Don writes in response to "Looking down on others":
I certainly can speak as an American, because I am one of those things that walks on two legs, commonly called a biped, but you can call me a “human” for the short text.
America is complicated when it comes to tolerance. We do love to hate but we pride ourselves in hating the right things. We hate common crimes and shun criminals, but we love our rights to speak freely about any one, even in cursing.
We have NO tolerance of people that deprive others of their rights as spelled out in our constitution, as the right to have any religion that you desire; then we argue like a bat from hell that same religion is wrong. Do not ask how we manage to do this, but we love to squabble among ourselves, but yet try to stop a person from believing as they would is a cardinal sin that we will not tolerate.
If you are confused so far, just think how I feel being an American. Here in Oregon, that is a State in the USA, we get confused often on what to hate and what to love, what to have tolerance for and what to shun. Therefore, when the doubt must be resolved, we love to go to Court, and squabble even more, as it is OUR RIGHT, to be right, unless proven wrong in a valid court of USA law. Needless to say, there is an attorney on every street corner making a good living at our expense.
For example: I cannot stand Islam, I argue against it, I have no tolerance. However, try to stop a person from believing in Allah, and I will take up arms in war for that person to cherish what ever beliefs they desire as long as they are law abiding (meaning do NOT hurt others). Now how do you define “do not hurt others”?
Yes the USA is complicated, it would be so much easer to have one set of beliefs to love and all other beliefs are to be hated. What to hate, and what to love, all cut and dry, all put in a neat little box with a ribbon on it for good looks. But real life is not that easy, those that say they have it all figured out, like a Christian preacher or a politician, do not know squat from Shine-O-la.
In all honesty, we are working on our own country, as we are not satisfied yet. We have not obtained the very best that we can be. We DO NOT “know it all”, regardless of what Pres. Bush tells the world. Bush does NOT speak for me and I have NO tolerance of people that use my name in vain. We have a lot of work to do in this country USA; human rights are an on going battle of fairness and equality one to another. It is silly to think in poetic terms of, “Let us all get along with each other.” Reality shows just the opposite, we love NOT getting along. We are a land of individuals, independent people with independent minds, hopes, dreams and aspirations. So we have to figure this out: how can 300 million people each with different dreams, hopes, beliefs, and aspirations, how can we make room for all and leave none out? How can even the small voice be heard, even the smallest of human life is most valuable.
Like I said, the USA is complicated, we need to think about what we are doing and be on guard against the “BIG LIE”. Those that say they are for human freedoms may be the one most likely to make you a slave, and hurt others. I have no tolerance for these people.
If we have one good point, one redeeming feature for all our confusion it is this. We do have our court system, both criminal and civil, and NO person, great or small, rich or poor, shall be denied their day in court (with rights to appeal to a higher court) to seek justice and fairness, backed up by police powers that act for the individual at the direction of the Judge and/or jury.
For a biped I said many words to make a simple idea complex. So here is simplicity. We do not know what we are doing--- we do not have a clue. However, we do know this beyond a reasonable doubt---HUMANS FIRST, life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness is a natural right to all humans that shall never be denied.
This is a very high standard to live to, it is not easy, and the errors have been many, way too many, so I have run out of tolerance. Yeah, sure, hate Americans, that is popular. But know this, in this country hating is not a crime and you have the right to tell the world and this government about it, and live the next day as a free person and no harm will come to you. What do you think about US now?
As an example: We had that sawed off scrimp president of Iranian speak at one of our USA colleges, YOU bet we did in Q@A. Our common ladies put that nut case in his place and he was shown horribly wrong on every one of his issues. Our US women are FREE to talk back with the same authority as the president of Iran. I doubt he will be back any time soon, but he is welcome any time.
See how we are? We are a bunch of intolerant people trying to get along. It is said that democracy is a state of constant protest and rebellion, only with rules. As shown above: That man protested the small child, by reason of race, to not let him into the pool. In the USA the parents have the right protest back and drag that man into court and sue the crap (and every dime) out of him.
Like I said, we are a very intolerant people. We have no tolerance for discrimination by race, nor for hurting a small child, and we do have relief. Relief it is not suppression of anger and hate, but rather very vocal and active and we live to tell about it by the force of law, this is the rule we live by.
I thank you for your time.
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Iranoamerican, I love peace and logic
by Mobarez (not verified) on Sun Apr 06, 2008 09:34 PM PDTAlthough I do not usually answer to the likes of you, I'm going to say some words this time, because you raised a nonsense here. I have enough experiences and maturity to tell you the truth. I know that for people like you is very hard to think in a logical way and take the right and positive approach to the problem. My comment is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced. I approached the issue from a historical perspective and not from a emotional perspective.
Now in order for you to get your head and heart straight you need to do yourself a big favor and start reading some useful books(not the Bible or Koran....)which can help you to understand the real meaning of your life!!!!!.
mobarez change for peace
by iranoamerican (not verified) on Sun Apr 06, 2008 08:41 PM PDTyou need more experience and maturity, next time before you open your mouth decide first if it is emotion or logic and then think about what it is that your words are going to accomplish.
now in order for you to get your head and heart straight you will need 3 basic things to start,
time, patience and the 3rd and the most important is honesty.
may the Lord make us wise
Brainwashed or narrow-minded
by Mobarez (not verified) on Sun Apr 06, 2008 07:19 PM PDTDon't bury your head in sand like an Ostrich. The proud Iranian-Americans need to be educated about the history of Iran and know all the events that caused them to leave their country. What makes you so proud to be an Iranian American? Do you know what America did to Iran and all Iranians? Do you know anything about the 1953 American Coup in Iran? It doesn't bother you that American foreign policy is based on aggression, intimidation, ignorance, and intolerance. Why fooling yourself with imagination of seeing a day that we will be only distinquished as having different cultures ,but united in celebration of our humanhood. Is the whole life about getting green card or scholarship? How about doing something positive for your own country.
How intolerant are we?
by K Nassery on Sun Apr 06, 2008 05:26 PM PDTMy niece, an eletrical engineering student at Tehran University, just got accepted to a Duke University grad program with free room and board and a complete scholarship. The girl has never done a thing for America. Yet, she had this gift.
Yeah.... intolerant Americans............
America is a great country
by IRANdokht on Sun Apr 06, 2008 01:01 PM PDTNo doubt about it! USA has been a much safer home for me and many of my compatriots (I like that word!) and the gracious people of this nation have greeted us with open arms, invited us in their families and accepted us in their society.
But please lets not confuse the issues. Speaking up against Ahmadinejad on the US soil doesn't take special bravery nor any kind of freedom of speech. Let's not forget that in Bush's America, Code pink members get arrested for protesting against war and reading the constitution and the mothers of fallen soldiers can receive death threats for speaking against the aggressive foreign policies. The Patriot Act has overwritten so many of the personal freedoms in this country, that now the government has the right to take anyone (including US citizens) away to Guantanamo (or any detention center for that matter), without any proof of your wrongdoing, without a right to legal representation, where you can be mistreated and subjected to different forms of torture which are legally approved!!
Americans are great people! They have stood for their rights and spoken up against human rights violations all over the world, but the US government, although considered accountable to this great nation, has committed numerous acts of aggression and violated those principles.
As for "intolerance" I am not going to speak of the very much alive racism and prejudice, since I noticed that has been discussed in many blogs and articles on this site already.
Thank you Don for bringing up the positive, but please let us not forget that there is a lot of room for improvement.
IRANdokht
Tahirih
by Tahirih on Sun Apr 06, 2008 10:45 AM PDTThere will be a day that we are only distinquished as having different cultures ,but united in celebration of our humanhood.We should stop looking at each other and seeing differences.It may sound simplistic for an old problem ,but I believe it really works.
What puzzels me is all these people that hate Americans and their policy, but they are holding to their green cards like dear life!!
To me it is a hypocracy to live in the US,but constantly hating it.We can move you know!!!And I personally know people that for the same reason left US and I have great respect for them ,because they walk the talk.This does not mean I am anti US,but I am pro truthfullness,specialy being true to oneself.
I have to add that I do not live in the US, so I am only an observer.
Tahirih
Democray vs Dictatorship
by Arya (not verified) on Sun Apr 06, 2008 08:47 AM PDTI'm a proud Iranian-American, but I have to admit that the American democracy and love of freedom applies only within its borders. American foreign policy is based on aggression, intimidation, ignorance, and intolerance. In other words, dictatorship!
God bless America
by IranoAmerican (not verified) on Sun Apr 06, 2008 07:04 AM PDTAmericans are freedom lovers, they love justice, they know what it means to be free and just.
those who envy just do not know how to be true to themselves.
I thank God for America.
God bless America