LettersAugust 2005 100 powerful women -- minus Ebadi Forbes Magazine's list of 100 most powerful
women contains many familiar names and sexy choices. While
all these women are accomplished in one way or another, the vast
majority
are daughters
of privilege,
having grown up in families of power, in civil societies. One name
shockingly not on your list is that of the great Nobel Laureate,
Shirin Ebadi. Mrs. Ebadi a fighter for human and women and children's
rights, did not make your list!! It was tenny many years agoOn the Tenth Anniversary of Iranian.com
This is how most women reactOn Hossein Samiei's "A
Persian thing": But aside from the issue of arab vs iranian, this is how most women react, when they have their doubts about their partners. I have seen it so many times, it is not funny anymore. I guess it is their way to protect their emotions, and somehow they see it as a necessary tool to be deployed so they won't be the first one to take the hit in a relationship. But i really have to take issue with your dear buddy! i don't really know where he gets his information from. He is defenitely wrong in his assessment of persians thinking they are It. Of course with some minor exceptions, and the same can be said about just about any other ethnicity in the world, that the greek or the latinos also may think that they have some superiority over everyone else. however it can't be held against anyone or be blamed for when a relationship has gone awry. I think your friend is way too liberal-minded, too broken-away
from the traditional ways and belongs to the cult of let's-all-get-along,
who likes to belittle his country's heritage, just so he can
make himself look a bit more attractive in the western society.
particularly
when it comes to women. That is just my opinion, of course:) Hello and goodbyeOn Tamara Nakhjavani's "Why
I hate California": Well, honey, you came, you saw, and I'm personally darn glad you left... BY THE WAY, WHAT TIME IS IT OVER THERE? OR SHOULD I GET MY OWN FRIGGING WATCH? Go back to New YorkOn Tamara Nakhjavani's "Why I hate California": I find your insights into your experiences in moving from the east coast to the west coast very interesting. I have lived in both New York and Southern California, and I have first hand experience in dealing with people in both areas. The bottom line is this: In New York most people are pretty much miserable but not willing to admit it. Even the ones who think they are happy have brain washed themselves to think so. It shows in their high levels of anxiety, stress and anger. They work like dogs all day to be able to afford a 400 square foot space to live in for $2000 a month in cold winters and hot and humid summers. They live in a pressure-cooker environment of constant stress and worry about getting ahead and keeping up... and for what? So is there any wonder that New Yorkers don't smile much? It is because they have little to smile about. In Southern California by contrast, with the exception of LA which is basically made up of a bunch of pretentious people, life is a lot less stressful. The weather is pleasant, there is less emphasis on work and more on enjoying life, and the life style is slower paced. So, perhaps there is reason for people to smile more in California than is New York. All of this is my general observation about the two coasts. Although many of the reader will disagree and have their feelings hurt, there are plenty of other people who would agree with my assessment. In your case however, there may be another issue in play. Due to the shortage of Iranian women in New York, most average Iranian girls get their asses kissed in New York by Iranian guys and subsequently think that American guys are dying to get into their pants too. Too many of average Iranian girls who move from New York to California, it comes as a shock that the market conditions are not in their favor: In other words, the find that they are more or less "a dime a dozen" over there. This phenomenon combined with the fact that your less friendly New York attitude is not prized highly in California may explain why nothing good happens to you there. So,
when some one smiles at you, gives you his number, even goes
out with you, and perhaps sleeps with you.... But doesn't end up
worshiping you or even calling you back as you expect, it is
not
that California sucks. Perhaps it is your unrealistic expectations,
your attitude, and your unwillingness to accept that in the market
you are in, you don't call the shots. My recommendation to you
is to get back to New York where you will fit in well and don't
have to worry about smiling or being nice ever again. 25 out of 500,000On Jahanshah Javid's photos of San Francisco rally for Ganji: Although I admire all 25 people who were in the pictures rallying for Ganji's freedom, as I was looking at the picutures I was wondering how many people would have gathered if Googoosh was in that plaza signing autographs? All we can do is talk... talk... and more talk... about freedom and democracy in Iran. The man is so courageous and steadfast in his belief that he is actually DOING something -- the only thing he CAN do -- putting his life on the line for freedom and we Iranians abroad go about our business of talking... talking... and more talking... about freedom and democracy! Of the more than 500,000 Iranians in California only 25 people gathered to publicize the plight of Ganji which is the plight of all Iranians. I wonder how many Jews or Eastern Europeans or even African Americans would have gathered for such a rally? Our "intellectual" members of academia across the globe put together all these wonderful "conferences", "panel discussions", and give fiery speeches in Ivy League Universities about freedom and democracy in Iran (most of the time for their own academic advancements!) but when it comes to action only 25 people appear on the scene? Where are all those Ph.D's and Post Doctorates and Post Post Doctorates and "Eminent Professors" in political science and sociology and anthropology who keep talking about "theories" of democracy and give advice on how to bring freedom to Iran? They are in their comfortable plush offices on the top floors of those universities doing their "research" on freedom and democracy and writing their books on how to bring freedom and democracy to Iran ! Meanwhile people like Ganji give their life for freedom so these "aghayoon" can go back to Iran and become King and President and Minister and what not! At least our poets knew what kind of people we are when Nasser Khosrow says: "Az Maast K-e Baar Maast" ... Thinking too hardThere has been a lot of scandals about politicians having immoral sex on the side in all countries except Iran. But I was to be proved wrong since I made the connection between all Iranian politicians and sex as recently as the Iranian presidential elections. The reasoning starts in the UK. Brits are a nation of statistics lovers and collectors. They would love to have statistics on pratically everything from the number of bees making love out of season to the number of socks going missing in washing machines. But I was to be pleasantly stimulated recently (in mind), while driving to work in the morning and listening to the radio, when the news of latest statistics hit me in the head through the loudspeakers of the radio and it went..."Every man has 2000 THOUGHTS throughout a day and every 6 seconds he thinks of SEX." I couldnt stop laughing and at the same time tried to avoid a collision with the next car. When I collected myself I realised my colleague who was sitting next to me was staring at me in a daze trying to figure out the reason behind my outburst. I didn't delay in snapping him out of his enquisitive mind by telling him that we Iranians have joined the rest of the world in sex scandals and have given a new meaning to the word SEX & POLITICS and that I have made a connection between the Iranian presidential candidates and sexual inetersts. He asked for clarification and I did not hesitate to continue that while I was thinking of Hashemi Rafsanjani as the next president of Iran and all the reforms he was promissing to carry out, I stopped for a moment and thought of how sexy and ravishing Condi Rice was on TV, while she addressed the Iranian elections from the White House... could there be a connection or just a statistics or perhaps a figment of my imagination? Could there really be a connection between the two of them, or was it just that I was mixing my daily thoughts with the 6 seconds sex break?! Kayvan Mobini Drugs and murder are badOn Shahriar Zahedi's "Razor": I was shocked to see this story here. I know, it's a story. Maybe I'm just so fed up because I work with juvenile delinquents. Maybe because I've seen the effects of drugs on Persians and others who think I'm not cool because I don't do them. Drugs and murder, etc., just aren't the way to go, guys. They lead to death and destruction, along with gangs. Yeah, I know the policies of many countries is the same. It doesn't make it right and it doesn't make for a better world. Kurds showing the wayThe regime has started once again the repression the Kurdish people in the western Iranian province of Kurdistan. In Marivan, Sanadaj, in paveh, Sagheze ... the people's protest was responded by plumb, the regime couldn't tolerate any opposition. They consider all protesters as enemy combatants, infidels who must be physically eliminated. We read in the news that most of Kurdish cities are under siege. Earlier this month our Kurdish brothers and sisters have responded to the regime's atrocities by calling a general strike. In most Kurdish cities a vast majority of workers followed the call. We read that most of the local administrative offices, factories and shops had closed. Messages of sympathy with the movement are sent from all over the country, while at the same time killing and repression continues, hundreds of people are arrested and we also hear a few more people have been killed. The movement started in Kurdistan can well be the beginning of a general uprising and toppling of the reactionary Islamic regime. Any progressive Iranian, no matter where she or he resides, must support the Kurdish cities. The Kurdish people are showing us the way, let's join them, let's bring them our outmost solidarity, let's do our best to make them heard all over the world. Let's contact the international bodies and talk to them about the repression of our people. Their movement is ours. We must help them to defeat the regime at least locally. Ourselves, our worldOn Jahanshah Javid's "Dying for Democracy": I enjoyed your article "Dying for democracy". Like most of free thinkers, you have evolved tremendously since your essay rebirth. I agree with most of your progressive and liberal view points especially with: " ... I am more concerned about what Khamenei and the Islamic Republic ARE doing to Iran than what Bush MIGHT do to Iran". As a Kurd my priority is a free Kurdistan frist although I wish that the whole world could become free. Even among non-Kurdish Iranian liberals I still see hestitancy to take Kurdish issues as seriously as other issues. Maybe it is just human nature to priorotitize in this order: ourselves, our family, our city, our state, our region, our country, our contintent, our world. Reasonably correctOn Jahanshah Javid's "Dying for Democracy": Finally you said something reasonably correct. Maybe if people did not go into the streets in1978 Iran would not be in this mess today. People like Yazdi etc and the whole crew are really traitors to Iran. Thank god there is a President who stands up to these people. You should read Countdown to a Crisis, that is the truth. Your site would not run in Iran, and if Kerry was in power the Mullahs would really have a free ride. The beauty of this country is that you can say what you like and we can disagree and still be friends!!!!!!!!! My wife is Persian. Tim From the heartOn Jahanshah Javid's "Dying for Democracy": I just wanted to let you know that I appreciate your article on Ganji. I found it thoughtful, to the point and from the heart. Tar Gol IncisiveOn Jahanshah Javid's "Dying for Democracy": I walked away more of a Javid fan than a Ganji fan. Brilliant piece, incisive, well-informed, excellent. PK Words find their wayOn Jahanshah Javid's "Dying for Democracy": Just wanted to drop a quick note and say what an awesome article it was. Hopefully this will be the first of many more? You often tend to undervalue your opinion and impact on the rest of us. I would also suggest that you confirm that your words have as great an impact as anyone, and that those words whether blocked or not do in fact make it inside Iran in some way or other, and that you consider this very real reach whenever you speak to Iranians. You can inspire people to action. Behrouz Coming of ageOn Jahanshah Javid's "Dying for Democracy": I read your piece and felt moved by its content and
style. I think pieces like this show that "we," as
members of the Iranian diaspora, have come of age. International awarenessOn Jahanshah Javid's "Dying for Democracy": Hi; I sure do respect your move in support of Akbar Ganji. I think there should be an announcement for a day or two of a hunger strike of Iranians inside and outside of Iran. This announcement should bring some kind of an international awareness and media attention to what is happening in Iran and to Iranians. Seddi Be free and liveOn Jahanshah Javid's "Dying for Democracy": Your piece was brilliantly descriptive of what happened in the past 26 years. I want Ganji to be free and live, and I also admire him for what he dared to say and do especially in the past few weeks when he said "KHAMENEII BAYAD BERAVAD..." that needed a lot of courage. But, I ask myself, why is all this happening in the last six months of his prison term was about to be finished? He is been in the prison for almost six years. Anyone who dares to publicly say, "Khameneii Bayad Beravad" has my respect, but I guess I can never trust anything that is happening in Iran. FN Dying for moneyOn Jahanshah Javid's "Dying for Democracy": The article is nice, but I'm afraid it does not reflect the realities on the ground. It should be renamed: "Dying for $20M Handout of the US Government"... Iran paradise in 4 yearsOn Jahanshah Javid's "Dying for Democracy": Jahanshah Javid's article was straight and to the point. I agree that democracy will exist in Iran only through the actions of Iranians in Iran. No immigrant who once lived in Iran and now lives in Europe, America or anywhere else other than Iran has any real say over that matter. It goes back to the great American saying, "Love her or leave her". The Iranians in Iran are the people who will decide what path to take. The Islamic Republic of Iran has changed over 26 years. The Khomeini era is far different from the Khamenei era. Many Iranians like me feel that the best is yet to come. With nuclear energy the Iranian masses can export all their oil to other countries and make more profits and the lives of the Iranian masses will improve. Internet access is availiable in Iran. There are even internet coffee shops. Iran has ATM's and Tehran has a subway system that never existed before the revolution. The advances made in these 26 years were enormous. The Shah of Iran returned to Iran after he was thrown out in 1953. From 1953 to 1979 the Shah ruled Iran with an iron fist. Amnesty International, the Red Cross, and many other international human rights groups condemned the Shah's regime. The Shah was supported militarily by the whole world. In 1979 Iranians abolished the monarchy once and for all and stood up to the world. the Iranians were George Washington in 1979. The advances in technology will usher in new freedoms. President Ahmadinejad, Iran's new President is standing up and has said he will rid Iran of corruption. Iran will become paradise in 4 years. And most of the corrupt individuals in Iran are the same people who worked for the Shah prior to the revolution. As I said before the revolution continues. It took 87 years for America to abolish plantation slavery. It took America 144 years to give women the right to vote. All over the world people hope for the best for Iran's future and for the best to come of its revolution. Today only unityOn Jahanshah Javid's "Dying
for Democracy": We changeOn Cyrus's "Salam from Sweden": Dear Cyrus, Thanks for sharing your feelings, it was so genuine and honest that it took me to 19 years ago that I moved to California. You are probably the same age of my sons (Heydar and Hafez). The Iranian community here are much larger, but my boys experienced some sort of identity problems anyhow. I think the moment that we start living outside our homeland, we start to change and it is inevitable, but after all these years I do not regret it. I think I am a better person that I was back then and my horizon is widen some how compare to my friends that choose to stay back home. I loved your commentary and I hope to hear from you. I don’t think I believe him I’m an Anglo-American woman divorced after 20 years with
an Iranian man. I am now dating a Muslim man from Kasmir and he
tells me that he is from the Sahaf family and that all Iranians
know his family was a royal Persian family. I can find no reference
of this anywhere. I don’t think I believe him. Can you tell
me? Thank you for speaking upOn Jahanshah Javid's "Dying for Democracy": It isn't often that I can read my thoughts in someone else's words, yet better put than I could have imagined! Thank you for speaking up for Ganji. I'm proud of you. Saturn We will retaliateAmericans out of desperation have fully ACCEPTED Iran as the next nuclear power. Any person with brain can realize this fact by the "sudden" publication of "Iran Is Judged 10 Years From Nuclear Bomb" in the August 2, 2005 issue of Washington Post. This "U.S. government article" was a clear "signal" to the dumb American people that Iran is really no threat to the U.S. (since it is at least 10 years from building a nuclear bomb!). This "signal" allows U.S. to back-off and save face at the same time. Now, if Iran wants to mess-up Americans really good, it should publish an article called "Iran says it will build a bomb in the coming months". This would ruins America's face saving "signal", and will forced them to attack Iran (which they can not, since they are not willing to pay the hefty price of Iran's retaliations). The problem with motherfucking filthy Americans, and the West in general is that they don't want to respect the wishes of developing nations, they simply want a TOTAL OBEDIENT SERVANT, and Iran is not going to be a servant of the Western colonialist, imperialists ever again, regardless of who is in power in Iran. The Ayatollahs
are a bunch of self-serving criminals. When a nationalist government
takes power in Iran, we will be even more hostile to
the Western terrorists. There is no way in hell we will ever
allow Americans back in Iran. We will throw the British vermin
out of
our holy land FOREVER. We will retaliate against any nation that supports anti-Iran terrorist groups (MEK/MKO/NCR, Al-ahwazis, Zionist-Azaris, Kurdish, Baluchis, etc.), until they surrender ALL the terrorists and STOP ALL their hostile actions against our country. That's the only language Western terrorists understand. No more JEW-N, JEW-amnesty, CIA/MI6/Mossad run NGOs, etc. Ya Jade Mountain On "Japanese
Ya fatemeh Zahra" I don't know what made you conclude what you
did. Was it mere juxtaposition of the the two? Norwegian yankeesOn "American" military video in Kosovo: I am not a military expert, but those do not look like USA Military Uniforms to me in the "Kosovo: American military musical" video on your website. Conspicuously absent is the USA flag from the uniforms and the insignia does not look familiar either. I read on another website that the video is actually a group of Norwegian soldiers who made the music video. In response to the frustrating peacekeeping situation in the Balkans, and elsewhere they made the satiric version of the Beach Boys hit, "Kokomo", with the lyrics . This satirical version of the song is rumored to have been around for nearly ten years, and originally appeared as part of his Bob Rivers morning radio show on KZOK in Seattle. No to nukes anywhereOn Tahereh Aghdassifar's "Who's calling who a nuclear threat?": Sometimes I wish I could say the right things to make change among Iranians, but it won't happen or at least the idea of change is something that will take a long time anyway specially if we Iranians are involved. We don't like change but we won't mind if the world change to our likings, or may be I should say we won't change so the world has no choice but to change for us. A dreamer nation we are indeed. We won't make the first move, it is always the other guy that should. I guess that is why that Buddhism didn't appeal to Iranians because the idea of self control is foreign to us. We like no structure but maybe only something like a god or a king on top of a pyramid, be it Ahura Mazda, Allah, Shah or Velayate Faghih. that kind of thing works with us but something with no point of reference or all being the points of reference like democratic system causes difficulty and great confusion with us. We eventually go back to some sort of fascist way of thinking , no matter how much we are exposed to things that are different. we did choose the Germans in world war two, and we explain that we did that to defy the English as if it is something understandable, we chose the shah, Khomeini, even Ahmadinejad and we shall find ourselves some explanation, why you may ask yourself? there is a very easy answer to it. the right way for us Iranian requires change, and we are so habitual people by nature, we wouldn't even change shah if it wasn't for BBC reminding us that we don't like him all that well. or if some conspirator plot didn't burn 800 people in Cinema Rex in Abadan. And so on. Our fate in politic is totally explained in sado masoquism I believe or may be in Caligula of Camo's evil doing evil to bring the victim closers to understand him. that is our psychology as a nation our government being our own evil . our parents abused us and we love them by every sad memory. lets not forget we are the only nation that our hero eventually kills his own son. we are not liberated by death even. death is the begining of iranian tragedy. I guess it is good to look at ourselves before we make commitments to a nuclear power these days. our nation may have to go through a lot in the next few months or years as the result of a walking through a nuclear disaster program we blindly follow as a nation why? because our sadist religious regime sees its' survival in having one of those. and the whole western reaction is pushing this child in wanting it more! and god knows what is happening behind the scenes, yet our nation wants the pain without even thinking about it. the burden of responsibility is some one else's as always, and in future if things go wrong there is always the past regime to blame everything on. Tehran is one of the most if not the most polluted city in the world which says to an intelligent listener that we are not a responsible nation towards our own good, and yet we are picking something that if we let go due to our lack of commitments towards health and goodness for all shall pollute us out of living for generations to come. and yet we want it like spoiled children and west is playing it's reverse psychology with us as if every one in the west and now east wants the premium price for every little thing they have to offer us. This search for the head of pyramid may cost all of us our heads. and we shall be beware of what we are asking for as a nation. we are living in an oil producing country, our population is not totally out of control shouldn't we think of other things in Iran rather than this new disaster that Islamic republic is after? we are very involved with Ganji as a social justice issue today, shouldn't we along the same token scream "No to Nuke in Iran? as it is unfolding in front of our own eyes a physical danger on top of other things in contemporary Iran? Do you trust the IRI?On Tahereh Aghdassifar's "Who's calling who a nuclear threat?": Your argument is sound & solid as a rock. It is not the question of the proliferation of atomic bomb; it is the question of who has it? Yes, the west is not willing to let the terrorist get access to the atomic bomb, & rightly so. But when it comes to our country IRAN with her present regime & irresponsible government, WHAT DO YOU CALL THEM? Are not they terrorists? If they are not, then why they train, arm & publicize to recruit SUICIDE BOMBERS, forty thousand of them?! The west including Russia, China, India & Pakistan had & have thousands of atomic bombs, some since fifty years ago, but did they ever even hinted that they intend to use it? On the other hand, we do not have it yet but our so-called respected officials & non official have repeatedly announced that they intend to use it & wipe out Israel?! I do not care whether Israel could be wiped out or not, but I do care for such an irresponsible public utterance. Yes, as long as Iran is governed by a bunch of murderers, lunatics, extremists, fanatical elements, the west has all the right to stop them. I have no intention to offend you; on the contrary, I just
want to clarify the point. If the west was against Iran having
atomic
capability, then why they willingly sold the facility to the
previous regime? I am as
patriotic Iranian as any body can be, yet I do not want the IRI
to possess atomic bomb, since I do not trust them! Do you? (See
reply) Most important factOn Tahereh Aghdassifar's "Who's calling who a nuclear threat?": I read your article on iranian.com on iran and nukes. I specially liked the stats at the end. However you forgot the most important fact: Number of people "DEAD" due to USA using nuclear weapons: OVER 140,000 in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Rapists got what they deservedOn Bita's "Kar shodeem": It's interesting how us Iranians living outside of Iran are always waiting for the a chance to lash out at the Islamic Republic, most of the time unreasonably! A while ago it was the 19 year old prostitute, now that her subject is getting old we are starting the same BS with the two young MEN!!! notice MEN not boys! What we have to understand is that every country has its laws, and so long as one is living within the borders of a country its laws should be obeyed! One can't live in Iran and try to follow the laws set in the U.S or Europe! And once anyone breaks the laws of the land they should very obviously await the consequences. The laws within the borders of the Islamic Republic clearly state that the punishment for RAPE is the death sentence! Now here we are sitting behind our computers and trying to be so "modern-minded" and more Americanized than the Americans themselves! Not long ago the two men that were hanged were said to be 18 and 20, now all on our own we reduced their ages to 16 and 18? Soon time we'll make them 8 and 10 and declare their hanging a crime against children rights and drag UNICEF into this mess! The two were criminals that had been causing a lot of public unrest and were RAPISTS!!!! They raped A CHILD! and they very obviously knew the consequences of their crime and yet knowingly continued on their corrupt path! They got WHAT THEY DESERVED!!! So instead of being such fools as to support the two criminals, how about we open our minds and eyes wider and see what really happened?! and for the love of god do not make this a gay rights issue because it had nothing to do with homosexuality! straight men rape young boys too! you know it, I know it, we all know it, some men (and women) are sick to the truest meaning of the word sick, they would even do A DOG if they had to in order to satisfy their sick needs! P.S. dear Bita, "Khar" is spelled with and H! And by the way, real intellectuals and millionaires have a life (unlike some) and it does not consist of supporting criminals! You can make a differenceOn Bita's "Kar shodeem": You are absolutely right when you question the lack of puclic response to these most unjust abuses of political power. However, this atrocity is only one of many and I strongly believe that until the backbone of the regime is changed, we will only be hearing more of these unfortunate events (let us not forget all the injustices that we don't hear of). With that said, I sometimes think people act more as followers than leader. If you want to make a difference, then you can and I am sure others will follow. Organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch ans follow these cases, especially when it revolves around child executions. They post on their websites what we, as the public, can do in letter (email) writing campaigns and to whom we should send our correspondences. All it takes is for someone to publicize these "taking action" opportunities. As a matter of fact, it was on iranian.com that I found out about impending executions of Hajieh Esmailvand and Leyla M. (aged 19) last year. It linked me to amnesty's website that explained what I, along with countless others, needed to do to help. And it was because of that concerted effort that Hajieh had a stay of execution, at least, that is what I believe. So please continue questioning the silence, maybe that is the guide people need to start taking action. >>> Page
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