'The oppressed must not, in seeking to regain their humanity (which is a way to create it), become in turn oppressors, but rather restorers of the humanity of both' - Paulo Freire

The other night I went to one part of a discussion series called something like 'Theatre of Hope' and the guests on that particular night were a dancer from Iran and a choreographer from Palestine. The difference between them was quite marked. The choreographer delivered a highly charged political speech about the problems of his people especially that of living in ghettos under Israeli rule.
The dancer wasn't even able to speak about what she might be hoping for.
In question time a few people asked questions (framed very cautiously of course, everyone very careful to remain, for want of a better term, politically correct) about the nature of living in an extremely repressive society. She only answered that 'perhaps she wanted to see things in their best light, because she had to live with them'. In other words for her to critique the situation, even to herself, would make the situation unbearable.
Afterwards I was walking to the train with a friend who is herself Iranian and I expressed my reluctance to accept this form of thinking. And she replied that when you are from Iran you never know who is watching you, even in a small university theatre in Germany.

[Update: If you want to check out some info on the Iranian dance production go here.]