Wither Iran?

The title of this short article is somewhat misleading since prediction regarding anything Iranian is a hazardous task and is often refuted by the following events. The reason is that Iran is, as I have described it, a short-term society, a society which lacks continuity both at the individual and social level. I once wrote that up to a century ago, when an Iranian man left home in the morning he would not know whether, by the evening, he would be made a minister or be hung, drawn and quartered. I also wrote, on another occasion, that an Iranian may be a merchant this year, a minister next year, and a prisoner the year after. Obviously these are exaggerations, but they are close to the Iranian experience throughout its long history>>>

Neda was no Martyr!

I was flipping channels the other night when I came across an interview with Reza Aslan who was predictably discussing the recent events in Iran. Good for him. The guy knows his shit and he sure has cashed in. During the interview, Aslan displayed his green bracelet with the word, “Neda” written on it and exclaimed that Neda Agha Soltan was the most recognized martyr of the green movement. Wow! I almost fell off my seat. I then remembered that other organizations have claimed the same thing. We all remember Reza Pahlavi’s emotional leakage in the Press Club when he mentioned Neda’s name while weeping like a little girl>>>

مجاهدین انقلاب چه می‌گویند؟

جنبش سبز به استناد نیروهای شرکت کننده در آن و شعارها و خواست‌هایی که مطرح کرده و ترکیب افرادی که در چند هفته گذشته به دلیل شرکت در آن از سوی عوامل وابسته به حاکمیت مورد ضرب و شتم قرار گرفته و مجروح و کشته یا زندانی شده‌اند، یک جنبش ملی است که هیچ حد و مرز ایدئولوژیک و سیاسی را به رسمیت نمی‌شناسد. شعار «ما همه با هم هستیم» بیان کننده خصوصیت فراگیر و ملی آن است. کسانی که با مرزبندی‌های سیاسی یا ایدئولوژیک در مقام محدود کردن جنبش در قالب‌های محدود مورد نظر خود بوده‌اند در برابر کشته‌ها یا مجروحان یا زندانیانی که در قالب فکری و سیاسی آنان نمی‌اندیشیده‌اند چه پاسخی دارند؟ آیا اینان می‌پندارند که اگر کسی خواهان آزادی انتخاب است باید این آزادی را فقط در چهارچوب یک نظام مشخص بطلبد؟ >>>

The God Gene

Throughout the history of humankind no phenomenon has been more enduring, appealing, alluring, misrepresented, and misused than religion. Archeological discoveries show that religion, albeit in its primitive form, has been with us even prior to recorded history. Religion has continued to exist despite flourishing scientific discoveries and the increasing popularity of secular governments around the globe. However, its mystical power has diminished in recent centuries as the mysteries of the universe have been unlocked one after another by science. Nonetheless, there is no way that we can divest ourselves of something that has dominated every aspect of our lives for thousands of years, and doing so is neither feasible nor desirable>>>

خشم

تو به من میگویی
ارزش من نصف تو است، ملا.
من به تو میگویم
هستی تو مال زن است، ملا.
تو به من میگویی
تاب تنم فتنۀ شهر و دمن است، ملا. >>>

غزل کور مادر زاد

چه فرق بین من و بین کور مادر زاد
که روی ماه تو دیدن نباشدم آزاد
مرا نیاز به این دیدگان روشن نیست
که چشم بسته به پای تو می‌توان افتاد
بگیر جان من‌ ای بهترین بهانه عمر
که بی‌ تو یک نفس از عمر هم حرامم باد >>>

The perils of popularism

Our guide at the National Museum of Cambodia began her introduction by saying that “the Khmer civilization is the oldest in South East Asia, as it dates back to the first century.” That was when Indian traders brought with them Sanskrit, Hinduism and Buddhism to the Funan area in eastern Cambodia. The Khmers were a mixed race who had themselves migrated here some three thousand years before from India, China and the islands of South East Asia. The Funan Kingdom was replaced by the Chenla rulers in the 6th century, who in turn lost power in 802 to Jayavarman II. He proclaimed himself devaraj (god-king) and was followed by a long series of god-kings until the 16th century >>>

Flying coffins

Last year in August I had the distinct "pleasure" of flying to Tehran on board of an Iran Air Boeing 747. In light of the fact that Iran's air industry has had two plane crashes and two more in-flight emergencies in just the past 3 weeks, it is important for Americans to understand that US sanctions are partly the cause of these disasters -- and that they can be prevented. I arranged my trip last year so I could attend my cousin's wedding. As a dual Iranian-Canadian citizen, I am able to travel to Iran with relative ease, and despite common stereotypes, travel to Iran is perfectly safe -- that is, except if you are traveling with Iranian airlines>>>

ايذاء دينى

در اين نوشتار به شناسايى و بررسى پديده اى ميپردازيم كه كمتر به آن توجه شده، يا لا اقل كمتر از اين زاويه به آن نگاه شده است. اين پديده كه ميتوان آن را "وجه ايذائى" دين - و در اينجا مشخصا دين اسلام - ناميد تاكنون به عنوان بخشى لاينفك از دين به عنوان يك كليت فرض شده است و اين شايد نخستين بار است كه كوششى، هر چند مختصر، در تفكيك نظرى اين مقوله از بخش "خوشخيم" دين صورت ميگيرد. گمان ميكنيم كه چنين تفكيكى در تئورى به فتح گفتمان جديدى از مباحث آزادى و عدالت در جامعه ايرانى كمك ميكند و از اين رهرو ميتواند سر نخى تازه براى حركت به سمت يك جامعه مدنى در ايران را به دست دهد>>>

Dream number one

Contrary to the general malaise
last night, on my ornate roof,
I fell asleep looking out to the smog
that hides this monster

that eats mud and lives
that stretches out from the mountain
its bony fingers under the asphalt
propelling cars ever farther.
>>>

Yin and Yang

WE are not a people of pure virtue
THEY are not a people of pure hate
We exist together yin and yang-like
Wedded to our common human fate.

Can the mirror’s image be avoided…
Should our Other ever be denied?
There is no escaping from our knowing
Of the battles being waged inside >>>

When All You Have is a Hammer...

Yes, right around the time Ahmadinejad is at the podium in the UN, Congress is expected to impose what it calls "crippling sanctions" on Iran's economy. The plan is to blockade Iran's foreign supplies of gasoline, hoping that an increase in the price per gallon at the pump will cause the Iranian people to rise up and demand a halt to Iran's nuclear program. But this plan has number of obvious flaws. First, the Iranian people have already risen up against the government's hardline leadership. What we have witnessed in Iran for the last two months is unprecedented>>>