This is edition 2025/108 of the Ten@10 newsletter.
Welcome back. It's 2025 and 20 years since I started writing about politics and anything else that took my fancy. Thank to my VIP members for making this site what it is today. In July we will be having a 20th birthday celebration. Stay tuned for more announcements.
This is the Ten@10, where I collate and summarise ten news items you generally won't see in the mainstream media.
Enjoy!
1. Iran wants to destroy the West & the West is clueless
Ani O'Brien
- 📉 National Party's organizational decline: Once adept at unifying diverse
- 🧠 Whoopi Goldberg's Ignorance: Whoopi Goldberg claimed that being black in America is worse than being a woman in Iran, revealing a lack of awareness about Iran's oppressive regime and the privileges she enjoys.
- 💰 Goldberg's Privileges: Despite her own wealth and success, Goldberg overlooks her privileged position and the opportunities she's had that are unavailable to others.
- 🏭 Iran's Nuclear Program: Iran is in clear violation of its nuclear non-proliferation commitments, continuing to develop nuclear weapons despite international scrutiny.
- 🚨 Iran-Israel Tensions: Israel launched a major military operation against Iran, emphasizing that Iran's nuclear ambitions threaten Israel’s existence. The Iranian regime's rhetoric against Israel is longstanding and clear.
- ⚔️ Iran's Ideology: Iran's leadership views Israel as a symbol of Western imperialism and aims to destroy it, using the rhetoric of "Death to Israel" and "Death to America."
- 💣 Iran's Regional Goals: Iran's goal is to dominate the Middle East, and its actions extend beyond Israel, targeting Western influence in the region.
- 🏴☠️ Iran's Theological Conflict with the West: Iran views the West's secularism and liberal values as a threat to its theocratic regime and sees itself as fighting an ideological war to spread Islamic revolution.
- ⚖️ Women's Rights in Iran: Iranian women face severe oppression, including forced marriage, restricted movement, and systemic violence. Legal and social frameworks deeply subjugate women.
- 🚫 Homosexuality in Iran: Homosexuality is illegal in Iran and punishable by death, with brutal punishments enforced for same-sex relationships and a widespread social stigma.
- 🚹 Gender Reassignment in Iran: Iran promotes gender reassignment surgeries under the guise of Islamic law, often forcing homosexuals to undergo transition as a "cure" for their sexuality.
- 🏴☠️ Ethnic & Religious Minorities: Minority groups in Iran, including Kurds, Arabs, Baha'is, and others, face widespread discrimination, repression, and violence.
- 💔 Repression of Political Dissidents: Iran punishes political opposition with imprisonment, torture, and execution. Journalists and activists are regularly silenced for dissenting opinions.
- 🧱 Leftists and the Iranian Revolution: The left-wing activists who helped overthrow the Shah in 1979 were later sidelined and persecuted by the Islamic regime that they helped establish.
- 👑 Khamenei’s Leadership: Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's rule has been marked by significant repression, support for terrorism, and a desire for regional expansion through violent means.
- 💥 Iran's Nuclear Ambitions: Iran’s nuclear program continues to raise alarms globally, with reports indicating the country’s capacity to develop nuclear weapons.
- 🔴 Western Media's Naivety: Some Western media outlets sanitize the actions of Iran’s regime and Khamenei, portraying them in a misleading light, which can have dangerous consequences for global security.
- ⚠️ Global Impact: If Iran is left unchecked, its ambitions could lead to greater regional instability, and ultimately, a direct threat to Western nations, especially the U.S.
