Letters

February 2005
February 2 | February 8

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Can't put past behind, completely

In response to Abjeez advice column "She's had a busy past, but I love her":

Dear Abjeez,

I have been a regular reader of your advice columns, though i tend to disagree with them most of the time. I could not help but to write about your advice to this 30 year old gentlmen, since i happen to share the same vision and expectation.

First, let me address abji fotty's reply you can not undermine the importance of setting rules in a marriage or even in a relationship. It could very well be a contributing factor to the stability and solidity of the committment between a couple. you won't be heading on a wrong path necessarily, if some rules will help you in establishing a clear direction for your relationships. How else can you be evaluating it and knowing how well it is progressing, if you just blindly accept anything?

You are right about Love being all about accepting your partner, his or her flaws and top qualities, but at the same time you need to consider the issue of fairness in a relationship.

I am 35 years old and i have had that many serious relationships, one to be precise, but i have made it a point to select those who have no romantic or past involvemnets. why? because i believe that past connections, whether one likes it or not, would become part of that person's current exsitance, what constitues their current thoughts and desicion and most important of all their expectations.

Not every one is really capable of putting the past completely behind them and would carry bits and pieces into their present life, and would unwillingly or maybe even intentionally want to see, what she or he did not see or receive in their former relationships. I have witnessed this numerous times, And why should someone like me, have to tolerate this while we know that there are other alternatives availabe? And i expect to be treated and viewed the exact same way by females who might be in a similar position.

Nobody is setting restrictions, or even being selfish going by such a criteria. It is all done in the name of fairness and wanting to spend a lifetime with someone with a similar background.

Abji pari, Thank you for bringing the message home. i agree with you wholeheartedly. i could not have said it any better myself. Thanks for your hard work, ladies.

Kyle Saghafi

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Rotten khar parasts

In response to Hassan Behgar's "Bazargan va existentialism?!":

I found another diamond in the rough! Perseverence pays. Let's expose the rotten khar parast lot of them, Islamists, Mossadeghists, shah allahies, communists, Jebhe Gheir-e-meli etc etc Nothing Is Sacred. Hoorah! Wish we could have more of uncompromising critiques instead of the turgid set pieces to defend egos etc.

Well done Editor!

Amir Rostam

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Beautiful remider

In response to Ehsan Shahinsefat's photos, "Scent of a country":

Dear Ehsan,

Your pictures of Fars are incredibly beautiful reminded me of my hometown Shiraz.

Warm regards,

Darius KADIVAR
Paris FRANCE

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Vaghean mamnoonam

Salam Khanoome Nemati,

Man har rooz miram site e Iranian.com & ghesmate "Writers" chon ASHEGHE oun section hastam. I find most of the stories so amazing, & most of the writers so talented that I just CANNOT stop reading.

Today, I came across your stories for the 1st time & I just wanted to tell you that I LOOOOOOOO VVVVVVVVVV EEEEEEEEEE your stories!!!

Vaghean dastetoon dard nakone baraye in vaghti ke gozashtin & in dastana ro neveshtin, vaghean azatoon mamnoonam ke in opportunity ro be ma dadin ke az dastanaye shirin, ghashang & be yad mandaniye shoma lezzat bebarim >>> Full text

Nazanin T.

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White House cactus

In response to Jamshid's cartoon "White House cactus":

Besme'i ta'aali

Baraadare Mojaahedol Hezbollah dar khaareja, Jamshidoleslam:

Lotfan neveshtane naame aan khaa'ene taaghutie jahankhaare mostakber, baraadare mozdur Dick Cheney raa baa sad martabe runevisiye aan dar daftare mashqe khod yaad begirid, ke digar az een noqte be omat va emam zarbe vaared neshode, va dar eza' moshte mohkami baashad dar dahaane aan dolat. Yaadetaan baashad ke Amrika hich ghalati nemitavaanat bokonad.

Vassalaamonalleykomvarahmatollahevabarakaatoh,

Amir

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Iranians outside are all talk?

It pains me when I see and hear about Arabs and Arabs states spending millions of dollars on renaming the Persian Gulf while us, self proclaimed patriots, living in the good old Unites States, England & Australia do nothing but talk about something as important as preserving an important piece of our non Islamic heritage. I realize that there is an organization already working on this issue. But it sure doesn't seem like they can do much, most probably because they do not have sufficient economic resources.

Persion gulf (khaleeje' Fars) is 100% Persian; nothing to do with the current Islamic regime or Islam. Persian gulf has been Persian gulf as long as most of us have been alive. How can we sit and do nothing until "Arab hAye koon nashoste" finally rename it by bribing U.S. companies and organizations such as National Geographic, Rand McNally etc ?!!! As long as the Bush family who's noses are brown from being too close to Arab asses is in power, things can and will only get worse.

I must have received copies of an email about how we Iranians are the most successful minority in the U.S. and Canada 50 times in the past year. We have at least 100 multi millionairs in California; these include Kamran Elahian, Massih Tayebi, Mori Ejabat, Omid Kordestani, Mr. Makkarechi to name a few.

I think its high time for ALL of us and specially people with much better than average economic means to take organized action and match or up the Arab spending to make damn sure Persian gulf is not renamed Arabian Gulf.

I ask you Mr. Javid to spear head a movement on your site (the best and most read Iranian site on the net) to pull all existing and new resources to counter the efforts of Arabs and save a very important part of our secular heritage.

Regards,

Faramarz
Los Angeles

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Misconceptions about "PERSIAN"

In response to Azam Nemati's "I'll show you Persian!":

A few weeks ago I wrote a letter to one of iranian.com's contributers (in private) and asked her in view of several historical and cultural reasons do not use the word "Farsi" instead of "Persian" as English name of our official language. She wrote me that she has BA in this field so there is no need that I teach her what she has to use (!). She also wrote an article on this matter which is now online in iranian.com:

The subject is very simple and up to now many people (including many scholars and linguists) have written about it. However it seems there are still some people who have not got the points. Therefore again I write the story in brief >>> Full text

Pejman Akbarzadeh
Musician and researcher,  is a member of Artists Without Frontiers and Persian Gulf Organization

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The punchline

In response to Jamshid's "Cartoons":

Dear Farhad:

was this a joke or your own writing? I think I missed the punchline where more than 100,000 men, women, and children get liberated by "Ezraeel" before the actual liberation by your savior king George. Though, I guess not being entrapped by physical body could be interpreted in a twisted way as "freedom", I think freedom-loving people should themselves try it sometime.

Leila Farjami

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Hillary?!

In response to Jamshid's "Cartoons":

Mr. Jamshid,

I think your cartoons are not funny at all and done with a hatred towards this administration. Rest assure on 2008 there's going to be another Republican President not Miss Hillary. Please stick to funny cartoons and leave politics to politicians.

Mahroo Burns
Prowled Texan

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Eloquent and constructive

In response to Shokooh Miry's "George Bush is no Santa Claus":

Dear Miss Miry,

Thank you for your eloquent and constructive letter regarding the Iranians (more so like traitors) who advocate US military strike on Iran. I had wanted to write something up, but as you can see, my anger and disappointment kept me from writing, as I don't want to be insulting.

Anyway, I appreciate you speaking out and share the view.

Mehrdad

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Any cost? Even your own family?

In response to B. Bamdad's "Appeasing Islamic Fascism":

Mr. Bamdad,

The content of your contribution offers nothing new and merely confirms real Iranians' view of Iranicons. I therefore, have just one comment about the last sentence of your masterpiece, "... defeat fundamentalism everywhere for the greater good of mankind, at any cost."

Mr. Bamdad, I sure hope that the "any cost" you mention includes the lives and goods of every member of your own family still residing in Iran since you lavishly wish it for the rest of the Iranian population. Legitimate Iranians with legitimate fathers, mothers and families in Iran kind of don't like the any cost solution.

Mazdak

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Pure hypocrisy

In response to B. Bamdad's "Appeasing Islamic Fascism":

Dear Bamdad,

Just got finished reading your opinion and then Fariba Amini's "Hypocrisy vs. democracy". Consequently, I have got confused and at a cross road not knowing which is accurate and I should support. Should the Americans decide to attach Iran, should I support the US or go back and fight them and I was wondering if you could help here. I consider myself a very decent person and thought I make you a deal.

If you can convince me logically that the US line is not just a pure hypocrisy and self serving then I will march after you, but if not and you have any decency in your blood, then you will acknowledge that you were mislead by this administration or perhaps, like so many other journalist on the neo-cons payroll. Please advise.

Mehrdad

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Selling sweet dreams

Please note in Britain all news Media is heavily censored by the people who run it. Such as broadcasters and journalists, staff at libraries and internet cafes use their own discretion to censor whatever news there is about Iraq, British and American administrations defeat in and miscalculations about Iraq; no of British and American soldiers got killed in the War in Iraq.

You see the British like to go to War, but do not like to get killed in it, or come out as loosers! So, when something unfavourable happens to the British army in Iraq, the whole Media and all Mediums (staff in charge of them) censor news and views about them, so that people of Britain can continue living in Cookooland and not know what is going on in the battle field in Iraq and Afganestan; and keep day dreaming about false successes Blair and his Dept of Defence are supposed to have in those countries. Sweet dreams are what the British people are after; they are falsify truth in order to feed their people a good deal of sweet dreams, by fasifying facts and truth about the real state of things in Iraq.

We used to think the Anglo-Saxon race was a brave, efficient, realist and democracy and freedom loving nation/race. But now, we do that they are just like the rest of us, poor soles who can't take failure and love to win under any circumstances either by hook or by crook and because a British Hercules have been downed by the insurgents in Iraq and some 15 British soldiers have been killed in the War zone; not only Tony Blair has gone into hiding shedding crocodile tears for the victims {he is crying simply because he can't get it his own way all the time; he does; not want to lose not even once; he is so spoilt by his cabinet.} and the whole of the Media wo/men are are working like horses {donkeys} in order to censor all news so as not to let anyone know they have lost in Iraq and probably cannot win the war there at all.

They are such babies; they want their cakes and eat it all by themselves; who and what made them not know the truth about wars? Why are they NOT big / man enough to take defeat as well as success with a pinch of salt and try to live with it? Why should they want to pretend they are winning at all times? Why could they not know from day one that if they choose to go to war, they might come out of it defeated and humiliated, like they have been and are right now?

I used to think the Anglo-Saxon race are mature and battle-hardened people; this shows they are not; they are no more than babies who want only the sweet things of life and cry and scream loud when things turn out to be not so sweet at all.

Rana Bahar

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I speak Farsi with pride

In response to Azam Nemati's "I'll show you Persian!":

I would like to begin by saying I am glad that there is someone like Ms. Azam Nemati who stands up for Iranian culture, and speaks what is on her mind. I am writing to say that I stand with Ms. Nemati in calling our language Farsi (its' true name). Some of us Iranians have gone to calling themself and their mother tongue "Persian". Some have even gone as far as suggesting that calling it Farsi is wrong because we are speaking the English language and the English word is "Persian".

This is ridculous. I don't care if you can't call it "Farsi" Food or "Farsi" Literature. (Gulf and carpet are different because the gulf is the official name, and even I admit, the words 'Persian' and 'Carpet' are so intertwined in the minds of most Anglophones that you really can't refer to them as anything else.) As if it even mattered whether you can't use 'Farsi' in some certain cases in English. You can't in Farsi either.

That's when we say something is "Irani" and not "Persian". So in English, Call it Iranian. That's what it is, folks. That's the country it originated from. Not "Persia". That's an old English and Latin name for what we know as Iran. What, are we going to start calling Iraqis "Mesopotamians"? Or Turks "Anatolians"? Thai "Siamese"? You get the picture. And why is it called an English-Persian dictionary? Because of people like Mr. Akbarzadeh who refuse to refer to their language by its' true name.

Of course nobody calls German "Deutsch". But is there a large German-Speaking immigrant population currently living in the U.S.?....If you've ever heard of the Pennsylvania Dutch, you'd know that they got their name from being German Immigrants who called themselves Deutsch and the English-speakers misunderstood this as "Dutch" their name for people from Holland.They didn't begin calling themselves "German" the moment they arrived.

Not until their children and their children's children were essentially Americans and not German several generations down the line. The point is we should call ourselves what WE ARE, Iranian, Iranian people who speak Farsi. Not anglicize it to sound more like you're just another white American who is 'Irish', 'Swedish', or 'Italian'. In the end, that's what it comes down to.

Why do you think some of these people are so vehemently opposed to the word 'Iranian' being used (ironically enough) outside of the language they call "Persian"? Because they are either don't want to be associated by the Americans they interact with as being "Middle Eastern" or from "One of those Terrorist countries that begin with the letters I-R.". Or they simply don't want to be known as what they are.

They want to be like every other white American, as I mentioned earlier. Just someone who is "Persian" and speaks "Persian" (Oh, now that doesn't sound as threatening as "Iranian", or "Farsi" does it?) like anyone else is a number of anglicized European nationalities and languages.I am severely ashamed of any Iranian who acts this way. I'm not saying that Japanese-Americans should go around saying they speak 'Nippon', but "Iran" and "Farsi" are in the English language too. Be proud of your Iranian heritage and don't be ashamed to tell anyone who asks...."I speak Farsi"

Thank you

Sia
Tucson, Arizona

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Treat Iran like Bangladesh

In response to Sharif Mafi's "How to Liberate Iran":

Why in the world would the American government want to waste its money? Pollution, traffic problems, and filthy people in Tehran don't make that military strike a pleasure trip. The Americans should forget about anything to do with Iran. The best thing to do is abolish all embargos against Iran and have direct ties with the Iranian government.

The U.S. government should treat Iran like the relationship they have with Bangledash.

Jamshid Richard William Tehrani III

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Hopelessly useless

In response to Azam Nemati's "Get over your anger":

I just finished reading Azam Nemati's letter in response to Lance Raheem's well written and introspective "Pomegranates and apple pies".

In her letter, Ms. Nemati calls Lance illiterate for using the term "half breeds". She obviously seems to be burdened by her limited ability in communicating in the English language. She thinks the term is used solely for animals.

I would like to quote from page 612 of the American Heritage College Dictionary, 3rd Edition, if I might: "half-breed-(noun) A person of mixed ancestry."

Clearly it is not young Mr. Lance Raheem who is the illiterate one after all, but Azam Nemati. Please forgive me for offering my unsolicited opinion, but why not limit this deranged individual to her musical endeavors for iranian.com. She is so hopelessly useless as a writer. Her very limited and incorrect usage of the lexicon of the English language, coupled with her outrageously insensitive comments week after week only serve to injure the reputation and quality of your otherwise very fine site.

With all humility and sincerity, I tell you that she is both the worst writer and the worst person I have ever come across in a lifetime of world travel including many wonderful trips to Iran. She is a disgrace to iranian.com, Iran, and all Iranians and half-Iranians everywhere.

My advice.....dump her!

M.T. Maan

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What is she?

In response to Azam Nemati's "Get over your anger":

Dear Mr. Javid,

Salaam. I usually do not write you, but this time was simply too much for me. Please include my comments in you Letters Section so everyone knows where I stand.

As the mother of two wonderfully well adjusted, bilingual and successful half-Persian children, I could not sit by while Azam Nemati attacked this young boy in such a cruel and heartless manner. She calls herself a daughter of Abadan, but I can truely say that in all my years of growing up in Iran or living abroad for the past twenty-eight years, I have never met anyone that is so clearly insane as her.

Not only does she set herself up as the arbitor of who is and who is not a real "Iranian", she does so with English that betrays her very low proficiency in both reading and writing skills. I read the young man's article and he was sincere and articulate. He had a valid complaint against her aggressive and hateful beliefs. Then, she attempted to reply, but her ability to write coherently and cohesively in the English language was utterly inept. She is truely without any doubt a poorly educated and defensive illiterate >>> Full text

Soori Sarrafi

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Waste of time

In response to Sheema Kalbasi's "Sangsar":

Even looking at Sangsar is a waste of time. If she wanted to show her hate towards such a brutal law she could write a real poem or article.

Homa Jam

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Why did you bother?

In response to DD's "Frozen yogurt":

Hey Doubledee,

Your eyes see doubledee and your ears see doubledee too. You do not understand poetry and words in Arian music. Why did you bother to go to a concert that your intellect is so poor to understand? There are many avant garde shit things in your area that suites your taste, go and see those. That is why your "x" became your "X". Her or his taste and understanding is far different than yours.

As far as going to Iran, you better stay in wherever you are and enjoy avant garde !! music.

Homa Jam

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Fed up with snobs

In response to DD's "Frozen yogurt":

I am frankly FED UP with those american-wanna-be " persians" who think they are so much better than every other Iranian! I am fed up with those who allow themselves to ridicule everything and anything that comes from Iran or an other iranian!

I am fed up with the kinds of "Doubledee" whom know nothing of Iran but "Kaleh pacheh", yet allow themselves to bash those who have worked hard through war, oppression and harsh economic/social conditions to revive art, music and cinema in their homeland.

I am sick and tired of that fake stereotype of Iranians other iranians make! It's incredible how some people allow themselves to mock their own compatriots to look "cool"! You know what? You took an excellent decision "

Doubledee"! DON'T GO BACK TO IRAN! Please keep the $500 you wanna spend there as a "tourist" to yourself and spend it on martini on Yonge street! No one needs your anti-Iranian snobbish attitude there.

RN

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Inadequacy and sexual promiscuity

In response to Abjeez column "I love my wife, but..."

Dear Abjeez,

I was reading Reza's "confessions" with regard to his marriage and attitude toward sex.It reminded me of a wonderful qoute, "If restraint is based on the fact that sextual intercourse is so good a thing, rather than on the notion that it is so bad a thing, young people will enter marriage with a much more wholesome attitude, with much greater liklihood of sextual fulfillment in marriage."

Another related topic to his difficult situation is, using his body as an object for pleasure, where the transitory alliance produce a lack of self esteem in general and reinforcing that he is a worthless husband, untrustworthy partner and internally not feeling O.K, about himself or his sex life. In my opinion the origin of his difficulty is not being married or not; it is something about Reza not feeling adequate or feat about himself, so therefore the problem exhibits itself in the guise of sextual promiscuity.

He even said, he has been having this feeling of not being O.K, ever since he learned about, his own sextuality. He will benefit from learning what effects his self esteem, and put in to place a working system based upon personal ethics and moral obligations toward his wife where two people share unlimited liability for each others fulfilment and devotion.

Good luck with your work,

Frank

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Get over your anger

In response to Lance Raheem's "Pomegranates and apple pies":

This young man has serious issues he needs to resolve and I truly feel compassion towards him.

First of all, this is the second time he has used the same subject matter (which must be on his mind all the time) and published it to look a bit different.

Looking at the first few lines he uses phrase like "I am not a pomegranate" or "I am not an apple pie". Frankly my dear nobody gives a damn what you are because we have more important issues than care whether you feel like apple pie or pomegranate.

I assure you that in no way you are Iranian. Why? No matter how illiterate or uneducated a person is he would never refer to anyone as "half breed". That expression is used for dogs.

As for my memory (Azam Nemati) I so happen to have been blessed with photographic memory and everyone who knows me or works with me will tell you that.

Having said that, I perfectly remember the first time you complained about the same issues and my comments (I thought they were damn nice and compassionate) were conciliatory and I vividly remember telling you that my heart went out to people like you because of the struggle you faced having to choose sometimes >>> Full text

Azam Nemati

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Bad bad BAAAD... Hadi!

In response to lampooning Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi by Hadi Khorsandi:

Salam, Zemne tashakor az zahamate shoma,

dast andar karane site Iranian bayad in nokte ra begooyam ke shahzade reza pahlavi bessiar dar dele iraniane azadeh ja darand va in bi hormatihaye aghaye hadi khorsandi be ishan aslan ghabele ghabool va aghlani nist on ham dar morede kasi ke faghat be onvane bare tarikhi ke bar doosh darand hamvare sokhan az ettehad va democracy mikonad.

khaheshan be in be estelah honarmand aghaye khorsandi be farmayeed ke ma javananae iran az amsale ishan ke ba inchenin sarmaye haye in mamlekat bazi mikonand va anha ro be sokhreh migirand bizarim va digar ejazeh nemidahim ke in afrade be estelah roshanfekr ba arajifeshan shane afradi mesle shahzade ra khadshe dar konand.

man koroush az shahrestane rezayeeh (oroumiyeh kononi) 31 sale hastam. mardom hafezeye tarikhi khoobi darand va be moghe haghe in goone namak nashnasha ra khahand dad.vaghty ke in agha be shakhsi ke hanooz ghodraty nadarad va joz talashe 25 sale baraye nejate vatan az tarighe roshangari parvandeye sefidi dar ghalbe mardom va makhsosan javanane Iran darad in chenin bi hormaty mikonad neshan az omghe kineh va kam fahmi vey bayad jost.

Alane zamane fahsho bi nezakaty va mozakhraf gooyee nist age aghaye khorsandi harfi baraye goftan darand mesle adame hesabi va ba motalee biayand va az Reza pahlavie azize ma enteghad konanad na az roye koneh va bozdeli.

Behdad

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Dooneh doonatoono terror mikonam, madargahbeha!

In response to IRNA's incorrect news on the death of Mohammad Reza Shah's first wife, Fowziyeh:

Jakeshay-e Vatanforoush,

Dar safeye zir az piroozi-e enghellab-e eslami sohbat kardid va farar-e Shahanshah Aryamehr az Iran. Shoma ageh shoour dashtid in "sabotage" ra enghelab , va raftan-e Shah az Iran ra farar namikhandid. Man shakhsan pass az raftan-e Mollaha va taghyir-e régime RII, khaar-e hameyé shoma khaenin ra migam va dooneh doonatoono terror mikonam, madargahbeha!

Farzandan Iran

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Desperate to "please" Westerners

In response to Sasan Seifikar's review of Mania Akbari's film: "Twenty Fingers":

In the past few years in the Iranian cinema industry we have seen the emergence of numerious Betty Mahmoodis trashing the image of Iran. Tahmineh Milnani is no doubt one of them who by reflecting her hate and inferiority complex towards men in her movies, has done nothing but showing an image of Iranians to the world that only suits the most primitive societies around the glob .

Now Mania Akbari (with her movie "Twenty fingers") is the new Betty Mahmoodi following the foot-steps of the "modern intellectual" Iranian so-called "artisits" who are doing more damage to our image as a nation than any Islamic Republic hardliner fossil ever has .

I don't know what their motives are??!! Is it because of the popularity of this kind of movies in the European foreign movie amateur circles who want to gather in a coffee-shop after watching the movie and discuss the "issues" of the "third world" countries while sipping their Moccacinos (or whatever the hell they drink)? Are they so desperate to "please" the Westerners that they would spit on their own culture and pride if that's what it takes??

Or is it just because this kind of movies are well rewarded in the Film festivals? Maybe the judges enjoy watching a friendly image of Iran as a huge "village" where goats hump eachother in the streets (like Kiarostami movies). Or maybe they enjoy watching Iranian reactionary men beat their "sophisticated" and "modern" wives like savages or mistreat them for no reason, so people can find something to be "outraged at"!! (like Akbari or Milani's movies)

With this kind of Iranian artists, Bush and Sharon really don't need any anti-Iranian propaganda!!

Ali NR

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Neocon nature

In response to Shokooh Miry's "George Bush is no Santa Claus":

We've all heard the story about the scorpion who wanted to cross the water and asked the frog for a ride. Frog asked the scorpion to please don't sting him and the scorpion replied that, why would I, we would both drown. They go on and mid water, the scorpion snaps his tail back and stings the frog. As they both are drowning, frog looks at the scorpion with disbelief and asks why, the scorpion says that, "it's my nature".

Bush and the Neo Cons don't do what they do out of hate and/or viciousness; it's their nature to fuck with other nations. Anyone who's skin color does not match their white ass, is game. Oh, and if they're not from the brother land, Saudi Arabia.

HB

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I'm fired?

In response to David Donnell's "You're FIRED":

As unfortunate as it seems, we the displaced blue people of the world have to stay where we are, just to give our fellow red statesmen something to preach against. Could you imagine the economy if the displaced blue people decided to forgo this great humanitarian act and move among our own? Could you imagine how sales of The Sneeches would plummet? (That's a must for our children here.)

It's a nasty job but someone has gotta do it! However, my husband and I are ready for a sabbatical! :)

Carole and Danesh Karamian

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Ajamism

In response to Samira Mohyeddin's "The gulf wars":

This article reflect the lak of knowlede of the writter regarding the name of persian gulf The writter sounds like one of those Iranian (or Iraqi or Lebanese Shi'ite) religious who think to be Muslem one has to love the Arabs and leave them to do what ever they wish to do against our heritage he think defending the name Iran or Persian Gulf will harm her Islamic unity. She is to be reminded that if there is nothing in a name, then she should write and criticise the Arabs for playing with names for political and racist reasons and should stop them from destroying Islamic unity by trying to change historical names of geographical places whereas there is nothing in a name. She should be reminded of the fact that in this context we Iranians are on the defence >>> Full text

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Show me the original

In response to Khodadad Rezakhani's "Faking Yadgerd":

Thank you for writing this article.  I had seen the letters and, as an Iranian, I was offended at such blatant rewriting of history. You have written a rebuttal to an  author who chooses to hide from his own wrong text.  

I, personally,  would like to see the original letter in full Pahlavi text if such a document exist!!

Fathali Ghahremani

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Being the bad gal? Why not?

In response to Kyle Saghafi's "A bit too far":

Dear Kyle,

Your points are well taken and people can disagree. Perhaps her financial wherewithal is not as much an issue as is her acceptance and longevity as a Hollywood actress. Every artist seeks her validation and attainment as defined by her.

The last point you raise is where all the fear lies --  "but when it goes so far as to cast a dark image unavoidably [on] Iranian people, on the minds and psyches of the American public, then we would have to prepare ourselves to deal with what the consequences, a strike or an imminant invasion. Now, is that a price we are all willing to pay to secure one's right to liberty and lawful self-expression?"

If her portrayal is the straw that breaks the camel's back and launches a thousand missiles, then we have a lot bigger problems on our hands as the human race. As for a negative Iranian character being portrayed by an Iranian (like Aghdashloo) or non-Iranian (Hank Azaria?), I rather see an Iranian play an Iranian's role: too bad there was no Iranian-origin actor of note to play the major in the Foggy House movie. If one day, Hollywood were to cast for an Iranian heroine, guess who would not be cast if she didn't already have some experience under her belt, good or bad? 

The answer then is to write or cause to be written stories and screenplays that would show Iran and Iranians in a good light, without necessarily making the story about Iran (the country) or Iranians (the nation). This could have happened with the Whoopi Goldberg show, but did not: Here was Omid Djalili, an Iranian-origin actor/comic playing a janitor who could have been a genuinely helpful, honest and efficient janitor who happened to be from Iran. Instead he came to portray a baffoonous character whose nationality (including terrorism and Islamism, etc.) became a part of the role. I still think, he was free to engage in lawful self-expression which should be defended by all means.

My opinion about the way one might look at the Aghdashloo controversy has produced a number of quick reactions not unexpectedly true to the nature of the controversy itself. The one that I think bears exposure is one that I received from one reader named Houshang. He wrote, in part, "We are very ruthless dealing with our artists, we do not spend one per cent of what we spend for masjed iman and chellocabab for Iranian artist and force them to work as blue collar workers here in USA or Europe, and the same time we are boasting about IRANIAN CULTURE, which do not know much about it..WE are but always ready to condemn our artist for what they do."

Indeed, if pain is to creativity like pleasure is to folly, then perhaps an artist needs or should welcome the pain in order to produce her art.  About expenditures on places of worship and religion, I take your point, but then are not the gachbors, masons, painters and calligraphers who labor on these citadels of deceivers artists too?

Guive Mirfendereski

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A bit too far

In response to Guive Mirfendereski's "Performer's choice":

In reading your comments on aghdashloo's controversy, i was quite baffled by analogy you used right at the beginning. Correct me if am wron, but kaveh's story or Legend to be more accurate was narrated by others, and a bird sing but wouldn't, there literally will be no song? will there?

I just don't know how to even begin infer anything from this! I can understand shohreh's potential need to earn a living anyway she can, or anyone else for that matter but if we look closely both she and her husband have enjoyed a very super successful career in field of theatre for years, and i doubt it very seriously that she will ever have the absolute need to find anything she can get her hands on, in order to just survive and that is stretchig it a bit too far.

You have also placed her detractors in a very uncomfortable spot, by posing such a challenge on them. How can one could even possibly imagine that by casting her in the series, the producers and screenwriters, utilized the only option available to them? Arabs or other ethnic groups, except of course the iranians, have had deep and strong influences for such a long time in this country, yet that did not stop the makers of the movie "not without my daughter" from shooting most of the scenes in israel and other countries in that region and hiring non-iranian actors for various roles. I don't see a major difference between the messages contained in anyone of them.

Choosing certain venues for producers to express their specific stance on the political issues of the day is pricisely the platform based on which they should accepy criticsim for what they have created, not to serve as a means of justification for the choices they have made to present their ideas in that production. Aghdashloo's acceptance of such a role may well have been centered on personal politics, but when it goes so far as to cast a dark image on the iranian government and unavoidably iranian people, on the minds and psyches of the american public, then we would have to prepare ourselves to deal with what the consequences, a strike or an imminant invasion. Now, is that a price we are all willing to pay to secure one's right to liberty and lawful self-expression?

Kyle Saghafi

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Aghdashloo's blood-money

In response to Guive Mirfendereski's "Performer's choice":

Guive Mirfendereski writes: " Ultimately, the decision of an actor to participate in productions that are either unflattering to Iran and Iranians or is not promotive of Iranian national interest is the performer's choice."

True. But being a Nazi or a KKK member are also " choices".

Some choices, such as promoting hatred and racism as Aghdashloo has done -- are legitimately subject to criticism. "If freedom should be for anything it should be for individual liberty and freedom of lawful self-expression."

And by criticizing Aghdashloo for being a hate-monger, we are exercising OUR right to self-expression. Incidentally, when our children are treated like the terrorists they're portrayed on TV, where will Ms. Aghdashloo be? Enjoying the blood-money she was paid for helping promote that image in society, that's where.

John Mohammadi

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Allowed being taken advantage of

In response to Yasaman Rohani's "Cheating partners":

Dear Yasaman,

I do feel sorry for what happened to you. I don't mean the dissapointment in having been betrayed by someone whom you thought of as a confidant and a best friend. I guess you would think twice before bestowing such honor on anyone ever again. What i am sorry about is the time that you had to spend in the hospital and under some emergency care. You really did not deserve that part and i just hope that he will receive his appropriate punishment in its due time.

I don't mean to sound like a wise man who has all the answers, and i sure don't mean to be the wise guy who tells you you should have known better. But obviously you were, or better yet allowed to be taken advantage of, based on the vulnurable conditions that you were experiencing at the time because of your break up. feeling empty and destroyed is also the kind of feeling that i had and still do, after my relationship terminated, because of totally different reasons, and the hardest thing to face is that you know deep in your own heart that you will never be able to trust anyone else, under any circumstances.

Despite our inhuman desires and self-driven actions, we still do possess the ability to control the most minute parts of every actions we take and every decision we make. Your partner could have stopped doing what he did, but he simply chose not to. Some people are just like that. I hope you can find the strenght to move on and somedaybe able to experience that especial relationship with that special someone.

Kyle Saghafi

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Problem with being passive

In response to Ali Zarrin translation of a "Qasideh":

Dear Mr Zarrin,

I am sending this letter to express my view about your translation which, is great and a very true, honest work to show the philosophy and the view of Iranian or in other word Persian Literature towards world and around itself.

However, if I want to be honest and to be frank then I need to say that frankly I am fed up with all those poems and books and ideas that only encourge the passiveness. We, as ordinary people along the history and along the present time always being advised by our great poets, philosoers, emmams and leaders to be content, to be patient and to do nothing becasuse everything will pass!? We are being advised to bare the tyranny of tyrants because at the end everything will pass!

For God's sake! Yes, everybody knows everything will pass but why it is always us ordinary people who, must pay the price? The rich men, the kings, the imams, the leaders and on and on will enjoy their time and only will answer when they are entered the other side! And it is us who must pay the price here and do nothing. And then when when we die, we go to hell as well! 

I do not need this kind of passivenes, we are witnessing the results of such a behaviour for as long as the Iran's history. No, please stop encouraging people of being passive and do nothing because everything at the end will pass. I love my homeland and I love it's culture and literature and everything but because of such attuides of our grandparanets and past history we always have become victims of neighbours, and others such as Alexader, Mogols, Turks, ... you just name it. It is enough. Please encourage people to move forward and not accept tyrants, think for themselves, and not become victims just because everything will pass. The price is too much.

Farry Balochi

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I found out... not much

With advice of a friend I log to this site for the first time. It is a wonderful site if people use it as a mean of exchanging new and worth while idea.   What I saw was very long letters that take hours to read. I only read less than half of each to see what they are talking about. And I found out not much. Like what is good for Iran ? Republic or monarchy? For majority of Iranian it makes no different. No system of government for the people ignores of their right and responsibility makes any difference. As we all experience it all our life.

Some Iranian complains why the Arab calls Persian Gulf Arab Gulf? You could also call The Arabian Sea. Iranian Sea. Or you could call Indian Ocean Iranian Ocean. No one will stop you. You Iranians act like you own the Persian Gulf. This is an international water way. Just because Greeks call it the Persian Gulf because it was attached to Pars -- as the Gulf of Mexico is attached to the land of Mexico. Stop crying over nothing.

Ata

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Big Father

I would like to report this to you just to inform you: I live in Tehran and some time ago I put my profile in IranianPersonals. Some days ago I realized that the Islamic government has obliged internet services to filter this site. Therefore I can not enter this site anymore, neither can I answer the emails sent to me from this site.

Once again Big Brother, or rather the Big Father, decided for us to limit our freedom for our own good.

SF

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Pounding peace into powder

In response "Bush inauguration speech" poll results:

I can not believe that actually 34% of Iranians who have voted for Bush's speech, think it was "excellent"! Probably the same ones enjoy Khamenei's Friday sermons. Let's spread peace and freedom in the world through terrorizing children and bombing their homes down to powder.

As for my unconscious compatriots, I have the following two quotes for both "peace" and "freedom", their favorite concerns: Hitler, on jan 30th 1941: " What we are doing is making a sacrifice in the interest of peace. We make this sacrifice, but we, at least, want to have peace in exchange for it."

Hitler on August 1, 1923 in Munich: "When the whole German people knows one will and one will only - to be free - in that hour we shall have the instrument with which to win our freedom. It matters not whether these weapons of ours are humane: if they gain us our freedom, they are justified before our conscience and before our God."

But of course, no one will change his mind to regret that he has been wrong or unconscientious. Why should he, when it will be his neighbors and friends going to concentration camps?

Leila Farjami

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Better luck next time

In response to DD's "Frozen yogurt":

I just finished reading your article on iranian.com and must admit it was one of the funniest I had read in a while. Like you, I've gone to very few Persian concerts in my time and when I did attend a few some years ago, I had the same experience as you. The Persian wardrobe as you can vouch for is black, black, and more black. Kind of like the tennis players at Wimbledon, except black. :)

I'm surprised they started on time and not after a 90-minute delay due to IST (Iranian Standard Time). And I'm sure you had your share of seeing 3 generations come to a pop concert. From the octogenerian grandparents with tokhmeh in hand to the kindergarten kids running around, going to a Persian concert is like going to Sizdah Bedar, except it's indoors and can happen in any season.

All I can say is better luck next time, if there will be another ex recommending your spending dough in a money pit.

Mehran
Chicago, IL

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Should have told management

In response to Soheila Sharzard's "Boycott Cafe":

I read the article about the guys reading the porno mag. You didnn't tell us why u didn't report it to the management the next day. Plus it would have been appropiate to actually say something to them because what they were reading insulted you and u were cancelling your order because u were disgusted.

I work as a cook and I don't take kindly to the guys getting away with this stuff either, But rather than tell everyone to punish all who happen to work in the restaurant, why don't you advocate educating the employees in the chain?

Most women say nothing, do nothing, but tell on everyone else.

I got a palce in San Diego to start educating the newcomers who were from other counties where women are socialised to put up with it 'cause it's the nature of the beast. You wouldn't have seen anything anyways if you had just told them you were ready to order - rather than sneak a peek at what was going down. But still...

michel levain

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Negative agitation

In response to Nima Kasraie's "What if":

your initiate problem is to atract attention anyhow you can! the "worried" page is offending many Iranian people. apparently you don't give a monkey! atleast you can respond or explain how can those images work inorder to make people strong enough to face the unwanted conflict! i don't see any point exept an early exageration which has no outcome but to agitate people's feeling (negative way)! any picture whither bold or abstract needs to be clarified from the illustarater poit of view.

jorge jorgy

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Boys looking at porn? Big deal!

In response to Soheila Sharzard's "Boycott Cafe":

I just read "Boycott Cafe" and thought maybe something funny would come up with this story, and unfortunately I was let down. So what a bunch of bored teenaged boys looking at porn? Big deal! The question you should ask your self is where their pants down and hands moving other places than the pages of the magazine. Grow up and write about something worth reading for or maybe the Iranian should publish article with better quality.

FF

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War will solidify mullahs

In response to Shokooh Miry's "George Bush is no Santa Claus":

Any body who has love of Iran in his heart would agree with your well written letter. It is a travesty for some "khaen" folks who do anything to get back to their mansions in Iran. Any American attack on Iranian land will have consequences beyond that of "who rules the country"? And people will circle around the mullahs as it happened after Iraqi invasion and regime will be solidified!

Bush should know if he crosses the border, Iranians will skin his solders alive! He thinks Iraq is bad he has not faced the Persian soldier on mountain passes of Zagros !

D Panah

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Forget that PhD

In response to Khodadad Rezakhani's "Faking Yadgerd":

Mr. Rezakhani's analysis of Yazgerd's letter seems very biased. I understand Mr. Rezakhani is a Muslim and has pro-Islam and pro-Arab feelings.

First, Iran being a powerful empire before and during Sassanian period had great influence and knowledge of her neighbores and as we know for a fact that Salman Farsi a Persian was a key architect in creating Islam.

Second, it has been proven beyond doubt by many linguist and researchers of ancient Persia that Zoroastrianism was the first monothiestic religion in history as they only believed in one God Ahura Mazda. The dualistic and fire-worshipping concept was spread by Islam.

It is surprising that Mr. Rezahkani has no knowledge about Iran's histroy. Great Persian kings Cyrus, Dariush and others (from excavations and artifacts) always called their Empire Airyan "the land of Aryans" where eventually the name Iran has come from.

Maybe, Mr. Rezakhani should try to get his Ph.D in some Persian Gulf or, if he prefers, Arabian Gulf, countries.

Bahman

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It's not Iranian fashion

In response to "Iranian Fashion Show in Europe":

I am under the impression that the news on the Iranian Fashion Show in Europe and its photos were featured to invoke some sense of pride from us Iranians.

As an Iranian woman living abroad, I am only saddened and feel misrepresented by this fashion show. When did we start dressing women in Arab countries? I am sure the designers have done a nice job within their limitations, but it makes me angry to see that our fashion is now that of countries like Pakistan and other Arab countries. When I look at photos of Iranian women throughout history, they do not resemble the fashion that this show is representing to the world.

How about if we celebrate Iranian designers that have become a success in celebrating a woman's individuality; designers such as Bijan, Katayoun Adeli, Behnaz Sarafpour.

Pia

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Alternatives to empty rhetoric

In response to B. Bamdad's "Appeasing Islamic Fascism":

Just got reading the B. Bomdad's opinion and can help thinking that this might as well be written by the neo-cons that architected the Iraq war. It all started by a bunch of unsubstantiated rhetoric that had been designed to scare every one, specially the American people to sell their agenda, the war. A war that has brought nothing but destruction for the Iraq people, a recruiting ground for the Islamic fundamentalist, over 100,000 death of Iraqis, about 1400 plus American deaths, with no WMD found, nor a reasonable chance for democracy as they insist that the will of people will not be respected if it does not conform to the desires of the super power.

Here are some alternative views to their empty rhetoric:

They write: "Let us not forget that it was Chamberlain (Britain's Prime Minister) who flew to Germany and signed a peace treaty with Hitler (while Hitler was rounding up Jews) preferring engagement to confrontation"

Let us not forget that America sat a side and watched while all those Jews were being exterminated and it was only when Hitler declared war on US, when they got involved, so to say otherwise, it would be a distortion of the facts on the ground.

Or : "And needless to say, both France and Germany have had their share of involvement with fascism and engagement with brutal regimes ... such as Saddam's Iraq"

Likewise, it was the US who removed Iraq from the Dept. of State list of state sponsored terrorism and reproached Saddam, armed him with weapons and Reconnaissance data while fully aware of his use of gas against the Iranians. And/or the US unrelenting support for the state of Israel and their fascist treatment against the Palestinian people. The crimes against Palestinians is being committed by the Israelis and financed by the American dollars. Now I let you to deiced what is worse.

"Or elimination of any further hope for democracy in places like Egypt where it is widely believed that democracy today would lead to a takeover by Islamic radicals. Consider the Palestinian local council elections this past week, where Hamas, the radical Islamic Party won 60% of the popular vote"

Again, US has proven over and over that it is not for true democracy and does not respect the will of people. Here we have a democratic election and the Hamas has overwhelmingly won, yet they refuse to accept the facts as when they refused the will of Iranian people and organized a Quo against him. America simply can not be trusted. If America is going to have any credibility, they need to start with Saudi Arabia, Egypt or Pakistan, some of their biggest allies.

"Videos of Iran prisons shown on Al Jazeera would make Abu Ghraib look like a summer camp! Much like the defeat of communism, the failure of Islamic fascism to deliver real benefits to the nation and its inherent brutality would become self-evident. "Lets ask those people, had they had have a choice, which prison would they prefer to go to, Abu Ghraib or Avin.

In short a regime change in Iran will be most welcome, but only when it is by Iranians and for Iranians. Foreign power are only after their own interest and their aggregation and involvement should be resisted.

Mehrdad

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Tired of whining blue states

In response to David Donnell's "You're FIRED":

So those who voted Republican this time around are anti-intellectuals devoid of sufficient brain processes and are as compassionless as robots when called upon to cry for PETA, trees, and buttless chaps?

I am tired of the blue states claiming their elitism equates to erudite thinking. All this past election did was show how out of touch the blue states are with their red counterparts, how peninsular they are in their causes, their concerns, and their lack of support for the states who don't think the entire universe revolves around their own state.

Get over it, stop whining, move on.

Yurimi Grigsby

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Wrong but good answer

In response to Quiz: where is "Mecca of the Heart"?

Florence, Italy.

Sheila

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Have you been totally brainwashed?

In response "U.S.-Iran war" poll results:

I could not believe the result of your poll asking Iranians which side would they take in the event of war between Iran and America. Do we really have 17.8% of Iranians that are that confused? Do so many traitors exist? Have you forgotten what you are and where you come from? Have you been totally brainwashed by the propaganda that spews out of the current White House?

Please educate yourself and study American history a little before you embarrass yourself any further. Do a search on Google for; Vietnam, Nagasaki, Chile, Iraq, CIA coup in Iran, Agent Orange, Depleted Uranium, Cluster Bombs, School of Americas, and of course the genocide of Native Americans. After this process, then decide which side you are on. Because if you are still on the side of America then you do not deserve to call yourself an Iranian, or a Persian.

If you are seeking some answers and are confused here are some good sites that will maybe help:

antiwar.com
commondreams.org
juancole.com
warincontext.com
counterpunch.org
thenation.com

There is no question that conditions in Iran are not perfect and we face many problems, including the system of government we have, but there does exist opportunities for change and if we are patient, dedicated, and still consider ourselves an Iranian, then it is our duty to work towards democracy and freedom in Iran.

After 27 years in America I returned to Iran soon after September 11, 2001 because there seemed to exist a 50/50 chance that America would attack Iran. I made my decision which side I was on at that time. I do not regret coming back. It has not been easy and every couple of months I get angry and say I'm going to pack it in and leave?..but?..

Everywhere you look there are problems ---- as well as opportunity for change. On a daily basis I have to struggle against incompetence, horrendous bureaucracy, superstition, maniac drivers, religious propaganda, and a culture of shoddy workmanship and inability to keep ones word. The list is very long but looking back over the past three years I have managed to turn around a small business and helped fifty workers learn a trade, support a family, purchase a motorbike or car, or even buy a small house. Along the way many have learnt the value of quality, punctuality, and keeping their word.

Nobody I have met during these three years is happy with the current regime, including religious figures or people closely connected with the government. Even those extremely opposed to the regime would definitely fight against a military attack by America, and would also fight against the imposition of a monarchist regime.

So if you are sitting in front of your TV's and watching that nonsense programming by monarchist, or other discredited opposition groups, I suggest you come here and do something for your country instead of advocating war against your own people.

Shame on those that chose the side of America.

Dorian

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Hamin shekli vel boodam

In response "J. Javid's 1980 photo":

I looked exactly like this (oon moghe ke oon kharaa sefaarat-e Amrika ro gereftan, hamin shekli biroone sefaarat vel boodam!)

B

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You can't teach an old dog new tricks

In response to Saman's "Every right to compare Bush to Ayatollahs":

The other thing that drives me crazy is the way that America's response to air quality issues and traffic congestion and rising oil prices was what? To make huge SUV's and civilian Hummers (driven by little tiny yuppie bitches who can barely see over the dashboard, who rear end you or push you off the road because they can't handle these huge vehicles) and then invade Iraq for more oil and Afghanistan to secure the Unocal gas pipeline they want to bring down from Uzbekistan to the Indian Ocean... you can't teach an old dog new tricks... when the going gets tough, the USA goes imperialist and grabs what they want to keep up their consumerism "high standard of living" wasteful lifestyle...

As far as religion goes it is all decadent and corrupt and based on a hierarchy of old men exploiting people's fears and ignorance and so it goes very well together with politics and politicians... I have come to the conclusion that only by rejecting religion can a person achieve any real spirituality... more people have been killed in the names of religion than have ever been saved by it including Christ himself...

Regards,

Brian Appleton

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