Iran Doosti, Iranian style

Balatarin
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Faramarz_Fateh
by Faramarz_Fateh
23-Apr-2008
 

Before I say my peace about the subject matter, I want to congratulate Jahanshah and Iranian.com for its 13th year of service to the Iranian community and wish you another 31 years of success. You are providing a great service. Also thanks to your family for lending you $$$.

I have met a lot of Nationalist Iranians in my days. Men, women, young, old, poor, rich etc and because of their attitudes on/about Iran, I often wonder what is nationalism. Why do we have or pretend to have such affection for a specific piece of the earth, and what do we do about this love. I personally miss many things about Iran; like side-of-the-road cafes between Tehran and Chaloos, or the Bazar or the Caspian sea, or 33-e pol.

But in reality I think I miss the good times I had when I visited these places with friends and family. That is to say, if I had these good times in a city in Australia, I would have missed Australia.

What gets on my nerves are the Iranians who live in the U.S. or U.K. and keep talking about Iran; how they miss it; how they long for it; how its the best place on earth.

When most (not all of course) Americans waive their flag and talk about loving their nation, they are ready to sacrifice for it; tens of thousands enlisted to fight in WWII. Thousands enlisted to go to Vietnam and Iraq.

Tens of thousands of young Iranian youth (mostly villagers) did go to war with Iraq. But not one of these soldiers was a Benz driving, Armani wearing Beverly Hills brat from Los Angeles.

I can understand if a Jewish or Bahai Iranian doesn't want to go back to Iran because its not a 100% safe or inviting place for them. But how many Muslim Iranians do you know that claim to love Iran and call themselves a nationalist, but haven't done a damn thing for Iran or its progress?

I bet you know at least a dozen off the top of your fingers.

Lets be real folks. First of all, nationalism is a bad thing. We all are humans. Borders are a man made idea. God didn't create earth with borders. But if you insist on "loving" Iran then shut up and do something about it. Go there. Invest there. Help people in villages. Teach children. Send them $$$.

Stop this bull shit about Iran Iran. Wearing t-shirts with the Iranian flag or rooting for the Iranian national soccer team or singing along with Dariush about Vatan at a concert in LA is not really a sign of love for Iran.

There. Thats my peace. Whats your opinion?

Balatarin
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Diaspora or 'zoohayatain' seem to be damned either way!

by Ali P2 (not verified) on Wed Apr 23, 2008 06:49 PM PDT

I admire the article for being thought stimulating. I have been going to Iran often and helping the people in the area of education only. To me it has been amazing to see so many Iranians knowing so little about the real America and visa versa. This much mutual ignorance is unbelievable during Information Age. If you wonder about my passion, I consider myself a fundamentalist Iranian-American with the word fundamentalist applying to America and its fast disappearing original values which spells disaster both for America and the world that follows everything America does almost blindly.
What has been as fascinating to me is that when I go to Iran many suspect me of being a CIA member and when I leave and enter America I am suspected of being a terrorist! Actually I have less trouble to enter Iran than entering or leaving America. More interesting thing is that this treatment has been the same for the past thirty years for no reason whatsoever except justifying the existence of of Homeland Security people and the so called "War on Terror."
This extent of ignorance during Information Age has become an entertainment for me. It makes me realize that while many things have changed a lot from Molla Nasroldin time, many things have stayed the same. I assume you know that no matter how Molla mounted his donkey a group of people scolded him for not mounting the other way to the point that he said to himself 'the hell with them all' and mounted his donkey any way he pleased.
Last thing I like to say is that we cannot be expected to express our love for Iran the same way.Some of us roll up our sleeves and do something for Iran and some just wave Iranian flags or wear a a T-shirt to express their feelings with many between these two extremes.


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n.zanincanadai

Ay Ay Ay

by n.zanincanadai on Wed Apr 23, 2008 06:13 PM PDT

Your blog was amusing but riddled with myths.

Throughout history, immigration patterns have shown us that when a group of people leave their homeland, they always long for it. But most migrants don't go back. Think of the Irish or Italian immigration to the US of A. Italians love Italy but they didn't migrate back! Or 10 of the 12 tribes of Israel! No one knows where they ended up. Iranians are the same. Once we moved, we made a new place and we won't go back in large numbers. But that is not to say we don't love Iran.

Thousands of Americans enlisted to go to Vietnam. But American history and the present war is clear. It's mostly the poor who go and die. So the LA bache irooni pooldar is not much different than the likes of Georgie Bush. And there have been many instances in Iranian history where we went to war. Remember the war with the Mongols or the Arabs?

Don't forget that the people you are referring to have personal ties to Iran. They have family living there. So they can't disconnect 100 %. But they can't leave their lives and move back either. Why should they? They managed to migrate to a new land like millions of others throughout history.

What you say is true, that we SHOULD do more for Iran than just talk about our love. But the voice of reason, the knowledge of history and the stinky air of reality tells me life is life.

I for one do a lot more than just talk about Iran. I purchased some Yek o Yek sharbat albaloo. I help the economy and support albaloo farmers. When I go to Iran, I don't chooneh over 100 tomans with a poor cab driver! I still visit our maid and help her out. We got her sons through university! Shoma jadidan chi kar kardin ?? :)

 


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Abarmard

I am with you

by Abarmard on Wed Apr 23, 2008 04:51 PM PDT

I absolutely agree with you. You spoke my mind


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Feshangi

Thank you.

by Feshangi on Wed Apr 23, 2008 02:52 PM PDT

It is like a father who leaves his children with their mother and disappears, giving them no money no nothing. But brags with the guys that he has kids and loves them to death.

Having said that, I must say that you may be too harsh with the people you write about in your piece.  God may have not created boarders, but humans have done so since the year dot.  It is a human thing to do. Period.

Also, there is nothing wrong in calling a place home and missing it. This is also a human thing.  

Feshangi


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