Letters * Support iranian.com * FAQ * Write for Iranian.com * Editorial policy August 22, 2002 PART II See Part I See Part III This month's letters by subject * Reminded me of Margaret Atwood I want to thank you for once again for sharing with us another talented short story writer, this time Azin Arefi [Coming back]. Her style reminded me of Margaret Atwood without mimicking it. I hope to read more from her in the future. Niki Tehranchi To top * Sing Yare Dabestani, sing Late Friday afternoon, I'm trying to tie things up to get out of the office and go home. I'm sure the wife has plenty of things for me to do before the weekend even gets started. As Houshang Tozi said in one of his plays, Booye Khoshe Eshgh (the sweet smell of love), "here in America wives help the husbands around the house". If my dad only knew! Anyway, I thought I check my emails one last time and then go. I had a message from naghmeh.com. I clicked on it and went to the site. I had visited it many times before and was amazed how well they had put this site together. This time there was couple of new songs there. One was called "Yare Dabestani" (school friend) and the other "Iran". I listened to the first one. It is a wonderful mixture of pictures, graphics and poetry with the song. Before I knew it I was melted into this video. I went back twenty-four years to high school in Tehran. I was seventeen and crazy with the ideas of a so-called revolution. Fists up in the air shouting words of disagreement and hate even. Shoot, what did I know? It also reminded me of so many friends and classmates who died believing the same thing I did. I, too held bloody shirts up in the air and made bandanas with them. I too sat at the front gate of the Tehran University until the guards came and took me away. I too was looking ahead for a better country and a better soil to grow my roots stronger. If I only knew. So, sing Yare Dabestani, sing. I once wanted to hang the lantern of my life on the dead pine tree. Instead I left and came to America. My lantern burns and maybe, just maybe, some one will warm from it's glow or another student will read by it's light. Hamid Bakhsheshi To top * Farsi in Florida Anyone interested in teaching reading and writing Farsi to an adult who speaks bad Farsi (some conversation would be greatly appreciated also) is desperately wanted in the Gainesville/Ocala area of Florida. This could possibly lead to language classes for a small group of Iranian children in the area. Maligaya To top * Why not carry a real Iranian flag The two youg Iranian, Yazdan Aghaghiri and Arash Sofla who have done a great job by climbing the Mt. Denali [A hug and a thought]. But I don't understand why they did not carry a real Iranian flag and not the one with the Islamic regime's logo on it??!! Shahin Bamdad To top * Valuable quotes On the 96th anniversary of the 1906 Constirutional Revolution of our forefathers, I thank you for sharing some of the poignant yet valuable and thought-provoking "quotes" from your forgotten file [100 years gone in a minute]. It requires courage and integrity to re-visit one's past, objectively, and expose the errors commited. Alas, the costs of some "errors" of the past are far too high, by any standard. As I read the so valid and meaningful "quotes" from the late Mohammad Reza Shah, I could not help but ponder what if the revolt of 1979 had been avoided? What if Iranians had, then, listened to the late Shah's "sedaaye enghelaabe shoma ra shenidam", and given political reform a chance? I hope (and believe) that the young Iranians of today are ready, willing and able to correct the disasterous mistake of their parents, and prove (to the world) that Iran and Iranians will never submit and yield to religious governance of any kind. Long live Iran. Long live secular democracy. Best regards, Maral Beheshti To top * Iran lifts veil in schools? Something very serious is happening in our country. We all remember the days that our government used hijab as a tool to scare people. Particularly, during the war with Iraq, we saw those bikers (chomaagh-daaraan) on the streets to march against those without hijabs ("bee-hijab" -- that's what they would call poor women who had a little bit of their hair showing). They would beat our women in order to enforce Islamic laws. Anytime we were loosing the battle to Iraq or when economy was in a bad shape, this event would take place to take the people's mind off the subject. I am just wondering what is happening now????????? This is very exciting. FR To top * The concept of "shame" is alien to clerics Though I know that the piece [The Irooni way] was written in jest, but in reality no amount of "aberoo rizi" is going to move the clerics in Iran one bit. They have no shame or "aberoo" to begin with. Otherwise, 23 years after blasting the Shah for the existence of Shahre-No and prostitution in Iran, the clerics would not be proposing a "afaaf-khaaneh"s ( prostitution houses), controlled and run by the government, i.e. the clerics. If they had any shame, after scores of executions by the most cruel means, documented by human rights group inside and outside Iran, they would not proudly and falsely claim that the 4th Caliph of Islam, Ali, had killed 5000 people in one day. If they had any shame or aberoo, when expose after expose of their embezzlements of public funds from various religious and non-religious foundations were revealed, they would have curbed their greed a bit. If they had any shame or "aberoo," they would have sought a different profession rather than being a clergy and making a living off the religion from the people's "beitolmaal." The concepts of "shame" and "aberoo'' are as alien to clerics as are the concepts of "dignity," "honor," "respect for human life," and "basic human decency." Arash Kamangir To top * Respect ... and responsibilities In regards to Article 41 of the Iranian constitution: What I am interested in is Respect ... and responsibilities ... for self, for family, for community, for state, for religion, for EVERYONE ... ultimately. I work in primary-school education, as a 'learning mentor' for children experiencing "barriers to learning" - which means I try to help people. I work in an inner-city, deprived area of Leeds, the 'capital' of Northern England / Yorkshire. Pressure to improve results is high, policies are numerous, citizenship is now a subject on the curriculum; yet our local education standards are low ... crime and social exclusion are high ... many of the children are 'high' too... Now it gets interesting: the community in which I work houses a large population of Pakistani and Bengali Muslims ... along with numerous immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers and poor white people. My father is an Iranian, I was born in England in 1970 and am thus an Iranian citizen, I understand in the eyes of the constitution. I am endlessly fascinated about the need for effective education in every human community, form micro- to macro-, the world over. I am endlessly intrigued by the lure of hidden potential [for good, ignorance or wrong] in every mind. I adore discourse, debate, idealism and cynicism. I would like to visit, to work in (and for) Iran at some stage. Respectfully, Josef Taheri BA Hons. Management & Psychology To top * Must have been fun My warmest congratulations to both Mr. Yazdan Aghaghiri (spl.) and Mr. Arash Sofla for conquering the mighty Mount Denali [A hug and a thought]. It must have been fun. Movafagh Baasheed. ISSA HAJJIZADEH Las Vegas To top * Need for clarity Arash writes in his article "Constant or consistent?" that Malcolm X discovered "true" Islam in prison, but went "further" because he had "gotten" attracted by socialist ideas. [gotten: it's so ugly] The statement illustrates the need for clarity in written expression. It also shows that when people express themselves badly, it is because they barely know what they wish to say. What is this "true" Islam Malcolm X discovered? Surely there is only Islam rather than true and false Islam? If there is a "false" Islam, then it is not Islam. How does Mr. Kamangir know which is true and which false; anyone who believes will surely agree that only God knows who is a "true" Moslem, a submitter to His will? If Malcom X discovered Islam, "the truth", how could he have gone "further" and become a socialist? Socialism is not more true, better or "further" than Islam, if you are a Moslem. If it were, it would not have come and gone within a century or so. No Moslem sees the need for socialism because he or she is already a manifestation of "socialist" virtues. Only a false Moslem, surely, would even take an interest in socialism. Imagine having the prettiest wife in the world and then lusting after a toothless old hag? Is hardly makes sense. Such confusion, if I may digress, is akin to the frequent use of that term I hate, "the former Soviet Union". We see sentences such as "the former Soviet Union pursued an aggressive foreign policy..". This is nonsense. There was never a state called the former Soviet Union: the Soviet Union, however, did various things, then disappeared [thankfully]. We can only use the term in a sentence such as "the states of the former Soviet Union", referring to a number of existing states and former members of that evil empire. All said, I generally agree the article. Alidad Vassigh To top * Mohamed Ali Kadem Abu Al Hassan My name is Ramadhan and I am searching for my father. He use to work in Doha and for about nearly 6 years he left to Iran. He has one son called Ramadhan and a daughter called Bari. He is nearly in his 60s not sure. I will try to post his picture in near future. His full name is Mohamed Ali Kadem and i think his family's name Abu Al Hassan. Please any one knows something email me and it is very very urgent. Thank you very much for your cooperation and waiting to receive a good news which will help me in my life. Ramadhan To top * It is NOT the fault of the Prophet I liked your article; It was quite fair considering that you consider ALL religions to be "hocus pocus" [Heechee kam nadaaran]. I will grant you that there is a lot of hocus pocus present in most if not ALL religions, but that is the fault of those who would wish to "improve" or put their own limited understanding on a Revelation, be it Mohammad's, Jesus', Buddha's, Baha'u'llah's or what have you. It is NOT the fault of the Prophet, no matter which one you choose to follow (or choose not to follow)! I, for one, do not share your view (my understanding of your view) that Religions are worthless. The word itself means simply to re-unite people into a common goal: to treat one another with respect and tolerance. Politics, with all their tendencies to support special interests and to further the politician's own careers, are deserving of all the acrimony that you seem to award Religions. I will also grant you that some religious factions are actively pursuing a political agenda, but in doing so they are corrupting the Religion that they claim to support. This again is politics and should not be regarded as a religious activity. Larry A. To top * I would really like to go back Congratulations to both of you [A hug and a thought]. It was about time, some one puts the Iranian flag up there. Many years ago, in early 90s, we (me and my American climbing buddy) set out to climb Mt. Hunter and Foraker in McKinley national park. Our plan was first to climb the West ridge of Hunter and then jump on the East ridge of Foraker. After a taleful climb on Hunter which is a rather technical climb we changed our plan and climbed Croson instead which is just north of Foraker. This change of plan was partially due to the fact that we were running low on food and time, partially because of as many accidents and deaths that happened during the period we were there and also the level of difficulty of the East Ridge itself. Anyway, from the top of Croson one has a full view of the east ridge of Foraker which looks just awesome and I would really like to go back and finish that one. I have always wished and wanted to climb with Iranian friends, but none of them are remotely into this type of sport/activity and their idea of adventure is more like a game of backgammon :) Congratulations, you made us proud. Mehrdad To top * Building schools That is a great idea indeed, build schools, educate Iranian children so then they can qualify for immigration to Canada, Australia, and America. Since there will be no jobs for them in Iran due to the under investment in Iranian economy. M Dadstean To top * He couldn't have Regarding the Quote of the Day (August 8, 2002): "Their will soon be only Five Kings left: The kings of England, Diamonds, Hearts, Spades, and Clubs." -- King Farouk of Egypt on being deposed Sent by Darius Kadivar It is doubtful that the above quote attributed to King Farouk I of Egypt was ever uttered by him. King Farouk was overthrown in a coup on July 23, 1952 and abdicated on July 26, 1952. Last King of England, George VI had already passed away on Feb. 6, 1952 and immediately Queen Elizabeth II had been sworn as the new head of state and monarch of United Kingdom. Besides at that time, kings of Iran, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Jordan, and most North African countries were still in power. Arash Kamangir To top * Have you forgotten? In his letter to the editor, Mr. Kaveh Ahangar claims: "Finally, I would like to remind you that the Bahais like all other religeous minorities enjoyed full citizen's right during the Pahlavi era." I should ask: has Mr. Ahangar forgotten that soon after the American-sponsored 1953 coup, Shah had pushed the new oil contract imposed on Iran by the consortium of seven international oil companies (Seven Sisters) through Iran's parliament and to buy the support of the Shiite clerics, he had allowed Ayatollah Behbahani's persecution of Baha'is in 1955 and asked both the military governor of Tehran and the Iranian Armed Forces Chief of Staff to join preacher Falsafi and a group of civilian enthusiasts in ransacking Bahai temple and headquarters in Tehran, tearing down its dome? Arash Kamangir To top * But what is Bahai'ism? Let's set aside for the time being the question of Bahai persecution in Iran and focus for a minute on the religion of Bahaism itself. [Heechee kam nadaaran, Medieval ignorance] No one is arguing that Bahais are overtly discriminated against and persecuted in Iran. No one is arguing that Bahais aren't otherwise some of the most down-to-earth and friendly people among Iranians. But what is Bahai'ism? Who is Baha'ullah? Has anyone EVER bothered to question the very basis of this religion? Here is a man (Baha'ullah) who comes along in the 19th century and claims to be the last prophet, the last messenger of God, sort of a Messiah and Imam Zaman combined into a single Superprophet. Then he partitions a group of followers who subsequently go around proselytizing and claiming this new religion is the last in the line of great monotheistic religions. Sounds like a CULT to me. If today someone came along and made the same claims this Baha'ullah made then that person would be dismissed as a schizophrenic. What makes this Baha'ullah character any less of a charlatan than David Koresh or Hari Krishna? Hmmmm?? One could make the same argument against the prophet Mohammad. But the difference is that Islam caught on immediately, became a world force immediately, and today is one of the three great monotheistic religions in the world with the 2nd largest number of adherents. 150 years later Bahai'ism remains a little known religion with barely a few million followers. The principles of Bahai'ism are seemingly peaceful and coherent, but why these people choose to follow and put up pictures of some cult-like figure is inexplicable. NN To top * Armenian Argentinian From what I know David Nalbandian's grand parents are Armenian and migrated to Argentina which makes him a third generation Armenian Argentinian and not Iranian Argentinian. Sheema Kalbasi To top * Ungraceful I think the reaction to the journalist's comment was too severe, unprofessional and ungraceful [Is it true?]. Firstly, the statement was a statement of fact. Many Iranians do eat with their hands. But as the author mentioned so do people from western cultures. So, in reply to an extremely simplistic and perhaps, a question born out of ignorance, the ambassador should not have invoked Iran's 2500 year history, Persepolis and our rich cultural heritage. The ambassado'rs reaction was not worthy of a person in his position. Secondly, with his harsh reply, the ambassador displayed emotion, a lack of grace and diplomacy over a simple issue; suggesting that the journalist's question may have a basis in reality (which it did for some Iranian's, but certainly not most) . If the ambassador believed the statement/question was not true, he should have asked the journalist to qualify the statement and explain why the question was asked in the first place. For example, "I have never been asked that question by a professional journalist before. Quite frankly I am surprised. Sir, do you even know where Iran is located? Or, "as a trained, professional, journalist, how much have your researched my country?"... etc... Or whatever professional diplomats are SUPPOSED TO SAY in that situation. Thirdly, the ambassador's reaction manifests a belief that eating with your hands is a detestable act; whereas (again) he could have asked the journalist to qualify the question or offer an explanation. Obviously many people believe it is OK to eat with your hands. Try eating an oyster without using your hands! Everything the ambassador said was true, but totally overboard in reply to a simple question. He should have calmly referred the journalist to the cultural attache or embassy spokesman for further information about Iran. Finally, the journalist may have been simply bating the ambassador. He probably got the reaction he was suspecting he would get. The reaction however, was typical of the newly emerging political/economic elite (nouveau-riche) of Iran at the time. TS32G To top * Not necessarily a square individual I would like to address one issue about your writing on may 18th "Kopol vs. Topol" article. And that is your profound sentence "So right now I weigh a hundred and fucking ninty eight pounds". A good writer always keeps the audience interested with their clean dialogue, and creative writings. Your sentence hardly qualifies for any of those and your article leaves a lot to be desired. It was an insult to the readers and our culture, but again it is all relative to one's upbringing. I am not necessarily a square individual, but there is a time and place for everything. I am sure there are plenty of young Iranians who go to this web page and read these articles. Wouldn't you think it would be your duty as a writer and a well educated Iranian to set an example for these young Iranians, not to mention the rest of the world? Mr. Javid in the same article you wrote, "He won't do it to stop feeling embarrassed in public". Being over weight is not necessary an embarrassment, but poor writing and lack of manners is certainly a big embarrassment. In closing, I like to recite the words of Zoroaster to whom we (Iranians) owe a lot. GHOFTAR A NICK, RAFTAR A NICK, PENDAR A NICK. Sincerely, Ghaffar A. Namjou PS: A simple feed back from you would be apreciated. To top * An internet cafe in Singapore Thank you so much for being a part of my life, Iranian.com! Even in an internet cafe in Singapore, my enjoyment of your paper remaines undimished. Despite the rants of anti-American American college professors, Iranian-applogists, Shah lovers and unfunny writers trying to be humorous, I have always been entertained and enlightend by the contrary opinions expressed in this forum. I've been meaning to write this message for a long time now, and again, thank you all all of the Iranian contributers. Darian Fernando (aka Soroush Kaboli) PS- "My Lord Jesus Christ" indeed! What's with that Mr. Javid? [Kopol vs. Topol] I thought you were agnostic! REPLY: Soroush jaan. Thank you for your lovely note. All the way from Singapore! Wow... you don't know what joy this brings me. Thank you. By the way, the Jesus thing was a joke. Eenjaa shookhee meekonee, jed-dee meegeeran -- jed-dee meegee, shookhee meegeeran... -- Jahanshah Javid To top * Hamid Shabkhiz Hi dear friends, I'm looking for Hamid Shabkhiz'adress and phone number to ask some question about his next program in Dubai, I would be your faithful if you help me. Best regards. Ali Moradi To top * Thank you Thank you for writing such a moving article about plight of the Bahais of Iran. [Heechee kam nadaaran] Kamyar To top * Penetrate major government and industry positions Hello Sir: You say that the Bahais are not the bastard children of British colonialism [Medieval ignorance]. You also say that the Iranian Bahais can hardly be assumed a fifth column. So how can you explain the fact that in last 15 years of the rule of the Pahlavi dynasty there were so many prominent positions in government and industry occupied by the Bahais? To give you an example the late Prime Minister Hoveyda or the head of Iran Air General Khademi were Bahais? For your information there were also many Persian Jews who converted to Bahaism. Could it be that Bahaism could provide them with a convenient cover to penetrate and ultimately occupy major government and industry positions? I mean the Jews all over the world are so apt to cover their true identity and allegiances. For instance they are known as name-changers. In this world where every aspect of life at the international, national, municipal and even office level is governed by dirty politics and silent conspiracies your article although informative is absolutely irrelevant. Then all it boils down to in today's world is control over resources and power. Human rights issues at the international level are just a political tool used to exert pressure and are the equivalent of "white man's burden". I would still contend that the average Iranian in Iran is far more humane that the average North-American or European who are so full of themseleves. They wear nice suits and nice eau-de-colognes but are mostly a bunch of hypocrites who deep down smell of shit. Colonialism and imperialism are alive and well. They are just more difficult to discern. In today's world thieves don't bother to climb up other people's walls. They have devised more modern and subtle ways of robbery. Unfortunately the Iranian Bahais even outside Iran have amply demonstrated that they do not really feel as part of the larger Iranian community and stick to their cliques and have a secretive nature with their mahfels. And also be assured that there are many Iranians who know exactly how this cult came into being and was cultivated. Sure the message is very appealing and nice but is it authentic? Why do the Bahais stake a claim to Iran and not the other parts of the world given their view of one world? Why do they overly exaggerate and solely concentrate on their own situation in Iran? You can find an example of this exaggeration at the following website: //www.endgenocide.org/genocide/bahai.html //www.endgenocide.org/genocide/20thcen.htm Here their plight in Iran is being equated to the Holocaust of the Jews and the Armenian Genocide, etc. Does it compare? Have a nice day. Behzad Yamini To top * Who do they think they are? I think you are right. We don't know much about Islam. But I can tell you one thing: Muslims all over the world are giving a bad impression of Islam. First I want to begin with discrimination against Bahais in Iran and the brutal killing of their members and the fact that they don't exist in the eyes of Muslims. Second the killing in other places in the name of God just because they say they have to finish evil in this case they see USA as the principal infidels like they call us , the faces of joy we saw on TV the day of September 11 -- I never forget the lady cheer of happiness for the lost what religion teaches you to hate, kill, discriminate, and disrespect human rights? I can tell you my friend, many bad things I see in Muslims. Who do they think they are? They think they are superior to all of us, that they can cover themselves and their stupidity in the name of God. Bull!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Call me ingnorant but my belief will not change about Islam. I am sad to see the world be terrified by Islam. With all my respect, MM To top * Khaaterehangiz Salam va dourood bar shoma, khanom Nemati va aryan ke yadi az taraaneh haaye ziebaa va khaatereh angizeh az ROOHPARVAR be inn seite The Iranian hediyeh kardied. vaaghan ke lotf kardid. man benobeh khodam az shomaa tashakor minemaayam. baa aarezouye salaamatie va shaadkaami baraaye shomaa. Iraj To top * Farahe aalam I'm a 20 years old iranian girl in san jose, california... i'm not bahai but i have many friends that are bahai. et me tell you this way my best and honset friends are bahai. i was reading some of reader's comments, i was shocked when someone wrote they try to brain wash people.... my friendhood with my best friend (she is bahai) is more than 9 years in iran and also here.... i've never had that experience that they are tring to brainwash me or other people, but they introduce their faith to everyone... and NOTICE THIS, if you call it brainwash, what a HOLY and MAGNIFICENT brainwash is this ,that bring LOVE, UNITY , EQUALITY, TRUTH , BELIEVING AND OBEYING GOD, AND TRUE JOY OF LIFE... in these whole years of friendship not only i didn't become a bahai but i've become someone that knows what is the purpose of life and how special ones own belief and GOD are in people's life. they have norouz just like us... i asked my friend about loving iran just because of bahaullah and well she said that it's one of bahais written messages that iran would be "farahe aalam" and they should try in this way to make it this way... i wanna tell that guy/girl you are just like me i'm muslim ..and i have communications with a bahai and you too (as you said) and see what i've learned and how you are talking!!!!!!!!!!!! at the end i wanna say this that if we respect other's ideas and beliefs in the shadow of LOVE we can learn precious things in our lives... i wish someday we all can make a wonderful IRAAAN that we all would be proud of it... no matter muslim ,bahai, jew, or christian ,or zorostorian... good luck Shabnam To top * Bahai Faith is a credit to Iran Dear Mr. Latif & Iranian.com, [Medieval ignorance] The following was a great article by Mr. Latif. It is good to see open minded fellow Iranians noticing what the rest of the world has become increasingly aware of and to appreciate the principles hidden inside that movement. Indeed, the Bahai Faith, far from being anybody's puppet, is a credit to Iran and Iranians and a gift to the world from our beloved country. I don't mean to lecture you, however. I just wanted to drop you this note to let you know how much I personally, and so many of my friends, Bahais and non-Bahais, Iranians and Americans alike, appreciated this article and its refreshing candor and accuracy. It is a credit to Mr. Latif, in particular, and to Iranian.com, in general, for keeping an open mind and publishing what is unfortunately not a very popular point of view to many of our fellow Iranians . Thank you! Farjam M To top * Watch your mouth This is in regards to yours latest "lost weight" article [Kopol vs. Topol]. Well, you did not fail to mention your thanks to your Lord Savior Jesus Christ. Now, if you are a Christian, maybe you should have brought it up sooner in an article that addresses your conversion. But no, you mention it as if it ain't a thing or to incite your readers and get responses. Now, I really don't care what religion you prescribe to but what I hope you understand is that unfortunately, the entire , Yes Entire, Iranian nation and government suffers from paranoia. The government and conservatives think the US is conspiring to overthrow them (as if US officials have nothing better else to do but think of Iran) and the opposition (includes royalists, MKO, othe fringe groups) think that the Iranian government must be supported by the British. So here you are, saying somethin' like Lord Jesus Christ, and all the conservatives are like "told you so, he couldn't have been a Muslim.... Remember his article on accepting Bahais [Heechee kam nadaaran], well, he couldn't have been a Muslim..." or "I told you kid, the guy isn't part of the majority (95% Iranians are Muslim)..." and he is "spreading lie, inciting the public, insulting the sanctities..." and all the other nonsense. Watch your mouth, your readers belong to a nation that believes in nothing but conspiracies! Don't lose your credibility! KM REPLY: Jesus Christ! It was a joke. -- Jahanshah Javid To top * Direct threat to their control of the masses Dear Mr. Latif, Thank you for your benevolent piece regarding the Bahais in Iran [Medieval ignorance]. I would like to point out however certain facts that I trust shall be illuminating. The Bahais are by far the largest religious minority in Iran. Moreover, the Bahai Faith is currently the second fastest growing religion in the world, with communities in every locality. The Bahais of Iran are descendants of Jews, Zoroastrians, Christians and mostly Moslems. In fact the Bahai faith was founded by Mirza Hossein Ali Nouri, born and raised in one of Iran's noble Moslem families, who in 1853 proclaimed himself as Bahaullah and with his writings in over one hundred volumes of books including "AQDAS" and "IQAN" has provided humanity the road map to unity as well as social and economic justice. You may find these writings by visiting bahai.org or bahai.com or by visiting a Bahai center in any city in the world. For better understanding on the Babi movement and the Bahai Faith, I recommend you read the books "The Dawn Breakers" or "Bahaullah The King of Glory". As to why Iran's Moslem Clergy so vehemently yet unsuccessfully has tried to extinguish the Bahai Faith since its advent, the answer is very clear. The Bahais believe that there is only one God. God gave humanity the soul and intelligence to recognize Him, and from time to time dispatched messengers in order to give humanity path to progression. These messengers in their order of appearance were: Krishna 3000 B.C., who proclaimed the existence of human spirit, Abraham 1800 B.C., taught the obedience to God, Moses 1400 B.C., introduced God's law and order, Zoraster 660 B.C., taught purity, Jesus Christ 1 A.D., taught love, Mohammad 622 A.D., taught submission to the will of God, Seyed Bab 1844, who fulfilled the holy prophecies regarding the Qaem or the 12th Imam of Islam by so eloquently solving the complex Sureh Yoossef in the Holy Quran which according to the Holy prophecies of Islam can only be solved by the Qaem. Seyed Bab further proclaimed the herald of the new world order and declared himself to be the Bab or Gate to God's greatest manifestation, Bahaullah who has proclaimed the oneness of mankind. The Iranian Moslem clergy has deemed the manifestation of the Bab and Bahaullah as a direct threat to their control of the masses, since The Bab and Bahaullah have abolished the institution of clergy. In fact the Bahai Faith urges "Independent Investigation Of The Truth" and further encourages humanity to connect with God and study the words of God without the interference of a the clergy as the middleman. That is why The Bab and Twenty Thousand of his followers were martyred by the decree of Iran's Moslem clergy and Bahaullah was imprisoned and exiled and many of his followers have been martyred or are suffering at the hand of the Moslem clergy in Iran. Doctor Rohani To top * No man is better than another This article, so elegantly written and cogently presented, should rightly bring both pride and shame to the hearts of all true Persians; pride, because it reminds us of the nobility and humanitarian ideals that have characterized Persian political, literary, and religious thoughts throughout her history, all the way from Cyprus' establishment of multiculturalism in his vast empire, Zardosht's moral teaching, Shia sect's advancement of justice for the oppressed, and finally, the birth of the Bahai faith, that truly revolutionary religion that encapsulates all of Persia's earlier noble ideals into a set of religious doctrines that aims at promoting oneness of mankind, equality of sexes, and peace true justice. Mr. Latif's article, "Medieval ignorance", should also bring sorrow to the hearts of so many of us Persians for having remained ignorant of the continuity, evolution, and advancement in Persian culture that the Bahai faith truly represents. Bab, the founder of Babism, was born in Shiraz over a century ago, a son of Persia, a great human who at an age of cultural and political decadence of his time so valiantly carried the same torch that great Persian thinkers before him carried. His descendants and followers, have up to the present faced and endured unbelievable isolation, recrimination, injustice, and abuse, yet they have given the world a gift, a gem of a religion that teaches us that each person has a personal relationship with God, peace is gained through justice, equality, and education for all. I, for one, feel not only pride and sorrow but also shame after learning more about the Bahai faith and reading Latif's Medieval Ignorance article. In Iran I was told (and I believed it) that to be a Bahai, one had to desecrate Quran and have sex with other Bahai's all night in order to convert. Was I the only one who was so foolish to believe such things? I now learn that as a Bahai, one respects and accepts all religions, all prophets, and all holy books because they all represent the same God. As a Bahai, one must strive to improve one's own lot and those of others, one promotes equality and justice, and one does at least a year of formal service for the disadvantage. As a Bahai, no man is better than another and no man goes between you and God--there is no akhunds (Imams) or mosques. As a Bahai, one is encouraged to engage in fun, dance, art, music, and friendships. However, the Bahai faith also asks one to assume personal responsibility for his own actions. For your action, you are accountable only to God because no man is superior to you. How could any Persian who loves Persian culture and literature not admire, promote, and respect the tents of Bahai faith? Through the verses of Bahai writings, one cannot help but visit over and over words so often said by our beloved Hafiz, Rumi, and Sa'di. Thank you Iqbal Latif for inciting such delicious cultural fire inside of me. Respectfully, Saeed Modaresi To top * James the Cat (Khepel) Do you remember this cartoon? (shabake-2, barnaameye koodak, 1977-78)... Can you help me find it on video (VHS) or DVD? Sourena Mohammadi To top * It has always perplexed me, why this extreme anger? Dear Mr. Latif: Thank you for your fascinating article on the Bahais of Iran [Medieval ignorance]. As an Iranian Bahai it is so heartening to finally see Iranians paying attention to the plight of the Bahais of Iran. It has always perplexed me why this extreme anger and hatred towards the Bahais and our religion, by many Iranians. My faith teaches nothing but love for all, truthfulness, kindness, justice, and so on. We have never been taught hatred towards anyone, even people that would hurt us. And above all we (e.g., all Bahais, not just Iranian Bahais) do love Iran with all our hearts. So why do so many people in our own land hate us so much? The fact that our administrative system does not have a place for the clergy, and sets the responsibility of our spiritual education on our own shoulders, might explain the feeling of the Islamic clergy toward us, but it cannot be the complete answer. This would be a fascinating discussion all by itself, however this is not the main point of my email. Another aspect that I have thought for a long time about and I had wanted to discuss with other Iranians is this treatment of the Bahais on the whole of the Persian society. Many people in Iran think that as long as they are surviving or maybe prospering, then things are fine, and they will be O.K. I think they couldn't be more wrong. We cannot view societies as many separate compartments, each functioning in its own sphere of existence, not needing to know or worry about the other parts. Societies fit for everyone to live in, and thrive and prosper in, and raise the next generations in, are societies that are aware of their interdependence, and the effects of one part on the whole. When in a community some persons lie, or steal, or hurt, or take by force from one group that cannot defend itself, and others know about it and are silent, what will happen to those persons that have done those things. Will they now just go away, and leave the rest of the community alone? They cannot, because they have learned something. They have done a wrong and no one has stopped them, and they have gotten away with it, and also maybe many others in that community have learned something from this act (especially the young - the next generation that soon will be expected to make their own contributions to that community). Those persons doing wrong to one part of the community have been corrupted, and they will carry that hatred and anger with them where ever they go, and will spread venom to their own families and throughout that community. That hatred and venom will grow throughout the community, and will hurt all and corrupt all. What will happen to the next generations? They will see these wrong acts as acceptable and fine in the whole of the community, and how can they be taught otherwise now. The vicious circle just moves forward, and soon people just know how unhappy and sad they are, and how vicious and hurtful the society, and they cannot think why. Western societies learned this fact through their own trials, and they came to define "Democracy" foremost as protection of the rights of minority from the majority rule. They realize that the tyranny of the majority could corrupt the health of the very society they were building, and governments had to protect the "minorities," so the society could be built on a stable and healthy, and I would submit just, foundation for all. I know that Iranians everywhere are thinking about profound issues that are facing the present and the future of our country. We are all coming to a collective determination about what we are facing and where we want OT go. The issues of protecting the rights of all minorities, for the health and well-being of the majority and the whole of the Iranian society should be at the very top of that collective thought. Again thank you for your insightful article. Sincerely, Tina F. To top * Elizabeth Grigoorians & Gita Pour Rahimi Salam to you, I'm desperatly looking for two best friends of mine, Elizabeth Grigoorians & Gita Pour Rahimi. We used to go to the same high school, Kharazmai, at Pahlavi Ave., crossing Takhte Jamishid Ave. about 1975-1977 in Tehran. I have lost the contact to them while I was studing in Germany and they were living in USA. If anybody knows them or know where they are living at the moment, please contact me. I hope to be hearing good news from you soon. Fariba Wahadj To top * Darvish online HELLO I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I AM HAPPY TO HAVE SEEN YOUR SITE AND I ENJOY READING IT. I HAVE SENT IT TO MANY PEOPLE TO READ IT. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF YOU CAN HELP ME TO FIND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT "DARVISH" OR "DARAVISH" HISTORY ON THE WEB SO I CAN STUDY AND LEARN MORE ABOUT IT. ALSO IT IS VERY INTERESTING SUBJECT TO ME TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THEM AND SEE IF I CAN GET SOME PICTURES ON THE NET. THANK YOU. AHMAD To top * Perhaps one day! Did you know that President Khatami has a guest book where you could add comments. The address is here. I suggest Mr Khorsandi's favourite politician gets a virtual visit from him. If you want to see an Iran that is living in a paradise of free speech and democracy then look it up! Something like 90% of the comments are positive but you do get some protesting comments actually published. It would seem that the Net community has become very polite all of the sudden! There are so many individuals who can't wait to conragulate the President on the good work that he is doing. I put my own comments and I'm waiting for it to show up on the page. Perhaps one day! So have a go. Exercise your right to democracy. See if there is anyone there to listens! Ramin Tork To top * Like commoners who run the red light Dear Mr. Ph. D. [See letter below: I say you are naive] Initially, I didn't want to follow your example of resorting to unfriendly and uncivilized accusations as a way of responding to a piece of writing [Stop at the red light] on a free forum for God's sake! But since you have chosen the crooked path of accusations and name calling, I couldn't really answer you in detail and point by point without pointing out what an intollerant asshole you really are, You may have a Ph. D. trailing your name, but you don't know the first thing about participating in a free forum and exchange ideas and solutions with others in an educated and civilized manner! You're in fact acting like those commoners who run the red light or walk the roadway in violation of the law! So buzz off and go learn some manners! Farhad Radmehrian To top * I say you are naive Dear Mr. Rodmehrian, I read your piece entitled "Stop at the red light." I estimate you are either very young or very naive, or both. I looked at the same picture from Mehrabad Airport in Tehran, and here are my conclusions. 1. The picture in question is a directed and set-up picture, meaning that the photographer set up the seen in the middle of the night to make it look like there was no one at the airport, and took the picture. The reason is my personal observation: I have been at the airport many times during the past 12 month, day and night. Mehrabad does not look like that picture at all; not even a resemblance to that picture. The best you can say about Mehrabad is that it is so over crowded that it looks more like "Sabzeh Meydan" in the middle of summer, than an airport, let alone a modern airport, as the picture resembles. 2. I am familiar with "Tehran24.com" site where you got your reference picture. That site must be running by people who are related to the "Mullah Government," and hence they are the only ones who could have taken a picture like that. No other person or entity could have stopped the traffic at the airport and set-up the seen for long to take a picture like that one. Furthermore, people connected to "Mullah Government" are the only ones who can charge for web site in Iran by credit card, since there is no banking relationship between U.S. and Iran for such things as credit cards to work (I know, I have tested it.) Hence, do not fall for the "Mullah Government" propaganda. 3. Finally, the reason I say you are naive is this sentence in your writing: "It begins with stopping for the red light, using the pedestrian crosswalk, respecting the lanes, honoring the next person's right in a movie theatre queue, etc., etc." This sentence tells me that you have no idea of what is going on in Iran, today or ever in the past. Implementation of your idea of good citizenship, as stated in that sentence, requires many fundamental infrastructures in a community, such as enough streets and roads for available automobiles; enough street lights to complement that; enough jobs for people to work and earn a living so that they do not spend their time in the streets just "walking;" and last, but not least, enough housing and apartments for people to live in so that they do not spend their time in the streets walking because their room that sleeps ten is already full, and they are waiting for the ones who are sleeping to wake up and go out so that they can go back in and sleep. This may sound strange to you, but this is what is going on in Tehran, the best of Iranian cities; "tow khood hadiss-eh moffassal bekhan az in mojmal." I wish people think before they write; and post writings on web site(s) that is run by people who have some editorial qualifications who could check for obvious falsities. M.H. Farzin, Ph. D. To top * Iran had a great culture of tolerance My name is Flavio (I'm persian, born and raised in Brazil) and I'm happy to see how the author of this article [Medieval ignorance] linked persian history to the sad news of today, specially pointing to the fact that differently from what most people think in the west, persians are not savages who don't respect the rights of anyone who may dare not agree with them. Iran had a great culture of tolerance and great poets who showed exactly that in their writtings. Thank you. To top * Ahad Kamali BA SLAM HAMVATANAN AZIZ, MAN DARIUSH JAMSHIDI AZ BULGARIA BA SHOMA TAMASS MIGIRAM VA BE DONBAL YEKI AZ DOUSTAN KHOD BE NAAM AHAD KAMALI HASTAM VA TAGHAZA DARAM BA TAVAJOEH BE FAEALIYAT GOSTARDEH SHOMA ADDRESSI AZ IESHAN BARAY MAN PEYDA NAMAIED. DARIUSH To top * Roxanna Amiri I am looking for a persian friend in LA whom I've lost contact with -- Roxanna Amiri. She has recently married and I don't know her new married name. A friend told me to post a message on iranian.com -- but I don't know where messages of this nature are posted. Can you help? Thanks. John S. Lipsey To top * THAT is a long process Thank you Dear Farhad for your insight. [Stop at the red light] I laugh aloud at those people who believed & yet believe that Democracy & democratization can come over night by a REVOLUTION. We had, so called REVOLUTION for the last 23 years, but where are we now? Much worst than 23 years ago. As you said, we need education on all aspects of life & THAT is a long process. If we start the process to-day we may well make it on the year 2200. Yes Two Thousand Two hundred, which means another 180 years to go? Where are we at that time? All dead, gone & forgotten. Cheer up my dear, GAR  SABR  KONI  -  ZE  GHOOREH  HALVAA  SAAZIM !!!!!???? Regards, H. Hakimi, Norway To top * It makes me so mad I read your article about Bahai people [Heechee kam nadaaran]. It was a good one. A very dear friend of mine is Bahai. We have been in touch for years. He is the most wonderful person and a friend I have ever known and had in my life. He is also very smart and intelligent but he can't even get job to support his family all because he is Bahai. This is not fair at all. I have not seen any one like him. He is extremely patient but it is also obvious that he and his people are in pain. Inhumanity against this people is unbelievable. After years that I had to go home to see my sick father I got to see him too. We talked for hours. I could feel the pain and sadness in his words. It made me so upset and mad to see him crying out for his freedom. He told me stories. Some stories reminded me reading about Holocaust. It makes me so mad at those who don't care about some people who practice different religion. Harry Barogh To top * Audacity on your part Mr. Mirfendereski, sir, [The company you keep] This is from the same "detractor" who questioned your audacity about lecturing Iranians. Since you claim not to have understood my point, I would like to "Sheer-fahm" (spell it out to) you, if I may. I have no problem with you (or any one else) favouring republicanism, per se. And frankly, I care less about your dislike of monarchists, in general, or Pahlavis, in particular. My point about your "audacity", however, is this: On 19 February 2002, you wrote in The Iranian.com under the title "Keeping an open mind", .... "when I became a US citizen I took [a public] oath [in a public ceremony], ...... to give my allegiance to the U.S. and its form of government and laws, and to abjure any and all allegiance to any other government, potentate or prince. So, my interest in Iranian affairs and governance cannot be anything more than academic..." So, as an American with no REAL interest in Iranian affairs and lounging in the luxury of free and democratic West, how dare you lecture my brothers and sisters, who are suffering under the "republic" of Mollas, to "give that republic a chance" ? True, us Pahlavists, as you put it, too, may be living in the West, but WE ARE IRANIANS and deeply care about the fate of our compatriots in Iran. Prince Reza Pahlavi (PRP) does embody the ideal of freedom and secular democracy for Iran and Iranians. With PRP, all Iranians have a real chance of achieving that ideal. Without him, too, Iranians will rid their country of the curse of "this republic" of yours. You, sir, may have become somebody by means of benefiting from the grace of the Pahlavi regime, but I assure you that no one in "this group" expects to be "suffused" by PRP's grace. I, personally, have the utmost respect and admiration for PRP for his stance (read Winds of Change), courage, conviction and dedication to the cause of liberating our homeland. With him on the helm, Iran will be free again. Finally, sir, regardless of how GRAND or Westernised gentleman you may think of yourself, or how devoid of discourse you may consider others (whom you call internet thugs), your pontification about giving "this (molla) republic a chance" is still an audacity on your part. Maral Beheshti To top * Concentrate on Iran! What i find extremely disturbing that your photos only reflect the abuses in other countries and you have left the torture, rape and pillage in iran alone. In my view you must concentrate on Iran!!! Massoud Nassiri To top * They are only interested in helping their own kind When Mr. Javid first wrote about the Iranian Bahais [Heechee kam nadaaran], I tried so hard to keep my thoughts and the experience of dealing with them to myself and let the past be exactly that "past". I had also been practicing keeping good thoughts and sending unconditional love to the universe so I remain silent. Not for long. Mr. Iqbal's article [Medieval ignorance] made me forget all about unconditional love and I decided to share my "experience" with a group of these so called victimized and wonderful people. I wanted you to understand what I think about them and why. In 1978 when attending graduate school I met a few Bahai attending the English language school. Having been brought up in a family that considered all Iranian people as one nation regardless of their religion or beliefs, I befriended some of them. At the time I had a British roommate who was quite wild and into drugs. I saved her life a few times because I dragged her home and prevented her from going home with a stranger we had met at a bar. I also took her to the hospital when she overdosed a few time. Finally I was able to talk her into cleaning her act. By the time she was clean and sober, I had finished school and was about to get married to an American man and move out. She asked me how she could pay me back. I told her that the Bahai girl with the atrocious English who worked as a maid at Holiday inn was in bad shape and if she could become her roommate to help her with school and English language that will be my "pay back". She did. I even invited this Bahai to my house and introduced her to my husband's friend because she liked him. Although she stayed up all night and thought him Farsi, it did not work. Well she graduated (with my ex-roommate's help) and then acted like she did not even know me. It was a consolation when one of her relatives said : if it were not for you, the little miss would be cleaning rooms at the hotel still. At the same time in my first year of marriage another Bahai came to my house and told me he needed my help. I asked a friend of my husband who owned a very successful foreign car shop to hire him as apprentice mechanic and be flexible. He paid him $350 a week cash (in 1980) while he went to school. Then he opened his own little one car garage in the middle of ghetto and I forced my husband and many of his friends to take their cars (Jaguar which needed repairs on regular basis)to help him. Then he went to school and became a pilot. Now he lives in another state and never sends me any news of himself. My point? Do you think I ever got a "thank you" from these people? That is not the worst part. I have yet to encounter a Bahai that is passionate about Iran (the country itself). So, as far as I am concerned they are traitors to the motherland. They should all be granted visas and kicked out of Iran. When was the last time you heard a Bahai talk about Iran as though she or he truly loved it the way most of us do? Their loyalty is to what I call "the man on the roof" which anyone who has read about Iran's history is familiar with Bab and his conducts. Don't expect me to have any sympathy for these people. They are only interested in helping their own kind which is another Bahai. They do not give a damn about other Iranian people. Well, I don't give a damn about them either. I am sick and tired of them playing victims and glorifying their religion. Anyone who puts their believes before the love of a homeland in my mind is a traitor and deserves no sympathy. Azam Nemati To top * Move beyond the apathetic It is no doubt that the vast majority of iranians have been duped by their government (surprised?) into believing that their fellow iranian Bahais are either infidels, zionist spies or political puppets of the british. the latest is that they are pimps and prostitutes since Bahai marriages are not recognized. thus, the persecution of the iranian Bahai goes beyond the usual blaming of "the other" or de facto/de jure dicrimination. Since the birth of the faith, Bahais have remained steadfast and peaceful in their beliefs and towards the iranian government. it is, in fact, a tenet of the Faith to be obedient to whatever government a Bahai lives under. another tenet is the abstinence from political life. so, i'll let you do the math on the "zionist spies" allegation. Bahauallah's first counsel to man, in his Hidden Words, is to'create a pure heart`, meaning to independently investigate truth for ourselves. that is, 'to see with our own eyes and hear with our own ears.' In this spirit of inquiry, most Bahais are well versed in religions other than their own and have a deep appreciation, understanding and love of all previous prophets of God -- including Hazrateh Mohammad and Islam. Independent investigation of the truth. this is most important, not just for Bahais around the world, but for the whole of humanity in our progress together, as spiritual and material beings on this planet. if most people took some time to personally and independently investigate their own truth, we would certainly move beyond the apathetic seen in iran and the sympathetic voiced in mr. javid's article [Heechee kam nadaaran], moving onto the empathetic. Thank you. Dina p.s. please don't feel sorry for the Bahais. Feel sorry for those who are blinded by ignorance and kam maghzee. To top * Don't hang her for that! Sisters, sisters, sisters... Aren't you being a bit harsh in regard to "Tired of being blamed"' You see, I think you have missed a few KEY points in what she is saying. Let's start with our variables. True or false, "S16" paints herself as someone from a well to do, conservative family. She is not rebellious in that she monitors what she does as to not break the rules according to her parents. "i am under the pressure of my family and cant disobey them more. i cant leave home whenever i wish & came back whenever i want." She is studious and serious. She is slow to connect, trust, or show emotions. She calls what they have a friendship and doesn't refer to him as her boy friend. This says something about her. Her boyfriend is described as loving, devoted and supportive. He is not as studious, his family not as well to do. He wants to know where he stands with her, perhaps because he has waited so long, or because she is vague or cold. She feels pressure from guilt and blame. Perhaps he is also aggresive. What is unclear about both, and very important here is CULTURE. Is she from a nice, solid, shahrestany family? High class and old money? Or is she nouveau-riche? Is his family a modest but educated and farhangy family? Or people who have been passed up for that promotion, and have a chip on their shoulder? Or worse yet, have eyes on other people's money? We don't know about their cultural differences, but we do know about their financial situation. How much they have in their pockets do come to play in this immensely. Yes, let's be idealist and say it shouldn't matter. it shouldn't, but it does. specially in today's Iran, where young couples can't find good jobs and affordable housing, This by itself is not a major problem. It's a problem but not enough to stop people from falling in love and marrying and living happily ever after. But their financial situation concerns me specially and specifically because of his views regarding women. You see, there are some views that are alive and kicking in a lot of our men, specially in the ones in Iran, and "mard, marde" is one of them. She is to become a doctor. You know how "dahan por kon" it is to be a doctor for most Iranian families, right? In their union, it isn't the guy who is the "aghaye doctor". He isn't the one with the office and the doctor friends, the title, and the respect and the paycheck. Now, to most men, it won't matter. But he has certain views regarding women. What are these views? Do we know? What if he doesn't want her to practice medicine after they are married? what if he is the type that doesn't like his wife to make more money than him? What if he is jealous of her having contacts outside of family? "he has a conservative thought about weman & i can stand it." (Since she is making a point about having doubts, I am guessing she meant to say can't) Didn't this point in her letter need to be addressed? Isn't she being cautious because she foresees problems, in spite of his love and devotion? Something else that is of concern to her is how fast he wants things to happen: "he tells me that I don't want to have more speed" Well, since I don't think she is speaking of the drug, it could mean that he wants to move faster forward. Towards marriage? Towards intimacy? Or maybe faster in the bedroom? Which one? Let's say that he is ready to settle down and wants to know about her feelings towards him and future. In that case she owes it to him, and to herself to be honest and let him know where he stands. But what if he is seeking assurance, or intimacy in a physical kind of way. Is she ready? She doesn't seem to be. Couldn't this be why he was reminded of how long it took for her to just warm up to him? I know of plenty of girls in Iran who flirt and date at will, even go out of town with their boyfriends without their parent's knowledge, let alone consent. They get away with far more than I ever could or dare to here in the US. I also know of plenty of girls in Iran, some even my age (late twenties) who are still waiting for their family to find them a mate. When I ask them why they don't try to meet someone at work, or in school "on their own" they get uncomfortable. They want their family to find them a suitable match. These two example, both extremes, do exist. As do many shades in between. Maybe she is conservative. Maybe she wants to make sure her parents are happy with her choice. You don't agree? Its backwards? Who is to say? Is love the only factor in finding a suitable mate? Well, it is very important and I wouldn't have done it any other way, but realistically speaking, I know that love doesn't solve all problems, Most of the people who married around the time I did, are facing divorce. She considers herself above him. Good or bad, she is honest. She is not blinded by love and is stating the facts with caution, logic, and judgement. Don't hang her for that! Realize that she comes from a different mind frame. She seems confused about priorities? Guide her. Explain to her that some of what she sees as differences are things she should be cautious of, and some are things that are not important at all. For example, I am far better in computers, driving and parking that my husband is! But he is far better than me in other things, such as accounting. Tell her to watch out for important things, such as cultural differences, differences in character and family, paths, views, education. In conclusion, I do agree that she should break if off and let him get on with his life because and specially if she is unsure. I am writing this because although you made valid points in your advice to her, I felt that your answer was one sided. A sculpture needs to be looked at from different angles. And deciding if its a good piece of art, should have LITTLE to do with whether one likes the piece or not. Sorry about the lengthy reply. Take care, Maryam To top * I implore you to take the necessary actions Mr. President, [Doaaye "Green Card" yaa...] While concurring with the very clear and decisive word of my fellow Iranian of the reformist persuasion, Mr. Kaveh P., and also as a fellow American with a real understanding and trust in that sacred document that secures the separation of powers, one which forms the backbone of this experiment we call America, I would like to implore you to take the necessary actions in the name of humanity and human rights, modernity and the Star-Spangled enlightening of the dark ages.  And this time, on the side of the unnamed and silenced victims of this smiling and mild-mannered front, the ones who believed the lie of the reform and were gutted by the priests of darkness.  The detailed plan of engagement should be read from the hermeneutically sealed words of the prophetic early-eighties punk-band, The Clash; it reads:  "Drop the bomb between the Minarets, down the Kasbah way." I am sure the perfection of the binary technology which always improves in the freedom of scientific laboratories ó a binary concoction of magical dualities that has its oldest precedents in the Iranian Gathas and finds its latest manifestations in responsibility and care of these United States, - will assure or come close to approaching the precision needed in this endeavor.  Martin ibn Al Kaveh P. (Amir) To top * Trip down memory lane I loved this story. I cried because it brought back so many beautiful memories [The Abadanis]. I wish more people would write stories taking place in Khoozestan province. There is something magical about this area of beloved motherland. The only thing I found inaccurae (to the best of my recollection)is Koreanthe dancers with feathers. I frequented Caravnsara and there were not any shows like that. However, Hotel Abadan had Las Vegas style shows and the Clipper bar was quite at par with the best bars in Europe and America by everyone's account. I saw a show there with a couple and the lady's skimpy outfit was made of feathers. Still this was a trip down memory lane. Thanks, Azam Nemati To top * Ask the question rarely asked I very much enjoyed Iqbal Latif's article on the silence of Iranian polity towards Bahai persecution [Medieval ignorance]. I am not a Bahai but sympathize with their plight. Although the article mentioned that the Bahai's "Open University" was forced to close, the report did not make it clear that Bahais are not permitted to go to any college in Iran. Additionally, land and property are often taken away from Bahais simply because the owners are Bahais. Similarly, Bahais are not permitted to hold government jobs and often unable to inherit from their parents -- again simply because the individuals are Bahais. Thousands have been deprived of jobs, pensions, businesses, and educational opportunities. The Iranian government bans all Bahai administrative structures. Holy places, shrines and cemeteries have been confiscated, vandalized, or destroyed. In 1983, the Iranian authorities arrested a number of Bah? women and girls because they taught children's classes on the Bah? Faith. As commonly occurs, the women suffered strong physical and mental abuse in an effort to coerce them to recant their faith. When they refused to recant, they were killed. We should ask the question rarely asked: why do Islamic fundamentalists persecute the Bahais and why don't the Iranian people care? Many Iranian people are very open minded and areligous, but they don't seem concerned about the Bahai situation. Why? Let me make a crude analogy. The Islamic fundamentalists believe that the Bahai belief in the prophet Bahaullah is abhorrent, just as a woman wearing a dress in public. Moreover, the Islamic fundamentalist believes that virtue must be coerced, as exemplified by the stoning of an adulteress or the imprisoning of someone for their religious beliefs. The fundamental flaw in this mentality is that its proponents do not realize that forced virtue is no virtue at all. Coerced beliefs do not constitute a path to moral or spiritual excellence. Virtue not freely chosen is no virtue. This is the problem of Iran today. But, most of all, the Islamic fundamentalists are scared of the tolerance and enlighten values of the Bahai faith, such as universal education, gender equality, acceptance of science, and so forth. They despise and fear the beauty of the faith. In persecuting the Bahais they are trying to burn a blossom -- a blossom for Iran, for the world, for the future, and for humanity and its place in the garden of reality. William Benson To top * This kind of fairness ... the world could use I wanted to thank you for printing the article and thus giving a much needed education on the Bahai Faith [Medieval ignorance]. As a Bahai who grew up in Iran and have seen discrimination and persecution all of my life that was spent in Iran, It is so joyful and liberating to hear such defenses of a defenseless Community. Indeed, it is this kind of fairness and tolerance that Bahais and all other downtrodden and abused and perseduted and ignored minorities of the world could use. Thank you again for being here and let's keep on educating. Elahe M. Chicago To top * Koly khandoondy Kaveh joon, [Doaaye "Green Card" yaa...] Damet garm ma ro koly khandoondy in roooz panj shanbeh Aug. 8, 2002. khoda to ro be madaro pedaret bebakhsheh, Reza To top * Would never take one Azerbaijan idea too seriously I am pretty sure the poor author of this article is going to attract plenty of abuse from the 'pan-Iranist' readers [Who are Azeris?]. The article was actually not that bad. Two points though that the author may wish to consider: 1) It's going to be pretty tough for the Republic of Azerbaijan to absorb something like twice its own population from Iranian Azerbaijan without the identity of the barely-Republic becoming highly Persianized. Just think about the number of Iranian Azeris who take with themselves not only the Persian language but also a very deep Iranian historical experience. 2) I appreciate the use of humour in any otherwise serious article. It comes as news to many human rights organizations, the citizens of the Azeri republic and indeed the entire world that Mr. Aliyev's regime respects the principles of democracy. If I were Mr. Aliyev or any other north Azeri I would be praying that the southern brethren would never take the whole one Azerbaijan idea too seriously. That would be no friendly union; it would be a take-over and the end of the barely-'republic'. A. Shahmolki To top * Hard earned money Mr. Mahmoodi - good for you [Where's my money?]. I agree, dishonesty is always wrong and people who try to get away with it should be exposed. I hope you will get your hard earned money back, with a high interest added to it !!! Regards, S. Samii To top * I was very much hurt, too I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for writing so lucidly about the plight of a great group of Iranians who in fact are the prime bearers of the great Persian cultural heritage and ideals [Heechee kam nadaaran]. I enjoyed reading your article but I was very much hurt, too. I commend you for your wisdom and effort in writing your article and admire you for taking such humanitarian act. Any person who wants to enliven the nobility of Persian culture can do no better than educating Iranians about the kinds of issues that you so cleverly brought up in your article. Respectfully, Heidar Modaresi To top * I respectfully disagree Dear Aylinah, [Who are Azeris?] Interesting article in Iranian.com. You said... "So it is therefore important to emphasize the roots of Azerbaijan and to also maintain a strong Azerbaijani identity in Iran which would include the rights to learn Azerbaijani in schools and perhaps even an autonomous movement which would allow the region of South Azerbaijan to have greater prosperity and mobility." If you are advocating the learning of Azeri as a second language, not in place of Farsi, I totally agree with you. But if you are implying that Azeris should receive their education in Azeri, I respectfully disagree.... I don't know what kind of mobility you are referring to, but mobility as I understand it, requires a common language over the area in which one seeks to exercise mobility. In simple terms, an Azerbaijani that receives all of his/her education in Azeri, will have a hard time working in Shiraz, if say in the distant future Shiraz becomes the center for research in Genetic Engineering throughout Iran. It means that an Azeri who has a passion for the seas and wishes to live as a fisherman near the Persian Gulf, will not be able to just pack up and move without first enrolling in "Farsi as a Second Language" classes at the local community college :-) It means limiting the possibilities for a large number of Iranians. By the same token, Kurds or Persians will not be able to live and work in Azerbaijan. Given that Iran's future development, if it ever occurs, will be financed by oil revenues, a united Iran will have more resources to employ in this endeavor than any one independent, or autonomous but self-financed province ever can. Iranians' need for unity is not merely to protect their territories against numerous historical enemies on their doorsteps; it is rooted in the dire state of their shared economic, social, scientific, and cultural bankruptcy and impotence. Of course you could argue that an Azeri can't work in Baghdad either. The point is, why limit yourself more than you have to. Iraqis are not willing to convert to Farsi. The question is are Azeris willing to continue to use Farsi as their official language in order to be an integral part of the greater Iran, and any opportunities it has to offer ? \America has the most creative people in the world today, not just because of its educational system, but also because its people enjoy the ultimate in mobility over a vast geographic area with a variety of climates collectively capable of incubating a multitude of economic and recreational activities. This mobility is due not only to shared borders, but also shared language and culture. Just look at how hard it is for Hispanic Americans to enter the main- stream of society and make economic inroads, because for years they've chosen to pursue the ill-conceived notion that bilingual education (a euphemism for teaching primarily in Spanish) somehow celebrates diversity. It turns out that it reduces their sense of belonging more than it boosts their self-esteem. In the long run it will lead to a divided America, where both America and its Hispanic inhabitants will suffer. Should we all convert to Azeri or English as a common language ? I am reminded of the "shahr-e ghesseh" theatrical comedy, nevertheless I would not object if it was practical, and as long as I still learned enough Farsi to enjoy my Khayyam! Azeris, Kurds, and others speaking Farsi is practical, because they've been doing it for years. But are they willing to continue to do so ? Common language is a pre-requisite for social and economic mobility, because often those are achieved through geographic migration (i.e. physical mobility). A possible internet dominated society of the future may obviate the need for physical mobility, but it will not do away with the need for a common language, at least not until super intelligent bidirectional universal translators come along in 2099! Until then, mobility may sever emotional and familial ties, but it can do wonders for economic development, so it behooves economically underdeveloped nations to embrace it. I personally have no vested interest in whether Azerbaijan remains a part of Iran or becomes a separate country, or whether Azeris choose to speak and study in Farsi or Azeri. But I think people of Iran should all come to their senses and recognize that they stand a better chance of improving their lot if they all stick together and strenghten their ties and emphacize their common interests and their shared suffering, history, and culture. If Azeri's are going to insist on eliminating Farsi from their educational and daily lives, they might as well become an idependent country for they can never again be an integral part of Iran. Of course my arguments are based on the premise of a democratic secular central government. Under a dictatorship, I wouldn't blame anyone if they wanted to spin off their little neighborhood into a separate country, let alone the Azeris :-) Whatever they choose, I hope all Iranians, including Azeris, Persians, Kurds and others will live in peace and prosperity, be it as one country or several. Regards, Yek Irandoost To top * Learned a lot It is truly refreshing to read articles such as Mr. Iqbal Latif's in your publication [Medieval ignorance]. Unless we Iranian learn to practice FACTS and take responsibility for our individual actions, our beautiful country and people will go around the circle, while the world moves on. Thanks Igbal. I learned a lot from your article. Keep'm coming. Hormoz Hormozi To top * Part of Iran ever since Iran existed Ms. Jurabchi, First of all, regardless of the "racial" roots of Azerbaijanis [Who are Azeris?], the region of Azerbaijan has always been part of Iran, as Iran is a multiethnic country. The newly-created Republic of Azerbaijan is just the left over of what the Russians got from Iran thanks to the Qajars. The REAL azerbaijan is what you call "southern Azerbaijan", and it has been a part of Iran ever since Iran has existed. Secondly, if I am not mistaken, the current Supreme Leader of Iran is himself at least part Azerbaijan Turk. Finally, if you think that Heydar Aliyev's rule in the Republic of Azerbaijan is democratic, then you have a very very poor grasp of democracy! Mohammadi To top * Bahai from Belfast I enjoyed reading your article "Heechee kam nadaaran" When are we going to recognize Bahais? July 3, 2002 The Iranian about the plight of Bahais in Iran. May I congratulate you on your frank way of words. I hope they may reach the eyes of some of your fellow Persian's back in Iran and help in some way to give more freedom for the 500,000 Bahais back in Iran. I am an artist and writer and as a Bahai from Belfast Northern ireland I had the pleasure of attending Haifa in Isreal last year for the opening of the Bahai terraces, and gardens surrounding the shrine of the Bab. I have inclosed a few websites of myself and my (interfaith) paintings for you perusal. Thank you kindly once again for your article on the Bahais of Iran. George Fleming To top * Beefing up your torso Jahaan joon damet garm. [Kopol vs. Topol] Some how you have learned how to put up with the suckiness of running. Believe me I know how much it sucks to run . I've been running in the US Army (Required physical training) for over 15 years now :( I had a suggestion for you. Get with Shahriar Kamali, If you haven't already and get some tips on bodybuilding and maybe, along with benefiting from mutual exposure, you can get started on becomming buffed. I really think that now you are at a stage where you can complement your workout with beefing up your torso; at least you're arms and pecs. You have the time and there is nothing in the world worth doing more than building and strengthening your body. Remember Arnold's immortal words:" With size comes respect!" I have been inspired by Shahriar greatly and I have been hitting the weights, though not as frequently as I would like too. But I like the results . I think that if you start hitting the weights and let your readers know about that and your progress, you'd be opening a door to a whole new dimension in what you started with Topol vs Kopol. Qorboonet va movafaq baashi, Farrokh P.S. One can start body building at almost any age!...No Excuses. To top * Zan yaa mard? Een Venus Khanoum Zaneh ya Mardeh? Darius Kadivar REPLY: Leilee zan bood. To top * I think i am for monarchy A big part of iranian in and ourside of iran are under 30, i am 34. That means our generation has not seen anything of the so called golden age of pahlavi iran. Thererfor, being for monarchy today has nothing to do with nostalgia. So you have to find rational reasons for this political climate. I think i am for monarchy, but our problem is not firstly having monarchy or not. Like Mr. R. Pahlavi i am on openion that our challenge today is - has to be- geting iran free from this middle age regime. The form of next goverment- after a referendum under international obversion or not, i suppose we will need it- must stay on the foundation of human rights convention. That is the point. We all love our country. We all will a suceecful iranian sociaty. That must be the conecting point between us. Beside that: 1. Being a monarchist dosent mean automatically being not democrat with other words, being a republican dosent mean one is necessarily a freethinker. 2. Treat our history critically but more serious and with more respect. We need our history. There is not many nations in the world with such a great past. We need historical facts like Cyrus' Cylander for the political Philosophie, we need the social and the govermental organization of darius' d. G. Time as normative theoretical frame for today. We need all the imagas and relieves for the studing the iranian psyche, so as we need the good religion of zarathustra for finding an another way to praising the almaighty, beside others of course. 3. the history of monarchy is not the history of despotism and crime. And the treminus technicus, oriental despotism is nothing than a mythe. Let study our history by ourselves. That will take two or three generation time, but than it will be our own history ( of art, policy, sport, crime, or of everything else) And finally my appeal is, our generation should not be shaholahi, masodegholahi or something like that. All this gentelemens had been persons of near past. They have to be studied critically by experts so that we can have an agreeable picture of them and of our near past. It seems the last Generation is not able to help us by this problem, so i say, let us do this job. Ba behtarin Arezuha baraye shoma Yara To top * Help the poor folks in Iran Why didn't you publish my open letter to Khatami. I am not sure why you did not publish or post Mrs. Kar's open letter to Montazeri. Why are you becoming as bad as the satelite TV's that are superficial and without purpose. I know that it is your website and you can do as you wish, but isn't that the biggest criticism of the satelite TV's? The battle of the bulge was cute in the begining but it is becoming the main course [Kopol vs. Topol]. You have a great media to use to help the poor folks in Iran. And I know that you are sincere. The conditions in Iran are really bad. We can not just afford to talk anymore. We need to shout. Frustrated Iranian To top * Separate happiness from politics Hello everybody at Iranian.com team, Just finished reading an article by Assal on Iranian.com site about how young people outside Iran feel with regard to Iran [The same wish]. I am from Holland (by way of Iran), and roughly in the same age category that Assal is. My comments are regardless of the heavy political load of the article. I am not a politician. But I happen to have studied "Quality of life" to post-graduate level. Here are a few thoughts. 1. It is mentioned in the article that "we usually do not cherish things until we lose them". That is not how I am. And neither you nor any other young Iranian should necessarilly comply with that remark. There is no such thing as pursuit of happiness - as opposed to US constitution. Happiness is the pursuit itself. So, if you are missing on being happy with the present, you are missing out big. 2. The article also mentions the remoteness of happiness when an Iranian is not in Iran. Well, that is very subjective too. May I remind you that firstly, Iran is an assumptive political border-line defined in a book at United Nations. So are other countries. If you subject your happiness to national boundaries, I am afraid you might not achieve it in the span of one lifetime. Once again, I am not a political specialist by any standard. It also goes without saying that I have great respect and affection for the land I was born in. However, I do recommend that the author of the article separate happiness of Iranians from politics of Iran. It is a scary proposition to condition the quality of life of Iranians to such an irrelevant yet controversial matter. Apart from that, I enjoyed the eloquent style of writing thoroughly. Cheers, Ali The Netherlands To top * Stay within Iranian family Regarding A. Jourabchis article "Who are Azeris?", I would like to make the following observations:- I have lived and worked in both Baku Azerbaijan and in Turkey I found more cultural and ethnic similarity between the Azeris and the Persian than the Azeris and the Turks. * Azeris celebrate Nourooz in the same fashion as the Iranian people, they have the Sabzeh, Haftsin, Charshanbeh Soori and Haji Firooz whom they call " KATCHAL" Nourooz is not celebrated in Turkey in fact the celebration of Nourooz by the Kurdish people in eastern Turkey was Banned this year * They have the same traditional music as Iran. " Segah, Chargah, Shoor, Homayoun, Etc. In the word of their most respected " Magham Singer"Aliem Ghasmov. " NAGHMEH TAR VA NALEH NEI " * Their Food by recipe and name is same as Iranian Food in Baku restaurant JOOJEH KEBAB BEE OStakhan, Ghormeh Sabzi is top of the list * Azari Language is different to Istanbul Turkish. I could communicate with them using Farsi words, in Turkey they could not. * In Baku Old Town I have seen Zoor KhAneh with traditional recitation of Shahnameh. * Most Azeri people first Name is Fars Names, Kamran, Feridoun, Kaveh, Shirin, Rustam etc I think A. Jourabchis article is based on ultra nationalism and breaths separatism under the guise of local Autonomy, trying to turn our beloved Iran to another former Yugoslavia. He does not seem to appreciate that Iran is the country of all of us wheater, Azeri, Kurds, Fars, Armenian, Moslem, Christian, Zorasterian, Jews, Bahai. We would like to stay within Iranian family. Regards, F.M London To top * Blueprint to strangle the Bahai community I have read with great interest two recent articles on the Bahais in Iran, and the many letters you have received. Most of the letters have been very positive about your courage in raising questions about the Iranians' general silence on persecution of the Bahais in Iran. It is interesting that a few of the letter writers have revealed a tremendous ignorance. One writer claimed that the Bahai religion is without a Holy Book. Anyone with even the slightest acquaintance with the Bahai faith knows that this is simply false and absurd. Neither the Bible nor the Qur'an were revealed as a single book. The Bible is composed of many books written at different times that were later compiled as a single volume. The Qur'an is 119 separate revelations at different times that was only compiled after the Prophet's death. The Bahai "Holy Book" is all the writings of Baha'u'llah (dozens of books and thousands of letters), the writings of the Bab, and the writings of Baha'u'llah's son 'Abdu'l-Baha. For Bahais God's revealed Word includes Kitab-i-Aqdas, Kitab-i-Iqan, Kitab-i-Badi', and many others. The Islamic Revolutionary authorities know the Bahais have Holy Books because one of things they have tried to do with arrested Bahais is to make them defile one of the books revealed by Baha'u'llah. Another writer accused your authors of favoring Bahais while ignoring the suffering of Muslims. Islam is not prohibited in Iran. Islamic institutions are not forbidden to meet. Muslims are not prohibited from attending institutions of higher education. Islamic shrines have not been expropriated from the community. Islamic cemeteries have not been bulldozed. Muslim women have not been executed for teaching children's religious classes. All of these things and more have happened to the Bahai community in Iran. The Islamic Revolutionary government developed a blueprint to strangle the Bahai community in Iran and to "block its development" outside Iran. The millions of Bahais who are not of Iranian extraction are aware of these things. We, all Bahais from around the world, are owners of the shrines, hospitals, schools and cemeteries of our community in Iran. They have been expropriated from all of us, not simply from the Iranian Bahais. The treatment of Iran's Bahais is a mark of shame on the noble Shiah faith, and sends to the rest of the world a message that God's teaching in the Qur'an - "Let there be no compulsion in religion" - is treated as a lie by those who rule in the name of Islam. Bahais entreat all Iranians of noble heart and good mind to speak out on behalf of every oppressed person in Iran. We ask, however, that the Bahai community's minority status not blind you to the specific government and religious program targeting the Bahai community for destruction. The Bahai religion is the only indigenous Iranian answer to the challenges of the modern world. The Islamic teachings about the light of the mind cannot be exercised if the Bahai faith is not sincerely investigated and understood by the very people from which it arose. William Collins To top * What does the government of Iran expect Regarding the article by Ahmad Anvari "The biggest injustice", I have recently been to Iran and unfortunatly Iran has been experiencing a massive brain drain. It started more than 20 years ago with people who were unhappy with the Shah, and with the new regime caring less for the needs of the people and more for their lining their pockets, what does the government of Iran expect? F. Rasti To top * Why do they pretend people cannot see? Regarding the article by Ahmad Anvari "The biggest injustice", I have recently been to Iran and unfortunatly Iran has been experiencing a massive Brain Drain. It started more than 20 years ago with people who were unhappy with the Shah, and with the new regime caring less for the needs of the people and more for their lining their pockets, what does the government of Iran expect? Why do they close their eyes and pretend the people cannot see what they are doing. Most of the population of Iran is under the age of 35. Only 10% of the students graduating from high school can get into college, and of those 10% only 8 to 10 % can get jobs when they graduate college. The only alternative they have is to pursue higher education. Due to the large rate of unemployment the drug rate has greatly increased. We all know that with the increase of drug use the crime rate also goes up. Now add the refugee problems Iran has and it doen't paint a pretty picture. The saddest part about this is Iran is a very beautiful country which has everything needed within it's borders to be a very rich country. They have no need to import anything. If the government would learn to open it's borders to companies comming into Iran and training Iranians to run the companies they would be able to increase the productivity of the country. This would provide jobs for those in need. The drug and crime rate would drop. The cost of living would drop and people would be able to help build the country. Iran has great potential in the tourism department and they have a lot of items which could be exported; such as pistatios, dried fruit, carpets, incredable art work and lets not forget the oil and products which are made from oil. This is only the tip of the iceburg. The great brains of Iran could be sent to advise companies around the world instead of being lost completely to other countries. Why is the government of Iran insisting on shooting themselves in the foot? Be omid de dar, Jackie Ezzat-Ahmadi P.S. I am an American. I have been married to an Iranian for almost 23 years. Due to political reasons I have only been to Iran twice, once in 2000 and this summer. I hope to return to Iran next summer, Inshallah. I love Iran and I hope for the best for the people of Iran. Nothing matches the warmth and hospitality of an Iranian. To top * My one hundred thousand dollars I just read the article written by Ramin Mahmoodi about the money he gave to an Iranian and never saw the money back. [Where's my money?] I too lent some money to a friend who needed it urgently to get out of a business rut, with the promise that the money will be returned soon. Well it has been 10 years!!! My one hundred thousand dollars have not been returned. The woman, who is called [...], is no doubt known to many in the Iranian community of Los Angeles goes about her business as though nothing has happened. There are many people who know of her evil deeds but don't seem to care, because the money lost was not theirs. It was someone else's money. Golnar Taleghani To top * Glorifying American men This stupid story is clearly a conspiracy at insulting Iranian men and traditions [The art of cooking]. I am outraged at the writer's ignorance and lack of intelligence in venting her frustrations in such a unbelievable crappie story. First of all, why would a beautiful, educated Iranian Biochemist that drivers a Porches would need a husband through her parents or someone else? I have two theories: 1. She is an average Iranian woman with a high school diploma and a little above minim wage job at a cosmetic counter of a department store . She is desperate for an Iranian man with a title reflecting his educational status. That would make perfect sense for inviting any looser to come by and take a look at the "merchandise". 2. She is a Biochemist and drives the Porches but is an ugly Iranian woman who is overweight and has a mustache. We all know that Iranian men go for the looks first. Let's admit it. They love a pretty Iranian face with warm brown eyes, beautiful smile and a nose proportionate to the rest of the face and a body with rigt curves and no excess fat. Now, if the woman is educated then that is the icing on the cake so they can justify their choice by saying "she has a ---- degree". In the second case the sister needs every help she can get and any man will do because she is desperate for getting rid of the "torshideh" title and in all honesty misses getting some "loving" too. Ms. Michaelis I wonder if you have been rejected by an Iranian man because of your lack of overall talent. Perhaps this is all about you trying to hide the imperfections by telling us that the lady can go hiking an then expect us to believe that a fit woman would settle for a fat and short Iranian man to come along and sweep her off so she can make him fatter by cooking good. Get real. As an educated and intelligent Iranian woman that happens to be beautiful too (praise Almighty for my good genes) I hate to cook and even in college ate out. But let me tell you just like the rest of Iranian women if I want to cook I would make dishes that would put the best Iranian chefs gasp in surprise. One more thing. Your cheap attempt at glorifying American men failed. We all know that most American men only like simple things such as a degree, a car or a home. They are not as complicated as Iranian men and by God they sure as hell would never be as much fun and passionate as Iranian men either. So if that lady is you, enjoy your hiking with your Matt. We hot blooded beautiful Iranian women will go for our IRANIAN men with their backward parents and all because everything about us and them are genuine. Everything about your understanding Matt comes from listening to Dr. Ruth and the advise from the rest of the buddy's at watching a football game. As my beloved poet says: Sokhan shenas nehi nazaneen fatva injaast You have a lot to learn about our great culture and if you have encountered one backward Iranian man, let me show you hundreds of progressive and modern men who would walk up to a woman and talk to her and ask for her number instead of resorting to asking their parents. You must have dreamed this whole garbage. Azam Nemati To top * Race is a myth! Dear Aylinah, [Who are Azeris?] After reading your article I felt that it was important to review some of the points. The difference between the Republic Azaris and the Iranian Azaris: Historically speaking it has been only since 1828 and the Turkmanchay that the region became separate. I do not think even Pan-Iranians as you call them think that there are much difference between the two. It was out of the incompetence of the Quajar dynasty and foreign plot that a part of Iran was lost. Treatment of Azaris: I respect the sentiment of Iranian Azaris who have been badly treated in that totalitarian Governments have stopped them from practicing their sub-culture. It should not be forgotten that such Governments have badly treated all Iranians. I hope that this bad treatment does not bring our Azari brothers and sisters closer to the separatist movements. Race: Race is a myth! Yes, it would even shock some of the readers but scientifically race does not exist, but the concept of Race is so embedded within humanity's culture that it is seen as real. Homo Sapiens do not have a sub species! It all comes down to identity and sometimes what we choose in our hearts to be our heritage. If you take the case of African Americans you will see that their genetic pool is so mixed up with White Americans. There is no Caucasian race. There is no Aryan race. Concept of race was created to justify different treatment of one group or to create identity. These are 18th Century distinctions that have stayed with us. Modern science is going against that. What does exist which makes people of one region similar in characteristics and looks are "isolated genetic pools" which gives a group of people characteristics. For your argument, Azaris do not qualify for that. They are fairer skinned than say the people living in the South but that does not make them a separate race even if all our genetic sources were from different trees. Most of the people in the Northern Iran are fair skinned. Iran as a whole is a melting pot of genetic code and Azaris have not been genetically separated. In fact if you were to take a survey you will find genes of all Iranians mixed up, some populations where more separate but they still carry these melting pot genes. Besides I do not turn to my Bandar Abbasi friends and call them Portuguese or Africans just because the Portuguese where there and also had the area as a colony. There is no Azari race any more than there is an Iranian race. We are all mixed up in one melting pot. I noticed that in your article you emphasised mainly one side of Azari ancestry. Perhaps what is more important is what Azaris are now. They are not like Australian Aborigines; they have married Lors, Kurds etc. So it would not be fair to say that Azaris are from a different race, no more than what some of the Iranian nationalist wrongly keep saying that Iranians are Aryans. This is all wrong and we should put aside our prejudices and admit that we are a melting pot nation. Whatever the original source of our isolated genetic pools, it no longer exists. This reminds me of an old saying: "This is my father's axe, the blade has been changed two times and the handle only three times!" Language: The language did go through a Turkic transformation in the 11th Century. As for why the other regions and why they do not speak Turkish? This is the same argument as saying why unlike Egyptians Iranians do not speak Arabic after being invaded by Arabs! So using your argument, Egyptians must have had an Arab ancestry or have always spoken Arabic! No! It all comes down to how much influence and concentration the force of change has had. Azerbaijan was in this case in the epicentre of Turkic transformation strong enough to change the language. Culture: Apart from some sub-culture characteristics, I do not see anything very specific in Azari culture that is distinct. Kurds have their songs, Lors have their customs, and Baluchs have their musical instruments. These are regional sub cultures. Azaris have their own music but so do a lot of other regions. The "Sherkat Nafties" of Abadan, which came from all regions, had their own sub-culture. We didn't raise a flag and call the Bereim area an independent state! This is not intended to be-little the Azari sub-culture but it is a sub-culture nevertheless and should be distinguished from the Azari Nationalist argument. What we should recognise: What we should recognize is that everyone has the right to speak whatever language they wish to speak, practice whatever religion they wish to practice and live the way they want to live within a civilized democratic society. We do not have that so we should all aim for it. We are all Iranians let us not forget that. Finally: I do not think that Azaris see themselves as non-Iranian, not even culturally. They carry their pride. Small group might even see themselves as culturally superior but they are Iranians and not just by their Nationality but also by their identity in their hearts. Azaris have shed blood for the rest of Iran as the rest of Iran has shed blood for Azerbaijan. I have been working on an article named "Headless cat" which opens the possibility that there is a new plot for the Azari separatists or unionist (depending on which camp one belongs to!) to make the Iranian Azerbaijan join the Republic, especially since Russia and U.S. have joint forces in the region, and the Azerbaijan Republic has become free from Marxism and are now Oil rich (hence with potentially American support their movement might seem more attractive), and the region is going to blow up in conflict. There is the potential for a post fundamentalist Iran becoming a victim and disintegrate just like former Yugoslavia. Not that I am supporting fundamentalism! Let us all work towards unity and a democracy where the rights of citizens are respected. In a world where nations are joining forces and forming unions we should not start to draw red lines of separation, or throw lifeboats from a sinking ship, we should save the sinking ship. P.S. I hope that by my statement you do not think that I am calling you a separatist. It is honourable to cherish our heritage and it seems that you have done that. If you are a separatist you have the right to your own opinion and although your beliefs would then go against my "National unity beliefs", I do believe in democracy first so I defend your right to differ! Regards, Ramin Tork To top * My stance has changed greatly From the author of "Who are Azeris?" Wow! I have gotten a lot of mail for some reason people are asking me if Im from Baku? actually no not at all Im a 26-year old Iranian female from Tabriz. Thanks for printing my article although it is quite old [Who are Azeris?]. After a few trips to Baku my stance on the Azarbaijan Republic and its government has changed greatly (run by Heidar Aliyov; he is an absolute disgrace.) Although I still strongly beleive that my people have a right to be taught how to read and write in Azari. It is sad that I can write 3-page poems in Farsi, however not able to write a 2 line bayt in Azari with the correct grammatics, because our parents were not taught it; it was illegal for them to even speak their language in the schools. They where fined heavily by the shah as students to even speak azari in the schools. So I know a lot of people are angry... c'est la vie. Aylina To top * Storied old boy jet-set learner Mr. Hoveyda, I just read another mild yet mind-blowing account of an Iran - and an Iranian Zeitgeist? that I, in inner-emigration or outright exile, have never had the pleasure to feel at home in. [Five o'clock tea] It is the same old story, like an eternal melody, that is never new, never the same, and yet a one whose echoes I hear in the "daad" of the elder boys and girls so longingly. I am as happy as a little girl, says the actor playing the German on an old Saturday Night Live skit. Your writing is intelligent and aware of its intelligence, unveiling in discreet exhibition of a storied old boy jet-set learner, before the end (as always,) when there was an idea of a united nation(s); when we were all idealists, or perhaps as a way to go on, even optimists. And I listen and receive the frequencies, the waves and the particles of your giving, your call, your just-ice, your daad with ears as far away as Beirut as my girlfriend's rooftop-acrylics; and as far away as all the other voices amongst your fellow students after the meeting at five o?clock in the afternoon. But I know all about five o'clock: dorost saa?ate panje asr. All I can say is I can hear this call repeat itself eternally, and whirl over and beyond it, affirming everything that has happened and going on, only when I read what I can only subscribe to, - in the realm of aesthetic worth and values, - as reflective. No promises in words, and without them, in any case. And so I am writing back: I like you in a way that is beyond exchange economies. The reason for the distortion and echoes in my text is the loud music in my head, excuse me that. Amir To top * I was in Beirut Ambassador Hoveyda, I really enjoyed this piece [Five o'clock tea]. I was in Beirut just after the Five Day War, when foreigners were scarce. I loved the city. I gather it is having a comeback of sorts. Kindest regards, Richard C To top * Beautifully disgusting Venus is really good!! Amazing! I had this idea of singing so bad and making a video clip in Los Angeles. But whatever I imagined I found worse than that among real "Los Angelesi" stuff... But this Venus is really terrible, beautifully disgusting and amazingly bad. She is really good! Sourena Mohammadi To top * One of my favorite actors I was terribly saddened at the news of American actor Charlton Heston has been inflicted by Alzheimer disease. He is one of my favorite actors and certainly the only American Star capable of playing Shakespeare with the same intensity as British actors. He is one of the emblematic American Hollywood Stars who portrayed in unforgetable Epics such as Moses in Cecile B. De Mille's "The Ten Commandments", Ben Hur, El Cid or 55 days in Pekin which have made hollywood History. Far from being typecasted in Historic roles he also was one of the first to innovate the Science Fiction gendre with movies such as "Planet of The Apes" and "Solvent Green". He was also one of the rare actors to have supported Orson Welles with whome he made "Touch of Evil". He founded Agamemnon Studios with his son director Fraser Heston (whose unique but lasting role was that of Baby Moses in his cradle in the "Ten Commandments"). Darius Kadivar To top * Thank you Thank you that you visited my web sites. And thank for advertising it in your site [Venus]. If you want to see my last work, please visit this web page //venussong.com/newsong.html. Best Regards Venus To top * Film magazine I need to read the monthly magazine "FILM",but unfortunately it is not included in the list of the magazines .I appreciate if you include the magazine in the list and make its usage possible Thanks again in advance. Sheila Moussaiey To top * Lower class of men Regarding all the Iranian men who you say struggle for your attention [You frustrate me]: You are apparently hanging around a lower class of men... get over yourself! Bev Pogreba To top * So out of place I truly admire this lady for her guts [Venus]. Her voice is so out of place and unbearable one can not help but feel sorry for her. I sang in a band called Happy Girls in Ramsar in front of so many people and gave performances in high school but would never have the guts to actually make this horrible mix of poorly written words with even intolerable voice and call it music. One piece of advise. Don't tell people you have studied under "Ostads" because you are insulting our intelligence just say "I think I am different". We will support you as a gutsy Iranian. Azam Nemati To top * Your math An excellent article to let us know how the new generation think and feel [The same wish]. However, I wish your mastery of writing was matched by your math. "I am too young to remember the Shah's final days." Well, if you are 19, at his "final days" you were minus four (-4) years old. Don't be so hard on yourself for not remembering. Ash Farhang To top * Cheshm nakhore! Venus REALLY got guts. Cheshm nakhore! Bahareh Vali To top * FARSI is particularly damaging Dear Sir/Madam I would like to cogratulate you for your publications. But I have a suggestion, I have seen the word FARSI in place of PERSIAN for official language of our country in your Website and publications. As you know FARSI is the internal name of our language and PERSIAN is its International equivalent. For example the internal name of GERMAN LANGUAGE is DEUTSCH, but we never use DEUTSCH in place of GERMAN in English; or native term of GREEK LANGUAGE is ELINIKA and always in English we say GREEK LANGUAGE not ELINIKA LANGUAGE. If you notice to the term of Dictionaries that have been written by several great Persian scholares (eg. Dr. Aryanpour, Dr. Baateni, Dr. Amid , etc.) the title of all of them are: "ENGLISH-PERSIAN DICTIONARY" not "ENGLISH-FARSI DICTIONARY". Meanwhile FARHANGESTAN (the Academy of the Persian language and literature in Tehran) in an announcement has rejected the use of the word FARSI in place of PERSIAN in western languages (for several cutural and historical reasons). You can ask them. The adjective PERSIAN has a special meaning in the western languages. The use of FARSI in place of PERSIAN is particularly damaging as one of our country's most imposing legacies. With the gradual disuse of adjective PERSIAN this legacy, also, will become disassociated from its rightful owners. If you want to have more information please do not hesitate to contact me. I hope, if possible, revise in your web site, publications,etc. and please use PERSIAN not FARSI. Thank you so much for your attention and take care. Truly yours, Pejman Akbarzadeh P.S.--- The Verdict of the Persian Academy: The Language of the nation of Iran [Persia] in English is called "Persian" [or in other European languages: Persane, Persisch, Persa, Persiska, etc.] and is known worldwide as PERSIAN. Recently due to a lack of knowledge, some Iranians have been trying to use "Farsi" instead of Persian, the trend which has also been followed by some low knowledgable non-Iranians. This has occurred to the extent that it has raised the question "Which is the correct word, in English, for the language of Iran's people, Persian or Farsi?!..." This question was put to the official organization FARHANGESTAN (Persian Language and Literature Academy in Tehran) by the Commerce Departement For Australia, at Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In their 34th meeting on 7th of December 1992, Persian Academy unanimously paased the resolution that this language must be called PERSIAN and the reasons given were: 1- PERSIAN has been used in a variety of publications including cultural, scientific and diplomatic documents for the centuries and therefore it carries a very significant historical and cultural meaning. Hence, changing PERSIAN to FARSI is to negate this established important precedence. 2- Changing PERSIAN to FARSI may give the impression that this is a new language, and this may will be the intention of some Farsi users. 3- It may also give the impression the FARSI is a dialect of some part od Iran and not the predominant (official) language of this country. 4- Fortunately FARSI has never been used in any research paper or university document in any Western language, and the proposal of its usage will create doubt and ambiguity about the name of the official language of our country. This month's letters by subject August 22, 2002 See Part I See Part III To top RELATED August 2002 This month's archived letters Letters index Letters sent to The Iranian in previous months Email us

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