November 16, 1978 — Florida Flambeau
The Mossadegh Project | July 20, 2015 |

In the 1970’s, Jimmy Carter’s
support for the waning Shah caused alarm among some Americans, who
believed
a shooting war to save the dictator from collapse was imminent.
This letter to the Florida State University newspaper was printed the day after a major rally on campus held by the Iranian Students Association which resulted in nine arrests. The violence began when some student provocateurs shouted
at the Iranians to “Get off FSU and out of America.”
The writer of the letter was there, and reacted in a subsequent letter, shown below.
Thursday, November 16, 1978
Carter: Corporate tool
Editor:
Recently, Mr. Carter
supported the Royal Butcher, the shah of Iran. That is not
surprising. He, as a representative of corporate powers, will do his best to protect the interests of American giant corporations including arm-producing ones.
That is a shame for American democracy that U.S. government approves the most bloody regime of the world as the shah’s. But supporting the King is not an easy task anymore. The movement of progressive and nationalist forces is started
now and can’t be stopped.
If American people don’t protest against the policy of arming and aiding the shah, they will have to pay for it. Another war is ahead in the near future. The lives of not only Iranians (although thousands have already been killed) but
Americans too are on the stake. Remember that at least 60,000 Americans were killed in
Vietnam. Besides, the huge amount
of tax which will be imposed in the case of war should not be ignored.
I hope this time the American public will be more aware than to let the Carter administration involve the United States in another international war: the war between just unjust.
R. Raha
Monday, November 20, 1978
Crowd behavior poor
Editor:
The day that the Iranian students had a demonstration something really bothered me, and it was the behavior of some American students, calling Iranians “agitators.” They suggested the Iranians go home.
I wonder how ignorant a university student could be to protest the people who are defending the just struggle of Iranian people for freedom and demanding CIA agents and American military advisors be out of Iran.
If America’s revolutionists were alive today, they would not be happy to see this future generation protesting the people who defend the same principles that they themselves had fought for.
R. Raha
Related links:
FSU Student calls Shah “terrorist”, “rabid dog” | Letter in Florida Flambeau, Nov. 8, 1978
Anti-shah leaders say Americans understand | United Press, Nov. 18, 1977
President Gerald Ford Toasts the Shah of Iran (May 15, 1975)
MOSSADEGH t-shirts — “If I sit silently, I have sinned”




