* Unjustified knee-jerk reaction
* A bit begging
* We are your doctors, teachers, and constituents
* If we exercised the right to vote...

Unjustified knee-jerk reaction

I have received a copy of your proposed letter addressed to Senator Feinstein, which letter is purportedly a response to Senator Feinstein's comments regarding visas issued to Iranian students.

I believe that your reading of Senator Feinstein's comments is not only unjustified, but is unreasonably so. Senator Feinstein made no comments regarding the need to single out Iranian students. The Senator clearly and consicely set forth her beliefs regarding consistency in undertaking security checks for students entering the United States, which students are nationals of countries that the U.S. has determined to be terrorist supporting.

Your statements in your proposed letter are surprisingly unjustified. To that end I bring to your attention the language in your letter which states: "To suggest directly or otherwise that Iranian students in general are potential terrorists and a threat to the safety and security of the United States is nothing short of an insult to a group of students who over successive years has proven to be exemplary in every way." At no time did the Senator make such a generalized statement. I suggest that you take far greater caution preparing responses to comments which you "believe" have been made.

It is quite clear to me that your letter is a simple knee-jerk response which may have originated from your subjective feelings of personal insult. Unfortunately, the Senator must make objective decisions, unlike your feelings which were clearly subjective. Senator Feinstien is concerned with national security and safety of United States citizens and residents. As you can see, the Senator's concerns are far more substantial when compared to your organization's concern for preventing hurt feelings of certain Iranian nationals who lack the self-confidence it takes to live in a democratic society.

In short, Senator Feinstein was not attacking Iranians and your allegation that she was doing such a thing substantially reduces your objectivey in the eyes of many.

I urge you to take greater caution in preparing and circulating such "mass mailings" from your organization. Keyvan Samini, Attorney at Law, <ksamini@counsel.com>

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A bit begging

I have two comments concerning the letter to the senators before it is sent.

1- To suggest that the Iranian students might stay on and work in the United States is a bad argument. Student Visas normally expects the holders to return to their country of origin and not to stay on. This is not to say that they do not or should not, but it is not a point to bring to the attention of people who are not too kind to you in the first place.

2- The reference to Iranians being "human beings" is a bit begging. I have seen such references being made to some or other tribes by anthropologist studying Australian aborigines. It is difficult to make my point without sounding a bit racist, but the "human being" reference is condescending. Hashem Farhang <ashfarhang@worldnet.att.net>

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* We are your doctors, teachers, and constituents

I simply wish to echo the sentiments expressed in the letter sent to the senators. I am a first- generation American, born of Iranian parents who came to this country as students during the 1960s. I consider myself Iranian-American and am disappointed at statements which suggest that Iranians are terrorists by nature.

I am an assistant professor at Rhodes College (Memphis, TN); my younger sister is a physician in Birmingham, Michigan; my father is a recognized psychiatrist who pioneered research on substance abuse and eating disorders among youth; and my mother, while proud of her Iranian roots, is the most enthusiatic American citizen one could ever meet -- a committed volunteer for Democratic causes in Michigan. In short, we are -- like many Iranians who have come to the U.S. more recently, whether temporarily or permanently -- productive members of your society.

Please do think carefully about statements which paint an entire nation or community in broad brush strokes that obscure our subtleties and differences. As a community, we are new to the U.S. And, in our political and professional diversity, we wish to contribute to American society. Indeed, some of us already have. We are your doctors, teachers, and constituents. Haleh Vaziri <HVaziri@aol.com>

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If we exercised the right to vote...

Thanks for your concern regarding the comments of Senator Feinstein. Sending emails, letters, faxes, etc. is good but it does not quite hit the target. If the Iranian community exercised its right to vote and became a threat to a senator or a representative's election -- as Cuban communities do, as Mexican communities do, as the Black communities do, as the Jewish superpower lobby does -- then we would not have to beg to be treated like human beings.

Iranians living in California or New York can influence the election of people like Feinstein or d'Amatto -- a sworn enemy of the Iranian people. A campaign must start to mobilize Iraninas living in the U.S. -- to vote and offer financial support. It may not be fruiful today but it will bear fruits tomorrow. Mohammad E. Taslim <taslim@coe.neu.edu>

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