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Wednesday * Babak needs help I have a wonderful Iranian student, Babak, who needs financial support for this academic year in order to do the first year of his M.A. program full-time (in the American University School of International Service -- where he also did his undergrad degree). At one point in time, Babak actually lived out of his car for six months. Does anyone have any suggestions of how we could find him some funding? He is a wonderful young man, smart and motivated. I really want to help him. Even five or six thousand dollars would help. Best wishes, * Our problems are worse I am not claiming to be the wise guy by saying the last word and putting an end to a 2,000-year-old discussion about Jerusalem! But there is something that I think everybody has been missing or ignoring. And that is the fact that Palestinians are being treated like celebrities in the media compared to other minorities in this world, even in the Arab world. Not only didn't the Chechens get this much -- and continual -- attention but even their Arab brothers in Iraq are being treated like trash by the Western media. Do you know why? Do you think its because Saddam Hossein has killed less (leave from his OWN nation)? Or because Palestinians are somehow superior human beings with special rights that 3,000 young Persian political prisoners during the 1987 prison massacre were lacking? I don't think so. There is one reason for that and for that reason Palestinians should be thankful to Israel! Ironic ha? Had it not been for their counterpart, the Jewish people, they would not have been even heard of. They are on the news not because they are important or that Western world gives a damn about them, it's because they are dealing with the most advanced nation in this world. At the same time it's because Jews still have enemies among the European countries. The world has not been as nice to minorities as our Persian culture has been. For some unknown reason still the predator is so sick to hate their victims of centuries like the way some rednecks feel about African-Americans in the U.S. The other reason for that is the wealth and dirty policy of the oil rich Arab countries. The same countries who cut deals with Saddam even after the Persian Gulf war and all that happened to them, but turn their head away from the killings of thousands of their Iraqi Arab brothers not by Israel but by the symbol of Arab chauvinism! Ironic ha? I don't think so; that has been always the rule in this unfair world. No one did care about us while we were and are being subjected to the worst. But several hundred Palestinians (who have been capable enough to retaliate by killing about two hundred Israelis at the same time) have been in the news every moment for the the past year. Don't you think it's just a small part of this world's problems? Not that I have any problem with helping others, why not, once in my life I begged for it. But the problem is that this way every body even some of us are being brainwashed by focusing on Palestinians problem. I can justify it only as brainwashing by the Western media. We have our own problems that are a thousand times worse than a small nation who is not as discriminated against as you think: Palestinians have the highest education among all Arab countries, have access to all media, have cut a good deal with Israel but want a fancier deal (hadn't Israel agreed to even recognize them as a country, at least in a stepwise manner?) One single injustice against them will be in the international news! Maybe I am being jealous! I am thinking of my poor sister whom none of you heard when she was being hung in prison in 1987. I apologize if it's only my problem. * The world has eyes Mr. Shahriar Zangeneh makes two errors in his recent opinion piece on Iran's relations with Israel ["Sinners preaching the gospel"]. First, he assumes that the morality of the support for the Palestinians is somehow attributable to "supporters of the IRI" when in fact the two issues are entirely separate. What Israel does to the Palestinians is plain wrong, and Iran is entirely correct to support the Palestinians, regardless of what kind of regime is in power in Iran. What the IRI does at home has no relationship whatsoever with Israel's misconduct. I would hate to have to resort to such a simple cliche, but it is quite apt here: two wrongs don't make a right. People are perfectly capable of condemning Israeli human rights violations without necessarily engaging in wholesale endorsment of the IRI. Second, Mr. Zangeneh makes an error when he attributes Israel's viscious inhuman treatment of Palestinians as merely a reaction to being "cornered" and having "no where to go" - that's merely the Israeli propagandists worn out technique of pretending to be the victimwhile at the same time acting as the victimizer. In fact, the only people who are cornered and have no where to go are the Palestinians, not the Israelis. While Israelis complain about being "forced into the sea" the only people who are figuratively forced into the sea are the Palestinians, not the Israelis. No one placed a gun to Sharon's temple and told him to expand the Israeli colonies in occupied territories in violation of international law, no one forced the Israelis into pursuing an intentional policy of "population transfers", and no one is forcing them to denying the obligations of the Fourth Geneva Convention. The eradictation or subjugation of Palestinians was and is an inherent aspect of the ideology of Zionism and its goal of creating an ethnically-cleansed homeland. Even as far back as the 1880's many writers such as Ahad Ha'am pointed out that the Palestinians would eventually react to such policies. Israel can't at once insist on pursing these policies, and then whine about being a "victim" of Palestinian resistance or dismiss the international outcry as merely "anti-semitism." The world has eyes. No one is being fooled. * Get own house in order Regarding Mr. Zangeneh's recent commentary about IRI's attitude towards Israel ["Sinners preaching the gospel"], although I completely disagree with Mr. Zangeneh's charectarization of Israel's actions, I do agree with him that before "standing up" for citizens in other lands, the IRI needs to get its own house in order. * Quick, battle stations! In response to "Israel took iranian.com": I think the Spanish and the Egyptians are monitoring our secret conversations as well those dirty Israelis now. Quick, battle stations! * Be a little reasonable I found John's letter ["Israel took iranian.com"] an example of passive-aggressive attitude towards something that one may disagree with. My friend, what made you come up with such conclusion, just because the website started a discussion that may be fair to another party? And is that party (Israel in this case) your enemy? Then following your own logic I would draw the conclusion that you must be from the IRI embassy! In any case what do you expect from a discussion? Without these discussions would a journal be even worth of a glance? Then why don't you go to the IRI broadcasting? Isn't your attitude the same as the IRI's: let's shut off every body else! Or in other words very simply, whoever who does things differently is bad! Or: As soon as I don't agree with something that thing becomes bad! Too simplistic? Believe me, that's your approach. Is that all your rationale? Be a little reasonable. What does make you think that this website is taken by Israel? I for one know its not true because it has censored my last letter (out of my only two or three over the last two years) just because it sounded nice to Israel or at least I thought that was the reason. So you may not be reading this one either! And last but not least, everybody! Let's just grow up a bit, would you? Pleeeeaaaase! Cheers, * Do not denigrate us Thank you for your reply Mr. Kaveh Ahangar ["Forcible conversion"]. Now to the issue: Now I see, you have changed your tactic. First, it was conversion by the Sword, and now it has been changed to what you say: "'Conversion' under financial pressure is forcible conversion too." So basically your (and mine) forefathers "converted" because of financial pressure?! What kind of sick reasoning is that! They must have indeed despised their own religion to such an extent, or have not had any belief in their own beliefs, that they change religions based on financial pressure? Oh please... Second you write: "Iranains rebelled against Arab occupiers many times." Muslims of all races, iranian and otherwise, rebelled against Arab occupiers. Yes I agree with you, and I agree with these rebellions. The arab rulers, except Prophet Muhammad and Imam Ali's brief rule, were brutal oppressive regimes and I don't support any of it. Maybe you should take up some lessons on our beliefs (Shi'ite Islam) before you make such ignorant comments. Who said anything about support or sympathy for these racist arabs? Third you go on: "Islam has been propagated by the sword and kept by force." Oh this funny, I thought it was financial? Now it switched back to the sword? Forth: "Only recently the Taliban in Afganestan have arrested some aid workers for "propagating Christianity" because they had a copy of the Bible." Oh please. Making Taliban the norm of Islam? That's like making Saddam, Stalin or Hitler the norm for Secularism. Fifth: "This kind of behaviour has been the norm in the past 1,400 years throughout the Islamic world." I see. That's why in countries which was occupied my muslims, such as Syria, Iran, India etc., you will find such ancient religious minorities as Jews, Christians, Zoroastrians, Sabians etc., whereas in the countries occupied by for example Christians you will not find any populations of their 'original religion', such as for example Asatro in the Scandinavian ones, or Maya in Latin America, or Druidism in England and so and so forth. Please spare us from your conjectures. You say: >>> FULL TEXT * Parents' fault This is a letter in regards to the article about language ["Competing with cousins"]. I would like to say, that I feel great shame, when I see Iranians, not being able to speak in their mother language, but I feel greater shame and anger towards their parents for not teaching their children farsi. Both of my parents are Iranian, but I have lived most of my life in khaarej. My parents always spoke, and still do to us in Farsi at home, because they knew we would learn the English in school any way. So by doing this they allowed us not to forget our Farsi. I have seen kids myself , whose parents are both iranian, and they can not even say a simple salam, haale shomaa chetore? (Hi, how are u?)! And once again this is the parents fault. Now some people may think that this becomes harder when one of the parents is not Iranian, but that is not the case. I know a family who the mother is Australian and the father Iranian, and their 3 children can speak perfect Farsi, without accent and fluently, and not only that! But their mother, who is Australian can also speak perfect Farsi! She doesn't use one English word. So please all you people out there who think I can't speak farsi, stop feeling sorry for urselves, and go ask your parents to teach you Farsi! Zaboone faarsi shirine ! * No hard rules Once again, with a new surge of romanticism, this age old debate has found its way into the debating society of iranian.com, ["PERRRRRSIAN"]. Now, one such writer, overwhelmed by romantic feelings, ["Hard not to sympathize"] is using his own (mis)interpretation of the scholarly works of Ehsan Yarshater as extra munitions to prove his point. Using the reference provided by our learned writer ["Sharhe haal"], a closer look at Yarshater's choice of terms should show it clearly the basis of his usage. When the subject of his work or study is predominantly concerned with "literature" or "culture", the term Persian is used e.g., Persian Heritage Series, Persian Studies Series, or Modern Persian Literature Series. However, when a geo-social or geopolitical angle is present, Yarshater uses the term Iran without hesitation e.g., Professor of Indo-Iranian Studies, Iran Faces the Seventies, Center for Iranian Studies in Columbia University - Yarshater was its founder, Columbia Lectures on Iranian Studies - Yarshater was the founder again, and the most significant of all Encyclopaedia Iranica, of which Yarshater is the chief editor. The fact of the matter is that there are no hard and fast rules about which terms to use in a foreign language when we refer to our own language or country. These terms are chosen socio-politically and not romantically. So before we allow our romantic feelings blinding us to point of misreading and misinterpreting the obvious, we should pay some attention to the language of power. * Sehr gefallen Dies hat mir sehr gefallen ["Havatane araaghi"]. Harf nadAsht. :-) Hamishe labet khandAn bAsheh. Viele Gruesse aus Karlsruhe, Mohammad Karimi * Canning koofteh Dear Ashpazbaashi, I read the comments by Ahamad Poudratchi (een digeh cheh joor esmieh?!) re authentic Koofteh Tabriz with a lot of interest, and I agree with him 100%. But can he tell me where to find a "Dibayhi"?? Did he bring one from Tabriz? However, as "Ehtiaaj madar-e ekhtera' hast" here in Melbourne my wife & I have further developed the old recipe, by using not groung beef or lamb, (now wait for this..) but ground chicken. When mixed with other ingredients and ofcourse, the authentic Safran, it's something you can eat your fingers with. It has a much nicer and smoother texture that that made from ground beef or lamb, and when cold (usually the best time to eat it!!) it goes down very well with some "kukah" (not cookie, biscuit Torki!!!!), feta cheese, fresh herb and, you guessed it, a large glass of cold Raki (or Oozo). Worth trying! Looking forward to your comments. And, oh, one other thing, the centre should be filled with fried onion, Aaloo, even khormaa (dates) and similar plant materials, preferbly somewhat acidic. This gives taste compensation and harmony, but also, from technical point of view, renders the centre into acidic, rather than low-acid reaction that contributes to product safety for longer shelf life. I am in the process of developing a canning method for Koofteh Tabrizi, and hope one day to be able to send some of the samples to you. Happy cookings. Yashasi Tabrizlilar!!! FS * Freydoun Foroughi? Could someone tell me what happened to Freydoun Foroughi? Is he still alive? What's he doing? I was a big fan of him and am very curious to know what had happened to him. Regards, * Fereshteh Farhi Dear Sir: You will probably be very surprised to receive an e-mail from someone you don't know. My name is Dora Llaury from Lima, Peru. For years I have been looking for an old friend I had in my school years. The name of my friend is Fereshteh Farhi, from Teheran, Iran. We spent four years together in the United States, attending Miami University in Oxford , Ohio. She was a microbiology student and I was an art student. She was my roomate at school and after graduation I came back to my country to work in the advertising area. She continued for more years in the States til she finished her PhD and went back to Iran. By the internet I found out that she is married to Dr. Farhad Behbahami, a writer in your paper. I was in Iran at the beginning of the seventies, spent almost a month in Fereshteh's parents house in Teheran. I was enchanted by your beauteful country and received so much love fron the whole Farhi's family that this is something that I will always keep deep in my heart for ever. I lost contact with Fereshteh in the late seventies, many years have gone through and I need to tell her what happened with my life and also want to know what happened with hers. I will apreciate deep from my heart if you can help me to get in touch with her again. I think that even we come from places very far appart our friendship will continue for ever. Sincerely,
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