Letters

Write for The Iranian Editorial policy

Monday
May 7, 2001

* X

Dear friends,

I am writing to you to acknowledge a mistake I had previously made by recommending Iranian.com as a family type source of information regarding Iran and related topics. Unfortunately, recently I have come across certain articles in Iranina.com ["Bahram"] that are not suitable for young adults. Since I have always enjoyed your trust, I would like to ask you for your forgiveness, and I have an obligation to inform you that not only I no longer recommend this site, I would warn everyone on the contents of its articles. In my opinion this site is not a family oriented site and I would rate it as "Restricted" if not "X". Once again please accept my apology.

Regards,

Behrooz Parsa

* Unity in diversity

In Bozorgmehr's article "No solidarity", the author reaches the following conclusion regarding the Bahais: "The loss of ethnicity among Iranian Bahais is understandable in light of their religious doctrine of integration and assimilation."

Although the Bahai teachings promote global community and fellowship, they by no means dictate the loss of Persian ethnic identity or the promotion of uniformity; in fact their "religious doctrine" teaches the principle of "unity in diversity".

-- Baha'u'llah's words addressing all humanity, illustrate this principle: "Ye are all the fruits of one tree and the flowers of one garden.."

-- "Let your vision be world-embracing, rather than confined to your own self "

Faryar Mansuri

* Pure fiction

The figure quoted by Maziar about 10% of the population being gay has been discounted for years now. Research conducted by the University of Chicago's National Opinion Research Center (NORC) several years ago put the percentage of gays in the US population at around 2%, and this has more or less been the widely accepted figure.

Common sense alone would tell you that it is IMPOSSIBLE that there are 28 million gays (10% of the US population) in this country. That is nearly equal to the population of California; also consider the fact that there are a total of 35 million Blacks in the United States. Does anyone believe there are almost as many gays as Blacks in this country?

The figure of 10% is now only used by gay rights activists to advance their cause, even though that number is pure fiction.

Nariman Neyshapouri

* Don't want your Green Card

BOY OH BOY! I feel sorry for Kobra Khanom's husband. That is if she has managed to find and keep one. It seems that Kobra Khanom is not in a good position to offer Mel from Denver any advice, as she suffers from very low self-esteem.

First, there are 60 million people in Iran. half of them are female. Among them there are very few that would be willing to "whore" themselves off for a green card or a few dollars from a married man. I pray to god that people, particularly iranian women, stop resorting to these over simplified stereotypes. It is very insulting and a very woman-unfriendly mindset. Simply backwards thinking.

Iranian women who marry Iranian men from other countries, are often the ones who are duped. Often when an Iranian girl marries a Iranian man from another country she does it with the intention to make a life with that man not to steal his Green Card or his dollars.

Unfortunately these unions sometimes (often times) don't work, because of differences in culture and experience and expectations. It is the same as any marriage, but these marriages have a few more factors going against them. no one should be blamed!

Second, Kobra Khanom when people want to cheat they do it. Be it on a trip to iran, a weekend away with the boys or girls, a lunch date with old friends, after work, or whenever. You can't keep an eye on your man like that. He'd likely suffocate from claustrophobia.

You sound very insecure to me and just like the kind of person that would spend all her energy in manipulating her man and wrapping herself around his life for fear that he may cheat on you. This is not a life, it is pure torture for both parties involved. the kind of torture that would make your man want to run to the nearest arms available or the nearest bed. What about trust, love, space, freedom to develop as an individual?

I am sure that Mel is smarter than to be duped by a "gold digger" or a "green digger." If he isn't he would be duped in and out of Iran just the same. You have given Mel and his wife poor advice that only perpetuates negative and untruthful stereotypes about Iranian women and erodes trust.

As an Iranian woman I want you to know that I am completely and utterly offended by your prejudiced opinions. I think you owe us all an apology. Mel should visit Iran to connect to an important part of himself. He should visit Iran with his wife, so he can share the beauty of his heritage and his culture with her. After that trip or several more they can then decide together what it is they want to do.

PERTURBED IN IRAN

Sahar Shirazi

* Funny, not rude

This dude (Siamak Baniameri) is sooo funny ["Cover your donkey"]. I love his sense of humor. It is so refresshing to raed his clean "tanz". He proves that It is possible to be funny, and make fun of other people's point of view without being rude or offensive.

Reza Reza

* Vote

Finally Mr. Khatami announced his nomination for June's presidential election. Along with him there are hundreds of other candidates from conservative, independent and the liberal parties. I encourage all of you to please take this matter seriously and VOTE ["Uncivil society"]. If we want to have the right to make a change or to have a voice we have to go to the polls and let everyone know that we care. It doesn't matter what party you believe in. This is your country and these are your people, inside and outside of Iran. So please vote, let your voice be heard.

Shady Javan

* Great

I always enjoy the photo features in Iranian.com such as the recent "Neighbohrs" by Zara Houshmand or various works by Nader Davoodi, etc. They all have been great, and keep up the fantastic work. I think Iranians abroad have a particular thirst to see pictures of everyday life in Iran or just her sceneries. I know I do. Let's have more of them. They can be very up-lifting.

Sina

* Mourning ==> Ahriman

Dear Najmeh,

Sad isn't it, all this mourning business? ["Siavash to Hossein"] But a reminder: in Zoroastrian Persia of my forefathers, there was no room for mourning. If you are familiar with our texts, you will see the constant theme, "that mourning, sadness, death, belongs to AHRIMAN", and five times a day in our prayers we shun it away by "cursing it " ("zad shekast e bad ").

To this day we have no rites, public or private to mourn anything. Tell that to your readers please. You will be doing them a big service. The Iranian nation gave up such wonderful ideas of celebrating joy and numerous festivities, as all joy and good belongs to Ahura Mazda, and replaced them with this sorry state of affairs you see and abhor today.

Feroz Dinshah

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