Carnival of February 11, 2017: Enjoyment and Mockery of Politics

If we review the collection of films and photos from the February 11 rallies over the past 37 years, a very clear transformation can be observed in this series of ceremonies: an increase in the display and spectacle aspects while the ideological and value aspects have diminished. The spectacle aspect gained more attention during Ahmadinejad's era and has reached its peak today under Rouhani's government. In the February 11, 2017 rally, the numerous balloons of all types, shapes, colors, and designs (similar to what is seen in political events in the United States), large photos of Obama and Trump for people to walk over, the presence of some individuals in local costumes and even theatrical costumes (like Tazieh), colorful flags, flags of the Islamic Republic measuring dozens to hundreds of meters, matching outfits among groups of participants (especially school students), tools and equipment (like bicycles), hundreds of life-size cardboard cutouts (this time not of Khomeini, which caused controversy a few years ago), and performances such as a mock execution of a Daesh member, wedding ceremonies, igniting fires, and comedic displays of astronomical salaries, as well as painting faces (with the colors of the Iranian flag), and the usual booths distributing food and drinks have significantly increased. What does this transformation indicate? This trend is observable not only in Tehran but across the country. Institutions like the Islamic Propagation Organization that operate nationally have internalized this carnival-like attitude and are implementing it. Other governmental institutions such as education, Basij, and various state offices that each have a role in organizing these events see no problem with this carnivalization. Who could oppose 'having fun' when they do not pay for it out of their own pockets? A day for enjoyment. The core participants in the government ceremony consist of four social groups: 1) those who benefit most from the regime, namely high-ranking government officials (about 150,000 people) along with their families; 2) those who receive part of the government's benefits and hope to climb the power ladder, considering the regime as their own, namely clerics and members of the Revolutionary Guards and Basij and their families (many military officials and personnel from the IRGC and Basij attend the rally in civilian clothing); 3) segments of the population such as merchants and shopkeepers who have always been favored by the government; there is no oversight on their work, no consumer rights, and they pay little tax; and 4) the poor and marginalized urban classes for whom a free meal or drink and watching a small show brings joy. This event in Iran is precisely associated with the trivialization of politics and political gatherings on February 11. The rulers and beneficiaries of the government celebrate on this day those (the revolutionaries of '57) many of whom have been killed or fled the country by this very government, celebrate the downfall of a regime that has replaced all the actions it opposed on a larger scale, and celebrate the rise of those who have offered nothing but misery, hatred, violence, humiliation, fraud, and lies to the people. Such a celebration can only be understood in its ironic and humorous sense. The only serious part of this ceremony was some participants thanking the American people in protest against Trump's government order denying visas to Iranians, which was omitted from official reports. The Islamicized carnival. However, the carnival of the Islamic Republic is Islamized and governmental. For the February 11, 2017 carnival, millions of flags and posters with cheerful colors (albeit with anti-American slogans and praise for the Supreme Leader) were printed, dolls of American and Israeli officials were made and paraded by the marchers (just like dolls seen in religious carnivals in Latin America) to ultimately be hanged in a ceremony (this part mocks the powerful, but not the ruling power in Iran, rather those powerful figures who, according to the rulers, 'can do nothing'), thousands of students dressed in red, white, and green were brought to the streets (at the expense of the education system), several masked men marched with sacks to protest astronomical salaries, and those in the know displayed their talents to entertain the people (all within the regime's restrictions). Food stalls in Iran turn into government kiosks instead of private chefs and restaurants because participants expect free food and drinks, and the private sector is unwilling to bear such costs. Essentially, there is no real private sector in Iran to do this; the 'privatized' sector knows that the government must cover these costs and does not bother to put on a show. Due to the prohibition of civilian music and the uncontrolled section of carnival music, it is temporarily suspended, but collective singing with revolutionary and Islamic anthems continues. The slogans broadcast from loudspeakers make this collective singing entirely predictable. Of course, in the Ashura and Tasua carnivals, where state-sponsored religious groups (funded by municipalities and military and paramilitary institutions) organize them, the music section is more active and can gather a larger crowd. Do not be surprised if in the coming years you see a concert by one of the regime's singers (who is also a eulogist or was previously a eulogist) held at the end of the rally in Azadi Square, if speakers (instead of an official government speaker) are mainly athletes, artists, and television personalities, if clerics in yellow, red, and green robes and yellow, orange, red, and blue sneakers participate in this ceremony, and if after the ceremony participants go to cafes and restaurants to continue 'having fun' late into the night. Do not be surprised. These are actually continuations of the carnival ceremonies that happen in the Islamic Republic just like in other parts of the world so that the people of the streets can enjoy one day and the regime can boast of its support. When the organizers of an event view it as a carnival, naturally the requirements of a carnival will be extended to it, just as when the Ashura and Tasua ceremonies in Iran gradually turned into a carnival, individuals began to show off trendy clothes (Hosseini fashion) and their hairstyles and makeup.