Candles Brighter Than Ever
Khatami’s 66th birthday is not an invitation to retirement, but a welcome to the new age of political activity
Politicians may appear to live longer than usual, but their immortality never compares to that of the artists and writers. Men and women of politics seek neither moral perfection nor aesthetically-valued works. They could not even if they wanted to. That could be achieved only be the few politicians who turned away from politics and entered the realm of culture. A simultaneous life in both fields of politics and culture seems unlikely and hard to achieve.
Creating an artistic work and signing intellectuals’ petitions are not reliable evidence for this co-existence of culture and politics. Hitler had a knack for both painting and burning Jews. Being an artist and a part of the culturati is not hereditary or even something to be gained from attending classes, tuning the string or using a paintbrush.
Mario Vargas Llosa, the Peruvian writer and politician is one of the preeminent exceptions that can debunk the theory of ’culture and politics’ incompatibility’. He has spent years on diplomacy and political analysis, though today few readers pay attention to his political background. Although most of Llosa’s political activities were rooted in his pro-peace and pro-democracy concerns, but what is going to remain from him are not his photos with leaders of other countries, but his novels. Artists, writers and intellectuals are ageless people that no one counts the years of their life and no one wishes for their death.
Politics means trial and error, and failure. Experiencing in politics equals mistake, betrayal and compromises whose impacts extend far beyond the individual and affect a group, community or country.
The difference between people of culture and people of politics is in the adherence of the former to human values. An artist or a writer makes no compromise and takes no justifications to forget moral values. That may explain their earlier death, harder life in return for which the attain immortality.
After the victory of the Islamic Revolution, Iran witnessed many ups and downs. Efforts to establish a democratic state, reinforce separation of powers, gain human rights and step into the path of economic development have passed many hardships. From all these years, the age of Mohammad Khatami is quite a marked on, for what happened both before and after his presidency. At those days, morals, culture and politics were interwoven. May be it was the determination of Khatami and his team to realize long-yearned ideals of the society, freedom and basic human rights, that made his age look so different.
But the political track shift of 2005 may explain better why the age of Khatami was truly different. Khatami’s face as a cultural, committed figure is more conspicuous than before. This has the least connection to his ’Dialogue of Civilizations’ project and his intellectual, sophisticated discourse. Khatami’s stepping in for the tenth presidential election, and his resignation after Musavi decided to compete, his endorsement of Musavi are continued in another form. There are few people who expected such a courageous resistance from Khatami at a time when he is targeted by venomous accusations and the sword of trial is dangling above his head.
At the midst of the 7th decade of his life –when it’s the time for peace and retirement- Khatami has become one of those relentless politicians who demonstrate experience not seclusion and for whom age is just a number.
The presence of Khatami in post-election developments and his support for the violated rights a part of the society has been one imparted with commitment and adherence to morals. Calling Khatami ’an accidental politician who should be an intellectual’ is one forgotten claim these days.
A few days before his 66th birthday, Khatami became the target of the most striking accusations the former president of a country can face. And that happened in an ’Islamic’ political system, where the important decisions are not made by the president, but by the supreme leader. As much has he is facing the grudge of his opponents, Khatami has gained moral, cultural and political prestige among the reformists. Although time gradually erases the memory of the Reform Government, but the recent developments prove the uniqueness of his era and brighten the candles on his birthday cake.
This is where a politician that doesn’t know how to paint or play a musical instrument is called the patron of art and culture, a politician for whom the candles on the birthday cake are not important. He will be a politician as ageless as artists and writers.
Creating an artistic work and signing intellectuals’ petitions are not reliable evidence for this co-existence of culture and politics. Hitler had a knack for both painting and burning Jews. Being an artist and a part of the culturati is not hereditary or even something to be gained from attending classes, tuning the string or using a paintbrush.
Mario Vargas Llosa, the Peruvian writer and politician is one of the preeminent exceptions that can debunk the theory of ’culture and politics’ incompatibility’. He has spent years on diplomacy and political analysis, though today few readers pay attention to his political background. Although most of Llosa’s political activities were rooted in his pro-peace and pro-democracy concerns, but what is going to remain from him are not his photos with leaders of other countries, but his novels. Artists, writers and intellectuals are ageless people that no one counts the years of their life and no one wishes for their death.
Politics means trial and error, and failure. Experiencing in politics equals mistake, betrayal and compromises whose impacts extend far beyond the individual and affect a group, community or country.
The difference between people of culture and people of politics is in the adherence of the former to human values. An artist or a writer makes no compromise and takes no justifications to forget moral values. That may explain their earlier death, harder life in return for which the attain immortality.
After the victory of the Islamic Revolution, Iran witnessed many ups and downs. Efforts to establish a democratic state, reinforce separation of powers, gain human rights and step into the path of economic development have passed many hardships. From all these years, the age of Mohammad Khatami is quite a marked on, for what happened both before and after his presidency. At those days, morals, culture and politics were interwoven. May be it was the determination of Khatami and his team to realize long-yearned ideals of the society, freedom and basic human rights, that made his age look so different.
But the political track shift of 2005 may explain better why the age of Khatami was truly different. Khatami’s face as a cultural, committed figure is more conspicuous than before. This has the least connection to his ’Dialogue of Civilizations’ project and his intellectual, sophisticated discourse. Khatami’s stepping in for the tenth presidential election, and his resignation after Musavi decided to compete, his endorsement of Musavi are continued in another form. There are few people who expected such a courageous resistance from Khatami at a time when he is targeted by venomous accusations and the sword of trial is dangling above his head.
At the midst of the 7th decade of his life –when it’s the time for peace and retirement- Khatami has become one of those relentless politicians who demonstrate experience not seclusion and for whom age is just a number.
The presence of Khatami in post-election developments and his support for the violated rights a part of the society has been one imparted with commitment and adherence to morals. Calling Khatami ’an accidental politician who should be an intellectual’ is one forgotten claim these days.
A few days before his 66th birthday, Khatami became the target of the most striking accusations the former president of a country can face. And that happened in an ’Islamic’ political system, where the important decisions are not made by the president, but by the supreme leader. As much has he is facing the grudge of his opponents, Khatami has gained moral, cultural and political prestige among the reformists. Although time gradually erases the memory of the Reform Government, but the recent developments prove the uniqueness of his era and brighten the candles on his birthday cake.
This is where a politician that doesn’t know how to paint or play a musical instrument is called the patron of art and culture, a politician for whom the candles on the birthday cake are not important. He will be a politician as ageless as artists and writers.