A peaceful assembly of women's rights activists in Tehran turned into a battering scene of violence! "The attack took place shortly after participants in the celebration assembled at Tehran's Daneshjoo Park at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, March 8."(New York, March 9, 2006)

It is ironic that a group of women were beaten up with batons in their effort to display solidarity with women around the world with the aim of elimination of inequality, discrimination and violence, and the establishment of peace, justice and freedom!

Even worse, amongst the women activist was the renowned Iranian poet Simin Behbahani. According to an eyewitness, "Behbahani was beaten with a baton, and when people protested that she is in her 70s and she can barely see, the security officer kicked her several times and continued to hit her with his baton."

Shame on us… Not only we have forgotten our history and identity now we have gone so far as to beating a helpless women in public! Great consequences are yet to come from this brutal act. Just a day after this event took place, a young man felt entitled to beat up a young lady in the streets of Tehran because she dared to reject his unwanted attention! The funny thing is other people gathered around and watched the girl being hit by the young man, some even enjoying the incident! ( sadistic?!)

Yeah perhaps we have become sadistic. In a country where one day women were rulers now they don't have the simple right of rejecting a man. This is the land of Queen Homa, Pourandokht and Azarmidokht. Two of the most famous 7 wonders of the world were inspired by Persian women ( the Mausoleum at Halicarnassusand the Hanging Gardens of Babylon); how could they lose all credibility in such short period of time? Shame on us….