South Pole
Where there's true freedom
By Siavosh J.
February 7, 2001
The Iranian
All I remember from my childhood are bombings, mortars, red and yellow
sirens and Oshin (the Japanese TV series) besides the police stopping cars
to search them and smell my dad's mouth.
I was born in 1982 in Isfahan where I spent most of my life. I always
ponder what my generation and I have been through despite of our young
lives: from war to the conflicts with the police and pressure groups, etc.
When I moved from Tehran to Vancouver, Canada, a year and half ago I
thought I'm walking to land of glory where prosperity and liberty is awaiting
me. It was not so!
Although we did not have financial problems, I found out a bitter fact:
I am not welcomed anywhere. In Iran, I was one of few people against the
death penalty and in favor of free relationships between men and women
-- even before marriage. I also believe in abortion rights.
I was not a popular person in terms of my political and social views.
They would rather consider me a villain and a person corrupted by Western
culture.
So I thought I would be welcomed in Western countries. Perhaps, I was
not in much trouble for my ideas but the problem was that I wasn't cool.
I wasn't much of a athletic or outgoing person.
I've spent most of my free time studying Albert Camus, Jean-Paul Sartre,
Anatole France, etc. Me, my ideas, my efforts -- nothing of mine has been
welcomed in this North American country.
Well, maybe I'm not welcomed in Iran or Canada but there is another
choice and that's the South Pole, where I can take residence without worrying
about persecution.
I would like to be a citizen of the South Pole...I'd like to live among
Penguins...happy and free....
