Where to Invade Next

"3.5 stars out of 4"

I sometimes feel "guilty" (I don't know if that's even the right word to use) of supporting Bernie Sanders. Not that anything's wrong with him. But something is very wrong with me: I'm not a US citizen. As a citizen of Iran, I have come to learn that my basic rights get barely fulfilled, let alone wish for a fair election or support the party I want. I feel misplaced. Judged. But in Bernie, I find the crushed hopes of one nation, and that is mine. I supported Mir Hossein Mousavi and the Green Movement (I have to admit, I hardly did anything worthwhile for it, while many gave their citizenship rights and got exiled, if not killed in the chaotic situation we were in). But all the dreams and hopes were gone overnight and all dreams and hopes were put under "mind arrest".

But moving to the States is not just about getting a better education or finding a better job for us. It's about the freedom we get. It's about the hopes we can pursue. It's about the oppressed political hopes, no matter if we can't vote! It's about...how to put this...it's about the American dream, re-shaped to fit the Iranians!

However, personally, when I moved here all my expectations were toppled. Is this the America I've always heard about and dreamed of? This multi-corporation, capitalistic, fake, no-universal-healthcare, no-job-security, no-vacation-time, no-tuition-free-college (to name the least)? Why don't they get it fixed? How can I live here? To be honest, maybe the only thing stopping me from moving to Europe is their strict immigration laws. Unless you're a refugee, chances are you won't be taken in as much as the Americans do. It is also how warm and welcoming the Americans have been (at least towards me). How is it that the people of this country are resisting Obama-Care, which is not even the perfect form of health care they can get? How is it that my third-world country stands better in terms of free college and universal health care?

Something is wrong.

And then there was Bernie. Ahhhh, a very generous whiff of fresh air! I came to know Bernie last year when I took a poll of which presidential hopeful my ideas mostly match with. And there on the top at 93% was Bernie. Who the hell is Bernie?! I wanted to be matched with Hillary. I was almost ashamed of admitting that I have fallen "short" of my ideals. Then over time, I realized how lucky we were that Bernie was running. Aside from all the democratic socialism he promises that fixes everything wrong with the US (in my mind), he saved us from the un-genuine, pragmatic soul, that is Hillary. What a relief.

But Bernie is more than that. It's all my energy left from Iranian presidential elections in 2009. It's all the hopes that a true democracy could exist. There could be a man, whose all intentions are helping people. Could there be someone like Trudeau for the States? Bernie is the new Mir Hossein for me. Back in 2009, I was thinking what a peaceful world it would be (for me and other Iranians), when Obama is the US president and Mir Hossein our president. So, could Bernie be that messenger of peace?
I am not going to be a crazy fanatic with so high of an expectation that when that expectation is not delivered, will start criticizing him on the internet without accounting for all the great things that he will have (hopefully) accomplished.

Anyway, amidst the peak of my excitement and hope, seeing this movie was a wonderful treat. Don't let the trailer fool you. The movie is actually better. It flops a little towards the end. But it basically sums up everything good that Sanders wants to borrow the idea from the other countries.

I enjoyed the piece about Iceland. /*SPOILER ALERT*/ It's message from Iceland was that involving women in policy making, makes for a more stable world and less war. My message here is that while I am all for this message, this does not apply to the war-loving Hillary! So, don't extrapolate the results of this movie!

This may not be as thought-provoking or "provoking" in general as Bowling for Columbine or Sicko were. I think this movie was not as well made as the previous ones and only served as a very light-hearted message to the Americans. But as any other Michael Moore feature, it was definitely worth watching.

P.S. I've always been fascinated with the Italian culture and this movie gave me another reason to move there. I loved how the Italians gasped when they heard that vacation-time in America is almost non-existent! Maybe. One day.