The right to vote is something people give their lives for in some parts of the world! Whether you like Democrats, Republicans, Greens, or anyone else, please handle whatever you need to handle in order to vote on (or before) Tuesday, November 6, 2012.
For a simple voter guide (for Californians) and quick tips for voters:
BAIAD Worked with the Obama Campaign in the Swing State of Virginia
Virginia is one of the top 3 most important swing states in this year's Presidential Elections (after Florida and Ohio) and it happens to have the 3rd largest population of Iranian-Americans (after California and New York).
In late September and October, with close collaboration with the Obama For America campaign in Virginia, BAIAD organized phone-banking events where our Iranian-American volunteers in the San Francisco Bay Area called the Iranian-American voters in Viginia and encouraged them to vote for the President Obama and Gov. Tim Kaine, who is running for a US Senate seat in that state.
A BIG heartfelt thank you to those of you who volunteered for our phone-banking events. This is not just about this election. Without taking such active roles, the Iranian-American community will never develope a strong political voice and influence in the American democracy.
BAIAD's "Iranian-Americans for Obama" Event Attracts 270
On Sunday, September 16, 2012, about 270 people attended the public event that was organized by Bay Area Iranian-American Democrats, BAIAD, to raise awareness about the upcoming Presidential and Congressional elections.
There were about a dozen speakers, including the following keynote speakers:
Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, 9-term member of Congress
Jimmy Panetta, Deputy DA of Monterey County and son of Secretary of Defense, Leon Panetta
Cyrus Habib, an inspiring Iranian-American who just won the Democratic Primary Election last month for a Washington State House of Representatives seat
9/16/2012: Iranian-Americans for Obama: About a dozen speakers talked about the upcoming Presidential and Congressional elections to a packed room of 270 people. Keynote speakers were:
Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, 9-term member of Congress
Jimmy Panetta, Deputy DA of Monterey County and son of Secretary of Defense, Leon Panetta
Cyrus Habib, an inspiring Iranian-American who just won the Democratic Primary Election last month for a Washington State House of Representatives seat
Let's Talk Politics: Tea Party, Jerry Brown vs. Meg Whitman, and more On Nov 4, 2008 so many of us were moved to tears about the possibility of a profound shift in American politics from fear to wisdom. Less than 2 years later, Glen Beck -- one of the most extreme fear-mongers in America -- draws a crowd of 100,000 to Washington, DC...
Ross Mirkarimi + Are You Ready for the June 8 Elections? We Can Help!
Did you know that communities that have a more consistent record of
voting in every election yield more power within the American
democracy? It is a fact that politicians pay less attention to
communities who don't vote consistently ...
1 Yr Later: Status of Iran's Green Movement - Lecture By Dr.
Ali Ferdowsi
One year after the contentious and disputed presidential elections in Iran:
What is the status of the Green Movement in Iran?
How is Obama administration's Iran foreign policy helping or hurting
that movement?
What are the prospects of meaningful pro-democracy reforms in Iran? ...
How to have more Iranian-Americans elected to office?
An important part of being adequately represented in American
democracy is having more members of our community elected to public
office. That's why BAIAD is always on the lookout for
Iranian-Americans who may be qualified to run for office ...
WHAT TO DO WITH IRAN? (Analysis and Q&A)
One year after Barack Obama swore in as President, the path to a solid
and effective foreign policy toward Iran seems as unclear as ever.
Please join us on February 10 for an analysis by Mr. Hamid Karimi:
Update on status of pro-democracy movement in Iran
West-Iran relations and where it is heading ...
What would make a minority community strong and influential?
Regardless of how one might answer that question, the answer must
include the creation of strong community organizations, because
without them...
BAIAD'S STATEMENT
ABOUT THE POST-ELECTION CRISIS IN IRAN
JUNE 16, 2009
Bay Area Iranian-American Democrats (BAIAD) is deeply troubled by the battering and even killing of young protestors on the streets of Iran and strongly condemns this violence and the human rights violations in that country. BAIAD also believes that the election results must be a true reflection of the will of Iranian voters.
Although BAIAD does not take the side of any presidential candidate in Iran, we believe that the only valid election is one where the results reflect the will of the voters. Therefore, given the serious questions around the validity of the official results, there must either be a thorough and fair investigation or a new election.
BAIAD endorses and supports the peaceful initiatives taken by hundreds of thousands of Iranian-Americans, all across the United States, to defend the freedom of expression in Iran. Since Iran’s election day on June 12th 2009, BAIAD has and still is actively participating in many US media interviews, to spread the word and inform the world about the realities of what is going on in Iran.
We call on President Obama and Congress to speak out against this violence and human rights violations in Iran, while strictly refraining from any attempt to influence the election results.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – January 30, 2008 – Bay Area Iranian-American Democrats (BAIAD) announced today that its members have voted for the organization to endorse Senator Barack Obama in the Democratic presidential primary election.
“We are proud of the fact that, more than ever before, Iranian Americans are seeking to express their political views and to get their voices heard,” said BAIAD president Mehrdad Moayedzadeh. “We got a call from a 76-year-old Iranian American who speaks very little English, asking for help about how to cast his vote since he will be out of town on Election Day next week. It is nothing short of extraordinary the way this man takes his vote so seriously, as if the future of his 2 grandchildren depends on it. Because it does.”
Moayedzadeh added: “Democrat or not, pro-Obama or not, we strongly encourage all Iranian Americans to not only express their views, but to also get passionately and vigorously involved and participate in American politics. Having said that, the members of our organization have spoken and they have chosen for BAIAD to endorse Senator Barack Obama in next week’s Primary Elections.”
He added: “Endorsements never imply 100% agreement with the candidate on all issues. But there is no doubt that, like millions of other Americans, many of our members are inspired by Senator Obama’s passion for change and feel that he is the best viable candidate to lead the country.”
California Democratic Party passes BAIAD's resolution about US foreign policy toward Iran
7/27/2007: The Democratic Party of the most populous state in the nation recently passed a strong resolution calling on US Congress to "oppose unprovoked military action against Iran" and to "support direct talks between the United States and Iran without preconditions".
BAIAD is proud to have authored this resolution and commends the California Democratic Party for taking such a strong position on a controversial issue.
Here is the full text of this resolution:
GENUINE DIPLOMACY WITH IRAN
WHEREAS, a democratic Iran is in the best interest of its people as well as a safer and more stable Middle East; and that the engine of the nascent Iranian democratic movement is its struggling middle class and the vast population of youth; and
WHEREAS, either comprehensive sanctions used as a tool of escalation or unprovoked military action against Iran would move it farther away from democracy, weaken its middle class and help the anti-democratic forces in Iran to maintain and solidify their grip on power; and
WHEREAS, absence of diplomacy and direct talks consistent with the recommendations of the Baker-Hamilton study group will likely lead to further escalation and instability in Iraq and in the region;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the California Democratic Party calls on Congress to oppose unprovoked military action against Iran and the use of sanctions as a “tool of escalation” -- as opposed to “tool of genuine diplomacy” -- and instead support direct talks between the United States and Iran without preconditions; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the California Democratic Party supports the International Atomic Energy Agency’s efforts to enforce its inspection regime and perform its role in preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons, as mandated by the United Nations.
Submitted by: Bay Area Iranian-American Democrats
Many thanks to other organizations who supported this resolution:
- Santa Clara County Democratic Central Committee
- Alameda County Democratic Central Committee
- Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club
- Iranian-American Democrats of Orange County
- Iranian-American Democratic Association (Sacramento)
