Letters
Dec 11-15, 2000 / Azar 21-25, 1379
Today
* Racism:
- That's not racism, bro
- Everyone has some prejudice
- Turn off your computer
* Satire:
- Bee adab
Previous
* Religion:
- Chashm
* Bush:
- Demeaning to monkeys
* Persia:
- Iran-Iraq similarity irritating
* Homosexuality:
- Homosexuality & Islam
* dAyi hamid:
- Made me very happy
* Sadaf Kiani:
- Nothing special
- Wish it was a different topic
- Read Freud
- He's a fan
* Racism:
- Iran has seen worse throughout history
- Controversial opinions open eyes
- Unfairly burnt
- Balmed for holding a mirror
- Pedestrian ignorance
- Make something good out of it
- Guess who's coming for dinner
- Enjoyed it, but...
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Friday,
December 15, 2000
* That's not racism, bro
... Now, any common sense, informal, non-scientific survey taken of
Iranians on the subject of marriage to Blacks would reveal an overwhelming
disapproval. There's no question about that -- it's not even something
you can argue. You could do a completely randomized survey and you'd get
the same results...
There's nothing wrong with wanting to preserve one's Iranian culture
and Iranian racial characteristics in one's offspring. That is absolutely
not racism. It is human nature and it is normal >>>
FULL TEXT
Nariman Neyshapouri
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* Everyone has some prejudice
I have now been witnessing the arguements about this "controversial"
picture ["Maryam
& Daryl"] for the past I-don't-know-how-long and frankly,
I am getting pretty tired of it...
... Everyone in this world has some prejudice towards something or someone.
Some people are more bigoted than others. Yes, racism is alive and well,
but all over the world. So let's just ignore these idiotic and ignorant
folks that can't handle even a picture of a bi-racial couple, people, and
move on.
Lastly I just want to say one thing that no one else has said, and that
is CONGRATULATIONS! to the lovely newlyweds. I hope you have a wonderful
life together and 'paayeh ham digar pir beshavid'. Keep your head up and
good luck! >>>
FULL TEXT
MM
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* Turn off your computer
I am writing in regards to Mr.
Yamini's letter to the editor.
Mr. Yamini writes: "What will come next in your photo gallery?
The picture of an Iranian gay homosexual couple OR the picture of an Iranian
gay homosexual couple who have adopted a Black little girl OR "
YES! I hope The Iranian DOES continue to challenge our views
by presenting the beliefs and lives of all Iranians. And if you are offended
or disturbed, then turn off your computer!
Shokooh Miry
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* Bee adab
My initial reaction to your pictorial comparison between President-Elect
Bush (or anyone else whom you may have treated thus) and the chimpanzee
was one of a deep sense of outrage, and disgust, which very quickly melted
into a heap of sadness (to the brink of tears).
I had to ask myself the question "What would cause an Iranian -
assuming you are one - turn the back on all the morals, 'adab', discretion,
integrity, temperance, and depth that is such an integral part of our culture,
and give way to such defilements of the soul as you have partaken of?"
>>>
FULL TEXT
Mehryar Tabib
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Thursday
December 14, 2000
* Iran has seen worse throughout history
We Iranians have an ancient and rich history that is not going to fade
away just because of an isolated case of an Iranian girl marrying a Black
man ["Maryam
& Daryl"]. Iran throughout its histories has been exposed
to worse kinds of situations.
I think that the Iranian girl who has decided to marry an African-American
has absolutely every right to do as she wishes but she cannot impose her
choices on others. What will come next in your photo gallery? The picture
of an Iranian gay homosexual couple OR the picture of an Iranian gay homosexual
couple who have adopted a Black little girl OR ... How much more absurd
can it become? >>>
FULL TEXT
Mohammad Ali Yamini
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* Nothing special
Thank you for Shahriar Zahedi's "Daastaan-e
anbeh"!!! Up to this moment, and through reading other people's
cheering reactions to Sadaf
Kiani's articles, I have been thinking is it only me who doesn't see
anything special about them? Now I see it's not just me.
Faramarz Kaviani
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* Chashm
I was looking at the photo-cartoon titled "Seasons
Greetings from Kheineken", where a hijab-wearing Iranian woman
is displayed with a distorted male face and a beer bottle tucked under
the garb.
It may appear funny to some, with it's computer graphic software-generated
image using a photo of an actual person, what appears to be a Muslim woman
in Islamic garb.
I personally find this "piece of art" to be very offensive
and is a complete mockery of hijab-wearing Muslim women in Iran and elsewhere!
Please do not post such insulting art work on your website in the near
future.
Adnaan
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* Demeaning to monkeys
Regarding the comparison between George W. Bush
and monkeys in the Anyway section: Very demeaning to monkeys.
Dana Jalali
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Wednesday
December 13, 2000
* Controversial opinions open eyes
I read your squabble with Termeh Rassi ["Drawing
the line"]. I agree with you that controversial opinions open
our eyes to the wrongs that sprout in our community. Whether or not they
are signed is irrelevant. You reminded us by publishing the letter that
indeed there are Iranian racists that are alive and thriving in cyber space.
That reminder, however hurtful to the people, involved is rendering a service.
Now if someone did not ask the persons involved permission to publish
their picture that is another problem ["Maryam
and Daryl"] >>>
FULL TEXT
Setareh Sabety
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* Unfairly burnt
I was very surprised to see the iranian.com print that letter from iraani
["Married
a Black man?!!"]. Although I completely agree with both T.R. and
J.J.'s points of view ["Drawing
the line"], I do hope that the letter was first brought to the
attention of Maryam
and Daryl before it was published >>>
FULL TEXT
Keyvan Kazemi
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* Balmed for holding a mirror
With enormous respect for Ms. Rassi, I think she has set a bad precedent
by what is basically a manifesto condoning censorship ["Drawing
the line"]. Why is Ms. Rassi punishing the messenger for the message?
Iranian.com's editor is being blamed for holding up a mirror in front of
the Iranian community and exposing its racism ["Married
a Black man?!!"].
Ms. Rassi states that "It's often very difficult to straddle the
line between freedom of expression and censorship - and in most cases we
should err on the side of freedom of expression, but not in this case."
Why not this case? >>>
FULL TEXT
Ramin Tabib
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* Pedestrian ignorance
Just finished reading your back and forth with Termeh Rassi about someone
commenting on an Iranian woman's marrying a black man ["Drawing
the line"]. Then I reread the comment ["Married
a Black man?!!"] and my first thought was: how disgusting. The
dry and vile sentiment stopped me but for a moment. What shocked me is
that somewhere within I could understand where all that hatred was coming
from. I think we're all trapped in that understanding, men and women, all
of us...
I don't feel sorry for Maryam
and Daryl for being a subject to all this unwanted exposure. They knew
what they were getting themselves into when they crossed the boundary.
It is the warped, twisted and vicious that deserve my pity >>>
FULL TEXT
Massud Alemi
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* Make something good out of it
I enjoyed your comments about racism among us ["Drawing
the line"]. I have no doubt that we Iranians are racist, not only
against Blacks, but also against Arabs, Afghans, Indians, Turks, Usbeks,
and....
Why don't you use this opportunity to interview some Iranians about
this issue and write about it? I know a family who disowned their daughter
because she married to a Black man! I recently met a young Iranian who
has no relation with his family in Los Angeles, because his girlfriend
is a Black-Hispanic.
JJ might have made a misjudgment in publishing that picture ["Maryam
and Daryl"], but let's turn the table and make something good
come of it. Let me know, If I can be help.
Ali Sajjadi
Publisher
Par Magazine
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Tuesday
December 12, 2000
* Guess who's coming for dinner
In response to a letter by Mrs. Ynaky,"Bunch
of Hypocrites". Back in the 60's there was a famous and controversial
movie called "Guess who's coming to dinner?" In that movie a
White girl from an upper class family falls in love and decides to marry
a highly-educated Black surgeon from a hard working Black family.
Both the parents of the boy and the girl had concerns about their marriage.
Their concern was not because the parents were racist but because the young
couple had to face all the ignorance and hostility of the society they
had to live in >>>
FULL TEXT
Max R.
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* Homosexuality & Islam
I don't know where you get your concept with regard to Islam's position
on homosexuality ["Adam
& Eve, not Adam & Adam"].
Homosexuality is not mentioned in the Sharia as transcribed by Mohammed
(there are many modified versions) and during the whole of period of the
Khalifate Empire, when Arab Islamic culture was at its height, homosexuality
was quite tolerated, and there is much great Arab literature describing
love between men that is testament to this >>>
FULL TEXT
Laith Al-Doory
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* Iran-Iraq similarity irritating
The fact that Iran's name is very similar to that of Iraq is really
irritating to me. As long as you live in Iran you may not have any problem
with it but once you go abroad you will find out that we Iranians are considered
Arab just like Iraqis...
I think it is high time Iran changed her name to Persia and let the
world know that Persia is not a name of a country in myths. It is a second
name for Iran and we Iranians are not Arabs and do not speak Arabic. This
is a matter of natinal identity and it should be given due consideration
>>>
FULL TEXT
Siyamak T.
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Monday
December 11, 2000
* Wish it was a different topic
Sadaf Kiani's response to Shahriar Zahedi's "Daastaan-e
anbeh" >>>
FULL TEXT
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