Letters
November 8-12, 1999 / Aban 17-21, 1378
Today
* Iran-U.S.:
- Think first
* Conspiracy:
- Shame on us
Previous
* Ayatollah:
- Impressive
* Shah:
- Bravo
* Iran-U.S.:
- So far in the past
* Diaspora:
- Becoming stronger
* Iranians:
- Say something POSITIVE
- Tired of chants
* Web:
- Taking credit
* Iranians:
- Easy to be ignorant
* Book:
- Shameful
email us
Go to top
Friday,
November 12, 1999
* Think first
In
response to Mr. Beeler's letter
I read your letter on "Thinking
small" and I wonder is it Iranians who are thinking small or is
it you that can not see the big picture. The scenes and the stories that
you see and you hear from those who take actions against America in Iran
or other countries should not be a reason for people like you to make any
judgement toward a whole nation.
I am sure that you are not aware of the political situation that is
currently taking place in Iran because you would have known why or who
are those groups of people that are burning flags and yell "Death
to America". My suggestion to you is that next time, before you make
any decision with your educated mind, do a little research.
Should I call all Americans a bunch of racists when KKK members burn
crosses and show hatred toward other human beings just because of their
skin color?
Pejman Asgarpour
Go to top
* Shame on us
I read the article "Curzon's
last laugh" with sorrow and disgust. This is yet another example
of wanting to blame things on others. Poor us - they did this to us and
they did that. How much longer are we going to sit on our butts and
blame all of our shortcomings on others? What is that going to solve or
accomplish?
First, shame on us for letting foreigners take advantage of us. Here,
the Ghajar dynasty is more to blame. Their fascination with sex and corruption
and pleasures let them lose sight of things, letting foreigners come and
take advantage of our poor country - the same country that was once powerful
and did unto them (remember Nader Shah and his multiple invasions of India)
what is being done to it!
Second, while we are sipping our tea and trying to find causes for our
miseries, the progressive world is advancing at a very fast paste. Iran
is at least 200 years behind in social standards of living, economy, technology,
education, etc. The gap is widening at an exponential rate and soon there
will be no hope of a decent future for our country and people.
You go ahead and dig into stuff hundreds or years old while others are
envisioning and planning for the upcomming century!
Bob Mani
Go to top
Thursday
November 11, 1999
* Say something POSITIVE
I have often wondered what explains this urge by the older generation
of Iranians to constantly bash Iran, emphasize the shortcomings while ignoring
the accomplishments, and impose their hang-ups, frustrations and psychological
baggage on the youth. Perhaps it is a good excuse to do nothing - if everything
about Iran is bad, everyone is corrupt and all the decks are stacked against
you, then there is no point in trying to accomplishing anything, right?
Perhaps it is a way of justifying one's own frustrations. Or perhaps the
answer is simply that "misery loves company."
How about having something POSITIVE to say about Iran and Iranians once
in a while then? ... FULL
TEXT
Lizzie Borden
Go to top
* Impressive
The poems of Khomeini ["The
soft side"] are impressive in nature and meaning. Are these really
his poems?
A. Parsa
Go to top
Wednesday
November 10, 1999
* Bravo
Thank you for giving us the occasion of reading this beautiful article
[about visiting the Shah's tomb, "By
the pale-green stone"]. Thank you to Mr. Kadivar for sharing his
wonderful trip with us. I wish the young post-Islamic generation would
read this little "trip to the past" especially those in Iran.
Bravo, and thanks again.
Bahram
Go to top
* So far in the past
It is like yesterday to many of us the day that the American embassy
was taken. I was studying in a small town in Kent, England when a friend
of mine who was a leftist sympathizer stormed to the cafeteria of the college
with a big smile and waving a clinched fist to announce that the U.S. embassy
had been stormed by a group of students!
There were many Iranian students everywhere in those days including
in Kent. Of course we looked with amazement at this friend and all had
a sneaky sense of triumph without fully understanding the full implication
of this act.
Today all those events seem so far in the past in our eyes and in the
eyes of Mr. Abdi, one of the hostage takers and Bruce Laingen one of the
hostages ["Time
to move on"]. In the political climate of Iran, it is very brave
of Abdi and others to offer their regret for this act.
As one commentator said yesterday in reply to the question "what
will happen if the American embassy opens tomorrow in Tehran?", the
reply was " a long line will be formed for visa applications to the
U.S.!" I think this sums up the true sentiment of the Iranian people.
Reza Mousoli
Go to top
Tuesday
November 9, 1999
* Becoming stronger
Termeh Rassi's piece ["The
plaid sofa"] was lovely -- direct and moving. She writes about
an experience that is defining for Iranians of this day and age -- the
experience of diaspora.
Through more of such writing, we can try to understand and come to terms
with our experience as Iranians; in the hopes of becoming a stronger, more
rooted community wherever our journeys have taken us.
Gelareh Asayesh
St. Petersburg, Florida
Go to top
* Tired of chants
In
response to Mr. Beeler's letter
Take it easy. I too am an American who gets angry when I hear about
the flag burning and the death chants going on in Iran, but you got to
remember not all Iranians are like that, and many of them are getting tired
of marching to the drum of certain mollas well.
You are right in that hatred has a tendency to breed further hatred
but that is something we all have to work on. Thank goodness there exist
forums such as The Iranian where frustrations and differences of
opinion can be expressed. There are some discussion groups which won't
allow anything like this and that is unfortunate.
I firmly believe that as long as people are allowed to have dialogue,
openly and honestly, without fear of repercussions, a good majority will
come to appreciate and learn to co-exist with those who differ. And that
is what is needed most in this world right now.
Alex Bettesworth
Go to top
* Taking credit
I am writing in regards to your Persian web link of the day. Apparently
this "Payam"
guy is taking credit for my hard work.
No, he did not put up 1,000 Persian songs in RealAudio format. I did.
He simply linked to them. And by the way, it's not 1,000 songs, it's 800.
Ashkan Yekrangi
Webmaster of CyberIran
Editors note: The description for this web site has been corrected.
Go to top
Monday
November 8, 1999
* Easy to be ignorant
In
response to Mr. Beeler's letter
... If someone wants to be ignorant, it is very easy to stereotype a
whole nation. My co-workers, patients, neighbors, and some of my best friends
are American. It would terribly undermine their intelligence if I were
to stereotype them as a bunch of rednecks who have beer bellies and burp
hotdogs all day.
Last but not least, I recommend you travel around the world a little
and not limit your world eye view to the media and its representation of
other countries ... FULL
TEXT
Roya Zarnegar
Go to top
* Shameful!
So many wonderful books have been written about Iran. Iran is a beautiful
country. Its people are gifted, civilized and charming, kind and hospitable.
Someone has written of James Buchan's book ["A
good place to die"] : "This must be one of the most perceptive
attempts to understand the Iranian psyche ever undertaken in an English
work of fiction".
As a foreign wife of an Iranian, I lived in Iran for many years. I find
this book quite shameful!
Margaret Habibi
Copyright © Abadan Publishing Co. All Rights Reserved.
May not be duplicated or distributed in any form
