Letters
October 16-19, 2000 / Mehr 25-28, 1379
Today
* Middle East:
- Obligation to Iranians first, not
Palestinians
* Sadaf Kiani:
- Beh delam neshast
* Homosexulaity:
- Damn ignorant
Previous
* Feminism:
- Punk with bad manners -- not feminist
- Devalued argument
* Shah:
- IRI propaganda outlet
- Shah should be fully blamed
* Art:
- Reminds me of Keith Haring
* Politics:
- Nobel prize for silence
* Iranians:
- Something to laugh about
- Don't look down on odd people
* Sciolino:
- Zoroastrianism first monotheistic
religion
- Zoroastrianism not monotheistic
* Men & women:
- Below the belt
* Sadaf Kiani:
- I'm a big fan
email us
Friday,
October 20, 2000
* Obligation to Iranians first, not Palestinians
Iran is facing her most critical of times. But the way our elected and
non-elected officials and other self-appointed guardians are viewing the
Middle East crisis, makes me wonder ["Crooked
wall"]...
In the past twenty some years, we have heard our top officials talk
more about the problems of the Palestinians and Lebanese than our own problems.
Not a day that goes by without a comment relating to the Palestinians'
struggle or Hizbollah's Jihad. Extremists with their papers and loud speakers
cry out for them, day and night...
I hope some day soon the Palestinian struggle comes to a fair and peaceful
end. I hope some day soon Iranian officials realize, above all, their obligation
to the people of Iran >>>
FULL TEXT
Hamid K.
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* Beh delam neshast
man dokhtari hastam 20 saaleh va az aamricaa beh shomaa email midaham.
chand daghigheye pish maghaalehee keh dar iranian.com bood be naam-e "Khalvateh
paaeezi" ro khoondam va vaaghe'an beh delam neshast. natoonestam
jeloy-e khodamo begiram va goftam hatman baayad email bedam va tashakkor
konam.
hodoodeh do saal o nim hast keh az iran khaarej shodam va in neveshteh-ye
shomaa daghighan mano beh yaad-e doraani andaakht keh iran boodam. va har
baar beh khiaaboon miraftam va matalak mishnidam ghalbam az tars beh dard
mioomad. kheili vaghtaa ham geryam migereft, beh khosoos az raftaar-e mardom
dar taxi.
ghalametoon besyaar aalieh. dar paayan baayad begam man taa beh haal
nashodeh beh kasi keh nemishnaasam email bedam. vali inbaar engaar harf-e
del-e khodamo shenidam va natoonestam bi tafaavot azash begzaram.
S.A.
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* Damn ignorant
In response to "You
are all sick": Okay, first of all, do you have any idea of what
you have just said? You don't. You just classified an entire nation as
sick, ignorant, and fundamentalist. How many Iranians do you know? If
you know any, ask them if they advocate burning homosexuals at the stake.
Ask them if they think kissing in public is a bad thing.
Now it is true: Iran's government is retarded in terms of its moral
code. But do you think Iranians ENJOY being socially/sexually oppressed
in Iran? Think about it before your stupid ass defames the Iranian race,
which is full of tolerant and open-minded people.
Instead of suggesting your childish and immature antics as a solution
to our problems, look at what is really going on. People in Iran are REALLY
being oppressed; not just gays. Show some respect for Iranians worldwide
(and have some self-respect too). I don't want to bash you, but don't
be so damn ignorant.
Maziar Shirazi
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Thursday
October 19, 2000
* Punk with bad manners -- not feminist
Maybe the "feminist" Blind
date was reacting to a father like the one in your previous piece who
wanted her daughters virginity swone up ["A
private matter"]!
Plus I can stomach a little exaggeration for the sake of good prose
but out right lying in the name of describing a "type", i.e "Iranian
feminist" is kind of sophomoric.
Too bad that we can not ask you for any proof. Maybe the iranian.com
should give your date equal time. Then we could at least see if she existed!
Anyway if you were unfortunate enough to date an Iranian punk with bad
manners (I think that is what she is if she indeed exists) please refrain
from calling her a "feminist". For those of us who believe that
feminism is about the right to express ourselves, have the same oppertunities
as men and get equal pay.
Your picture of a man- hating punk as a "feminist' is unfair. Especially
since all these rights are regularly denied us in our motherland.
In times of crisis, humor should bow to atrocities. Keep poking fun
at those who hold onto old prejudices (like your virgin-mending) father.
Or maybe you would be happy in an Iran were your blind date would be your
wife!
Mashadi
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* Zoroastrianism first monotheistic religion
I can't agree with Mr. Reza Sami objections
to Elaine Sciolino ["The
twelve rules"] where he tries to prove that Zoroastrism is not
a monotheistic religion. I think his opinion comes from the wrong interpretations
of Zoroastrism by some Islamic and Western orientalists.
I don't believe he has read any Zoroastrian writings especially "The
Gathas" holy book. Actually there is no contradiction between Ahura
Mazda and Ahriman and darkness and light. >>>
FULL TEXT
Esfandiar Kiani
* Below the belt
In response to ["At
least he's a man with an opinion"], There doesn't seem to be anything
intelligent about this Cyrus Rafaat whose articles "Real
Iranian girls?" and his letter about Afghan
refugees all revert to only one thing: his obsession with below the
belt.
His political analysis is not serious -- he inevitably comes to prostitution
: he probably thinks that the Taliban are part of the conspiracy rendering
Iranian women incapable of controlling their purity.
This person does not look at others in a humanistic way- but simply
as animals. It appears that with his letters on politics, he is simply
trying to make up for a bad reputation from his article on chastity.
To be sure, his articles on women and chastity are much more entertaining
than his "meet the press" analyses.
I too am looking forward to find out the rest of his story in 'getting
a wife,' and wish much luck to any woman who could put up with this person.
Ravia Basri
Damascus, SYRIA
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Wednesday
October 18, 2000
* Devalued argument
Regarding Mr. Baniameri's piece "Blind
date", isn't it better to debunk a stereotype without resorting
to another one?
You are absolutely right in denouncing the stereotypes that are expressed
about Iranian men, but doing so by way of stereotyping feminism (esp. Iranian
feminism) devalues your argument.
Nonetheless, you are right to the point about cliches that surround
Iranian men.
Ramin Tabib
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* I'm a big fan
man maghale haye toro dar iranian.com mikhoonam ["Sadaf
Kiani's index"] va bayad begam ke hamishe beomide inke ye maghalye
jadid az to bebinam in site ro check mikonam:)
to vagheiat haye jame ro kheyli biparde bayan mikoni. man alan do sale
ke az iran kharej shodam. maghale haye to engar mano mibare vasate tehroon
ba hameye halohavaye oonja -- ba hameye zibaee hash va zeshtihash.
I miss Iran so badly. Keep up the good work. I'm a big fan.
SheryVafa
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* IRI propaganda outlet
How much do we have to vomit to satisfy Mr.
Kambiz Ameli? It is hard for me to come out with what I am compelled
to write. And that is, by publishing the venom of the famous vomiter Mr.
Ameli, The Iranian Times, probably inadvertently, has become another
propaganda outlet for the Islamic Republic of Iran! Or is it intended?
Do not hide yourself behind the pretext of democracy or free flow of
information. You have given enough of space to this vomiting, mud slinging
gentleman. I think enough is indeed enough. Thank you for your other-wise
good job.
Hojabr
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Tuesday
October 17, 2000
* Reminds me of Keith Haring
I like Reza Kassi's paintings ["Vacation
on Mars"]. They are really nice. Kind of reminds me of Keith Haring's paintings
(the artist that did a lot of grafiti looking paintings-started in the
New York subways-familiar with him?). Anyway, very nice.
Iran Javid Fulton
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* Something to laugh about
It's good to see stories on the lighter side like "A
private matter". Some people take their politics, ideas, and opinions
too seriously. And some stories are purely depressing. Thanks for giving
the rest of us (non-political) folks something to read and laugh about.
R. Javadi
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* Shah should be fully blamed
I believe you have misunderstood why we are all vomiting when we hear
the Pahlavi name ["Requiem
in Cairo"]. First of all we are all in full agreement with you
that Khomeini and his fellow villager mollas, their families and cronies
have utterly ruined our nation. However Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi is to
be fully blamed for this calamity.
Firstly, the Shah was completely out of touch with "his" nation
as he insisted on promoting a Western life style to a conservative Middle
Eastern society. Secondly Iran was one the largest producers of oil on
the planet, yet the country's infrastructure was similar to a backward
African country >>>
FULL TEXT
Kambiz Ameli
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Monday
October 16, 2000
* Nobel prize for silence
in khabar [President
Khatami nominated for Nobel Peace Prize] yeki az bozorgtarin jokehaye
gharn bayad bashad.an ham be khater goftegoye tamadonha?? Agar eshan mitavanest
goftegooei bain kasi ejad konad, aval az hameh bayad az keshver khood shoro
konad... Aghaye Khatami jayezeh nobel dar "SOKOOT" beh khater
sokot abadi eshan dar moghabelsarkoob va beh zendan afkandan va sarkoob
roznamehnegaran, daneshjooyan mobarez va azadikhah >>>
FULL TEXT
Nik Khodadadi
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* Zoroastrianism not monotheistic
While there is room for much praise for Ms. Elaine Sciolino's astute
observations, "The
twelve rules", she makes a dreadful blunder when she writes that
"Zoroaster preached a message of monotheism."
You do not need me to remind you of the fact that Zoroastrianism, far
from being a monotheistic religion, is based on the philosophy of duality
that shows the two forces of darkness and light in conflict with one another.
In fact, Ms. Sciolino contradicts her own understanding of Zoroastrianism
when she writes that the "central feature" of Zoroastrianism
is "a long battle between good and evil. (Good will ultimately win.)"
It may be good to remind Ms. Sciolino that in a monotheistic religion
like Christianity or Islam, God is considered to be the author of both
good and evil, whereas in Zoroastrianism Ahooramazdaa [God] is the author
of good , and Ahriman [Satan] is the author of evil, and these are forces
that act independently from each other.
G. Reza Sami' Gorgan
Roodi
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* Don't look down on odd people
I want to offer my apologies to Mr. Baniameri on behalf of all those
Iranians who can not speak perfect English and still use some Persian words
(like "Aghaa joon") in the middle of their conversations ["A
private matter"].
Mr. Baniameri should consider the fact that unlike him, a lot of us
odd-looking, uneducated Iranians haven't been in the United States long
enough to learn the apperopriate manners and haven't had the chance to
loose our thick accents (what a big shame!).
There is definitely no question that people who look and act like "jaahels"
represent the darker spots of our society either inside or outside Iran.
However, looking down at people just because of the way they grew up, or
the way they taarof over a restaurant check, or the way they have been
taught to think about virginity, is another issue.
It's as stupid to expect people of that social calss to lose those traits
in a short period of time as it is to have those traits in the first place.
Just as a reminder, to avoid any misunderestanding, I do not live in
California and I don't have any relatives who look like those people.
Faramarz Kaviani
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