession.” He is now a fully-certified criminal in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

— Tehran Bureau

The Revolutionary Guards with second thoughts illustrate some of the deeper forces driving a crisis which I believe could change Iran forever.

— BBC

The Survivalist Guide To Protesting (for those in Iran) →

Newsweek magazine on Wednesday repeated a call on Iran to immediately release its correspondent and rejected charges made against him.

Newsweek, in a statement, said Maziar Bahari has been detained in Iran since June 21 without access to a lawyer.

— Source

Although people are still going to work, some parents have been reluctant to take their children to day care, fearing that unrest on the streets would prevent them from picking up their children. University exams have been postponed and many families have traded parties for small get-togethers, where the election is a constant topic of conversation.

— New York Times

Inspired by Marjane Satrapi, Persepolis 2.0