We hear you

I can't help but think that if they thought Democracy was as great as God they wouldn't be in this situation.

The Greens have seemed clever, brave, and intentionally provocative to have used this slogan as an anti-regime slogan, precisely because it was theoretically protected (which is what I meant by "no argument there").

On the other hand, it must infuriate those in power. I know how I feel that Republicans have tried to usurp the flag and all other symbols of patiotism for their own private use, so that I automatically wonder when I see a flag displayed on a house whether that's a conservative red neck. A pox on their party. For Kameni to be taunted this way must be enraging him.

My comment was attempting to point out the silliness of proclaiming the greatness of God whilst one is being repressed by a religious dictatorship. Since it is impossible for me to empathize with their situation, I can only comment on how I see things from my vantage point. Since I am a devout Atheist, my belief is that God doesn't exist and therefore didn't give us anything. The only people that can free the Iranian people are the Iranian people.

Be it not a wee bit off tack t' be apologizin' fer anyone else's "rudeness"?

A fine lot o' good it be doin' fer YOU to be apologizin' if th' "perpetrator" be not sorry, don't ye be thinkin?

Be not democracy be meanin' everyone be gettin' t' speak fer themselves, instead o' havin' someone else be speakin' fer 'em?

I don't be thinkin' hardly any o' th' crew be lackin' actual respect fer th' struggles o' th' Iranian people, an' I think we be needin' t' tread careful in decidin' wha' form or sorto o' culmination those struggles ought t' be takin'. Support, aye, bu' beyond tha', it be up t' them t' decide an' construct their own future. An' I be suspectin' it not be wha' we may be thinkin' it should be.

Arrgh!

Exact, Joe Klein - thanks fer th' explanation!

Arrgh!

Going along with JK's point, I think you can see the historical parallels to something in our own (U.S.) history. It's quite well documented that African-American slaves used religion as a tool for protest throughout the past 350+ years. In particular, Negro spirituals were used as coded messages during enslavement. “Crossing Over the Jordan,” had, at the very least, two different meanings. One meaning discussed going to heaven, while the other was a coded message about resistance and/or escape. Slave owners, most of who were nominally “good Chrisitans” who were trying to Christianize their slaves, could hardly tell their slaves to stop singing about the desire to go to heaven. Similarly, it's a little difficult for a religious dictatorship to tell its people to stop adhering to one of the tenets of the religion (declaring that God is Great).
Resistance comes in a variety of forms, and is not just limited to violence. I can't remember if I've suggested this here or at TNC's blog, but for more info on everyday resistance see James Scott's “Weapons of the Weak” (Peasants in Indonesia) or Steve Hahn's “Nation Under Our Feet” (African Americans from slavery to the Great Migration).