Letters to the editor

Re “Iranians riot over vote count,” June 14, and “A show of Iran’s public force,” June 16

Did we really expect anything different from the Iranian election?

Let’s not kid ourselves, Ahmadinejad and Co. are not about to relinquish their power.

Bruce Savage

Palm Desert

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“Give me my vote back!” This reportedly was shouted on the streets of Iran following the announcement of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as the winner of their presidential election.

The same echoes should have been heard across U.S. streets after our own votes were cast last year in light of evidence of voter registration fraud in many states. Do Iranians care more about democracy than Americans?

Jennifer DeVall

Alta Loma

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Wow. We really have to be impressed by the speed and efficiency of ballot counting and ballot reporting in Iran.

Clearly they should be the envy of every country that holds elections. Considering the immediacy of the final results, they’re a jet and we’re a horse and buggy. And we thought we were technologically advanced.

Jules Brenner

Hollywood

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One of former President George W. Bush’s major goals was to bring American-style democracy to the Muslim world. I am sure he must be ecstatic to see that Iran has taken the lessons of his Florida election to heart.

Omer Murray

Newhall

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I have been voting, writing books about elections and lecturing on this subject for more than 60 years. And I can sum up everything I have learned in one sentence: It really does not matter who votes for you; it only matters who counts the votes (unless you have a good relationship with the members of the Supreme Court).

Aaron Shovers

Long Beach

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Ahmadinejad wins in a landslide. So much for President Obama’s excitement over the “robust election debate” in Iran; it’s clear his Cairo speech was not as well received as he has claimed.

John Tintle

Nipomo, Calif.

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Unfortunately, the Iranians have now learned the hard way that when they laid down their revolutionary freedom at the altar of religion, their utopian dreams of Islamic rule have become their nightmare of oppression of the masses.

Carlos Khantzis

Woodland Hills

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The news of Ahmadinejad’s reelection is just so discouraging. All those people wanting change, held down by their own government. I would make a terrible Iranian; if I kept shouting out that I wanted freedom, democracy, education, equality and somebody shot at me, or my house was destroyed or my job lost, I would probably give up.

The candidates and their supporters are so strong -- the young (innocents) and the old (scarred with memories). I’m convinced that some, perhaps many, will continue fighting for their rights. I wonder if other countries are watching, and whether their reactions are: “See? All we need to maintain control is bigger guns,” or “We need to change; these people just won’t quit!”

Mary Kay Messner

Minneapolis