Neda: An Unintended Symbol

By: Dan Farber
Topics: Iran

(Getty Images/Howard Ruffner)

On May 4, 1970 members of the Ohio National Guard killed four students and wounded nine others at Kent State University. Some of the students were protesting the expansion of the Vietnam War into Cambodia. Others in the line of fire were just seeing what was going on, or walking to their classes.

Iconic photos of the event appearing in newspapers and television galvanized the nation and inflamed the anti-war movement in the U.S. Millions of students protested and nearly 1,000 colleges and universities were shut down after the Kent State shooting.

Yesterday, a young woman who was part of the crowd in Tehran, either protesting or simply watching the events unfold, was shot in the chest, apparently by Iranian Basiji security forces on rooftops.

Her death was recorded on video, and the gruesome end of her life sped digitally and virally around the world on social media sites, such as YouTube and Facebook.

"Neda," as she was known, has in a matter of hours become an icon for the Iranian protest movement.

(CBS)

Her image has become memorialized in posters, including one in style similar to those that represented the Barack Obama campaign. Clearly, this isn't what she had planned to do with her life.

The Vietnam War took nearly three more years after Kent State to reach an end. In the Internet era, with information escaping the communications black hole in Iran at warp speed, a change in the "tenor" and "tone" of Iranian government could happen sooner rather than later.

In any case, Neda will have played an unintended and central part in the next chapter of Iran's history.

Dan has more than 20 years of journalism experience. He has served as editor in chief of CBSNews.com, CNET News, ZDNet, PC Week, and MacWeek.
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by TomFr June 22, 2009 3:33 AM EDT: Lightweight analysis. An awkward and superficial equating of Kent State with Iran in June 2009 to make a tardy and obvious point about Neda's death.; Reply to this comment


by John_Merritt June 21, 2009 11:51 PM EDT: Isn't technology wonderful when our young children can flash onto any page and get pictures like these? Hopefull Neda did not die in vain. God Bless all those trying to find peace and freedom throughout the landscape of this world.; Reply to this comment


by sandycat4 June 21, 2009 10:22 PM EDT: Seriously, Farber can't really be trying to equate the unfortunate shoorting at Kent State during Vietnam War protests with what is happening In Iran? In the first place the US government never ordererd any crackdown of protesters as is foing on in Iran. Where did this guy learn about logic. He hasn't any and his article made me mad.; Reply to this comment

by John_Merritt June 21, 2009 5:59 PM EDT

The price of freedom usually comes at a cost. But with victory, than these people who paid a great price will be remembered, not as martyrs, but as heroes. Go Bless everyone who desires to be free from the bondages of life.

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by John_Merritt June 21, 2009 6:00 PM EDT: I meant God Bless everyone, not go bless. Actually that is not a bad idea either.

by WhosJohnGalt June 21, 2009 5:59 PM EDT

CBS, you trivialize the magnitude of what is going on in Iran with your partisan jabs at the Republicans.

America has not seen anything like what is now going on in Iran since our Revolution. Don't try to pretend we have: "Oh yeah, we know what that's like. We had 4 kids killed by police because they were demonstrating against the Vietnam war..."

HUNDREDS are being kills and THOUSANDS arrested and tortured by a government that recognizes no rights at all of their citizens. There is not comparison with America. Instead of comparing the situation to Bush and Nixon, why don't you just report the situation in Iran as it is and condemn their oppressors?

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by prometheus21 June 22, 2009 8:25 AM EDT: How about we compare it to the invasion and occupation of Iraq and the HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS arrested, tortured and/or killed by the U.S.?


by South-of-Heaven June 21, 2009 5:58 PM EDT: itsjustathought,
the Liberals and the Progressives are fighting tooth and nail
against simple minded Conservatives in Iran.
conservatives are well known for sending others
while they themselves get Deferments...; Reply to this comment


by June 21, 2009 5:34 PM EDT: A a protest in San Francisco last night, there were photos of Neda

http://flickr.com/photos/ari/tags/neda/

Even at the first demonstration a week ago, people had printed photos from Flickr to pass out. By
last night some people had made large posters of photos

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ari/3646225381/in/set-72157619987544979/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ari/3646224351/in/set-72157619987544979/; Reply to this comment


by South-of-Heaven June 21, 2009 5:04 PM EDT: Politics and Religion are the mixture of pure evil.
there is no Evil more vile than opressing peoples will
by the gun and excusing it by Calling it Gods will.

Separation of Church and State
Separation of Mosque and State
Separation of Synagogue and State.

Progressives and liberal thinkers should strive to
make this century the century of enlightenment; Reply to this comment


by South-of-Heaven June 21, 2009 5:01 PM EDT: Politics and Religion are the mixture of pure evil.
there is no Evil more vile than opressing peoples will
by the gun and excusing it by Calling it Gods will.

Separation of Church and State
Separation of Mosque and State
Separation of Synagogue and State.

Progressives and liberal thinkers should strive to
make this century the century of enlightenment; Reply to this comment


by sowles June 21, 2009 4:52 PM EDT: What has this world come to when grown men murder sweet young girls in the streets, all in the name of God or some such thing. This is the horror of it all. It never ends. The killing of women and children. God is great, but this is not for God. It is the work of Satan.; Reply to this comment