Friday,
September 1, 2000
* Hope God guides you (or destroys you)
I surf your site every day. But this week you had a so-called painting of a naked woman
on your front page. Shame on you.
You are not Iranian. Iranians have "hojb o hayaa". You are a disgrace
to the Iranian people. I ask God to guide you and if not destroy you!
Mehdi Payravi
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* Tired of films with poor kids
If we really think about movies like "Children of heaven", "Apple",
etc. , you see all these miserably poor kids, doing incredible things so that they
can buy a god damn "shoe" or "watch". I'm sorry but I can't sit
there and watch a movie where all women are covered by a chador all the time and
you hardly can see their faces. I'm also getting tired of seeing misery and suicidal
people...etc.
It doesn't represent my reality and it doesn't inspire me... it just reminds me
how awful things still are in Iran >>>
FULL TEXT
Dario Margeli
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* Ghoncheh Tazmini?
I wonder if you can help me. I rented a movie The 13th Warrior with Antonio
Banderas that came out in 1999. At the begining of the movie, there was a brief appearence
by a beautiful Iranian woman. Her name was Ghoncheh Tazmini. Could you tell me about
her; where she is from and is she a popular actress?
Floyd Gadd
Editor: Never heard of her. But there's a poem by a person by that same name
(very uncommon name) in the Iranian women's web size, zan.org.
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* Jokes made to protect Reza Shah
I just want to mention that there is a research that shows that jokes against
Turks and Rashtis were part of a strategy to prevent protests against Reza Shah.
Unfortunately I have forgotten the reference but I hope if someone knows about it
will provide information.
Also I should remind you about the famous poet Ostad Shahriar who said about this
subject: Beh rashti kaleh maahi khor, beh turki turke ... gofti
Ali Moradi
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Thursday
Augus 31, 2000
* Malaagheh
Well I just finished reading your so-called review of the Googoosh concert in
New York and I must say I am quite dismayed by what I have read ["Baptized
in tears"]. No wonder critics are hated even more than what they criticize.
Where do you get off judging all the aspects of Googoosh's show?
The only aspect that you were right about was our oneness - being one people from
one place and that is IRAN! Too bad that you decided to leave that as an unimportant
thing in the last paragraph of your so called: "MAGHAALEH". Well to me,
it was more of a "MALAAGHEH"! If you get my meaning!>>>
FULL TEXT
Abbas M. Zadeh
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* American missionaries in Iran
Comments on Blood & Oil: Memoirs of a Persian prince by Manucher and
Roxane Farmanfarmaian: Dear Ms. Farmanfarmaian, I just finished reading the book
"Blood &
Oil" and I found it fascinating! I had been giving credit to your father
for the bulk of the writing, but in the Web heading with your name I see that you
should get the credit for most of the writing. Congratulations!
Part of the reason I found the book so fascinating is that I grew up in Persia/Iran.
About the time your father was sent to England for school, I was born to Presbyterian
missionary parents in Rezaiyeh (Urumia) in Azerbaijan. Except for furlough years
(basically 1928 and school year 1937-1938) I lived in Iran. I can picture many of
the places that are mentioned, though I saw them from quite a different perspective
than your father. My parents were stationed first in Rezaiyeh, second in Tehran 1934-37
and finally in Resht (Rasht) where my father died and is buried in the Armenian cemetery.
One sister died and is buried at Seir just outside Rezaiyeh. My mother retired in
1957 and died in 1974. But there are many memories. I left in 1944 after D-Day opened
up a way to get back to the USA via the Atlantic >>>
FULL TEXT
Myrtle (Browning) Fulton
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Wednesday
August 30, 2000
* Not good to ridicule
In response to dAtyi Hamid's ["Hamvatanaan-e
araaqi": I read your satire piece about the "Mojafeqin". I don't
condone what they are doing as an organisation but believe many who joined their
ranks believe genuinely that this is the only way. Just because you and I don't agree
with their methods and strategies it doesn't justify our blatant and mindless attack
on their beliefs >>>
FULL TEXT
Anonymous
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* Man behind Googoosh
I feel our people don't give credit to Shahyar
Ghanbari as he is the one behind Googoosh's success. It was his poems that touched
our souls.
Of course Googoosh is also a very talented artist but look at the history of the
hit songs: Do Mahi, Harf, Safar, Jomeh..."Baa soghouteh dastaayeh to dar tanam
chizi forou rikht..." These were all written by Ghanbari.
WHY DOESN'T GOOGOOSH TALK ABOUT SHAHYAR GHANBARI? WHY IS THIS A BIG CRIME? >>> FULL
TEXT
Nicole Radmand
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* Aalbaaloo gilaas
First of all thanks a lot for the good job and for creating such a wonderful forum
for all of us. Second, CHERAA CHESHMAATOON AALBAALOO GILAAS MICHINEH?!
Lately the links on The Iranian Times have sometimes been mixed up. For
example the link which was supposed to go to the article about Persia in Hollywood
films ended up in a story about pistachios!
Bbut you know what? I think even these small mistakes are fun and make The
Iranian more unique.
Neda
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Tuesday
August 29, 2000
* Rafsanjani, no (fair) chance
I think you are mistaken in your assumptions about Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani
["Man
in the shadows"]. I doubt, if by the time of the next presidential elections
in a years time, Rafsanjani can win a fair and free election against Khatami, given
the present images of the candidates in the public mind...
Now, if he were to stand against somebody like Abdollah Nouri or Mohsen Kadivar,
that might be a different matter, and he might even lose. But no such chance exists
against the candidates of the conservative right like Ali Akbar Velayati or Ahmad
Janati or Rafsanjani >>>
FULL TEXT
Behzad Djazaeri
M.ch , F.R.C.S
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* Khatami will win again
I read the first part of the article with great interest. It's an interesting
theory and definitely plausible ["Man
in the shadows"]. However, in the second half of the article, Mr. Sajjadi
claims that Mr. Rafsanjani has some hopes of becoming the next president of Iran.
Everyone who has visited Iran in the last three years is shocked with the popular
support for Mr. Khatami. His efforts to relax the strict rules of women's dress cover
and other daily behaviors has brought tremendous support for him.
The economic situation although very harsh, does not seem to affect people's judgment
when comparing Mr. Khatami with the alternatives. If Iran continues to have free
and untainted elections, my guess is that, Mr. Khatami will definitely win another
term in the office.
Bardia Saeedi
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* Can you dig it?
In regards to ancient Persia being represented in film ["Persia?"],
we can't overlook the overt reference in Walter Hill's cult classic "The Warriors":
New York, the turbulent late 1970s-- disunity and factional conflict erupts between
rival gangs out of the confusion and rage provoked by the shooting of the ecumenically-minded
underworld overlord Cyrus... "Can you dig it?"
Cyrus Samii
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Monday
August 28, 2000
* Bubble-gum cinema
Finally someone with enough guts to put into words what many of us have felt all
along about the new invasion of Iranian cinema ["Not
THAT good"]...
What is of concern is that once this fascination ends, what is remembered of this
era of Iranian cinema is one epitomized by a simplistic, bubble-gum-humanistic view
of Iran and Iranian culture which trivializes the complexity of we know the real
Iran to be >>>
FULL TEXT
Ramin Tabib
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* Film du jour
I read with great interest Naghmeh Sohrabi's critical piece "Not
THAT good". She is right to be criticizing the critical unquestioning of
Iranian cinema.
I live in England and unfortunately the same applies here, if not worse. I cannot
begin to tell you how many times I have fallen into pointless heated arguments with
Qestern intellectuals on this issue. It is as if they are forbidden to make negative
comments >>>
FULL TEXT
Nargess Shahmanesh
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* Clean laughs
I just wanted to tell dAyi Hamid that it was so refreshing to see things like
this ["Zan
gereftan"]! We Iranians really could use some clean laughs while getting
a taste of our culture.
Keep up the good work DAyi Hamid.
R. Habibi
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* Baamazeh
dAyi Hamid khasteh nabaashi! maghaaleh-haatoon kheili jaaleb hastand va man az
khoondaneshoon kheili lezzat mibaram ["Zan
gereftan"]. Omidvaaram keh hamisheh movafagh bashid va baaz ham baa nevashtan
naameh haaye baamazzatoon maa raa mostafiz konin.
Sheila Mohabbati
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Friday,
August 25, 2000
* Finally!
Congratulations! Just thought I would let you know that The Iranian is
now among the many sites that cannot be accessed in Iran through Neda
Rayaneh (and possibly other Internet service providers). I guess you too are
officially censored now. When you try to access it, it says "You are not allowed
to connect to the requested site."
S.
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* Vulgar
I am flabbergasted and ashamed, to find yet another feature story with no substance:
"Zan
gereftan". This parody, it maybe funny, but very offensive to not only to
women but to all of us. The feature is vulgar and chauvinistic.
Some of the words the author used are not appropriate for the general audience.
Is Iranian.com becoming a tabloid? This is not an attack on freedom of speech,
it is merely to point out responsible journalism.
Morteza Loghmani
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* Nothing wrong with a joke
In response to "Racist
jokes": I was born in Tabriz to Esfahani parents and was raised in Tehran.
I have lived in both the U.S. Deep South and the Yankee North. Because of the number
of years I have lived in the aforementioned venues, I imitate the local accents quite
fluently and get a kick out of making facetious remarks about each drawl.
I personally don't think telling a Rashti joke or speaking with a Jewish accent
makes one racist. Indeed, there are people who don't appreciate this sort of amusement,
but they are in the clear minority. Stereotypes begin in the first place because
they are all somewhat true.
I don't think an Azeri was ever denied entrance to a university or an Esfahani
to a bank due to their ethnic heritage. If anything, Iran is one of the few countries
in the world where the capital has moved from one corner to the next; most Tehranis
today are, in fact, descendants of people from the other provinces.
About your comment with regard to the Shahanshah starting this "racism,"
if you mean the late Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, then I suggest you do more research on
this matter. Moreover, if you find jokestan.com
full of bigotry, then stop reading it. Why should the thousands of other readers
of The Iranian be denied the most jocular Iranian site on the Web?
Mehran Azhar
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Thursday
August 24, 2000
* Taking over the Persian Gulf
I'm a Kuwaiti citizen. That means we are very close to each other yet my root
is very Arabic and I'm Sunni .
I'd like to know do you really think that you should take over the Gulf area and
rule there ["Snake
island"]? What is happening in my country is that a lot of Iranians cross
the border as illegal immigrants and most of them smuggle drugs.
No offense, but don't you think since the revulotion pepole miss the freedom and
the luxury? Anyhow these are my thoughts and I would like to hear your answer .
Amani al-Omani
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* Maybe, just maybe
In response to Sheri Zandi, "Behkhodaa
we're Italian": I think you must have had Iranian ancestors since Zandi
is a very prominent Persian last name. One of the dynasties that governed Iran about
three hundred years ago was called the Zand dynasty and its founder was called Karim
Khan Zand. So maybe, just maybe, you have an Iranian ancestor in your distant past.
You can investigate your genealogical tree. After all Persia and Rome where once
powerful empires and neighbours and came quite often into contact with each other.
Even your first name is very Persian. Sheri is the abbreviation for the Persian female
name "Shirin". Shirin in Iranian literature has the same meaning as Juliet
in English literature because of Romeo and Juliet.
Actually there are many Persian names which have found their way into Western
hemisphere like Cyrus, Darius, Roxana, Shervin, Shaheen etc.
Mohammad Yamini
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Wednesday
August 23, 2000
* Smiles at the CIA
I came across the article by Mr. Ashraf ["Conspiracy
theories"] while going through The Iranian. Although this might be
a late contribution to this topic, I felt it might be of some help to Mr. Ashraf's
research intersts.
First things first. I noted how carefully Mr. Ashraf has avoided the use of the
word Iran and replaced it with Persia. It is beyond the scope of this note to enter
into this debate. However, I wished Mr. Ashraf were equally mindful of the use of
the word "theory".
I suggest he should look up the word and then compare it with that of the word
"hypothesis". To make it easier for him, might I suggest that "theory"
is used when a "hypotheis" is established by proof. I found it a little
ironical that our great scholar chose to ignor this subtle difference while religiously
adhered to the use of the word Persia for Iran!
Secondly, Mr. Ashraf's simplistic account of the word conspiracy and its ramifications
(adopted from a psychology text book) should bring some smile on the faces of those
working in the offices in Langley-Virginia, Vauxhall Bridge-London, and Red Square-Moscow.
After all, the idea of their corresponding governments spending billions of dollars
on a bunch of people to delude other people, thousands of miles elsewhere, sounds
ludicrous!
Parkhash
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* Fond memories of Abadan
As a 19-year-old in 1977, sent out from England to help in the language lab department
of Abadab Institute of Technology (AIT), I recognise many of the photographs here
["Abadan"]. I have several
hundred similar!
I have many fond memories of the people, and the places I visited during the six
months I was there and would welcome any contacts with anyone who was at AIT at the
same time.
James Alden
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Tuesday
August 22, 2000
* Seeking justice against sexual harassment
I am an Iranian medical doctor. I began practicing as an MD in 1985 in Iran. Then
I left and came to the U.S., where my problem began. I am writing for help from Iranians
who can assist me.
What happened to me at the University of Nebraska Medical Center was an obvious
case of gross discrimination against me as a woman and as an Iranian. The program
director took sexual advantage of me.
Many people, when they hear about sexual harassment, automatically think, "Oh,
she's just trying to make money." I swear to everything I believe in that I
don't want any money. All I want is justice >>>
FULL TEXT
Marjan
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* Dreams do come true
Googoosh's concert in Los Angeles started at nine o'clock with the band entering
the stage. They started with "Talaagh" which is one of my all time favorites.
Who can forget her in that white dress with Farah Fawcett's hair-do in the original
video? The band played the tune and the crowed screamed. Then there was a moment
of silence. The lights went out. Five seconds later there was a beam of light and
Googoosh was standing in the middle of the stage with her head down.
Bigger than life. That's the only way to describe Googoosh. God; is it real? Please
tell me the good old days will return soon. Oh wait it's too soon for that; let's
just enjoy the show. The crowd went absolutely nuts. They screamed and cried and
clapped and cheered and she stayed silent and still for about a minute. Maybe she
was saying a prayer, maybe she was thanking about God, or maybe this was just part
of the show. I don't know but whatever it was, it was just right >>>
FULL TEXT
Shahin Rezai
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Monday
August 21, 2000
* Lying is a habit
Two years ago I was vacationing with my family in Cyprus. One day as we were riding
in a taxi the Greek driver began to make unwelcome advances toward one of my mother's
friends. As she was attempting to evade his proposed date later that evening, the
taxi driver said "I am not Iranian, I do not lie." Later, he explained
nonchalantly to me "Almost every Iranian I have met has lied."
Shahriar Zahedi in "We
must lie" wrote, "it is safe to assume that there once existed among
the Persians, a certain preoccupation with honesty and truthfulness..."
Well, my reply to this statement is an unequivocal no. There are two reasons why
the famous Herodotus excerpt about Persian youth being taught to "ride, shoot
and tell the truth" is misinterpreted >>>
FULL TEXT
Farsheed Khosmood
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* Qorbunet beram elaahi!
Just got back from Googoosh
concert in Los Angeles. We had great seats, thanks to my friend Kambiz's generous
birthday present! It really was wonderful. Especially the interaction with the crowd.
In the midst of a beautiful Turkish song she was singing, a middle aged tie-wearing
man in the $500-ticket section screamed: "Qorbunet beram elaahi!"
Shirin Bazleh
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Friday,
August 18, 2000
* This isn't a joke
In response to Mr. Hossein Tabrizi's letter, "Racist
jokes", we are very happy to know that there are people with your point
of view out there. Your criticism towards Jokestan.com
opens doors to a vast spectrum of social problems/crisis within the Iranian society.
Frankly, it is hard to find a starting point for this issue.
We think you would agree with us that many jokes have roots in ethnicity and this
is not restricted to Iran. English jokes against French and vice versa, Polish jokes,
Red Neck (Southerner) jokes, Mexican jokes, Italians, Jewish, etc. are all examples
of ethnic humor and reflection of the fact that no matter why, humor is related to
ethnicity. Interestingly enough, a good portion of these jokes are created by people
belonging to the very same ethnic background.
In Iran, ethnic jokes have a long history and was not invented by Shahanshah .
These anecdotes go back at least 700 years to Obeyd-Zakani
jokes. The subject of these jokes are Ghazvinis, Turks, Esfahanis, Khorasanis, Turkmans,
Arabs, and even Coptics! Believe it or not, Obeyd's work should be considered as
one of the more recent works of Iranians on the subject of humor. Definitely there
are older sources that are not available to us for reference.
Ethnic jokes are everywhere. Apparently, people take pleasure in teasing and making
fun of each other. But, to what extreme? Why have Iranians pushed the limit so far?>>> FULL TEXT
Jokestan's Self Appointed Board of Directors!
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* Iranian hospitality
I really enjoyed your article "Amazed"
by Doug Biesecker and "One
planet, one people" by Alan Hale in your August 17, 2000 issue.
It made me very proud to see once again, the hospitality of our people in Iran,
from small towns to the big cities despite of all the hardship of day to day life
in today's Iranian society still impresses our guests.
Iran is a country filled with rich culture and history and it is a shame that
non-Iranians would only see and remember the horrific images of hostages and protesters.
In their mind men and women are running around in black chadors and turbans attacking
locals and visitors in the streets and it is not a safe place to go for your hard
earned vacation or research! >>>
FULL TEXT
Shervan
California
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Thursday
August 17, 2000
* Racist jokes
I want to express appreciation for all your effort in creating this excellent
Iranian site. There are links provided to most of the available Iranian
media, and I appreciate your effort to enabling me to access them.
However, there are many sites full of discrimination and racist materials. It
is true that the owner of the site has all rights to create a page and fill it with
what he/she wants, but I think we have to decide if we are in the same level as they
are.
The web page, "Jokestan" that
you have provided a link to is one of these sites. I do not think that you yourself
have checked it to read its stupid jokes. This page has nothing to read and enjoy
except stupid jokes against Rashtis, Esfahanis, Azarbijanis and other people of our
country.
I think it is the time to put an end to such discrimination and racism that was
invented by Shahanshah by abandoning them, and providing reasons for such activities.
Hossein Tabrizi
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* Keep rocking the boat
dAyi Hamid! Damet Garm! I enjoyed your article in The Iranian ["Leila ham
bad neest"]. You are the only guy who has the balls to write in a "vagheeh"
manner and get away with it.
Anyhow with your command of the Iranian community in Los Angeles, I am shocked
to see how you can manage being away in Switzerland.
Keep on rocking the boat.
Triumph
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* Final say
I applaud your fight for freedom in your native country ["No
brainer"].
Best wishes for the establishment of a democratic government which is not run
by an unelected 'supreme leader' who has final say over everything. Rather, the people
of Iran should have the final say over everything, through the medium of lawful elections.
David F Mayer, PhD
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Wednesday
August 16, 2000
* To educate, or entertain?
I have been an avid reader of your news magazine for last two years. Lately, I
have noticed a disturbing trend in your feature stories. Some features are informative,
educational and some leave the reader with void and wondering what is the point?
As you know The Iranian has become a medium for the diaspora community
across the globe. Has Iranian.com become an entertainment magazine? Or are you dedicated
to inform and educate the readers about Iran.
The younger Iranians are at risk of becoming shallow-minded and superficial.
Morteza Loghmani
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* Women are not men, Persians not Arabs
What a beautiful
letter written by a young son of this old country. There is obviously nothing
wrong with being Arab and I personally have a lot of Arab friends whom I am really
happy to get the chance to meet with and I honestly respect them for who and what
they are.
However, there is an issue called identity. If you are not an Arab you are not
and if you are, you are. This is like being a woman or a man, there is nothing wrong
with being one of each but if you are a woman you don't wanna be called Mr. --- and
vise versa >>>
FULL TEXT
FK
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* Persian rugs with American designs?
After reading the article
on rug merchants in Tehran, I was deeply saddened to learn how some merchants
who obviously are not thinking of anything else except their own profit, are so naively
and superficially ruining one of the most precious aspect of Iranian heritage and
culture which has been manifested in carpet weaving , by trying to find out what
the Americans want or like and changing the carpet industry in Iran by implementing
those "American" designs >>>
FULL TEXT>>> FULL TEXT
Hakhamaneshi
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Tuesday
August 15, 2000
* No documents, no history
I just read Khodadad Rezakhani's article "Not
too deep", and would like to add a few of my own thoughts on why there seems
to be no in-depth study of Iranian history in today's academia.
One very important fact to remember is that in order to get a detailed insight
and understanding into the hearts and minds of Iranians in the past, you need to
have access to the written records of the period. I've only recently begun to study
Iranian history on my own, but I quickly learned that in some cases Iranians may
have been their own worst enemies in preserving a written record for posterity >>> FULL
TEXT
Parviz Ghavamian
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* Googoosh's teacher
Dear Googoosh:
Welcome to America! I am so proud that an Iranian has brought her talent to this
height and that everyone knows her. I hope to be at your concert in Washington D.C.
and that there would be an opportunity for me to hug and kiss you.
Your middle school teacher,
Gitty Shahidi
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* Wonderful message
I just read "Vacationing
American style" by Bahar M. Jaberi . I found her story by accident but am
glad I did. I enjoyed reading it and the wonderful message it contained.
Russell Burgess
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* Behkhodaa we're Italian
This is in reference to the emails that my family has been recieving from you.
I have no idea who you are or what you are. I am offeneded that you assume that we
are Iranian because of our last name. We are Italian and have no Iranian relatives
whatsoever.
Sheri Zandi
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Monday
August 14, 2000
* War heroes deserve respect
Najmeh Fakhraie's latest scribbling ["At
war with your people"] leaves a bitter taste in my mouth, for the very reason
that her mocking tone should not go unchallenged.
Unlike some readers, I do not dismiss her writings as childish rants, because
they open a helpful window into the mind of young Iranians inside Iran, who have
the country's destiny in their hands.
But her tendency to heap scorn on the memory of the revolution and the war are
insulting for anyone, like my family, who lost loved ones, giving them often willingly,
to preserve the sovereignty of Iran >>>
FULL TEXT
K. Husseini
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* Perfect
I very much appreciate your great online magazine. I will appreciate it even more
if you tell Javad Montazeri that his photos were perfect ["Cheers
& fears"]. They show that he is a real photojournalist. Can we see more
of his work?
Shahpan
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* True stereotypes
While reading your article "Get
real real", I realized that most of my STEREOTYPICAL friends would not read
it at all. Unfortunately Iranians are one of the nations that nagative stereotyping
about them is absoulutely true. I can not give you reasons, but everyone knows it.
The last extreme transformations in our society, specially among youngsters in
Iran, are the fruits of this negative stereotyping. You may see fewer dAyi Hamids
among them and more Poopak Taatis because negative things force them to study their
unpleasant situations and cope with them (that was a joke :-)
Mandana Asadi Tadayon
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Friday,
August 11, 2000
* Respecting soldiers
I read "At
war with your people" and thought to myself we should respect our soldiers
and volunteers who sacrifice their lives for our nation and our county.
We may not agree on the war itself or how long it took. But, we should not forget
that there were more than a million men and women throughout the war who did the
sacrifice and they should not be mistaken with bunch of thugs many of whom never
have seen the battlegrounds.
The people you're talking about are bunch of young impressionable patsies. They
are basically used by a group of power hungry who have a lot to lose if things are
to change.
Masoud
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* Psychological help
I want to compliment the writer of the article on the soldiers who can't let the
war go ["At
war with your people"]. It's time for them to get some psychological help,
so they can stop bullying their countrymen and countrywomen. Let the old wounds heal
and let the country move into the 21st century.
R. Mehdipour
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* Punishing horrible crimes
In his reply to Najmieh Fakhraei's "At
war with your people", Mr
Navab writes: "In any event I wish Ms. Fakhraei would come to the point
to agree that the individuals she has written about are victims of our society and
they need treatment. Insulting is a very old approach. I liked it when Mr. Khachatourian,
in the recent Saturday gathering in front of the Federal Building sent a message
to these victims: we will forgive you, we won't try you in our courts when we win."
I very much disagree with him . There should be fair and open trials for individuals
who have been responsible for all sorts of horrible acts during the last 20 years,
whatever many years we have to wait until true democracy prevails in Iran. Mr Khachatourian
, whoever he is,"az kiseh-ye khalifeh mibakhshand". If anyone has been
just a "victim" let that be proven in a lawful and open court.
Bahar Bonyan
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* Self-discovery
I wish to thank The Iranian for featuring Nina Habibi's "Many
me". I appreciate her sharing a creative form of self-discovery and expression,
and I will now await her next set of thematically organized images. Her work colorfully
remind us that each one of us is indeed "many" images integrated into a
whole. We simply choose which image(s) to show the world and which ones to conceal.
Haleh Vaziri
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Thursday
August 10, 2000
* Persians in China
This is a wonderful website. I enjoyed reading it. There is no mention of Persian
Zoroastrian immigrants to China. I am Chinese from China. My family lives in Xuajiulan
county, about 28 miles west of Xian (formerly Chang'an) city. Chang'an was the capital
of many Chinese dynasties in the past. Many foreigners once lived there, especially
from Iran. Some came as merchants, entertainers and religious missionaries.
In 651 A.D., King Yazdgerd III was captured by Muslim Arabs in today's Turkmenistan
and beheaded. His son, Pirooz survived and fled east to China. He gathered and assembled
other powerful Iranian clans: Garen, Suren, Spabad, Varazpor, etc.
They all passed through the snowy Pamir mountains in today's Tajikistan and made
it into China to seek the emperor's help. The Chinese king had a wife who was the
sister of Pirooz. So, the court of Pirooz was allowed to set up in exile in western
China. Many villages today in northwestern China (Xinjiang, Gansu, Shaanxi, Shanxi,
Henan provinces) bear marks of Persian ancestry or influence >>>
FULL TEXT
Frank Wong
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* Your wisdom
To Fereydoun Hoveyda: I rarely have the chance to read The Iranian Times
due to my very busy schedule at work. This morning I got tempted! Your article ["Still
an optimist"] was a joy to read.
I wish that you could inject a little of your wisdom and ability into the minds
of others like my father and others who refuse to understand and adapt/adjust.
It would be wonderful if you could translate and publish your article in Farsi,
especially in NY and LA Persian papers or even appear on TV or radio.
Nasrin
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* Touched their lives
I read the article by Ms. Termeh Rassi and must say that I truely agree with her
["Like Holding my pillow"]. I too went a long way to see Googoosh in Toronto
from San Jose, California, and my friends and family were also in total astonishment
of why I would do such a thing.
Surrounding me were people holding cellular phones for their friends and loved
ones at home. Every song bringing back memories and every song causing someone to
break down and cry. remembering, forgiving, forgeting, but mostly reliving a piece
of their history that touched their lives >>>
FULL TEXT
Bob Danielzadeh
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Wednesday
August 9, 2000
* Traveling in time
If anyone was to ask me to describe Googoosh's concert in Toronoto I would have
to refer them to Louis Armstrong's "One of Those Things".
We all experienced her in our own way. But the one common experience (one that
perhaps Googoosh shared as well) was traveling in time. We went back 20 years to
the days we associate with comfort and home, but we also went ahead twenty years
with a dosage of hope and optimism >>>
FULL TEXT
Sara Atrvash
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* American mind, Iranian heart
Our peaple never experienced leaving their homeland to find another land to settle
down. At least not during the last four or five centuries.
Propably the last mass migration was during the bloody invasion of Mongols. After
that most migrations were sporadic and for political reasons (members of Toudeh Party
during and after the 1953 coup) and other political activists during the Pahlavi
government.
Our generation is now experiencing migration with all the bittersweet complications,
such as nostalgic thoughts and homesickness. Crying for Googoosh and Shamlou are
symptoms.
Let's be honest: we have AMERICAN brains but our heart is still IRANIAN. We love
our culture; our real artists.God bless us and keep our minds sharp and our hearts
pure.
Mehdy
Norfolk,Va
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* REAL Iranian culture
In response to Al-Amin's
response "Get a grip, yourself", it is so ironic in this day and age,
when the Iranian people are struggling so hard to achieve true democracy, to find
people with perceptions such as yours!
Does REAL IRANIAN CULTURE mean to put women down and taking their rights away
from them? Doesn't REAL IRANIAN CULTURE support mail chauvinism? Does it pay any
attention at all to the issues of women?
Why can't we take the good parts of our culture and throw away the old fashioned
and backward parts? What's wrong with being progressive thinkers? What's wrong with
changing the angle that you perceive life, so perhaps you can comprehend at a deeper
level?
And as for the West, even if it does have cultural problems, it treats women the
same as men and doesn't deprive them of their civil and sexual rights.
Babak
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Tuesday
August 8, 2000
* Poosteh kharbozeh
The maximum leader, the exalted Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, daaamat barakaatoh,
finally documented what he has been saying and doing all along, namely that he knows
better than the rest of the nation ["No
brainer"].
Iranian history is chuck full of these kind of leaders who at the pinnacle of
their power lose sight of the uncompromising judgment of history. The aphrodisiac
of power has such an intoxicating effect on them that only the sound of Gabrielle'
bugle brings back some belated semblance of sobriety and a smidgen of sanity >>>
FULL TEXT
Shahriar Zangeneh
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* Logic instead of anger
The attitude implied by the editorial entitled "No
brainer" is dangerous in its ability to undermine the reform process --
perhaps as dangerous as the actions taken by the conservative clerical elite. Indeed,
the situation demands all the "brain" available to counter the equally
threatening potentials for either a furthering of the conservative clampdown, or
a chaotic upheaval.
Further interconnectedness and transparency are steps toward a situation of relative
integrated peace. Only in such a situation will pragmatic reform be allowed to flourish
in Iran, and such pragmatism inevitably seeks to undermine the inefficient, ad hoc
nature of the conservative clerical elite, with no excuses for them to cling. This
is what is meant by the triumph of logic and reason, as advocated by Khatami >>>
FULL TEXT
Cyrus Samii
New York City
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* Follow China
I was surprised that Mr.
Kadivar thinks the system has made progress by not killing opponents. He must
have forgotten the recent attempt on Hajjarian's life, and the previous serial murders.
But I agree with him that any change will be slow in coming. The so-called reformers
will do themselves a favor not to get carried away into extremist reactions; which
will give the rulers the excuse to do what they did in 1983. They should focus on
economic reform, i.e. follow Communist China's model for change.
Reza
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* Googoosh not for me
I am not, particularly, a big Googoosh fan. I am the only Iranian I know of who
is not. Every member of my family and Iranian friends are asking me if I want tickets
to the Googoosh Concert, but I decline.
I fail to see the "artistry" behind Googoosh. Behind all the glamour
of Googoosh, there lies nothing more than a Pop icon, incomparable to the contemporary
Iranian musicians and artists.
The second part that compromises the "mirage" that we know as Googoosh
is the obsession of the expatriate society with all that is pre-revolutionary. This
is not just musical nostalgia, this is the personification of an era. Googoosh is
the symbol of all that was the later Pahlavi Era in Iran.
For those who want to see a Pop music icon, should quickly acquire tickets to
the next Googoosh concert. However, for those who want to see true Iranian music
as the art form that it is, this concert is not for you (and I).
Arya Abedin
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Monday
August 7, 2000
* Don't teach hatred
Reading the piece by Najmieh Fakhraei surprised me ["At
war with your own people"]. It reminded me of the type of insults and disrespect
that is used by the not so respectable elements of our society. I am surprised that
you approved the publication of this writing.
Modern and progressive understanding considers those individuals that Ms. Fakhraei
writes about as social victims. We live in a time that we don't get our frustration
and hatred out by bad mouthing >>>
FULL TEXT
Mohamad Navab
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* I'm not Arab American
Where I grew up, there were an abundance of Arab Americans, and as I was beginning
to meet new friends( Americans) when they started to ignore me. I was wondering what
was going on because the Arab Americans started to group together and the other kids
were hesitant to talk to me.
Then a few other actions occurred. The American students began asking me why I
won't sit with the Arab American students during lunch. I told them that I wasn't
an Arab American, and they looked at me with a state of confusion. I told them that
I am an Iranian American >>>
FULL TEXT
Alex Hooman Gorjidooz
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* Slightly harsh
This picture
is taken where they kill chickens before selling them to customers. Considering the
fact that most of us eat chicken or beef, the whole idea of killing a bird or an
animal for the purpose of eating sounds understandable.
I still agree there is something slightly harsh in picturing it in a photograph
and I strongly believe in animals rights too.
Faramarz Kaviani
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Friday,
August 4, 2000
* Talk is cheap
Gary Sick's long expose on the pearls of wisdom spewed by Dick Cheny in various
stages of political undress fails to show how this man, if elected, will fulfill
the promise of "Better
for Business." Whose business? Just like Gary Sick, Dick Cheney speaks with
a forked tongue depending on the make-up of the audience...
Where his fudiciary responsibility to his shareholders dictates Cheney speaks
against the Iran sanctions in order to secure for his company a favorable future
legal position. And when approached just this week at the RNC in Philadephia, his
people seemed to indicate, among other things, that the concern over the "Iran
10" and other issues stand in the way of any removal of sanctions, end of discussion.
The same bunch also referred to Yasser Arafat as a "terrorist" because
of the failed Camp David talks.Talk is cheap and Cheney delivers it as well as anyone
>>> FULL
TEXT
Guive Mirfendereski
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* Pahlavis should learn
I am so sad about the death of Shamlou. As a teenage girl I used to recite his
poem "Paria" and loved it. I still do as a woman.
What is interesting is that according to the email no Islamic jargon was recited
at his funeral ["Only
ey Iran"]. The Pahlavi family should learn from this. So when they go for
the Shah's yearly memorial
they should not recite the Koran and Fatehe.
I am proud that Iranian people are finally getting freed from the years of Islamic
domination and oppression.
Parvin Darabi
www.homa.org
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* Inspiring Neshat
I just saw Shirin Neshat's film in Donostia. At the museum I also saw "The Gun and the Gaze"
for the first time, and both the film and the book, made a great impression on me,
although I didn't get the time to see if there was any translations of the text on
the photographs. As a revolutionary in this little country called Norway, this book,
as well as the whole exhibition, inspired me a lot.
Stig Gunnar Ringen
Norway
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Thursday
August 3, 2000
* Shamlou no Hafez
I came across a letter
about Shamlou and was saddened. Altough I can't deny that Shamlou was a notable
poetic figure in the contemporary Iranian poetry scene, to suggest that he is the
ranks of Hafez, Rumi or Saadi, only shows the depth of ignorance about these three
stalwarts of Persian literature.
Those three masters together with others like Ferdowsi (who was the subject of
Mr. Shamlou's meglomaniac rantings) have defined what we call the correct form and
structure of our Farsi language.
Mr. Shamlou's lasting memory is his alliance with the Iranian loony left who remain
his loyal fans and he is only "great" in their circles and by their definitions
>>> FULL
TEXT
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* Get a grip, yourself
In reply to Babak, first let me thank you for your sympathy
and feeling sorry for my inability to comprehend such complex matters that intellects
like you can.
I must say I don't know where you live but even in all Western countries, GOOD-cultured
people carry a lot of principles similar to Iranian culture, and if you get someone
to show you the real Iranian culture you may understand its roots and values.
As for you, it's because of people like you that the West has so many cultural
problems and also a lot of youngsters (particularly in Iran) forget their origins
and fall in love with something they don't even understand.
So while we are entering the 20th century I suggest you (and the likes of you)
get a grip on yourself and understand what your real culture says (and also the culture
of other countries).
As for the "DAMET GARM", well... you're free to GARM anybody's DAM.
Al Amin
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* Poor judgment
Looking at this picture
on the cover of The Iranian may be okay once. Leaving it as your banner
for a week or so is a very poor judgment.
I could never look at a sheep or any animal being slaughtered in front of me for
some old or superstitious custom.
Sacrificing an animal is not going to add or take away anything from anybody.
It is time that we learn from our old tradition and update our own way of thinking
to the new 21st century.
Iraj Roozbeh
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Wednesday
August 2, 2000
* Sympathy for prostitutes
In response to the
man who is/was so outraged at the prostitution
link. Yes - it may be sensationalistic - but both you and I have joined the ranks
of those writing about it and reading it. Who do you seek to blame if a Jasmine-paragraph
achieves thousands of hits? These are after all, your precious and "refined"
Iranians...
What do you make of women who wear large, ridiculous, and aesthetically uninspiring
cliches on their wedding fingers as a prize or expression of self-worth? Are these
accepted bougeoisie ways of living among the sexes (although they are generalized
and being reformed in most communities) a form of "prostitution" ?
My intent here is not to insult mainstream women, but to point out some similarities
in lifestyle that will hopefully enable you to understand or feel sympathetic for
prostitutes themselves >>>
FULL TEXT
Leyla Momeny
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* It's year 2000
In response to Al-Amin's letter "Complete
outrage", it's because of people like you that we have such a backward and
outdated culture. I truly feel sorry for you. It's year 2000, why don't you wake
up and get a grip.
Don't insult others if you don't have the slightest ability to comprehend.
I give this guy Mostafa Saber a lot of credit for writing "Aazaadi-ye
jensi va as-haab-e kahf". Damesh garm!!!!
Babak
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* Defend Ganji, not Jews
I think Israel and U.S. and Europe are enough to defend the Jews' rights ["Let's face it"].
There are people whom nobody in the world cares about. Nobody knows and cares where
they are buried.
So, let us take the "shame" and care about the latter group. Let us
take the "shame" and care about brave people (e.g., Akbar Ganji) in Iran
who go trough the tough time and defend people's rights.
Bottom line:
- You want to defend Jews. Go ahead, specially, if it helps you for your political
career.
- You would like to ask other people to support you for that. That is good.
- You don't like somebody supporting Ganji. This is none of your business.
F.
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Tuesday
August 1, 2000
* Void left by Shamlou
I want to share my feelings with each one of you regarding Shamlou's sad departure
["Prophet
of light"]. There are times when we feel the need to express ourselves,
times when a voice rising from within cannot be ignored any longer, when an event
hits too close to home!
Since Shamlou's death I have felt such a void. A passionate voice in me echoes
in the language of love, of his poetry. A longing, a sense of loss, an anxiety that
evades detection and leaves farther and farther out is lingering in my mind. That's
why I feel compelled to write these few words>>>
FULL TEXT
H. Vandad
Denver Colorado
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* No benefit to free enterprise
I noticed that none of the U.S. media even mentioned Shamlou's death , even in
passing, except the Washington Post with a few lines in the obituaries! Maybe because
his death does nothing to advance the cause of free enterprise.
Hooshid
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* Good cry
Thanks so much for writing about Googoosh ["Standing
ovation"]. I read it all over again and enjoyed it. Even though I couldn't
go to her concert to have a good cry, I cried reading your article. I missed her
so much. I wish she would come to Montréal, too.
Aghdas
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* Best entertainer -- ever
Like Termeh ["Like
holding my pillow"], my wife and I made the trip from Washington to see
Googoosh in Toronto. Even though I had to drive 10 hours the night before the concert
and 10 hours the day after, I am not a bit sorry.
As the matter of fact if the driving was twice as much I would have still done
it. I got home 3 o'clock in the morning and had to be at work at 8. I made it and
I was not a bit tired.
Googoosh is for sure the best entertainer Iran has ever produced. I just wished
I could meet her to tell her how grateful I was to her for bringing back all the
memories.
Max Rofougar
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