Response to Funeral At Tehran

I thought that the funeral of Khomeini at Tehran was an increabibly interesting chapter. It was amazing to me Khomeini’s popularity in Iran. To assemble the most people in history has ever seen in one event simply by dying is quite a feat. More people came to this mans funeral than attended Hitler’s rallies or any other organization of people. Horowitz's conversation with the man that attended UCLA really confused me. I was surprised that a man with a western education would still remain so loyal to his country and his leader, Khomeini. I would think that most people who come to America for college would stay and live in America. It made me think that he must really love his country to give up all of the advantages and comforts America offers. In EJ's Funeral at Tehran blog I got the impression that she believed Khomeini being torn out of his coffin was customary and traditional for Iranian people. I highly doubt this occurrence was part of Middle Eastern tradition. The action of "mobbing" the helicopter, toppling the casket and tearing the Iman's shroud does not sound ceremonious to me. Also it was said in the text that; "one cameraman thought he'd spotted Khomeini's body tossed unceremoniously on the ground." These actions sound more like mob violence to me than a funeral tradition. When millions of people gather at one mans funeral there is bound to be some sort of mob violence. Also related to this is the way Khomeini was buried. They had to surround his aluminum coffin in a shipping crate to keep mourners from unearthing the corpse as they grabbed for handfuls of holy dirt. To everyone who attends Khomeini’s funeral he is seen as a god. Iranians will do anything to touch him, or the “holy dirt” that covers his final resting place.
D.P.S.