I think this post is a little too politically-charged for this blog. Certainly,most people reading this will feel for the artisans and business people affected - both here and in Iran. At the same time, the participants surely could have seen this coming. I, for one, certainly hope that nobody is going to base or change their political views about international trade sanctions against Iran just because they read a human interest story on a design blog.

Of course it's very regrettable that the ordinary (and for the most part blameless) people of the sanctioned countries end up suffering- but that is unfortunately a necessary evil.
It's not the country imposing the sanctions which is to blame, but the government of the sanctioned country, in this case Iran, whose reckless disregard for international law is the reason leading to this treatment.

Yes, but it doesn't only hurt the government; it hurts family-owned businesses and craftspeople, many of whom don't support the government's views.

I don't do business overseas, but I'm trying to imagine myself in their shoes, thinking along the lines of, what if all my contracts were suddenly pulled because the people paying for my services decided they can't support the fact that the U.S. government is homophobic, fails to provide healthcare and education for its people, likes to invade countries and kill brown people, etc.? I find these actions of the U.S. government equally objectionable, and I run my business in a way that's actively against these practices. I'd be absolutely livid if I suddenly couldn't support my family because the people who support my business disagree with the U.S. government just like I do.

(And for the people who say "why don't the people just leave Iran?," again, putting ourselves in their shoes. I disagree with a lot of what's going on in the U.S., but I love my country and am actively working to try and change it. But I don't feel it's right to penalize me for actions of the government.)

"Too politically-charged"? Everything we buy has been and is affected by politics: from the politics of trade laws and regulations to ethical and human rights considerations to debates over tariffs and taxes to safety regulations concerning products and processes and working conditions.

In other words, everything we buy is politically-charged in numerous ways. To ignore it totally just because this blog focuses primarily on design and aesthetic issues (as it should) ignores the larger picture of both life and business and those that choose to conduct it as both providers and consumers.

Further, Peace Industry is a company that has been specifically featured on this design blog numerous times and has been represented by companies that this blog heavily promotes (such as Design Within Reach and Room and Board). To ignore the fate of this company because its demise happens to be at the hands of a front-page political storm - in fact, not "happens to be" but directly because of it - and not because of the economy or the owners get divorced, seems to me to be irresponsible. There is nothing wrong with design junkies knowing on occasion that larger political realities can affect our aesthetic ones.

Just because the main content of this blog is aesthetics and design (though how many posts have I read about the ethics of cowhides or the social and cultural impacts of shopping at Ikea?) does not mean we can turn a blind eye when a nasty political situation has a direct and negative effect on the business owners and craftspeople who this blog daily makes its bread and butter on.

I've never gotten the logic behind imposing sanctions on a repressive regime. A government like that doesn't care whether its people are suffering, so how are sanctions supposed to hurt the government by hurting the people?

Great - More people here at home put out of business and the rest of us get to pay their Unemployment and Welfare...
...meanwhile, the folks in Iran who made and sold carpets for sale here have just more more reason to hate the U.S. and support Jihad.

But the real winner? China - because they'll get to sell even MORE of their lead-laden, toxic, disposable crap.

So sorry to hear this. There is a huge question as to whether sanctions actually work--certainly they punish the people in a repressive regime, but it's unclear whether they change government policies. And this isn't too politically charged for a design blog. There is often a social / political component to good design, whether implicit or explicit.

I think sanctions have worked as in South Africa but its not quite the same in Iran.

@Ansela what would other countries have to be jealous about in America? You don't even have a democratically elected government in the true sense of the word. America is an imperialist power based on its need for oil. I normally wouldn't critisise the US, my daughter is married to an American, but your claims smack of McCarthyism.

Buy local.

@ Ansela my son-in-law would be the first person to agree with me. I have other American friends and they are also able to see the harm their country has done in many parts of the World. If you mean by the 'investment in Iraq' that they supported Saddam for years and then over-ruled the UN to go in and wreck the country based on lies about wmd. I don't understand your comment about me having a democratically elected prime minister. Like many of your coments you are presuming something without knowing anything about me or it seems anything else.

@Anselma my son-in-law agrees with me.

As for,
'It's accomplishments and it's power. After all, no other country, especially in it's relatively short history, has ever accomplished as much.'

That was forfeited 65 years ago on August 6.

My prime minister was democratically elected, in Ireland, using proportional representation. I don't know what you were presuming about me.

Colonial Americans adapted to their hardships when they fought their goverment over self-rule. Sorry for the rug sellers, but why don't they get support from their native people and do something about their ancestral homeland? When will the rest of the people of Iran decide to do so? If you're an American and you don't like something that our government is doing, then stop complaining to your friends and family and start complaining to your public servants (i.e. elected politicians) about it. I only hope that some day those people being oppressed by their government can rise above it. Look at the United States! Look at India and Ireland! It is not up to us, it is up to them, and we reserve the right to make our own decisions regarding trade, etc.

@jokerman I love the idea of 'flying' carpets

people like ansela make me sick to my stomach. this blind belief in government, gullible patriotism and the "we are better than them" mentality is a cancer on this earth. my guess is ansela either has a vested interest in this imperialistic system or is just another thickedheaded poor sap.

@smackwaterjack -- thickheaded poor sap is probably on the money. And now I have probably crossed the line between commenting on a design post and needless political bantering. Oh well, ces't la vie.

@ jokerman it would be better if people didn't read any of these 'holy' books. Make 'Small Cool Book' your primer.

Sorry people but I have to defend Ireland.

@Ansela Ireland is not free because of US. We were neutral in WW1 and WW2. As far as democratic elections go you can be president of Ireland and not have big business behind you. For €1000 deposit anyone can stand for election in Ireland.

'Well, at least most Americans can see the bright side of things most of the time.'

Try taking your own advice.

I love visiting America, I love Bob Dylan and Cole Porter I'd love to live in NY City and most Americans I've met have been as nice as any European but sorry many people I've met are also politically naive. The World is a more dangerous place because of Geoge Bush Junior's gung ho attitude.

@hrhprincessfiona - The World was an extremely dangerous place before former President Bush and will continue to be an extremely dangerous place after President Obama. But i'm sure it is easier for you to point fingers sitting atop that high horse of yours from beloved Ireland, my dear princess fiona.

"As far as I know there is only one major religion that in its writings instructs non-believers to be slaughtered. Do you know better?"

Is this somehow different than religious writings that prescribe stoning disobedient children and giving one's daughters to strangers?

Just as in the sometimes violent Judeo-Christian teachings, there is also peace to be found in the Qu'ran, and some adherents choose to find that.

Keep spreading your nasty propaganda about an entire religious/cultural group. But, you're uninformed and dangerous, and not contributing anything useful to a volatile situation.

‎"If it had been your Lord's will, they all would have believed - all who are on earth. Will you, then, compel the people, against their will, to believe?" [Qur'an 10:99

There's more like that, if you care enough to educate yourself.

Some people will always use religion to justify their acts, but it doesn't mean that everyone who is an adherent of that religion believes the same things.

And believe me, every person of Islamic faith is not the same. I can't believe that anyone would have to make a statement like that in this day and age. Do we not understand bigotry YET?

All I know is that I have a brand new rug that I love, impelled by this situation. Peace Industry - you make an incredibly special product and I hope that you can figure out a way to continue making your wonderful rugs.

@ansela "And yes, most definitely America's government is much better than a government that beats women for not dressing properly, imprisons people for demonstrating and executes homosexuals!"

Ok, so you deny a couple of my observations but admit to the one about "we better than them". Point proven.

hmm... i'm not sure how you arrive at this rosy view of the US government. comparing the US government actions to those of other countries around the world is like apples and oranges. Many of the governments you are criticizing simply have a more overt system of corruption brutality intolerance etc.

The US (and like wise GB in it's day, the Roman Catholic church etc..) have carefully crafted a propoganda system to aide in their covert actions of dominance, oppresion etc. Sure the US doesn't openly execute gays, or beat women but you are extremely naive if you think the US and the long arm of the law do not emotionally execute gays and women, people of color, the poor...etc. every day and does not imprison people for protest. i experienced first hand arrest and beatings at the hands of police at peace demonstrations and saw with my own eyes the pummeling of women and elderly. of course this doesn't make the news. Clearly, just as domestic "news" is shrouded in a blanket of lies, exaggeration, and secrecy so too is the international news that comes our way.

and all this talk of land of the free? gimme a break. what about the enormous disproportion of incarceration versus other industrialized nations? the US prison corporation (which conveniently began once slavery was abolished)... is this simply a mere fact of life or does the US just breed more criminals than the rest of the world?

the US war machine... try to name another country that has been involved in some level of constant global warfare for the last century. oh sorry, we've been spreading peace and freedom all along right???

try reading some Krishnamurti to gain some wisdom on the basic truths of life. you might just get some awareness yet.

Sanctions don't work.

I dare anyone to dig up a case where sanctions have ever helped change the direction of a regime.

A good case in point? Cuba -- now how many years has the U.S. had sanctions in place? And how many communist countries are left in the world?...

@Ansela
You have heard of Google? Try "Muslims denouncing terrorism."

Here's a good one for you:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IofpsHOosE

@Ansela

You know, one could Google "Muslim Peace Demonstration," and find a number of examples. But why do that when one can continue to blame an entire large group of individuals for the actions of a few. Hmmm. Bigotry easier than Google? Or is it just more appealing?

I am begging you to reconsider your preconceived notions, do some research, and perhaps find some peace about Islam. This may require you to put words together that you have never thought before, like "Muslim" and "Peace" or "Muslim" and "Anti-terror." It will be worth it, I promise you.

Of course, then you might be struck by remorse about our continued campaign in the Middle East, and the fact that we (the US) terrorize and kill civilians on a daily basis. We can even do that safely from the office now, thanks to Predator Drones.

Or you can continue to think of all of "them" as the enemy--after all they "don't care, support it, or are cowards." It's easier that way, I suppose. It's also not true. But who cares about truth when there's an enemy to be had?

@scantron3: Muslim Peace Demonstratons....really....In predominately muslim countries...more like a protest against the US. I hardly call terroist activites the actions of a few,when it is supported by the silence of millions.

@jokerman

"Unless we have walked in the shoes of the brave people sent there out of their control I don't think we're entitled to judge the soldiers and marines fighting there"

I agree. I am not judging them. I have known/met quite a few soldiers and heard their stories. The damage war can do to the people that are sent to do our dirty work is appalling. I probably should always add that to my comments about civilian death. I have never been a total pacifist, but I do think war should be an absolute last resort, because of the damage it does to everyone involved--including the soldiers. I don't think that is the case with the "wars" we have going on in the Middle East. I do think it is easy for us in the US to dismiss "collateral damage" because it's not happening in our cities and on our streets. With the exception of 9/11, we are remarkably safe compared to the vast majority of the world.

Also, I do think that Predator Drones are WRONG, WRONG, WRONG. Especially when the ratio of expected deaths, civilian to militant, is 3:1. As if that is acceptable.

@jokerman :
A ten-minute Google search every day provides you with such infinite wisdom. Why didn’t I think that, it is the Internet after all, so it must be true.

@Creative1, please believe that jokerman was born with infinite wisdom. It has taken me years of faithful devotion to DemocracyNow!, Pacifica radio in general (KPFA's mine), Commondreams, Alternet, Firedoglake, etc. to know enough to agree with every word but one of his on this topic. Word? Socialist. I am one and that other one definitely is not.

uhm, or she

Look. Just don't even get me started. (In fact, I'm closing this window immediately after just to make sure.) My party, just like that other one, has been bought out from under it's very soul. I don't have any excuses or explanations for their actions except to say that ... not sure I can say that. We've got what Greg Palast said so well, *the best democracy money can buy*. My neighbors are in foreclosure, not sure how to feed themselves, their children. My world's an obscene, hideous mess. I hear you. And would vote for you if Kucinich was not on the ballot (but I write him in). Nobel prize? I don't even have a single clue how that could even have happened -- it must have been a dream. I'm rambling/sputtering. Must be something compelling on Netflix.

P.S. forwarded your media photo to a friend who'd just bought a new big TV and was wondering how to make it work in her room. She loved the look.

Peace out. And keep spreading the truth.

Melina from Peace Industry has a great OpEd about this in the SFChronicle: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/09/06/EDNQ1F83KV.DTL

She worked on it with Peace Action West.