Friday
December 15, 2000
That's not racism, bro
I know you´ve been accused of being biased in the past with respect
to the content we see in iranian.com. I just wanted to let you know that
I now strongly believe there´s some truth to that.
The evidence is clear. By simple inspection of the Letters
section, one can see that, although you may not censor the letters, you
definitely regulate the content of that section by deciding which letters
to post and which letters not to post. And, NOT coincidentally, the ones
you post seem to agree with your own views and opinions.
Take for example the recent furor over the picture of Maryam
and Daryl. Never mind the actual picture itself, I mean who cares about
Maryam khanoom's love interests? That's her business, right?
Now, any common sense, informal, non-scientific survey taken of Iranians
on the subject of marriage to Blacks would reveal an overwhelming disapproval.
There's no question about that -- it's not even something you can argue.
You could do a completely randomized survey and you'd get the same results.
Yet, suspiciously, all the letters we see on your website are militantly
in favor. You posted one opposing view but the rest posted on the subject
just attacked that person for being a rabid racist. Now I don't know too
many Iranians who would NOT be disappointed if their son, daughter, brother,
or sister married a Black person. And I'm suspicious that you intentionally
refrain from posting letters that are critical of interracial relationships
for fear that it would make Iranians look bad to Americans and the outside
world.
Look man, I've lived my whole life in the United States. I've gone
to some of the best schools and I consider myself progressive and learned.
When an Iranian mother or father tells their child that they would disapprove
if they married a Black person, that's not racism bro.
There's nothing wrong with wanting to preserve one's Iranian culture
and Iranian racial characteristics in one's offspring. That is absolutely
not racism. It is human nature and it is normal. It is very difficult
to maintain and preserve Iranianness in one's offspring when you marry
an American, but it is absolutely impossible to do so if you marry a Black
American.
Now if an Iranian girl falls in love with a Black man, that is obviously
her business and I don't think our job is to criticize that. But I think
so-called liberal-minded and "socially progressive" Iranians
like yourself need to understand the other point of view and stop dismissing
it as blanket racism.
Yes, we call those redneck White Americans who forbid their sons and
daughters marrying Blacks racists, bigots. But that is different. Those
rednecks are Americans, and they are directing their prejudice against
other fellow (Black) Americans. We come from a separate culture and nationality
altogether.
At any rate if my accusations are true, I would urge you to stop this
kind of censorship and just post them as they come. Let the writers of
the letters worry about the consequences themselves.
Nariman Neyshapouri
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