Viral Show Season 6 Episode 4 – Interview with Mersedeh Part 2

Shrapnel of Self-Judgment: Mersedeh’s Account of Controversies and Civic Activism

Part Two of the Exclusive Interview with Mersedeh on the “Viral Show” Program One of the Eye-Injured Victims of the 2022 Revolutionary Uprising

In the noisy world of political and civic struggles, the line between “support” and “destruction” sometimes becomes so thin that the greatest harm comes not from the enemy, but from those assumed to be comrades-in-arms. In part two of the exclusive interview on the “Viral Show” program with Mersedeh one of the eye-injured victims of the 2022 uprising the hidden and controversial layers of her life in exile outside Iran are examined. With a heart full of grievances, Mersedeh speaks in this conversation about the bitter experience of hasty judgments, charitable projects pushed to the margins, and cyber infiltrations aimed at paralyzing financial resources for activists.

In this article from Alara Entertainment, we closely analyze the dimensions of this interview and the lessons to be learned about the culture of interaction in virtual space.

1. Judgment; A Wound Deeper Than a Pellet Bullet

Mersedeh begins the conversation with a shocking statement: “The bullet the Islamic Republic fired at me had a thousand times more honor than the words I heard from my own side.” She complains about why society, especially on social media, rushes toward destructive judgments before asking questions or investigating.

She recounts an experience in which even her closest people attacked her with statements like: “You were a mother; your duty was to stay by your child’s side, not in the streets.” This kind of view that questions a fighter’s sacrifice with family-related labels is the first layer of psychological pressure that injured activists struggle with after being harmed. Mersedeh emphasizes that these words could have derailed her, but she chose to turn these judgments into a bridge for becoming stronger and turning into “a thorn in the eye of the system.”

2. The Controversial Wine and Images of the Eternal Martyrs: Charity or Poor Taste?

The Intention Behind the Project

Mersedeh explains that she became acquainted with a wealthy family owning a winery who intended to use their influence and brand to provide financial help to injured children inside Iran and in Germany. Their idea was that wine, in Iranian culture and Hafez’s poetry, symbolizes eternity and tradition. They wanted to place images of the eternal martyrs on the bottles to convey the message of “their path lives on” at joyful and international gatherings to the world.

Mistake in Branding and the Misunderstanding of “Profiteering”

With courage, she admits that there may have been mistakes in the “branding” and appearance of the project. Many people, including grieving families, did not feel safe or respected seeing their loved ones’ images on wine bottles. Mersedeh says: “I empathize with the grieving families; every opinion is respected, but my intention was only and solely good.”

The key point Mersedeh insists on is the difference between “sales” and “donation” (voluntary contribution). She stresses that there was no financial profit in this effort, and the producing family even spent half a million dollars out of their own pocket for awareness-raising.

3. Cyber Infiltration and Engineered Destruction

One of the most important revelations Mersedeh makes in this interview is the role of anonymous accounts (cyber forces) in fueling this controversy. She explains that, according to investigations by her close friends, the widespread attacks were initiated by unknown accounts.

Their strategy was clever and dangerous: mixing truth and lies. They would say: “Mersedeh is injured (true), she is an activist (true), but she is profiting from the blood of children (false).” When the audience sees the first two parts as correct, they subconsciously believe the third part too. The Islamic Republic’s goal in these smear campaigns is clear:

• Cutting financial resources: The system does not want any way for financial aid to reach the injured (for example, those who have lost both eyes).
• Creating despair: By destroying the image of activists, people become cynical about the entire movement.
• Forcing activists into isolation: Mersedeh admits that due to these pressures, she temporarily stepped away from Instagram, which was exactly what the security think tanks wanted.

4. When Aid Does Not Reach Its Destination

What was the bitter result of these emotional judgments? Mersedeh says with sorrow that about $11,000 was raised, intended for treatment and living expenses of children inside Iran. But due to the volume of attacks and the fear of those very children of being “labeled as parasites” and judged, they refused to accept the money. Ultimately, this amount which was the right of Iran’s injured was donated to an American hospital. This is one of the most painful parts of the interview; a place where society’s misdirected anger ultimately harmed the deprived.

5. Return to the Field: From the European Parliament to the United Nations

Despite all these pressures, Mersedeh has resumed her activities. In this conversation, she speaks of her presence in international programs, including at the United Nations and a speech at an event related to the Holocaust and human rights. By reading a text about destructive ideologies and the situation in Iran, she brought tears to the eyes of 800 officials and influential people.

She says: “I realized I should not remain silent. The Islamic Republic specializes in destruction, and we must not allow this expertise to be applied to us.” Now, despite physical challenges (working with one eye and chronic back pain), she works part-time in accounting in the United States while continuing to be the voice of the voiceless.

6. Lessons for Civil Society (Mersedeh’s Final Message)

At the end of the interview, Mersedeh delivers an important message to the people of Iran, which can be summarized in several points:

• Investigate before judging: Before attacking someone, ask “Is this accusation true?”
• Separate intention from performance: A civil activist’s method may be wrong (like wine branding), but one should not question their intention or label them “profiteer” because of one methodological mistake.
• Be vigilant against cyber waves: Do not ride the wave that the Islamic Republic creates to destroy figures.
• The necessity of financial support: People must know that the injured who cannot work normally and have lost family breadwinners urgently need financial support, and every financial activity should not be viewed with suspicion.