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Tuesday * More money, more torturer I am so sorry Minou ["Many fronts"] has cried after reading "Case closed" for that it is proof positive I've failed in achieving my desired goal. The injustice handed the late Ebrahim-Nejad, his family and by extension to all of us, is nothing new in IRI. Every morning IRI courts -- from municipal all the way up to the Supreme Court -- disseminate of injustice. It is the business of the day. I agree with the statement that, "The fight for freedom and justice occurs on many fronts and one battle never won the war...", but with the caveat that one should be extra careful in his zeal not to fight in a counter-productive front. Civil rights and due process is the foundation to all rights. One can not have a lasting prosperous society void of civil rights. If no one else, we Iranians should know that, for some of us still remember pre-IRI Iran. Let's imagine a magic wand has bestowed all that IRI leaders are so desperate to have, namely the lifting of the Iran-Libya Sanctions Act (ILSA) by the U.S., full membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO), blank checks from the World Bank and a cozy relationship with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Let's also have Colin Powell personally delivering a certified check for a gazillion dollars, as repayment of principal and interest for blocked assets. What next? The best scenario would be massive foreign investment in all sectors of the economy to take advantage of cheap labor and a vast untapped domestic market. Let's further delude ourselves in believing that sticky hands will be kept in check, and domestic monopolies and cartels cordially bow out and relinquish their stranglehold. We can even be very optimistic and imagine every Iranian household with a brand new Peykan, and a house full of all sorts of comfort gadgets. I have no doubt whatsoever that we truly hope that this wishful scenario will become reality. But what do we do with the local judge who had a crossed eye merchant whipped, thinking he had eyed his wife? That judge is still the law of his dominion. Or what is to be done with a pedophilic chief prosecutor who is at his desk right now? What about the Kosher butcher and the grave digger who have been put behind bars for revealing "secrets", just to pressure Israel. How do you enjoy economic justice, when a crazed, pistol toting, civilian-clothed brute can put a period to anyone's life at any moment with impunity. Let's not forget the son of a presidential candidate who got away with murdering a police officer in cold blood. What value does economic justice have when our mothers and sisters are told what to wear and what to do? What comfort level can compensate for the unelected, feeble man's unchecked authority on every aspect of his subjects' life, including what religion to adhere to. The people of India, South Africa, Chile and enumerable other nations achieved their emancipation once they concentrated all their energies and resources on establishing civil rights in their respective countries. They all realized economic boom only prolonged oppressive rule; it is the oxygen that these regimes live on. More money means more informers and torturers. It only stokes the flames of a vicious cycle. The day Argentineans finally realized the futility of the idea that with prosperity comes freedom, they put an end to the blame game and started to back the Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo (Grandmothers of May Square) for due process of law. That was the day international and domestic power brokers started distancing themselves from the repressive regime. I had no intention of "diminishing" anyone's struggle, far from it. What I tried and obviously failed to convey was that the corner stone to all our struggles is civil rights and due process of just laws. My agenda was to start a dialogue on the subject and not to offend or belittle any "front" or any "soldier". For my unintentional insensitivity, I sincerely apologize. But, I still stand firm in my belief that civil rights is the only battle cry we can gather around, regardless of our differences. After emancipation, the economist, journalist, engineer, craftsman and lawyer, all of us, can get on with the rebuilding of our brutally-ravaged country and nurse back to health our traumatized compatriots. * Withdrawal Is this Nooneh's last story? ["Zereshk"] I think I will go through withdrawal... * Please write Could you please ask Nooneh to continue writing for your magazine? * Join the people I read your "Puzesh-khaahi" poem. To authenticate your apologetic feelings, I think you could now respect the wishes of our generation and join the 22 million who voted AGAIN for reform, rather than sitting in Denver in your tab-e por shoor-e Iran, and continuing to backstab Khatami in the name of democracy. Your "prince" and his family lost their sister to their own selfishness. Please tell him to renounce the throne that his grandfather and father illegitimately stol e-- with the aid of foreign greed. Rather than feeling regretful, please join the people. With love of Iran, * Outstanding I cannot help but write these few words to express the overwhelming spectrum of feelings from reading Dr. Nooriala's poem on your site "Puzesh-khaahi". This is an outstanding poem -- powerful, shocking and, at the same time, deeply sad. Since the death of Ahmad Shamloo, I had never read a poem so powerful in language and imagery, in intensification of emotional communication through the usage of simple but deep, and obvious but uncompromising poetic creativity. As a student of modern literature in New York, I want to congratulate you for having such a distinguished poet and writer amongst your staff. His "corner" in your site is getting better and better every day. * Best poems You published the best poems ever today ["Puzesh-khaahi","Man manam","Khodaaee deegar-gooneh"]. I forgot all about all the probles I went through today. Thanks a bunch! * Very entertaining Nazanin, ["Nazanin's search for Nirvana"] I just came across iranian.com and read your diary and noticed how you've described me. Considering my gentlemanly behavior to ignore your unpunctual behavior and your tardiness everyday, I did not expect to see how you've portrayed me. I am sure some of those Iranians who visit this site come to recognize me and it will hurt my practice as much as it hurts your career. Therefore, I would like you to think about what you've done and behave accordingly, like a responsible paralegal, when you come back to work on Monday. That is, if I don't change my mind by then and decide to keep you around! I don't need your language skills, Nancy can be helpful in that area. Just kidding, Naz Jan, I read your articles and they are very entertaining and to the point. Keep up to good work! If you ever get tired of paralegal, try writing : -) One thing I forgot to mention : - ) My cousin who is 6.5 years old has a diary exactly like your, pink with black furr. Sweet sixteen is a little bit of exaggeration! See, as your boss I have a sense of humor. You can have your old job, get it your old job! : - ) back if you describe me as a hunk of a guy who constanly swims in a pool of saliva when girls are around ;o) But let me set it straight "No Fruit Cake! OK"! Impatiently anticipating episode 5 - and counting!!! Happy writing! * Haven't learnt anything Judging by the daily exchanges in the letters' section and the lack of understanding and the flying of accusations... Have we learnt anything from the past 23 years ? NO. Are we ready to put aside some of our differences and work togther towards ridding our country of the mollas? NO. Are we forever going to go on with the tired cliches of Iranian politics? YES. Do we, therefore, deserve what we've got? Sadly YES. * Constitutional monarchy In response to Mr. Aryanpour's letter ["No logical basis"] I would say: In the first instance, Mr. Aryanpour should try and comprehend the distinction between a Head of State and a Government. For his information, in a constitutional monarchy, the monarch (head of state) does not exercise political power and the government is run by the elected representatives of the people (parliament). Secondly, dismissing constitutional monarchy outright, simply on the basis that he appears to hold a grudge against a particular name (Pahlavi), is ILLOGICAL. If Mr. Aryanpour could be honest with himself and could set aside his prejudices for a moment, I would suggest that he compares the monarchys of Spain, Britain, Holland, Belgium, Norway and Sweden with the republics of Iraq, Syria, Cuba, Iran and many others around the world, and then judge for himself whether the problem of abuse of power lies with the form of government or the way the government is run? There is nothing wrong with a truly democratic republic, but I am of the firm opinion that for Iran, constitutional monarchy with a democratic government would be a better choice, simply because it would consolidate Iran's ethnic diversity and would also better safeguard her sovereignty. * Khodaa shomaa raa bebakhshaayad Aghaye mohtaram, shomaa ham ke esme iraniaan raa bar khod gozaashetei, haalaa az Khatami ke tamaame iraniaane iraan haazerand jaane khod raa baraayash fadaa konad be onvaane yek aadame past va ... sohbat mikoni??? Be jaaye in ke dar safheye Khorsandi ooraa az in mozakhraf gooi baaz daari, bishtar hemayaat mikoni?? khodaa shomaa raa bebakhshaayad. * Take it easyyyyyyy Mr. Vahidi, Your offensive article ["Last refuge"], made me think: Is it better to be someone with 100 problems and one dream, or to have 100 dreams and one problem? Please take it easyyyyyyy with philosophy and all thinking particles. * Sabotaged? Tehrannet site listed on your web guide section is sabotaged. Click on the url and you will find it is linked to a x-rated site. Thanks.
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