Letters
June 19-23, 2000 / Khordad 30-Tir 3, 1379
Today
* Politics:
- I supported Shah's return
* Afghans:
- Small-mindedness
* Writing:
- Better observer than grown-ups
* Satire:
- Az Seyed Ali natarseh
Previous
* Media:
- Let's produce better programs
* Photos:
- Loaded with feelings
* Writing:
- Childish
* Politics:
- We did not chose the Shah
* Afghans:
- One-sided view of Afghans
- Deport ALL Iranians too?
- Afghans threaten national security
* Jews:
- Can't a Jew ever be spy?
* Googoosh:
- Fussy
- Age has nothing to do with it
- Por kardan-e jib
- Best news ever
- Wanted in Australia
- Royalties?
- Only one?
- Vel kon digeh!
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Friday,
June 23, 2000
* I supported Shah's return
I am not Shaban Bimokh. But I participated in the uprising to bring
the Shah back. And I did not care who paid for it or who did it. But I
was one of the crowd. Do you want to know why?
On one of the last days of the Mossadegh government, in Koocheh Berlin
off Lalehzar Avenue in Tehran, the Islamic hooligans threw acid on the
face of my eight-year-old niece and my sister, ruining their faces for
the rest of their lives. My sister could not bear her predicament; she
committed suicide. Do you or Mr. Rafat understand the pain in our family?
>>>
FULL TEXT
H.H.
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* Small-mindedness
Nemattullah's
letter brought tears to my eyes. He is not quite right in his assertion
that we treat Afghans like Americans treat Iranians. We treat them worse.
Our historical hatred of Afghans is only second to that of the Arabs.
With a thousand and one bonds that exist between our two nations, our hatred
can only testify to our small-mindedness. A big nation strives to swallow
others and make them its own, no matter what the creed, color, religion
or even language may be.
It is the worry of puny nations that always seek purity and isolation
and cannot lend a helping hand even to neighbors in need lest they lose
everything >>>
FULL TEXT
Massud
Alemi
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* Better observer than grown-ups
I truly admire the ability and style of Ms. Fakhraie. I don't think
her articles belong to the children's section. In fact
her ability to critically and elegantly express her observations of the
social and personal issues is outstanding, and certainly much better than
those of many grown ups ["Tehran's
good side"].
I think her articles deserves to be where they appear now. At the same
time, I don't think her observations about the goods and bads of the current
Iranian society is biased, or unrealistic. Perhaps, you have not been in
Tehran recently.
Merhdad Valibeigi
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* Az Seyed Ali natarseh
LOL, Kofi bayad bereaghseh, az Seyd Ali [Khamenei] natarseh :-) ["Kofi Annan
busts the move"]
Khosh Teep
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Thursday
June 22, 2000
* One-sided view of Afghans
I read some letters
from Iranians about Afghan refugees who lived in Iran. First of all
I must say that I am an Afghan and I am 22 and I have lived in Iran for
more than 10 years. I finished high school in Iran and I know a lot about
Iran.
But I feel sorry when I see someone saying that Afghans must leave Iran
because they are a problem for Iran. They say Iranians are hospitable but
if you ask an Afghan who has spent a few days in Iran he would give you
a negative answer.Why?>>>
FULL TEXT
Nematullah Mohammady
Maidstone, England
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* Fussy
You didn't send a special email about the feminist
Iranian women who were freed on bail, but made such a fuss about Googoosh
["Khosh
oomadi"]. Oh well...
ZM
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* Age has nothing to do with it
I have taken offense to the categorization of Googoosh as a middle-age
woman past her prime who should just stay out of the limelight to save
herself the embarrassment of looking foolish ["Khosh
oomadi"]. Stay home and watch Britney Spears's belly button on
MTV then.
I happen to think middle-age women are much more attractive, beautiful,
and capable than any women in their twenties. They are confident of who
they are, and boy is that intimidating to the men who want to control them.
PLEASE! >>>
FULL TEXT
Anahita
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* Let's produce better programs
I am a radio & TV guy myself but
I totally understand and clearly can see the frustration of Sadaf while
listening to the radio or watching TV in the U.S ["Yekshanbeh-ye
Irooni".
Those who cannot fulfill their financial obligations through commercials
and/or sponsors, should NOT put the burden on folks who just want to listen
or watch for a few hours. Let's produce better programs and people will
help automatically.
Mohammad Ali
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* Loaded with feelings
I just wanted to tell you that I found your black & white pictures
of that "sandoogh-e nooshaabe" (although it seems to be a "tasht"!)
simply fantastic ["Taabestoon"].
I don't know how to put it, but it was so loaded with feelings and memories.
The picture says it all. thank you for making my day. :-)
AT
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Wednesday
June 21, 2000
* Childish
May I suggest that you create a "children's section" and post
Ms. Najmeh Fakhraie's articles there. You must be very desparate for articles,
if you are letting them appear on your front page. I am mostly referring
to "Tehran's
good side" which lacks good taste and judgement.
I lived in Tehran for 27 years and it has never reminded me of drug
addicts, homeless children and rude people. What exactly is Ms. Fakhraie
comparing Tehran to? Could it be the United States in 1855?!
T.
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* Deport ALL Iranians too?
Comments by some of the readers about the necessity
of deporting Afghan refugees are very disturbing, to say the least. While
millions of Iranians have taken refuge in countries all around the world,
for exactly the same reasons as the Afghans who have been seeking refuge
in Iran, these readers demand the deportation of Afghans who are apparently
all "violent criminals."
There is not much crime, at least according to Western standards, where
I live. With the influx of Iranian refugees in the U.S. during the past
decade, I have had the opportunity to read about their involvement in criminal
activities, from petty drug dealing, to major drug trafficking, to heinous
murders.
I guess this gives the native people of America the right to demand
the repatriation of ALL Iranians who "are responsible for the eventual
political turmoil within" Iran "by neglecting to remove the backward
and savage Taliban." Well, our version of Taliban, that is.
I suggest these writers read a little bit about the history of Iran
to learn a thing or two about "Persian hospitality." ["Not welcome"]
Mohsen Kashani
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* Por kardan-e jib
Googoosh aamad nah baraaye khaandan balkeh baraaye por kardan-e jib-e
khod va Kambiz. joonesh. Googoosh 20 saal nakhaandeh ast. 20 saal peesh
cheh meekhaand, haalaa cheh bekhaanad? Shaah Maahi-e Iran noon-e qiyaafash
raa meekhorad va ella naneh-ye bandeh behtar az Googoosh meekhaanad. man
ki bilmiram!
Ahmad Osgouee
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* Best news ever
Thank you very much for this news about Googoosh ["Khosh
oomadi"]. I live in Tehran and I told this to about 100 people
and forwarded your news to 48 friends. Everyone said it was the best news
they have ever heard! Thank you very much much again.
Mohammadreza Akbarbaygi
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Tuesday
June 20, 2000
* Wanted in Australia: Googoosh
Earlier this week we heard the news of Googoosh's departure from Iran
and her upcoming Amercian, Canadian and European concerts ["Khosh oomadi"].
Although delighted and ecstatic about the news, I among hundreds of
thousands of other Iranians living in Australia felt outraged and most
disappointed to find out that Googoosh's tour did not include a visit to
Australia.
While we understand that The Iranian Times is not responsible
for organizing Googoosh's tour, we felt the need to speak out and express
our anger and disappointment for being excluded from sharing this experience
with the rest of the Iranian community worldwide.
We sincerely do hope that the organizers of Googoosh's world tour would
at least try and consider including Australia to their list of visiting
countries.
A.K.
Iranian Community - Australia
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* Royalties?
I recently bought a video of Googoosh. I own all her CDs. Do these major
CD and video distribution companies pay her any royalties? Every month
hundreds and hundreds of Googoosh's CDs and videos are sold. Are they paying
her anything?
We claim we love her. But are we honoring her? It is not fair if Pars
Video, Caltex and all other distributors are making money off of her life's
work.
Niloo Soleimani
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* We did not chose the Shah
I would like to thank F.
Rafat for responding to Farah Pahlavi's letter, "Shah's
Return in 1953". There are some good points. I will add some more.
The facts are that we Iranians did not choose our leader (Shah). He
was given to us by the British and then the U.S.. He came back in 1953
by the WILL of the U.S. and for the price of $60,000 and NOT the will of
the majority of the people, unless you call Shaaban Bimokh and his gang
of hoodlums the majority of the people!>>>
FULL TEXT
A.Forati
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