Archive - Feb 2008 - Article

Transsexuals in Iran

If you are a Jewish Iranian, living in the U.S. from the age of 6, it is very likely you don't like Ahmadinejad. So of course you would like to show how you hate him and how he is such a liar and how evil the entire government he represents is, in any way you can. So you decide to attack one of the only positive angles Iran has been reported: Sex-change. And why not connect it to Ahmadinejad's speech in your city's university, Columbia, where he said in Iran homosexuality doesn't exist the same way it does in the U.S. (We all know the united Republican>>>

راه نجات

راه نجات، هيچ به جز انقلاب نيست
جز اين، هر آنچه هست به غير از سراب نيست

گفتند انتخاب کن از بين شيخ و شاه
اين هردُوان يکند، نه! اين، انتخاب نيست

چون شد که رفت او و به جايش نشست اين؟
فرزند من مپرس! که ما را جواب نيست

>>>

Bad news

The newest and much-anticipated International Atomic Energy Agency report on safeguards activities in Iran was sent to the IAEA Member States on February 22, 2008 and almost immediately leaked to the press. As usual, no one was completely satisfied by it but everyone could find in it something that upholds his or her particular point of view. And as usual, the most important part of the report – that dealing with Iran's ongoing uranium enrichment program, with the potential to provide the material for a nuclear explosive device -- was relegated to the end of the report>>>

Obama's life in danger?

In eloquent speeches presidential candidate Obama has made copious promises, understandably to attract voters. He talks about “change,” without really spelling out change from what to what. It just sounds good: “change.” A great sound bite, indeed. Change is exciting, while status quo is viewed as stagnant and boring. It is all part of the political game of telling people what they want to hear, getting elected, and worrying about delivering later. The electorates are both short on memory and long on forgiving. So, the farce of empty high-sounding promises fills the air at campaign times. But there are instances that a promise during vote-gathering can later haunt the person>>>

When does it end?

Obama was asked two nights ago, in the debate in Ohio, about Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan’s endorsement of his campaign. He replied that he denounced the endorsement. He was then asked if he had rejected it. Obama replied that he doesn’t think there is a difference in the two. Tim Russert kept pushing it, “yeah you denounced it but do you reject it?” Ok, maybe it didn’t happen quite like this, but what the hell? The guy, Farrakhan, is goofy. He’s well on the other end of normalcy, especially when it comes to saying things. But why doesn’t denouncing him and his endorsement enough when it comes to the Jewish community?>>>

The Spider Killings (5)

As soon as Azadeh got home, she rushed to the bathroom and locked herself in. Quickly shedding all her clothing, she stood in front of the mirror, looking at her naked reflection, something she seldom dared to do. Her arms and legs were covered with a multitude of scars, as well as the coagulated blood from fresher wounds. Her body had for years been the canvas for her monstrous designs. She used knives, razors, and scissors in guise of brushes and pencils. She opened one of the drawers in the bathroom vanity and took out a pair of scissors. The thought of cutting her skin once more filled her with both trepidation and exhilaration. Slowly, she brought the sharp tip of the instrument down, until it rested against the skin on her inner thigh>>>

Damn Illegal Aliens

First of all, this damnation only covers head of the family, spouse and children under 18 who live with parents. Children older than 18 years of age may be damned under different damnation policy through college, university or employment. Secondly, Only immediate family is damned. Family members who do not reside in the US are not covered. Proof of residency is required for the damn coverage. One might ask why should we provide such a damn costly coverage for damn aliens? Although this is a naïve question, it deserves a clever response. Let me explain.>>>

برای تولدم

مولود عشقم.

مادرم آبستنِ خجستگی بود و

در زمستانِ رو به بهارِ روزی خوب

مرا به دنیا آورد. >>>

The Fusion Confusion

Ever since I can remember, I always had a taste for the bizarre. Food combinations that pregnant women wouldn’t dare crave. In order to satisfy my bizarre craving, I always need something savoury with a hint of sweet. I start each morning with 2 slices of granary toast, one with Marmite (You either love it or you hate it!) and the other slice with honey. Ultra-sweet honey and uber-salty Marmite, an equal presence of sweet and savoury. Although I don’t have a sweet tooth, I do crave food combinations that contain both sweet and savoury in order to satisfy my cravings. For instance, I think red meat just begs for some kind of acidity to cut through it’s intense meaty flavour. Ladies and Gentleman, please welcome the guest star for this meal… fruit!>>>

Wholesale attack

My predicament: which one of the numerous half-truths and falsehoods packed in the brief speech should I address? Should I remind the audience that Coptic Christians of Egypt practice honor killing just as their Muslim neighbors? Would I have to reiterate the fact that genital mutilation predates both Islam and Christianity and, while not sanctioned by either religion, persists as a vestige of the earlier animistic practices? Would it be better to state that the nemesis of civility, tolerance and human rights is not religion as such, but the "illusion" of a literal reading of the scriptures that creates dangerous fundamentalists in every religion, with lurid dreams and plans of fiery holocausts to usher in the end of the world? >>>

Running out of time

When talking about torture and whether the practice could be morally justified the most common scenario that is offered is the example of the “ticking time bomb.” As the example goes, a number of bombs have been planted in a few populous areas. The authorities have the bomber in custody. They are certain about the facts that the bombs have been planted, the person in custody knows where the locations are, they have limited time before the bombs go off, and there is no possible way to find the locations of the bombs other than torturing him. The question now is whether in such circumstances, where the lives of thousands or (in the case of nuclear bombs) millions of people are in immanent danger torture could be a morally justified method for stopping this catastrophe?>>>

V for Voice

My unselfish and greater wish is to represent the voice of our repressed Iranian people, of the women of Iran who endure human rights abuses that should not even be occuring in this day and age... I would love to use our current production of "The Vagina Monologues" as a springboard for both a show in solidarity with women's and children's rights from you, my community, and as a compassionate vehicle of greater involvement of our Iranian community within the American community at large. This is a fabulous video where Jane Fonda and Eve Ensler, the playwright and women's rights activist extraordinaire, passionately and so eloquently explain our cause >>>

For Abadan

Dear Mr. Mayor of Abadan, read this and do as I tell you. There is no trace of re-construction in Abadan. I went to visit some of my relatives there for a few days, a city with 40-year-old memories for me. The city whose girls were portrayed so beautifully in Aghassi’s songs, and whose boys spent their evenings standing by the palm trees in those girls’ neighborhoods. And now it is a city without a plan, without beauty, without vivacious boys, and full of walls where bullet wounds have not healed yet. But I have decided to return this city’s beauty to it. This city will have to become my country’s most beautiful, warmest, and most exciting city again>>>

Hedayat's last message

While many nations nowadays are desperately searching for their own cultural roots, they tend to consider their cultural icons as ‘pure’ and undivided original. Apart from the fact that seeking cultural purification somewhat has its similarities with the original idea’s of Nazi philosophy and fascist nationalism, it also is quite useless. Whether it is a consequence of the social and economical pressures caused by migration, or a search for meaning and identity, certain nations - and especially weak states that need a new ‘social glue’ to have the support of the people - start this search of original identity >>>

گل بی عیب!

ولی فقیه بحرالعلوم نیز هست , البته در اسلام (به ویژه درتشیع) چیزی که کم نداشته و نداریم بحر العلوم است , اینان در همه ی عرصه های علوم طبیعی (و ماوراء طبیعی و خفیه) و علوم اجتماعی , از فقه و سیاست و اقتصاد و حکمت و نجوم و ریاضیات و طب گرفته تا فرهنگ و انواع و اقسام هنرهای اسلامی و غیر اسلامی متخصص و صاحب نظر , و معلم و راهنما بوده و هستند. حال اگر نظرات , افاضات و فتاوی این بحر العلوم ها با علوم زمانه ی خود , و این زمانی , همخوانی نداشته و ندارد این مشگل علوم است نه عیب و ایراد اسلام و بحر العلوم های اش, چرا که مسلیمن می پندارند اسلام و بحرالعلوم های اش " گل بی عیب" اند و" به ذات خود ندارند عیبی", و اگر عیب و ایرادی هم گرفته می شود یا از نادانی نامسلمان هاست و یا از نامسلمانی ی مسلمان ها! >>>