Hype screwed over people in Iran. These are the people who live under a very real totalitarian rule. They are oppressed by a few radical, pompous, authoritative men.
So with just a thread of hope, some expected to at least know what is going on in the world. A brave few trusted, hoped in the validity of hype. A program, Haystack, was supposed to save them from net censorship.
Bravo to the ironically named "Guardian" and Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek and the U.S. State Department.. Bravo to us. We are all guilty, at times, for believing in things that aren't true. Let's not purport things that look too good to be true. Election promises, handsome preachers, get rich quick schemes, impossible deals, true love waiting on a webcam. We have to resist whoring ourselves over to these erratic concepts, if we are to be a responsible people. And we have to fight for freedom and the truth. It will never come easy.Within months Heap went from virtual unknown to celebrated freedom activist, and Haystack was winning converts - at least among the media. He was named "Innovator of the Year" by the Guardian, and the Christian Science Monitor said Haystack would give hope to Iranians seeking to break through Tehran's censorship. Crucially, the U.S. State Department in March issued a special license to Haystack for its distribution in Iran - all but granting Heap Washington's seal of approval.
As late as August 6, 2010, Newsweek magazine said of Heap he had "...found the perfect disguise for dissidents in their cyberwar against the world's dictators."
Except none of it was true. Haystack didn't work as its founders said. It never underwent extensive testing, and may have exposed those unknown few in Iran who tried it to detection by authorities.
Iran continues to play the shell game with the international community. It will until we are blinded by an avalanche of death (remember Neda Agha-Soltan who strongly represents the oppressed nation). We should not fall into apathy.
