Give diplomacy a chance

We, the undersigned, represent the views of a diverse grouping of Iranian expatriates in the United States, the UK and elsewhere in the West. Some of us have vastly different views regarding the current government in Iran; we are individually members of many different political parties; we do not all agree on how best to reach stability in the Middle East. But we all feel a connection with both our homes in the West and the finest core values of the societies in which we are living, and with the country of Iran and its cultural traditions, whether we came by these ties by birth, heritage or friendship.>>>

The burden on children

I really wish that all the children of Iran and the rest of the world could at least celebrate a day of pure happiness. It would have been so joyful to see that for once, even if it lasts only for one day, all the children of the world were to live beyond the disputes caused by adults, who are making this world an intolerable world for human beings. Till when do the children of the world have to pay for the hatred that has conquered many of adults’ minds, hearts and bodies? Till when do children have to pay for countries’ poor economic situations? Till when do they have to die with HIV and other diseases? Till when do they have to face bloodshed and brutality of this world before even they get to experience a handful of some of the smallest joys of this life?>>>

Vacancy

Cheecks were red apples,
Smiles were on lips,
Big and rich, indeed
Eyes were by thousands
Upon a thousand;
Sheen of reverence
Pouring our of them.

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گلابی های رسیده

بهش گفتم وقتی من هیجده سالم بود، عاشق زن چهل ساله شدی. وقتی چهل سالم بود عاشق زن شانزده ساله شدی. و تمام مدت مثل گربه پشت در اتاق می نشستم گوش می کردم. گوش می کردم به صدای خنده اش، گوش می کردم به گفتگوی تلفنی اش، گوش می کردم به راز و نیازهای عاشقانه اش که هر روز به یکی دل می بست. اگر یک نفر بود آدم می توانست عادت کند. ولی یک نفر که نبود. از همان روز اول زن دوست بود. یکی را دوست داشت چون پوستش سفید بود – مثل هلو بود. یکی دیگر سیاه و با نمک بود. یکی دیگر موهای گندمی داشت. اون یکی لوند و تو دل برو بود، و من حسودیم می شد. >>>

Have it your way

This may seem odd, but we must compare Iranians to others in the region, or other places relatively similar, and not to America or other developed-world countries. One thing is amazing, that I have been writing critical about Iran almost all the time and I even mentioned it clearly that I see myself as an Azerbaijani making a clear distinction between my own background and some others within Iran BUT then almost NO-ONE, commented or wrote that I WAS NOT an IRANIAN. >>>

طرفدارانِ دوآتشه

آخرین تکواندوکار تیم ایران هم از مسابقه حذف شد. با دلسردی مشغول جمع کردن وساﺋلم از زیر صندلی بودم که فریاد "ایران، ایران" واضحتر از همهمه های گنگ حاکم بر سالن به گوشم رسید. این تشویق نابهنگام و غیرمترقبه گویا خیلی از ایرانیهای دیگر حاضر در سالن مسابقه را نیز متعجب کرده بود. همه نگاهها به گروهی از طرفداران که مشغول نواختن طبل و سرودن شعار بودند دوخته شده بود. >>>

The real story

Journalist Reese Erlich grew up in Los Angeles just south of UCLA. As a child he used to walk up Westwood Boulevard toward Westwood village, past a stockbroker's office and the Crest movie theater. At the time there was no Tehrangeles. The Westwood legal offices I visited last year to fix my Iranian passport mess used to house the ultra-right-wing John Birch Society. As an aborigine of sorts, Erlich has no grievances against the Iranians who have colonized the Westwood of his childhood. On the contrary, he seems to delight in the cultural upgrade. >>>

No time to waste

This situation calls for a prompt action and a pragmatic solution without getting into many details through endless talks that has not accomplished anything for our nation other than wasting time! Iranian elite need to participate actively in deciding about Interim leadership of a national movement as soon as possible by emphasizing on uniting factors and elements which are shared by as many as possible without insisting or expecting everyone to agree. Those who expect to apply rules of democracy on a resistance movement like an established democracy are asking for impossible and are part of the problem rather than solution!>>>

Wind Brings, Wind Takes

Do not torment me, oh wind
With your restless remembrance
Of menacing soft whispers

It is not fair to make be wander
Dancing in fantasies and illusions
On the faint melody of mercy

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Girls just wanna have fun

About this time last year, I was having tea with my teenage cousin Shirin in Tehran. We were celebrating the good news in the papers that day. Her name had been published among the list of admitted students to her “first choice” university. Her hard work had paid off and it was time to have fun. Iranian fun. She invited me to take part in some of the leisure she’d sacrificed to a yearlong preparation that was devoted primarily to studying and thinking about her future. Her offer impressed me - neither she nor her friends were the slightest bit embarrassed by my hot pink scarf with sparkly gold embroidery. I wore the Britney Spears of hijab. >>>

Emergence of a united front

As President George W. Bush is increasingly becoming alienated from the American public and internationally is turning into a pariah, the leaders of such independent nations as Zimbabwe, Cuba, Bolivia, Nicaragua and Iran respond forcefully to his heartless and mediocre rhetoric and his ongoing search for finding terrorists inside the U.S. and overseas. Just like the authorities in Israel, he ceaselessly looks for new ìHitlersî and invents many if there are none, to justify the systemís thirst for territorial occupation and murderous campaigns against the peoples of Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine and maybe even Iran.>>>

Stop whining

We can’t force people to like us, nor should we be able to. There are millions of Debra Cagans living amongst us in America, and we cannot change all of their minds. Hating for them is as essential as breathing. Unless they have someone to look down on, they would drown in the misery of their own pathetic lives. Some people are just that way. They have got to have someone to kick around, belittle and demean, so that they don’t have to think about just how tragic their own lives and personal circumstances are. We just happen to be Debra Cagan’s whipping-boy.>>>

You can make a difference

Nazanin Afshin-Jam: I was ecstatic when I found out that not only was Nazanin going to be spared from execution but that she was also going to be released from the agony she suffered from being in jail for over two years. I was particularly inspired by all the individuals around the world, young and old, who used their talents and blessings to help free Nazanin. There were 8 year olds holding assemblies in their schools for Nazanin, there were artists who had painted pictures for Nazanin, created sculptures, written poems and songs for her, everyone played a role.>>>