“In the news we are told that Iran is preparing for what they call free elections for their representative government. However, a group of governmental overseers, religious leaders, have to approve all candidates. This year, a large number of candidates, many of whom are currently elected by their constituents, will not be allowed to run for office because their views fall too far outside what the ruling powers find acceptable. No one living in a country that truly allows free speech would consider this governmental form a democracy, because to truly participate in government, the people represented by the government must be able to speak about what they think needs to be changed as well as what they like. The greatest strength a representative democratic government can have is the free speech for its constituents.”