|
|
December 3, 2002 To top A few years ago I wrote a letter in response to an article on homosexuality. The
letter I wrote was given the topic of "Right
to be homophobic". My letter in 1999 was a little unwise and closed-minded. I still do not condone homosexual behavior but I do not judge it either. I am not in a position to do so. I am neither a perfect being nor am I a homosexual to completely understand how they feel. I am however a person whose central quality is compassion. The reason I write you today is to correct myself. I was wrong back then and I may have offended and hurt people here and there; if I did I hope that my future actions make up for the pain I passed to others. We are all imperfect beings who wish to be happy and I can not judge anyone for being happy other than to say may you always be happy. Thank you. To top Excellent article [Defending
something I'm not]. Interesting to get your perspective. I wonder how much the
current suspicion has created "radical fundamentalist" Moslems from a bunker
mentality reaction. I don't think we understand the organic ties that exist in Islam
between politics and religion although those self-same ties existed for hundreds
of years in Christianity. To top Great article and right on target! It is amazing that your article "Total subjugation doctrine" articulates what I have been trying to tell my friends and family on various occasions. I have even written a few pieces for Iranian.com along a similar argument line but never been able to articulate and lay it out as wonderfully as you have! While surfing TV channels, I have on occasion run across the evangelical Christian babble in programs like 700 Club and have gotten the distinct impression that instead of promoting calm and mutual understanding between religions, especially between Islam and Christianity in the post 9/11 atmosphere, these bastards are pushing hatred and promoting conflict. So, I became curious and from time to time I tune in and listen in on their chatter. I think Jerry Falwell's idiocy is beyong discussion, so I will leave him alone and not talk about his brain farts. But on several occasions I've heard Pat Robertson and his program's participants say that Muslim clerics and advocates who say the perpetrators of 9/11 were an exception to the rule and not representative of the spirit of Islam shouldn't be believed. They insist that Quran and the Islamic scripture is indeed full of violence and Muslims who say otherwise are either lying or not aware of what's in their own scripture!! In one instance several weeks ago at the height of Arafat's stand-off with Israelis in Ramallah, I heard Pat Robertson complaining that Ariel Sharon's problem was that he talked about expelling Arafat from the West Bank and about relocating all Palestinians from the occupied territories and that he should actually do it and get it over with. So, you're absolutely right; they want to cause an armagedon! And I'm convinced that George W. Bush shares these views and is actually prepared to take "the full might of the American military" into whatever hell these tendencies will take him. Thanks for writing this piece and God help us all! To top You people just don't get it, do you? [Khatami's last chance] Mr. Sobhani is an American born, Iranian descent. So what if he is proud to be an American and so what if he cares about his ancestral land of Iran as well? Mr. Taheri is a prominent journalist by all accounts, whether he believes in Monarchy or not, that his personal opinion. So this panel did not represent the whole of Iranian community as you claimed.What would have made you happy? A panel of basiji , communist and mojahed journalist? Or should they dig the grave of Mossadegh and inject his DNA into some one and resurrect him as a journalist so you be satisfied? You want to criticize Khatami and how he disappointed you, go a head! That shows how naive you are to think that some one that came from this system and a believer in the Islamic Theocracy is going to deliver Swedish style democracy to folks like you! Then again it's not your fault, cause most of you guys do not know the nature of a mullah's and have not studied Iranian history very well...? Now, you don't like monarchy that's fine, it's your personal opinion and you are entitled to it. However realize some thing: Monarchy has a deep root in Iran and in our culture. It roots goes back to thousands of years. The first Monarchy system that we have a complete information about it is about at least 2500 years old, if not older. Some thing that deep rooted simply won't fade away over night! Don't be surprised if millions in Iran still believe in monarchy. Recently all the leaders of "Ashayer" representing thousands of thousands of villages in Iran hold a secret meeting (acknowledged even by Islamic republic leadership as traitors) during which they claimed their love and loyalty to Reza Pahlavi. Now if you guys are true democrats as you keep telling us, then you have to realize that those who are monarchists have rights too! Perhaps they may even represent a majority! I think what is bugging you people is the dopey liberalism that brought us all this misery, the same philosophy that you guys still worship, is crumbling right in front of your eyes and you guys just don't know how to cope with it's demise! So you are still hoping subconsciously that Khatami, Ganji and Aghajari's some how able to save this Islamic system! good luck! To top Dear Mani, I have nothing to contradict in your excellent article "Khatami's last chance", except for your usual rhetoric against monarchists. Just to remind you or let you know that they were also victims on both sides. See here. The rest is unfortunately or should I say fortunately a political battle. Let's hope Iran will get the best out of it, and no further bloodshed. To top Ms Samii - you say reforms are not possible BUT the demonstrations are for a REFORMIST
[Lengesh
kon]. Could it be that you and your "Shahzadeh" are just plain jealous
of the fact that Khatami (and more importantly, the reformists as a whole) have the
lead and not your Shahzadeh? Unlike the people who have been denigrating the reformists and putting down Khatami from Day 1, Khatami and the reformists have to function in the REAL world and within REAL constraints in order to make REAL progress and not just write pretty lectures and essays about magical transitions. It is precisely because Khatami should NOT end up like Mossadegh that he should
NOT resign. After all, the garbage bin of history is exactly where Mossadegh ended
up, factually speaking, and Iran was no better off as a result. To top Re Mr. Reza Pahlavi's article, "Iranian
problem, Iranian solution": To top As a potential leader of Iran, Reza Pahlavi leaves a lot to be desired [Iranian
problem, Iranian solution]. First of all, he speaks the English language with
a terrible accent; it is certainly not up to par with anyone who wants to rule a
country, if he wanted to open a chelo-kababi or auto-repair shop, that would be another
story. To top Hahahahahahahahah! To top I just read this very funny article [Make it your bible, bubba], it made me laugh as i thought it was a satirical piece but then i realise it is not humour but its the real thoughts of someone and I have to say I agree with most of the comments out there... This woman... is so stuck up herself that I'm sure she has never seen the sunshine through clear eyes that will allow her to see the love and excitement from someone that comes within. She's a bloody dictator!! The whole beauty of a relationship is that people are allowed to be themselves
and while she has this impression of what *it should* be like, she will never find
happiness and i'm sure up until now, she has probably met and lost her real perfect
man who would have done everything for her but for her *manual* To top Leila Farjami's poem "Dar aab" is GREAT, GREAT, GREAT! And how can I explain my feelings for Reza Hiva's poem "Baran
(Tabeed)"? All I can say is: WOW! To top The Iranian parliament should amend the nationality law and allow dual citizenship
for Afghan men who have married Iranian women. To top I am a publisher, and among my projects is a book series, a platform from which your generation is speaking out about its realities. Presently I am reading submissions for the fifth volume, the first four volumes containing 540 "voices" from more than fifty countries. "Voices" as in songwriters, journalists, poets, novelists, etc. You can read more about this project at our site, link below. I do hope this inspires you to send in some submissions: My best regards to you, Marlow Peerse Weaver To top Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi's speech [Iranian problem, Iranian solution] at Harvard University on Theocracy verses Democracy has the credit of being clear and unambiguous in regard to the Secular and Democratic political future most Republicans and Monarchists wish for the future of our country. I believe that the Crown Prince's efforts in alerting public opinion through the Press, be it Iranian or non Iranian or through Seminars such as this recent one has efficiently contributed to drawing attention on the struggle for Freedom by our compatriots back home. I would also like to add that I find him a much better and sincere communicator than his own father. I also believe that the Crown Prince has brought a good deal of dignity and serinity over a debate which seemed to focus essentially on what many saw as an oppurtunistic approach to restore himself on the peacock throne, even if I personally wish to see that happen one day. To have set the liberation of Iran as his only focus and to insist on his attachment to democratic values and Human Rights is absolutely important given the ambiguous promises of the IRI in regard to these matters. In a recent interview on KRSI and Pars TV I was happy to hear the Crown Prince hail both the late Shapour Bakhtiar and Mohammed Mossadegh as among the greatest Iranian patriots. Those who think such sentences are vaine, must remember that it is by taking steps towards recognizing errors and mistakes as well as the contributions of his peers that one advances. Not having said it would probably leave more space for ambiguity, and I do not think that the Crown Prince is a man who copes with abstract and ambiguous promises. Some may also think that it is not enough and that he should be even more critical towards his fathers reign. I personally think he has done a great deal and can do more, yet I think this "young fellow" as some people paternalistically have called him, is doing a good job and in the best interests of his compatriots. The Crown Prince's approach has been one of dialogue and outspokeness. He does not avoid questions be them difficult and I think in all honesty that this is to his credit. Nevertheless this battle cannot be won single handedly and that is why his repeated call upon iranians of the Diaspora in particular must not fall on deaf ears. My opinion is that the Third Force mouvement to which he has been refering to
in his interventions and his book the "Winds of Change" takes into account
not only the legitamate aspirations of liberty that resulted in the revolution of
'79 but were usurped by the religious theocracy, but also takes into account the
hopes of reconciliation among Iranian people as a nation divided by the stigmas and
scars of a popular revolution that while creating hopes of Freedom and Democracy
nevertheless destroyed them virtually overnight. To top Dear R.Hiwa:
Dear friends, I have problem with this para in Reza Pahlavi's speech [Iranian problem, Iranian solution].
What is he talking about discrediting Islam? I wonder if he has ever read the Koran and knows what he is talking about? Why is he, if he wants to be the leader of Iranians, so much defending Islam? What does he mean by religion was hijacked? The Iranian democratic revolution of 1978 was hijacked by the religion and theocracy with the help of America. Why are we Iranians so afraid of declaring the illegitimacy of Islam in our homeland? This is not the religion of our ancestors. Islam is the religion of our Arab conquerors. We are a nation under the Islamic occupation. When are we going to get out from under this Islamic oppression and return to our glory days of being Persians rather than Muslims? I usually skip reading Azam Nemati's sher-o-ver, but this time I was shocked to
see so many responses by readers to "Make
it your bible, bubba" and read that piece of ART, just out of curiosity....
and, OH MY GOD... I felt nauseated!! Dear Friends at farsidomain.com, I would like to congratulate you for your interesting web site. But I have seen the word FARSI instead of PERSIAN for the official language of our country. Once again I would like to point out : FARSI is the native name of our language and PERSIAN is its English (international) equivalent. As the native 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. Prof. Aryanpour, Prof. Baateni, Prof. Amid , etc.) the title of all of them are: "ENGLISH-PERSIAN DICTIONARY" not "ENGLISH-FARSI DICTIONARY". Meanwhile the official organization "Farhangestaan" (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 English (for several reasons that I have attached it). The adjective PERSIAN (or its variants; persane, persisch, etc.) has special meaning in the Western languages. Our literature (as one of oldest lagacies) has been known around the world with the name PERSIAN not FARSI. According to Dr. Hormoz Farhat (Professor of Dublin University): "With the gradual disuse of adjective PERSIAN this legacy, also, will become disassociated from its rightful owners", Dr. Hossein Samiee (visiting linguistic professor of Emory University in Atlanta) adds: "PERSIAN, alongside the name of a language, maybe used, as an adjective, for the other aspects of our history and culture. For example, we can speak about "Persian Literature", "Persian Gulf", "Persian Carpet", "Persian Food", this way, "Persian" maybe a common concept and function as a link between all aspects of Iranian [Persian] life, including language. "Farsi" does not have such such a characteristic"? If you want to have more information please do not hesitate to contact me. If possible, please revise in your web site and please use the correct English name of our language; PERSIAN not FARSI. Thank you so much for your attention and take care. 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 [Persians] 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:
Dear Ms. Nemati, [Make
it your bible, bubba]
I loved your photo essay [Some things are sacred]. They were creative and smart with a good sense of humor. I tried not to look at the titles (which I didn't like some of them) and I could
go much further than what you meant! You are very talented and you should do this
more often. Best wishes,
I am writing in reply to Eric Frazier's "Only a matter of time". The author makes a grave error when he relates Iran to the September 11 attacks ("Along with Iraq and North Korea, Iran has been clearly identified by President Bush as part of the network of terror that was behind the 9/11 attack."). The fact of the matter is that there has been NO evidence whatsoever relating the Iranian government to Bin Laden or the September 11 attacks. If the US had any solid evidence, they would have made it public by now. We have all heard a number of people make such remarks against Iraq, but even the CIA has said that they do not have any solid evidence relating Saddam Hussein to Bin Laden. And according to the reports I have read in Newsweek and elsewhere, the only reason that North Korea got lumped together with Iraq and Iran in the infamous "Axis of Evil" phrase was because the US administration was reluctant to be seen as being anti-Islam by simply targeting Islamic countries in its so-called "War on Terror". Another error the author makes is to think the Iranians living abroad, or for that matter anybody else including the author himself, can tell Iranians what is in their best interests! I can assure you that people there are intelligent enough to be able to think for themselves and solve their problems on their own. Finally the author states: "It would sadden me beyond words if Iranians and Americans were to start killing each other on the field of battle." Well, let's get something right here: if the US were to invade Iran, the only people that would get killed would indeed be Iranians, just like all the Afghans who got killed in Afghanistan, and all those Iraqis who got killed in the Gulf War. I am afraid life in the Third World is just very cheap. DEMOCRACY, FREEDOM AND JUSTICE FOR THE PEOPLE OF IRAN. -LONG LIVE IRAN- The Iranian people, for their own reasons, are already taking action to overthrow this regime [Only a matter of time]. Soon the mullahs will be gone, and true democracy will be established in Iran. But even then we will have warmongering people like Mr. Frazier; who will continue to spew venom of hate, ignorance and belligerence for one reason or another. Eric probably has nothing useful to do but listen to Right Wing talk shows on AM radio all day, and now is regurgitating it all back to us. No, Mr. Frazier you neither know nor love Iranians, that statement was just the "grabber", so that we continue reading your nonsense. "Map in the cat" is one of the most beautiful pieces I have ever read. I think it should be translated to Persian. I have emailed it to all my friends. Dear sirs: There have been several aritcles about him and he has a web site www.geocities.com/barjusch. He can be released with a five thousand dollar bondwhich is refundable when he appears in front of an immigration judge. He is well liked in this facility and by the Immigration judge but this law must be complied with. Can any one suggest a way to get this man on Iranian TV or radio ? If you have any such connections please email him through his website. thank you. by the way there are many green card holders with him in jail on minor infractions and his exposure would bring out this matter at a time when immigration does not have the resources to advertise their strict enforcement of the law. Thank you
I would like to reply to Christina McLain's article "We are reasonable people". The jest of your article if I have understood it is that the Americans are ill informed but reasonable. I have heard that the Jewish belief is that if one knows of a wrong and fails to correct it then he or she is partly responsible. Also the Moslem belief is that being aware of the world situation is an essential duty of man. Hamilton and Jefferson themselves wrote that a democracy cannot function within an uninformed public. This country became powerful as a democracy but the role of a superpower is a different one. This chasm is maintained through ill-informedness. The American people are well liked, even by the people it considers enemies, which is to say that this point is apparent.
I red your article "Found
it" (Persia in USA) and I liked it. I used to live in the US for years.
Then four years ago I decided to go back to Iran. My Sara is now about Mahdieh's
age and somehow I could feel what you were looking for. I went back because I was
looking for the same name: "Persia". Brilliant [Tintin in Tehran]. I especially like Tintin's pants and shoes.
Dear Eric, [Only a matter of time] They used to say "a few friends like you and who needs enemies". If you are familiar with many Iranians, may be one of them will thank you for the "auntie bear friendship" you seem to offer. The great majority of the Iranians who detest their government also disapprove of the lop sided American policy in the Middle East. And you want them to rise up and throw the rascals out so that a new government in Iran rubber stamp the said American policy. What kind of Iranian friends do you have, and what kind of friend are you? Personally, I could do without friends whose friendship is upon their terms only. I heard from Wisdom Fund that Iran will have joint exercises with US. I could not believe it. Kindly enlighten me and send email if true. I would like to buy the Ayatollah picture you have of him on an airplane/bus email if we can make some sort of transaction. I read Mr. Frazier's commentary with interest [Only a matter of time]. He raises issues which in my view are worthy of closer analysis. I should say that my comments are based on my own thoughts, as an ordinary Iranian observer of these worrying times. Mr. Frazier says that:
"Shahreno"
symbolized the oldest profession if Tehran. Masood Raji The pictures of "Shahreno" made me so emotional and angry I started to cry and curse the dead crown cannibal and his remaining fans. How could anyone (of course except an ignorant and spoiled Shah parast) look at these pictures and not feel the desperation and the pain in these women's hearts? These pictures reminded me of the day I vehemently blasted the system for these woman's plight in one of my social studies classes in my college days (1970s) and even then I burst into tears. The basterds of the Savak showed up at my door for a friendly visit and asked me some questions and I repeated the same things I had said in the class. Do you know what they said? These women are looking for pleasures. I looked them in the eyes and said "those whores married to the blood suckers running our country look for pleasure" These are starving, uneducated and unskilled women who have no choice but to sell their bodies. May be if we had spent the money on training them rather than inviting all the fat cats of the world to come and watch the celebration of the kingdom we would not have this problem. I was told because of my Dad's contributions they would highly recommend that I change my way of thinking. I just smiled and said "or I will end up in a ditch like some of my friends, right?". Thank you for reminding me that my fight is not over. I should never in my heart forgive the dead cannibal may he rot in eternal hell. Thanks to Iranian.com and the person who sent the pictures now those non-Iranians can see what a segment of society was doing when the Empress was giving money to struggling artists in America. She should be beaten up mercilessly too. What would we do without the patriotic iranians of the San Fransisco bay area? [How Persian Drive was saved] Let us hope that the coming generations will remember their so called valiant fight and victory to ensure our place in history! Solidarity and the iranian community abroad ? Well , this may sound more like a myth , rather than a reality , but it actually happened . The purpose for their union and challenge was neither to demand democratic reforms back home , nor to protest racial profiling or the loss of our civil liberties here in the US. Instead, the goal was to convince the city officials to preserve the name of an insignificant piece of a street in the back alleys of sunnyvale . A tiny street named " persian Drive" . Now , at a time when Middle east is facing an imminent war and the stability of the whole region is in jeopardy , These people have found an attainable , safe " cause celebre" , the achievement of which can boost their ego and spirit and make them feel like they have paid their dues to their homeland . It all reminds me of the persian expression " Shotor gom kardeh va donbale afsarash migardand " . They have lost the camel and are looking for it's leash in vain .As their next project I suggest to look into the local grocery store in our neighbourhood . Recently I noticed that persian melons have been replaced by another variety . In fact, the store has stopped supplying the customers with" Persian melons ". Now let us all unite to protest that . Is'nt this all "Jang sare lahaafe mollaa Nassreddin" ?
|
|
|
|
Web design by Bcubed
Internet server Global Publishing Group