Everything about Mehdi Shahbazi totally explained
Mehdi Shahbazi (b. 1942,
Kermanshah,
Iran - d. November, 2007, California, USA) was a self-made American business man who emigrated to United States in the 60s from his native Iran. Over the years, Mr. Shahbazi embraced the American dream and work ethics, and made it a reality in his life, coming to own and operate a few gas station franchises in California.
After having become convinced over the years, specially after the debacle that followed
hurricane Katrina, that the major
oil companies were in effect conspiring to gouge consumers and artificially raise prices at the pumps, Mr. Shahbazi began a controversial, and ultimately fatal, public protest of the oil majors from his Shell Oil franchise. His method included the prominent posting of signs on his station's grounds that openly declared his views and directed interested customers to "see the cashier" for further information, which included 2 page fliers detailing his views, complaints, and ultimately his concern both for the consumer, and the societal order (which he felt wouldn't withstand the $5 per gallon price that he insisted was the predetermined price set for gas by the majors).
His protest consequently resulted in legal battles with the
Shell Oil Company (US), and ultimately his death, at the age of 65, due to the
liver failure that apparently resulted from his 4 month liquid fast following his loss in the courtroom and subsequent loss of his business, and his home.(In actuality he started the Hunger Strike before the ruling the judge set.)
"At his former Marina station - where two years ago he posted a sign that read “Consumers’ pain is Big Oil’s unearned profit!” - customers have erected a memorial of flowers, cards and signs proclaiming love and appreciation.
“He was kind, wise and generous beyond imagination,” said Jeffrey Cohen, a Salinas physician who met Shahbazi as a patient and remained a friend for 32 years. “I want people to know that he wasn’t crazy. He used what he felt was the last non-violent method of protest that he could muster. He was expressing what we all feel.”
Sources
- http://www.mercurynews.com/centralcoast/ci_7497707
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