I suppose, I'll explain the title first. After the Iran 2009 election, "Always Forward" crept in to my e-mails, as a salutation, encouraging recipients to forward, and disseminate the information (both ways: in and out of Iran). Then, it occurred to me, Always Forward was also a subliminal message, put out in to the Ethernet, urging the movement; wishing it a long.
I've finally figured how this Blogging works. This is my fourth foray, but now I have it. I inadvertently, started three or four other blogs. But I didn't mean to do that. I wanted one place to collect my thoughts. I posted my first blog after the start of the uprising, but they are scattered. This will be where I will start, and may copy & paste the others, here, later.

I just came across a link to a document. It shows how a Basiji gets paid bonuses for presenting himself at various venues. In other words, his loyalty is bought.
http://payaneshab.blogspot.com/2009/08/blog-post_2571.html

I can't help but comment.

When you impose poverty--both spiritually and materially, you remove volition, and direction; so things can just stay the same.
Between choosing to feed his family or not, what do you think a Basiji is apt to do? That's an easy decision for him. Make it hard.

One way would be to cause him to lose face (aaberoyash beravad). Have him have to explain himself to neighbors, family, friends. It wont take much for people to shun someone who could have beaten a loved one. I've already read how, for some Basiji's life at home has become difficult. If those who know the Basiji, for instance, somehow mark the houses, and others just ignore, and shun them, then immediate family and friend will feel it and know. But it can't be overt. It has to be subtle. Maybe neighbors pile their garbage in front of the Basiji's house. So people passing by, will know. I'm sure those in the trenches will have much better ideas. For every Basiji shamed in to hitting less hard, and holding on less tight, and aiming less accurately, will mean one protester gets away. I don't think this will do much to soften the heart of higher ups though. But they are not the ones, wielding the "batoms", and taking aim.

I'll close by quoting something by Leonard Cohen (not vetted) via Twitter: "There is a crack; a crack is everything. That's how the light gets in."