Letters
March
2005
March
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5 | March
14
Best ever about Khuzestan
In response to Mohammad Hossainzadeh's short story "Sanam":
"Sanam" by Mohammad Hossainzadeh is one of the best stories I have ever read about Khuzestan and Sherkat-e Naft/Oil Company culture among some southern part of Iran natives. This story is comparable to some of the stories by great Iranian writers who have written Khoozestani stories like Ebrahim Golestan, Manoochehr Shafiani,...
Congratulation to Mr. Hossainzadeh and hope we can read more stories from him in Iranian.com.
Up yours too!
In response to Simin Behbahani being honored in London:
The caption for this picture should read:
"Simin Behbahani's (middle finger) reaction to her Iranian fans in London: UP YOURS TOO!!"
Kind regards,
Parkhash
I don't believe in democracy any more
Hossein Hajiagha has looked back at his
cartoons and has had a
change of heart:
My letter to Iranian home page:
no one have right to re print or use my cartoons in any way to against Islamic regime of Iran in any way,I don't believe any more democracy and freedom over Iran, and this is non my business any more,
Hajiagha
Feb, 2005
Curious you back a guy who wants your oil
In response to Slater Bakhtavar's "Persians push for Bush":
Dear Iranian.com:
As a friend to the Persian-Iranian community and someone married to an Iranian woman, I wanted to comment briefly on the recently posted article by Slater Bakhtavar entitled "Persians push for Bush: As long President Bush stands with the Iranian people, the Iranian people will stand with him"
Being aware of what the Bush administration has done to America and the world, it is hardly accurate to claim that he or his administration seek "democracy", "freedom" or any other pretty sounding words in Iran or the Middle East for that matter. The man is simply bent on securing power and resources by any illiberal means necessary. I've always found it curious, then, why people of your community in America would back a guy who clearly wants the oil out of that region, just as he's ultimately focused on getting the natural resources of Iraq and Afghanistan.
Don't get me wrong: The people running Iran right now are no saints. They are dictators that need to be confronted for their poor human rights records and other shortcomings. My wife and her family fled that nation and have no love lost for that regime. Yet as Liberal Americans, we'd rather trust the future of Iran to Iranians themselves, not to overt means used by George W. Bush, who seems to be good at opening cans of worms, whether it's involving the environment, economic stability, or US foreign relations.
Your people shouldn't be naive about what our so-called "elected president" wants, and what he's willing to do to get it.
Sincerely,
Paul Shragan
New York, NY
Crass pre-neanderthal exemplaries impede debate
Years have passed and againyet again and again I get a confirmation of why I and so many others stopped writing for you a long time ago.
A democracy on internet-waves may be a noble thought and this has nothing to do with being sacred or not, but please oh please, even the Daily Mirror or Cosmopolitan would not publish such extremes of idiocy as e.g. Miss Nemati's 'articles'. Trust me, reactionary sensationalism has no sense in the long run.It's at best, quite plainly: non-sense.
As long as you see it fit for commercial purposes or whatever kicks you get out of this to be your decision-making factors, you will loose out and quite frankly, the saddest is that most of us really have a hard enough time to struggle through a lot of debris to get to some gems. Is is possible to have debates without crass pre-neanderthal exemplaries hoo-hoo-ing about?
I used to recommend your site quite innocently until the complaints from academia and the like put me into the most embarrassing position and to simple shame.
No wonder the country that is called Iran is in such turmoil and all this riffraffing about what-if doesn't have a future, cause everone has a better pot to piss in!
Yours
Marjaneh Zahed-Khorassani-Kindersley
How can you really be a Republican?
In response to Slater Bakhtavar's "Persians push for Bush":
Slater,
I've read your articles a few times on iranian.com and other sites such as the persian mirror. To be honest I am not only revolted by Iranian-Americans who dance to the republican beat but I wonder if you really understand what you are preaching.
Take a moment and pause -- as an Iranian how can you really be a Republican? As an individual you probably come from a well-to-do family with money but keep in mind that the majority of your people don't. So even if you and I do there are still millions of people who don't and no matter how reform friendly the Republicans may appear at times-- they stand for privatization and big business and riding on the back of the middle class.
I don't want to make this e-mail too long -- but another point of consideration is with respect to our President, Mr. Bush, who categorized the Iranian nation earlier as an axis of evil, without making a distinction between the government and its people. So before you label him as the hero who stands with the iranian people keep in mind that there is something called the constantly changing American policy. Of course the state of the union is going to beat to a different drum...we are not labeling people as terrorists anymore....we've already done that. It's time now to capture hearts and minds....that's how the republicans think.
I am not going to change your mind with this e-mail, but I sincerely hope that you can begin to notice the fine nuances of Republican tactics.
Regards,
Half is not Overwhelming
In response to Slater Bakhtavar's "Persians push for Bush":
Yo, shit head, 52% does not constitute "overwhelming" by
any means. Either you don't understand the law of percentages
or have no idea what "overwhelming" means.
I didn't read your article. I stooped here at your huge misrepresentation
of an intelligent person. You see, when you start your article
with an error like this, someone like me, with an IQ a few digits
more than you, which is not that hard, is not going to give
a shit about the rest of it. So, go thank God I didn't
read the rest or I would tear you up.
By the way, do you know who BBC talked to when they took the
poll? Have you tested the atmosphere in Iran? Have you talked
to everyone? Well, not every one, but have you talked to people
of different ages and economic classes? My guess is no. You,
much like the most of the dumb republicans have your head buried
in the sand and with your ass look at a rosy world you think
you have created.
Your uncle "W" is not about democracy, peace, freedom,
liberty, or any other similar crap that comes out of his mouth,
he is, however, for "OIL", "HALLI BURTON",
and "MONEY", lots of it. Stop fooling yourself and
get to the brain shop, your brain is ready after much needed
repairs. Dumb ass!
Love,
Double, treble talk
In response to Zohreh Khazai Ghahremani's "Namiri!":
Zohreh Khanoum,
Az khandane neveshteh shoma vaghan lezzat bordam va hesabi
khandidam. Daste shoma dard nakond? In ham az an harfhaye Ironi
khodemanist. Doust besyar ssamimi va daneshmandi daram keh aghlab
dar in yakhchal ba ham hastim.
Ou DOCTOR Mohandes ast va man Diplomat baz neshasteh dorane
gozashteh. Dar kar haye Cpmuter yek digar ra takmil mikonim.
Gahi vaghti kari mikonam keh ou ra besyar khoosh mi ayad migoyad
(HASHEM KHODA BEKOSHATAT) va haro ghah ghah mikhndindim.
Life & Death as you have nicely said means a lot in our very old culture. It should not be taken or worst translated by its face value. That is why, to my opinion, translation of any Persian literary work into any other language specially the western ones are almost impossible. We use so much of (IHAM) double talk or treble talk that even we Persians get confused, let aside the translators.
You did a fantastic job, congratulations. I just loved it.
H. Hakimi
Norway
Khak bar sar
In response to Zohreh Khazai Ghahremani's "Namiri!":
Dear Mrs. Khazai,
Your articles was hilarious. I really enjoyed it and had a good laugh on Friday morning. I want to mention that "khak bar sar" or "khak too sar" may have a different meaning. It means that your parents, specially your father, die. In this case the children screaming/crying and pouring dirt "khak" on their head.
Thanks for your good articles,
Cleared 30 years of bewilderment
In response to Zohreh Khazai Ghahremani's "Namiri!":
Dear Zohreh Khanoom,
Salaam. Thank you for your wonderfully informative article regarding the idiomatic Persian expressions related to life and death. I have been married to an Iranian lady for going on three decades and believe me I heard all of these expression either from my wife, my children who speak Persian, my in-laws, or my wife's friends.
I have always been confused. One minute an expression is used and everyone is laughing and the next minute the same expression is used and people are at one another's throats.
Your article was not long, but it really, really brought nearly 30 years of bewilderment into clear focus in a way that made sense and was easy to understand. Thank you for writing it. Dasta shoma dard nakone. I sincerely hope that you will write more articles like this one because you have fine gift for writing and a pleasant way of explaining the complexities of the Persian language so that even dummies like me can understand.
Thank you very much. Now I can go show my children who are big just how much I've learned!!!
Khoda Hafez,
Gays in London
Can you help? I'm a 22-year-old Iranian guy born and living in london ...do u know any organisations 4 gay iranians in London?If you do can you please forward an email address or telephone number... Merci.
Divide and destroy
In response to Kamal Artin's "Welcoming separatism -- cautiously":
Wow. I'm curious, and if you don't mind. Are you a Kurd from Iran?
if so, how long had you lived in Iran? and until what age?
Thank you
Kaveh T.
Bethesda, MD, USA
PS: You used a loaded term, "separatism". Have you heard of: help divide, create divisions, hatred, and inner-conflicts, hide your agenda, weaken and destroy, and take over and control and get rich and crush the natives, and rule? Do you really believe Iran as a nation has the same characteristics of say Turkey, or Iraq? (never mind if I'm not a pure Kord, or Lor, or Tork, or Khorosani, or Baluchi, or Gilaki, or Ghashghaei, etc.)
Arab & Iranian workers unite!
In response to Nader Habibi's "Direct negotiation":
As a human being who lives in the 21st century I do not believe in dividing the people according to their race, nationality of any other garbage of the sort. If we are not stupid or if we are not trying to cheat with others, we can understand easily that the people living in the same country do not have common goals.
An Arab worker has much in common with a Persian worker, while they are both subject to the same rules: being used deeply by some other Arab or Persian or what ever else, the Iran under capital as a social relationship is like Saudi Arabia capitalism or American capitalism. There's no difference between an American capitalist and Iranian capitalist, they have common goal, that is to produce value added to their capital due to workers exploitation.
So let's gather around the great idea of Karl Marx:" Workers of all countries get united". Arabs and Iranian workers have only this point to negotiate about, the rest is Capital affairs and hides the real problem.
Beyond intolerance
In response to photos of "Desecration of Bahai cemetery":
I just saw pictures of the Bahai cemetery in Yazd. It is painful to see that members of a religious minority cannot be left at peace even when they have left this world! How shameful of those who commit or encourage others to commit such heinous acts. I cannot imagine how any Muslim wouldn't feel ashamed of such an act by his/her brethren's.
This
is not only a sign of religious intolerance but a gross
violation of human rights. I know that the Iranian government
routinely denies that such acts are encouraged in
the Islamic Republic. If so, why is it that it can't guard
against them by protecting these cemeteries? Is it really hard
for a strong government, which is capable of preventing
even small gatherings of its citizens, to protect a quiet cemetery?
Ali Akbar Mahdi
Professor
Department of Sociology & Anthropology
Ohio Wesleyan University
Negotiate over Persian Gulf?
In response to Nader Habibi's "Direct negotiation":
Dear Mr. Habibi,
Thank you for your article. I try hard to understand your points and since I am a regular citizen without specialty in economics, sociology, politics etc. I can not follow your recommendation of negotiation with Arabs on Persian Gulf name. At the sam time that I am for good relations with all even with war mongers (for the sake of protecting and saving ourselves) I am not sure how your recommendation fits here. The pro war forces are agitating the world to justify their invasions of other countries, the Arabs likely bribe to change the name of the Persian Gulf and I am not sure what Iran can negotiate about with Arabs. I am sure you have points supporting your views and hope by reading your article again I will understand it.
With thanks and best wishes,
Mohamad Navab
Los Angeles
Have you lost your gheyrat?
In response to Norwegian-Iranian porn star "Diana":
SHAME ON THE EDITOR OF IRANIAN.COM. Are you so desperate to increase your website's "hits" that you would actually display "porn" showing a young Iranian girl getting exploited by ana american pimp!!!!!!! What'up with you people (the "iranian-americans")? Have you lost your integrity? Your pride? your gheyrat?
There was a time when Iranians men would protect women from humiliation and insults even from a "mahaleh" to another... Now you people are displaying immoral video clips of Iranian young girls getting exploited by filthy american pimp and providing the "link" of their porn sites so that people can watch more of it!!!! SHAME ON YOU, SHAME.
Well, I guess it is not so suprising coming from someone who's motto is "nothing is sacred" !! Meaning that you can sell your soul (all your traditional, national, cultural, moral values), the only thing that matters is who is paying more for it!!
My advice: Don't go to Iran
In response to Norwegian-Iranian porn star "Diana":
I viewed your porn link. When she says she is "half-Persian, half-Norwegian", I think she means that she has lived in both countries; I'll bet both her parents are Persian. She would be ideal for a fantasy pictorial of Anahita, the pre-Zoroastrian Goddess, the Persian equivalent of the Greek Aphrodite and the Roman Venus.
If they ever make a movie out of "The Return of Scheherazade", she looks the part for an actress playing the character Anahita from Chapter Four. She should take up belly dancing, to beautify and contribute to the art form as well as to keep her weight down for later years.
I would advise her not to return to Iran until after the theocracy is overthrown; just a few years ago in Iran, a woman convicted of appearing in a pornographic film was sentenced to death, buried in the ground up to her arm pits and executed by having stones thrown at her face.
Sincerely,
Eric Jerpe,
author of Beckoning Star and The Return of Scheherazade
Russia's arms sales to Venezuela
Dear Editor:
The other day I read of the US attempts to dissuade Russia from
selling small
arms (rifles and hand uns) to Venezuela. I thought outthe issue,
because the US government said that it was worried that they may be used by Venezuela
against its neighbours.
The United States government for close to a year now has been trying to overthrow
the legally elected government of President Hugo Chavez Frias, by helping to
train and arm mercenaries, then sending them to creat unrest in Venezuela. But
it has not stopped there, in fact the US has openly espoused the overthrow of
the Chavez government. The real reason why the US does not want Russian arms
to reach Venezuela, is that its paid mercenaries will find it hard to fight the
Venezuelan armed forces, which will be equipped with the new Russian weapons.
If the selling small arms by Russia are such a danger to Venezuela's neighbours
as the US government is making out, is there not a far greater danger when the US
government sells billions of dollars in arms, planes and nuclear weapons to Israel,
whose Arab neighbours do not have nuclear weapons or other means to
retaliate? The US government does not look at the interest of
other countries, as much as it looks after the interest of Israel. So, it is
busy pushing its double standards, in order to control other Middle Eastern nations.
Russia should deal with the sale of armaments to Venezuela as a nation to nation
agreement, without there being any middle man involved, and tell the US to keep
its nose out of Russian affairs.
What comes to mind is that while Iran is being threatened by the United States
for having its own nuclear programme, it does not threaten Israel for having
nuclear cababilities, or for its nuclear experiments all these years as the Israeli
scientist Mordechai Vanunu exposed. Perhaps, if we look at the bigger picture,
we will note the composition of the main players in the Bush regime, and their
links to Israel.
Sincerely,
Kenneth T. Tellis
2755 Andorra Circle
Mississauga, Ontario
Canada L5N 2H8
Bright Ages
In response to Fouad Kazem's "Distant stars":
I felt your article was a bit biased and blind-sited of today's reality.
You speak of our great philosophers, alchemists, poets, and intellectuals of our past. And you remark that we are in some kind of "dark ages" and have no produced such great works since.
I would completely disagree.
Our intellectuals of the past, as you noted, borrowed from the works of the ancient Greeks and combined it with Islamic idealogy to produce great works that brought a civilization that the world admired and wanted to imitate. However, our intellectuals of the present have done the same >>> Full text
She's a god
In response to Peyvand Khorsandi's "Beg to differ":
Midoonid chera?
In response to Peyvand Khorsandi's "Beg to differ":
aya midoonid chera aghdashloo az googoosh khoshesh nemiad? in akso bebinid. chon ishan behtar az har kasi midanand ke googoosh besiar bazigar behtarist va bozorgtarin raghib ishan hastand vali eshtebah mikonand chon googoosh hargez righibi nadare .
Aghdashloo simply being arrogant
In response to Peyvand Khorsandi's "Beg to differ":
I simply do not understand the point that Peyvand Khorsandi is trying to make by comparing the Persian diva GOOGOOSH with a politician pres. Khatami and amateur actress Shohreh Aghdashloo. On the other hand the writer claims that since the era for Googoosh is over! So therefore it is OK to talk ill of her!
There are few aspects in the letter that are contradicting.
First of all it is exactly our point that Mrs. Aghdashloo has only stared her carrier at the age when she should be retiring and therefore is in no place to take a critical position in damning long highly performed Googoosh who has showed her highly admired acts and music within Iran as well as internationally.
If Mrs. Aghdashloo has only been nominated for Oscars once Googoosh virtually owned the San Remo festival in 1973 and aside from wining awards 7 out of 14 songs that was released in the “San Remo 1973” was that of hers >>> Full text
It's so hilarious
I purchased Siamack Beniameri's The Iranican Dream a while ago through a link on iranian.com and received it about a week later.
I want to tell EVERYONE to ABSOLUTELY BUY THIS BOOK!!! This book is just wonderful! It's so hilarious, fun & amazing in every way that I consider not reading it a HUGE loss!
Mr. Baniameri is an AMAZING writer & I hope that he finds the time to publish more books & write more stories on Iranian.com. I have already written him two e-mails thanking him for his wonderful stories & also to let him know what I thought of his book.
For those who are interested, here is the link to the site where you can order the book.
More letters: March 2 | March 3 | March 5 | March 14