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October 11-12, 2001 * Harassed in New York? For our documentary "Iranians In America" we are immediately looking for anyone in New York who since September 11 has been truly harassed or stereotyped because they are Iranian. In the film, we are covering how Iranians have been treated since the hostage crisis up until the most recent political crisis. We would like to interview you as soon as possible and get your story. Please email tanaze@earthlink.net with a the basic jist of your story as soon as possible. * Just not right I was shocked when I saw these pictures ["Ironian men"]. On one hand I was happy to see that there is still some kind of sports activities are going on in Iran but on the other hand I was very disappointed: What a male oriented/chauvinist society. On the streets women get beaten up if their ankle is showing, and in another part of the city men show off their muscles and almost their entire naked body. Interesting male bonding. I apologize if I offended anyone. It's just not right. While there is so much oppression, life goes on in Iran like everything is okay. * Don't be surprised Once again the Iranian leader Seyed Ali Khamenei, in a meeting with his cohorts, condemned the U.S. and as usual called it our greatest foe and urged us to close the doors on this enemy lest it gets in. The leader like all other occasions continued to make quite meaningless speeches. But it seems that he is unaware of the current crucial moment. Such terrible speeches will surely place Iran on the list of American's future targets after the war against the Taliban. If such a war breaks out in Iran it will be a fight to the finish and will kill millions of Iranians. But does this man really care about such a catastrophe? His records shows that the answer is "NO". Actually this was his second attack on the U.S. and the interesting thing about it is this time he joined the Iraqi dictator Saddam Hossein in condemning America. No doubt that he has not forgotten what Saddam did to us and how Iran's wrong policy forced America to keep Saddam in his place while he could have been toppled in a flash. Saddam is now a brother and is walking shoulder to shoulder with our leader. With these speeches Khamenei is in reality supporting Taliban's policies and terrorism. It is not a secret to anyone that the Taliban are a dangerous regime in our region and they consider us as "infidels". In Khamenei's view, Saddam and Mullah Omar are friends but America is a foe. So in the near future if you see Mullah Omer and Osama bin Laden -- if they manage to escape this war -- sitting next to Khamenei and smoking opium and blaming America, DON'T BE SURPRISED! * We are all guilty Thank you Omid Parsi for a righteous letter you wrote to iranian.com ["What we do best"] in response to the people that have attacked you. Iranian people (we) are all guilty (some more than others) for bringing this misery (second Arab invasion) to our land. Those who followed a barbaric shameless molla (Khomeini), and set ablaze public institutions, throwed cocktail molotovs on innocent soldiers and acid on women's faces, and subsequently participated in the bloodbath following their victory, and those who sat down quietly, watching the events gone by (as if it's a TV show) with out saying a word or raising an eye brow or voicing their opinion, and caring about their miserable so called middle class existence. SHAME ON ALL OF US, WE ARE ALL GUILTY. * Grounded and thoughtful Mr. Siamak Kiarostami, Re: your GREAT poem ["Life on the fence"] Bravo! Your creative vision if sharp, witty, and profound, yet also careful, simple, and accessible. Examples: ...I've lived the hamburger-kabob dichotomy Nowadays, much "manufactured" soft, vooshi gooshi sentimentality passes for good poetry, because people are starved for anything that resembles caring in our technological age. It is great that your poetic discourse seems not contaminated with the virus of sentimentality vs genuine emotionality, which is grounded and thoughtful by definition, as your wonderful poem shows. Thanks so much. Keep up your deep visioning. Peace, * Minimum of sense of humor Regarding cartoon on Reza Pahlavi, by Mr. Saman. I just wanted to say to our fellow monarchist and non-monarchists that they should have a minimum of sense of humor. I am a monarchist, that is I favor a constitutional monarchy with Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi as monarch. I do understand the vehement reactions of some monarchists ["Kheili ani"], and it is good that people have reacted at this tribune. Nevertheless, I believe one has to keep threats aside. Some of Samans cartoons have made me laugh actually. He is a talented cartoonist. In this confused period in the history of the world, and particularily of the Middle East, it is important to feel free to express one's opinions even if one doesn't always agree with the editors of this tribune. I am ready to confront them with arguments rather than threats, and I think staunch republicans and or staunch monarchists can and should keep the level of argument respectful. Similar attacks and threats were used by so-called republicans towards monarchists. All readers who have the oppurtunity to express themselves for or against the monarchy or the Islamic Republic should do so if they wish. I sometimes come to wonder whether Khatami would not be a good prime minister in a future democratic constitutional monarchy with Reza Pahlavi as King. Surprised? so am I, but why not? In France the president is rightwing while the prime minister is leftwing. Many other democracies function or have functioned in a similar way. We Iranians have to accept the contradictions of our complex history. There are still extremly tough and dangerous people within the circles of the current regime; we should not forget that. Whoever is in power in Iran tomorrow will face two major problems: first to satisfy a highly dissappointed population that is not only striving for more freedom but for a better life. Expectations will be high, and knowing the caracter of us Iranians, critisisms will also surface very quickly. The second challenge would be to consolidate and or improve the democratic institutions in the country so as to guarantee a functional democratic society. Their is no democracy without an opposition. The rest depends on every Iranian who beleives in democracy. I have never met the crown prince but this is at least how I have understood Reza Pahlavi's campaign which he calls the "Third Force of Unity". I believe he is sincere and I wish him luck. As for Saman, do as you please. Regards, * Served you right I agree with the guy who told you "Kheili ani" because you don't give us any clue on why you hold a grudge against the Pahlavis. Maybe it is just a cancer tumor in our society that makes us hate everything we don't know anything about. Just look at the silly way they ask for the death of the "Great Satan" in Friday Prayers. I have listened to more than 20 interviews by this so-called Nim Pahlavi that you like to redicule, and what I have heard was exactly what a logical mind would expect: Asking for unity and stading against tyranny. He could spend the rest of his life basking in the sun on his yacht. But he doesn't. For the love of god just study and find the facts before reacting. It is so hard to be wise but it's very easy to make fun of people. Maybe the over-reactions you recieved in those four-letter words served you right. Saman's reply below * It's called democracy In reply to above letter: I greatly appreciate your comment and thank you for writing. As a journalist/cartoonist it's only fair to pick on anyone that stands in the spot light, including Mr. Pahlavi. I don't think my cartoons have any great effect on anyone's political point of view! The same so-called "logical" speeches that you mentioned have been given by Ayatollah Khomaini, Mojahedin and so on. I pick on every one... that's my job. I've had equal number of positive and negative feedback about this cartoon ["Reza Pahlavi's dream"]. Who's to say who's right and who's wrong? I only expressed my own opinion and some people have a problem with it! If people are looking for a One Way media ... I suggest subscribing to Iranian newspapers printed in Iran. Again, thank you for your comment and don't forget, "Everyone is entitled to his/her own opinion" and that's called democracy. * Level of intellect By lining up emails loaded with "foh-sh o fezaahat" ["Kheili ani"] in response to a drawing ["Reza Pahlavi's dream"], the so-called Reza-Pahlavists display their: 1. Amusing true character and "sha'boon bi-mokh" level of intellect 2. Capacity and eloquence in responding to criticism 3. Level of tolerance for opponents; i.e. a free press 4. Probable methods of dealing with opponents should they hold power, in the finest Pahlavi-Savaki traditions of torture, murder and repression. Oh yes, we have heard it.... he is advocating freedom of choice for all. And you are his soldiers. If this is your mouth when your critics are protected by a constitution and the FBI (i.e in the US), what would you do if YOU held power and faced harsher criticisms by those not protected by anything (i.e. in Iran)? * King of Afghanistan In response to Maral Beheshti's letter, "Lacking foresight", I have to say that no matter what happens in Iran, Reza Pahlavi will not have a place in it. I would recommend that everyone read his recent interviews and think for a moment on what he is advocating. In a way he is begging from the US to bomb Tehran. I don't think any decent human\ being, no matter how much he or she hates the regime in Iran, would be happy to see this to happen. I would make a recommendation to him. Since the United States is looking for a king to install in Afghanistan, and since Reza is looking for a country to rule, what better country than Afghanistan? Regards, * Look up meaning You are very childish and apparently paranoid ["Kheili ani"]. I would suggest you stop calling people names without even knowing them. Saman is a nice and an intelligent guy who doesn't deserve to be put down like this. Oh by the way, you might want to look up the meaning of "satire" in the dictionary too. * Germans, Russians... fooled too Dear H.Hakimi, Iranians are not unique in being fooled by Khomeini ["If he could be fooled..."]. In recent memory, Germans were fooled by Hitler, Russians were fooled by Stalin, Italians were fooled by Mussolini, Chinese were fooled by Mao and so on and so forth. I assume there were many more intellectuals among them similar to Sanjabi, and all had the same fate as Sanjabi and his comrades. It is not dishonest to talk about the deceased; it is dishonest to try to portray one's entire life and belief in a two lines audio related to the very early stages of a great historical event. Regards, * Neshat: Haunting i have been haunted by one of shirin neshat's images. that i had torn from a magazine several years ago and subsequently lost / i was thrilled to see her work on the cover of the september issue of ARTnews while roaming through a book store at union station in washington dc in search of reading for my trip to new york city. the irony of this rediscovery coming full circle considering the events on the eleventh. Sincerely, * Le Carre, not Greene Regarding your movie review: "The Tailor of Panama" Actually, it was "loosely based", not on Graham Greene's excellent "Our man in Havana" (already made into a lukewarm movie ages ago) but, oddly enough, on the mediocre novel "The Tailor in Panama" by John Le Carre. The latter may have been in turn aiming to reproduce the humour, wit and suspense of Greene's novel but it failed miserably. Skip both movies, and get Greene's book! * Horribly boring Regarding your movie review: "The Tailor of Panama" Are you kidding? My husband and I went to the cinema to watch this horribly boring and unexciting movie (well, we didn't know this was the case). "The Tailor of Panama" is an absolute waste of time but, well, everyone is entitled to his/her opinion. Recently I watched "The gift" on video and it's not over done and reasonably OK. On the other hand "Don't say a word" is not intelligently made / I expected better! That's for today! * Two bin ladens Thanks for posting that revealing picture of the world's #1 terrorist. I posted the link onto our Great Lakes Surf forum. If anyone knows kooks, we Great Lakes surfers know kooks. If he ever shows up in our lineup there will be two bin Ladens.He better bring duc tape.And we are the world's friendliest surfers. No telling what would happen to him in the ocean. * Ajnabeeparast Support Iranian Dot Com? Now why the fuck would I want to support an AJNABEE'PARAST syndicate? Go ask your ARBAABS. Issa Hajizadeh
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