Letters
March 12-16, 2001 / Esfand 22-26, 1379
Today
* Monarchy:
- Shah was French
* Romance:
- Your mother too?
* Poetry:
- Utterly beautiful
Previous
* Monarchy:
- Content over form
- Fossilized issues
- Monarchy no answer
* The Iranian:
- What's the point?
- Total shock
* Pot:
- Unfortunate fact
- Decriminalizing marijuana
* Celebrity:
- Farhad seriously ill
* Romance:
- Hire a maid
* Iraj Mirza:
- Freedom fighter
* Revolution:
- Martin Luther King: No chance in
Iran
* Iran-U.S.:
- America needs Iran
- Hee haa!
* Iran:
- Personal attacks
- Pahlavi's wealth
- Very poor choice
- Anti-Iranian Americans
- Kam lotfi
* Persia:
- Where are the Persians?
- Confusing everyone
* Model:
- Oy vey!
email us
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Friday,
March 16, 2001
* Shah was French
I liked your article "Shah
or president?" Democracy is a learned behavior. You must grow
up learning from the small society of the household how to come into consensus
with your immediate family members. After the revolution when I started
reading more about the social decay of the Iranian society and its key
players, starting from the Shah, I realized that the Shah was more of a
French fellow than an Iranian.. I don't think he really knew who the Iranian
people were >>>
FULL TEXT
FFN
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* Your mother too?
You must be quite lonely to be such an ass regarding women ["The
hell with romance"]. It is people like youwho give Iranian men
a bad name. You fit the stereotype of the sexist pig that just f*#$%s
for selfish pleasure -- oh and reproduction of course >>>
FULL TEXT
Mitra
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* Utterly beautiful
I just wanted to say I really enjoyed the poem "Boro".
It was so full of emotions. Very innocent, sad and yet utterly beautiful.
I read it three times. I cannot believe it's from a high school student
in America. So proud of you!
Glayol Banaie
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Thursday
March 15, 2001
* Content over form
I couldn't agree with more ["Shah
or president?"]. Once again you've hit the nail right on the head
and I find myself in the fortunate position of having a partner in politics.
Especially when you say: "The real problem facing Iran is not choosing
between monarchy or republic. The problem is how to reject theocracy and
backwardness." That just brings tears to my eyes, because for the
past 20 years I have been saying the same thing and begging the all-so-important-
figures in the opposition in my town to not make themselves so preoccupied
with form at the cost of forgetting content >>>
FULL TEXT
Massud Alemi
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* Fossilized issues
As a response to the elaborate discussion on "Shah
or president?" I can only say that I am shocked that we even spend
time and energy discussing such fossilized issues. Just because the present
government seems to be insistently directing itself as if we still live
in the era of Mohammad does not give us a right to indulge nostalgically
in what is gone and will never be recovered. The Shah's regime was also
a filthy and corrupt, although it did not even come close to the barbarism
and inhumanity of the present one >>>
FULL TEXT
Maziar Taleshi
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* Monarchy no answer
My memories of Iran are not ver clear. My knowledge of Iran is incomplete.
But I do know this: a return to monarchy is not the answer for Iran. I
think it is unfortunate that so many Iranians regard the Shah's regime
with such nostalgic affection. Iran doesn't need a secular dictatorship
to take the place of the current theocratic dictatroship. Iran also doesn't
need a constitutional monarchy filled with symbolic figureheads and royal
families that do nothing but attend charity dinners >>>
FULL TEXT
Sina Yousefi
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* Unfortunate fact
I don't agree with Naghmeh
about the cover
picture in The Iranian. I am also a mother. The picture of a
young Iranian man doing drugs may not be a good sight to look at and enjoy,
but it definitely is an unfortunate fact. We can't ignore the facts. There
are the bad, the good and the ugly about every society.
I do like iranian.com; I am actually addicted to it. I have had a few
sleepless nights when I did not receive my issue on time. I think for some
reason the editor chooses not to print the bad news or crimes committed
by the Iranian community outside of Iran >>>
FULL TEXT
Simin Habibian
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* What's the point?
I have recently started browsing The Iranian web site and reading
the articles. Through them I have discovered the new attitudes, thoughts
and opinions of my community. I have, however, been saddened more than
once. I do not think it is the responsibility of media to determine attitudes,
but I do not think it would be wrong for you to set high standards for
our community. We are after all Iranians. And I am still proud to be one,
despite what I have read recently >>>
FULL TEXT
Maryam Tehrani
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* Total shock
I must admit that the first time I visited iranian.com I was in total
shock. Your site is so orginal and tasteful that I refer it to some of
my frinds (non-Persian). These days it's the first site that I read when
I am on my PC. Keep up the good work.
Bijan Rais
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Wednesday
March 14, 2001
* Farhad seriously ill
Farhad Mehrad, better known as Farhad, is seriously ill with hepatitis
C. He is 58. His most likely course of treatment is believed to be a liver
transplant, a very expensive operation.
Farhad is very private person, and it is only because of the severity
of his condition that his wife, Pouran, has agreed that his case can be
publicised. The hope is that those who have heard and loved his songs,
and perhaps the Iranian authorities, would do something to save his life
>>>
FULL TEXT
Miriam
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* Hire a maid
I believe Mr. Baniameri may be better off switching to the other side
["The
hell with romance"]! Yes, Siamack, I believe you are better off
dating your own kind, MEN. How long have you been in the closet?
I have to give you credit though, proposing on the net that you would
like to bond more with men, buying them candy and roses, to pat other men
on their back! You have thought about this for a while haven't you! >>>
FULL TEXT
Mojdeh Safayee
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* Decriminalizing marijuana
NOTE: This letter was emailed in capital letters
IN RESPONSE TO NAGHMEH'S DISAPPOINTMENT REGARDING
THE COVER
PICTURE OF A MAN SMOKING MARIJUANA, HERE IN CANADA CANNABIS IS NOT
REALLY CONSIDERED A DRUG ANYMORE BUT A MEDICINE. IN THE LAST SURVEY HERE
73% FAVORED LEGALIZATION AND EVEN MORE FAVORED DECRIMINALIZATION, AND IT'S
JUST A MATTER OF TIME UNTIL THIS BECOMES LAW >>>
FULL TEXT
Hamid Ageorlo
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* Personal attacks
Asghar Agha, I appreciate your comments ["Asghar
Shah"] on my article ["My
friend"]. Your sense of humor is truly wonderful.
I also thank you for reemphasizing the point of my article. The issue
is that nobody challenges Reza Pahlavi on the substance of his program.
The attacks are purely personal and unfounded.
As far as politics are concerned, the personal life of a public figure
is strictly his own business. Even though I challenge anyone to come forward
with a cleaner personal life than Reza.
Mihandoust
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* Pahlavi's wealth
In response to "My
friend", the author claims that neither Reza Pahlavi, his mother,
nor his father, have any substantial wealth.
Gee, I seem to remember Reza Pahlavi having lost $25 million several
years ago as a result of some bad investments. And despite this he's still
living fairly comfortably.
For the past 21 yrs, he hasn't worked a single day or earned a single
paycheck. aAso, he sends his daughters to a private French school in northern
Virginia.
I think these facts are evidence enough that the Pahlavi's currently
have and have always had very substantial wealth.
Nariman Neyshapouri
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* America needs Iran
My name is Eamon. I am an Iranian-American living in Austin, Texas.
And I just have to say that the sanctions against Iran aren't helping anyone,
but they are hurting America. If Bush can do one thing right (even though
he proboably won't) I hope it is to re-establish friendship with Iran.
America needs Iran for everything from oil to the battle against Iraq.
And Iran needs America to protect it from Sadam and his twisted mined,
and to improve the economy.
If teachers in schools excpect students to get along without conflict,
why can't we excpect leaders of nations to look past their pride and ego
and see that friendship can do nothing but make the world a better place.
Eamon
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Tuesday
March 13, 2001
* Very poor choice
I have always liked iranian.com but the choice for your cover
picture was very poor. How will a man doing drugs benefit your site?
It is unbelievable how Iranians come to U.S. and forget about all their
values. I am very disappointed, and I think people hide behind their freedom
of choice a bit too much. They say and do whatever they want in the name
of freedom.
Of course, I, too have a choice of not looking at the picture, but as
an Iranian, as a mother and a woman, I still think your choice of putting
that picture for your welcome page was very poor.
Naghmeh
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* Anti-Iranian Americans
In his article ["America,
welcome"], Ron Wurzer managed to rehash all the usual complaints
and stereotypes about Iran and Iranians. The point is, I've lived in America
all my life. As an Iranian-American, I can tell you one thing for sure:
despite the "hundreds of thousands" you saw chanting anti-American
slogans in Tehran, i guarantee you the level of anti-Iranian animosity
among American politicians and the American public still far exceeds the
sum total of anti-American sentiment in Iran >>>
FULL TEXT
Nariman Neyshapouri
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* Where are the Persians?
It sounds like disagreement is a more powerful incentive than agreement
or it's that way in our culture. I happen to understand and completely
agree with G. Motamedi's view on the insanity that was behind Reza shah's
decision about asking other countries to say Persia instead of Iran ["Bring
back Persia"].
I don't understand why those who introduce themselves as Persian and
not Iranian don't send a letter! I personally witness everyday that more
than ninety percent of our people introduce themselves as Persian and not
Iranian! I don't need anybody to agree or disagree with me on this because
I see it everyday for myself >>>
FULL TEXT
Ardavan
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* Freedom fighter
I agree with the tittle of this feature: "Missing
the point"! Iraj Mirza was living in the era that had no Internet,
no media, no printed books, (at lest not anything in Farsi or very hard
to find).
The problem is that everyone has a different perception of the world
according to his or her personal experiences. So if a man gets to the point
that he knows literature and has a deep perception then I understand why
he uses harsh language. To me he is a freedom fighter and I salute him.
Abbas Abhroudi
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Monday
March 12, 2001
* Kam lotfi
I read "Not
going back" and frankly it upset me to see how negative one can
be! I don't deny the fact that there's very limited freedom (of any sort)
in Iran and that it is not necessarily a good tourist location, but it's
honestly not that bad. This American woman claims that she stood out in
public because of her red nails, makeup, and white sneakers while everyone
was wearing black! First of all, we all know that Iranian women in Iran
and elsewhere wear a whole lot more makeup! >>>
FULL TEXT
Parastoo Ghodsi
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* Hee haa!
Was this ["Engage
secular Iran"] an opinion piece in the Christian Science Monitor?
I sure hope so. Otherwise, I can not believe that their journalism has
sunk so low.
Oh, now that we have a trigger happy Republican administration, let's
get back to Cold War tactics of "helping" those on "our
side" in geo-politically "strategic" countries like Iran.
Forget about past interventions, however futile they may have turned up;
let's intervene some more. It is cowboy time at the White House! Hee haa!
Yahoo! >>>
FULL TEXT
Setareh Sabety
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* Martin Luther King: No chance in Iran
I read Fariba Amini's "Thy
father's sins" and the great advice she has given Reza Pahlavi.
Then I read responses to her article by Khosrow
Moniri and H.M.
Jalili. Frankly I had to re-read Amini's article and could not
see any of the points the two responders' are raising. Amini has rightly
indicated that the revolution was hijacked by the mollas. She has
correctly pointed to the grave mistakes made by the Pahlavi regime.
While Jalili seems to be very knowledgeable about the history of civil
rights movement in America, he fails to recognize that if Martin Luther
King was in Iran during the Shah's regime, he could not stage any of his
non-violent demonstrations for a minute >>>
FULL TEXT
Hossein
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* Confusing everyone
I must say as someone who has spent most of his adult life in the West,
we Iranians have succeeded in confusing everyone about our identity and
cultre, ourseleves included ["Bring
back Persia"]. I have also come to believe that we Iranians have
diluted our identity by over-educating foriegners. In our eagerness to
defend the Iranian image outside we have created confusion about the name
of the country, the name of our people, the name of our seas and the name
of our language >>>
FULL TEXT
A.R. Beigie
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