December 7, 2003

Islamic radicals continue to use gangs to young men to intimidate, and even attack and beat, reformist legislators and activists who try to speak publicly. Many Iranians are disgusted with the dominance of Islamic radicals, and the inability of a reformist parliament to pass reform laws (because the constitution allows Islamic radicals to veto it.) Senior clerics are trying to rein in the more violent of the Islamic thugs, arresting those that get too violent with reformers who are too senior (like members of parliament.) But reform minded students still get murdered, and no arrests are made. The students are getting more radical, and even the most obtuse of the Islamic leaders remember that it was students who led the 1979