Kris Paronto

I'm Iranian. I've lived under the Islamic Republic for decades. I've seen how they ruined my country and took away our freedoms and every single right we had. They control what you can wear, what music you can listen to, how you behave in public, and even how men and women are allowed to interact. Women are forced to follow a dress code. Women can't even sing solo in public. Dancing can get you in trouble. Drinking alcohol is illegal. Having a private party with men and women together can get your home raided and everyone arrested. Relationships outside marriage are criminalized. Even what you can watch, listen to, say, and post online is subject to censorship. Social media platforms are blocked. You can be punished, imprisoned, or even executed for speaking out against the regime. Your own home isn't necessarily safe from their interference. Your private life isn't yours. Your freedom isn't yours. They want to dictate how you live, from the moment you wake up to the moment you go to sleep. This is the country I grew up in. This is what I experienced. They took so much from me that I was eventually forced to flee my own country. America, I'm terrified for you. I know exactly where this road leads. I've watched it. I lived it.