That was the first time I experienced the desperate orgiastic pleasure of this form of public mourning: it was the one place where people mingled and touched bodies and shared emotions without restraint or guilt. There was a wild, sexually flavored frenzy in the air. Later, when I saw a slogan by Khomeini saying that the Islamic Republic survives through its mourning ceremonies, I could testify to its truth.
The author reflects on the profound experience of public mourning, describing it as a unique space where people freely expressed their emotions and connected with one another physically and emotionally. This gathering was marked by a sense of uninhibited release and a heightened, almost ecstatic atmosphere, blending sorrow with an exhilarating communal spirit. The mingling of bodies and emotions created a vivid and intense backdrop for collective grief.
Later, the author...