Make me Persian
I want to see Toot, Bamieh and Sohan in every pastry store

April 21, 2005
iranian.com

Since Mr. Bush seems determined to invade Iran for the oil under the Iranians feet I think it is only fair that Iran should invade America with pistachios, jasmine, cardamom tea, carpets, backgammon and Rumi. I want to see Faloodeh and Yakht Dar Behesht in every frozen yogurt and ice cream shop. I want to see Toot, Bamieh and Sohan in every pastry store. I want to see the shells of empty pumpkin seeds strewn all over the floor of the movie theatres instead of candy bar wrappers. I want Iranian Americans to gain seats in both the House and Senate; I want an Iranian for President. I want Iranian mayors in every major city and at least a dozen governors.

I want to see Dom Balon and Maghz in every butcher shop and Jeegar at every barbeque. I want to see lamb roasting on every spit. I want to see Gaz and Nogl in every candy store. I want to see Nun-e-Barbari at every bakery along with Taftoon, Sangak and Lavash. I want to see Pakdis and Chateau Sardasht and Vodka Sagi in every liquor store. I want to see beluga caviar and sturgeon and white fish in every fish market. I want to see fresh Gerdu being sold in the streets of New York City. I want the restaurant menus to be filled with polos and Kash-e-Badenjoon and Fessenjoon...

I want to see Beh preserves and egg plant Torshi in every 7/11. I want Kharbozeh in every produce section in every supermarket across this vast nation and on the carts of street vendors on every corner. I want to see donkeys everywhere. I want to see dromedaries and bactrians instead of horses. I want to see Haji Firooz dancing in every alley. I want to see the Daf being taught in every music class. I want to see Khanegah Sufi houses in every neighborhood full of people doing Sama. I want to see every American celebrate Nowruz, Chahar Shanbe Souri and Seezda Bidar and the Haft Seen in every household.

I want every child to hear Mullah Nassrudin stories. I want Persian proverbs to be mandatory reading in schools. I want fortune tellers to use the Divan. I want children to be able to recite by heart Omar Khayyam, Sa’adi, Hafez, Attar, Rumi, Ferdowsi, al Ghazalli. I want to see Persian carpets in every home. I want to see a Hoz in every Bagh. I want to see Joobs with snow fed water coursing through all the streets of every town... I want to see fat-tailed sheep. I want to see tulips and crocuses pushing up through the snow in spring...

What’s been left behind is not forgotten in the wind. I will not settle for shopping malls and Big Macs. Give me the Bazaar and Kufte Tabrizi ... give me turquoise, give me carnelian, give me Backgammon, give me belly dancing, give me life, liberty, happiness and the pursuit of Taroff ... give me worry beads instead of valium ...

Make me Persian ... .if they take our oil then they have to take our culture too ...