This unprecedented, sustained, and vibrant uprising against women’s subjugation and Iran’s oppressive, fascist theocracy has already accomplished a lot, including unleashing people’s spirits, minds, and dreams! The Iran uprising is a fresh wind that reminds us that the masses of people are capable of rising up against oppression massively and with enormous courage, heroism, and sacrifice.

Everyone should pay attention—and ACT! This is a crucial moment, and it’s urgent that people around the world, especially in the U.S., which has inflicted so much suffering on the Iranian people, to greatly step up support for the uprising itself, and to oppose the repression of the regime.

It is very important that some prominent artists and voices of conscience have spoken out so far, including PEN America, which has consistently fought for Iran’s imprisoned writers and artists. Doctors have spoken out against the assaults on Iran’s medical community. Actors and musicians, including Mark Ruffalo, Ariana Grande, Roger Waters, Angelina Jolie, Justin Bieber, Penelope Cruz, Coldplay, and others, have also raised their voices.

Yet much more is needed—NOW! Where are the rappers in the U.S. demanding Toomaj Salehi be freed?? Where are the feminists, advocates for women’s rights, and “progressives” demanding that Tehran’s theocrats stop murdering women and unarmed protesters? When Iranians in the U.S. and other countries organized mass protests in major cities, where were the masses of decent people—were you “staying in your lane” while our Iranian brothers and sisters are sacrificing everything for a better world?

In fact, those of us living in the U.S. have a special responsibility to support the Iranian people given the enormous suffering this country has inflicted on them for decades. This includes the 1953 CIA coup overthrowing the nationalist Mohammad Mossadegh, U.S. support for Iraq in the bloody 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War, and the draconian sanctions and military threats targeting Iran to this day. The U.S. imperialists are not and will never be a force for good in the world! And all calls for U.S.-backed intervention need to be opposed, whether from the imperialists themselves or forces within the Iranian diaspora.

Ignoring the Iranian people's just, heroic struggle is unconscionable “America First” chauvinism. Refusing to support it amounts to condoning the barbaric suffering and injustices being inflicted on over 80 million human beings, especially women.

Much more global, grassroots people-to-people support for the uprising in Iran is what’s needed to help it advance and spread, not reliance on one or another reactionary imperialist power or institution!