Diaspora

The Mandamus Actions

A mandamus is a writ that is used to compel an administrative agency to act. For instance if your adjustment of status or your citizenship is pending for a long period of time, you can opt to file such an action. The Mandamus Act authorizes the court to order a remedy. It does not provide independent, substantive grounds for a suit. In other words, what the court is going to determine the reasons why the decisions are pending not the outcome of the decision. Therefore by forcing the agency to make a decision can also result in a denial. At that point appeals or motions to reopen can be timely filed. >>>

Those days

If Afghanistan is the poorest country in the world and Nigeria the most religious, our community was like Afghanistan inhabited by white Nigerians! With the exception of a few, our neighbors were not monetarily any better off than we were. Most other houses were not any fancier than ours. Privacy had no safeguard in our community, personal and confidential information could be disclosed routinely. We used to know almost everything about our immediate neighbors from garlic to onion so to speak. At the other side of our house lived two families in the same house, a brother, Mashdi Esmaeel, in his sixties, with his wife and many kids in one side and his sister, Fatemeh Sultan with her kids on the other. >>>

Inspiring & Empowering

On July 17, 2008, Iranian.com posted an item entitled “Hopes and Concerns,” signed by Soudabeh Bashirrad (which may be a pseudonym). The article generally welcomes the formation of Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA), admires it for having brought together Iranian Americans of diverse views, and praises PAAIA for taking steps to serve the community. We applaud the author for acknowledging PAAIA’s significant accomplishments during its short history. Unfortunately, the article also contains statements that, at best, reflect serious misperceptions and factual inaccuracies. The “questions” asked about PAAIA may essentially be divided into three categories>>>

Hopes & concerns

The founding of PAAIA, the Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian-Americans, is in many ways a milestone for the Iranian-American community. Seldom have Iranian-Americans of such diverse backgrounds come together and invested in an organization. For that alone, the organization should be applauded. Yet, in many ways, PAAIA has also been a major disappointment. Its less than open nature, its unwillingness to clarify its positions and reluctance to shed light on its decision making processes have left many potential Iranian-American supporters like myself skeptical. >>>

Forgetting monsters

I forget my own exile that isn’t an exile, because I can return if I want to, and yet, I know I will never want to go back? Perhaps I am entitled to the pity I sometimes feel for myself, to the self-righteousness, to the sweet joy I taste in the bitterness of the news, to this feeling of being at the top, a place my father and grandfather never reached. But is it really true? How would I know whether they felt this enjoyment or not? Who am I to declare so baldly that they never stood at this same place where I am standing?>>>

Art of dealing with people

It is a fact that we Iranians always talk about politics in any public or private occasion. It is partly due to not having a voice in running our own affairs. I believe in democracy and as a researcher like to involve everyone to join in trying to run our own country. Remember big projects always start from drawing board and this is it. Let’s assume, for some reasons, the situation in Iran completely changed and mullahs decided to pack their bags and run (no government lasts forever)... I created a list of your chosen agenda in alphabetical order. Need to remember these are important issues to consider at least for a short while at the beginning:>>>

T’was the Fight Before Christmas

The second year we were married, Francois decided to invite my parents for Christmas. “I want them to experience a French Christmas meal,” he said, displaying the enthusiasm he reserves for elaborate menus. My parents were more than happy. My father called the next day to give us their flight information. “We arrive at noon on Dec. 25,” he said, “at Oakland Airport.” “That’s the wrong airport!” I said. “The airport near you guys was too expensive,” he explained. “They’re arriving when?!? Francois asked, rather incredulously. “And why are they arriving at the wrong airport? Tell them to change their flight.“ >>>

From Misery Alley to Missouri Valley

The nameless alley in which our house was located was long and narrow. It was not too kids friendly because it was not suitable for any kind of fun and play. People who lived in our alley were all poor farmers with the exception of one family whose house was the very first one to your left when you enter the alley. The man of the house was a member of the clergy. For this reason we called him agha sar chooche-e as if there was no other agha in our alley. I remember when he came out of his house all the women who happen to be sitting and gossiping at the front of a house double checked their chador and made sure that they are covered properly. The tall and long muddy walls enclosed our alley on both sides.>>>

Killing Harriet

Fortunately, I had a brother in the U.S. who helped me get back on my feet again. He was living in the second floor of a house belonging to a lonely old lady by the name of Harriet Hass. She was in her eighties who had already begun to lose her mental faculty. Her house was in an affluent neighborhood and she was one of the oldest residences there. The house was on a half an acre lot that she had not maintained for many years due to her age. To keep my mind occupied; I get up very early every morning and worked all day cleaning up her property, repairing and maintaining whatever I could. Soon the garbage was all gone, trees were trimmed, and the grass began to grow again. >>>

Not funny

Presidential candidate Senator John McCain, in response to a question about a survey showing increased U.S. exports to Iran -- mostly of cigarettes -- replied by saying, "Maybe that's a way of killing them." Despite his initial backpedaling by saying "I meant that as a joke," Senator McCain's comment is unacceptable and very troubling for the Iranian-American community. As one of the most well-educated and affluent immigrant populations in the United States, the Iranian-American community is proud of its contributions to American culture. Unfortunately, Senator McCain overlooked this attribute when he made this statement, and NIAC has expressed its concerns through a letter sent to the McCain campaign Wednesday>>>

پیشگویی

دولتهای غرب، از مجاهدین برای از بین بردن جمهوری اسلامی حمایت خواهند کرد. مجاهدین هم که در حرکتهای تروریستی استاد هستند (اتفاقا از نظر قدرتی اگر کسی از پس جمهوری اسلامی بتواند برآید، همین مجاهدین خواهند بود.) پس ایران تبدیل میشود به ناحیه ی جنگی، با تورم بیشتر، تلفات بسیار، وضعیت آشفته ای که مدرسه، مراکز دولتی و... را از حالت عادی خود خارج خواهد کرد. بعد از مدتی که ایران هر قسمتش دست یا مجاهدین یا جمهوری اسلامی خواهد بود، مردم مرتب کنترل خواهند شد، به طوری که (مثل شرایط افغانستان در زمان حمله ی طالبان به حکومت روسیه در افغانستان) حتی ترک کردن خانه به قصد رفتن به خانه ی دو کوچه آن طرفتر کار بسیار شاق، وحشت انگیز و خطرناکی خواهد بود. بعد از سالها جنگ احتمالا مجاهدین (به دلیل حمایت های مالی و داشتن اسلحه های مدرن که توسط غربی ها به آنها داده خواهد شد) پیروز میشوند. مدتی هم اوضاع به هم ریخته می ماند. >>>

Opposite ends

In the late 1970's, Iran and Spain stood close to each other on the world’s stage. They both had struggling monarchies with a legacy of over 30 years of dictatorship. They both had gross national products of about $50 Bn. And, they both had populations of about 40 Million. Both countries enjoyed a long history of royalty, and they had both suffered an invasion by the expanding Islamic empire over 500 years ago. This past week I witnessed Spain’s triumphant Soccer (Futbol) team beat Germany in the Finals of the Eufa Cup. And on Sunday, it was Spain’s Rafael Nadal crowned Wimbledon’s Mens Tennis Champion, beating Roger Federer. And all this right after Spain’s Sergio Garcia was named the PGA tour’s (golf) players’ champion>>>