Charlotte Pulica | Penn, stand with Iran

An internet blackout. Thousands of protesters dead. An entire country’s economy collapsing while citizens struggle to get basic goods. This is not only the reality for those living in Iran — it is the reality for many Iranian students at Penn. As we prepare for new classes, a new semester, and a new year, we cannot ignore or dismiss what is happening right in front of us: the devastation of a country that many of our students call home.

With the increase in sanctions and decrease in oil exports, inflation has risen to 48% in Iran, and the country’s economy has crashed. Citizens are being forced into bankruptcy and poverty by an unstable financial infrastructure that is completely out of their hands. For decades, Iran has been ruled by a highly unpopular regime, with up to 80% of Iranians agreeing that the system is completely illegitimate and oppresses the majority of the population. 

After the Dec. 28 rial drop, protests began to spread throughout the country, with millions of Iranian citizens angered by the financial and governmental state of their nation. Then, the regime responded by killing thousands of protestors, shutting down schools, plunging the country into an internet blackout, and silencing millions of voices. But this tragedy stretches far beyond just the country of Iran; this is a situation affecting Penn students and Penn itself.

While most students are walking down Locust Walk looking for their classes and posting #FDOC selfies, students from Iran are stuck checking the news constantly, worrying about their family’s safety, and fighting just for this issue to be heard. 

Sana Dezhabad, a College sophomore from Shiraz, Iran, spoke about the fear, anxiety, and devastation she feels every day. “It has been 12 days that I have not been able to talk to my family … I know some people who are just completely in the black; they don’t know if their families are safe,” she said. “We wake up every day, and we see the news, we see a new number of casualties … and we wonder, is that my mom, is that my family?” 

These are students in your classes, your clubs, and your dorms. Students who deserve to have a college experience full of education and excitement are now watching their homes being terrorized. The importance of what’s happening cannot be overstated. Yet, where is the support?

There has been a stunning lack of media coverage and public knowledge of Iran’s last 12 days, a lack of decisiveness from our president, and, frankly, a lack of support from our University. While the Penn Persian Society has been hard at work trying to bring awareness to Iran, Penn itself has been noticeably less willing. Dezhabad described Penn’s lack of support for the Penn Persian Society during this time. She explained, “We asked to hold a gathering near the Love statue … just to raise awareness. If students are passing by, they can hear what’s happening to our families. The University denied our request to hold our gathering on campus.” 

To withhold support is one thing, but to actively suppress students’ voices is another. Penn has the resources and bandwidth to help these students in need but is actively choosing not to. We are watching atrocities happen right before our eyes; the least we can do is offer our support and raise awareness. So far, Penn has a lot more to do on both those fronts. Besides an email offering condolences and links to counseling, Penn has yet to give a solid demonstration, statement, or decision showing support. 

Dezhabad asks a question we should all be thinking about: “It’s good that I get an email that acknowledges something is going on, but what more?”

So, what more? Do we allow these inhumane cruelties to fall by the wayside and chalk it up to “foreign conflict?” Do we assume it has nothing to do with us and simply move on? Our words mean a great deal in times like these, and our support means even more. We have the privilege to use our voices to help those in need, we just have to choose to do so. This is not about foreign politics; this is about human lives. 

Penn students, their families, and Iranian citizens are suffering. Don’t allow yourself to be desensitized to this tragedy. Speak up, spread awareness, and give support. If not for Iran, for your peers. 

CHARLOTTE PULICA is a College first year studying communications and public relations from Enoch, Utah. Her email is cpulica1@sas.upenn.edu.