http://www.lobelog.com/death-to-america-or-a-life-sentence/#more-30373

Death to America? Or a Life Sentence?

  by John Limbert

An Iranian political cartoonist recently drew a demonstrator in the streets shouting, “Life imprisonment to America.” In other words, the July 14 nuclear agreement between Iran and P5+1 (the JCPOA) has created a new reality and a different U.S.-Iranian relationship. Iranians will now need to soften or retire the old, reliable “Death to America” slogan that has echoed through Tehran’s streets for 36 years.
When asked why they continue to shout such a tired and empty slogan, Iranians seem to have three different answers. True believers, like the famous cheer­leader “Mr. Bigmouth,” claim that they chant “Death to America” even in their dreams. The former true believer/hostage-taker turned liberal reformer, Mohsen Mirdamadi, once claimed that Iran should reject American earthquake relief since even the victims under the rubble were shouting “Death to America” with their last breath.
A second group claims that the slo­gan should not be taken seriously, because after so much time and repetition it has become empty and meaningless—a remnant of earlier, emotional times—and people now chant it only out of habit.http://www.lobelog.com/death-to-america-or-a-life-sentence/#more-30373