On any given day, one can surf the net, turn on the radio and or watch TV to hear about the latest Iranian-American as we like to call ourselves who has reached new heights in business, politics, academia, science and medicine, literature, arts, etc. Consider the names you've read and or heard in news stories in the past few years. We have all been the recipient of the chain e-mails from time to time, exposing us to the “Who's who” list of Iranians:
— Shirin Ebadi, winner of the Nobel Prize
— Firouz Naderi, NASA director of the Mars project;
— Shohreh Aghdashloo, Iranian actress and Academy Awards nominee;
— Pierre Omidyar, Founder of E-Bay;
— Azar Nafisi, best-selling author of “Reading Lolita in Tehran”;
— Anousheh Ansari, first female space tourist;
— Christiane Amanpour, CNN Chief international correspondent;
— Andre Agassi, Tennis Legend; and two of my favorites:
— Deep Dish (Ali “Dubfire” Shirazinia & Sharam Tayebi), Grammy winning duo and arguably the best in House/Electronica music
(Just to mention a few … I apologize to the ones I've left out … No hate mail please … )
I recently returned from Iran after a month and a half long visit. I won't bore you with the details of the trip: the wonderful food, the trips to shomal, the horrendous traffic, and the run-ins with the local risho pashm! I would, however like to talk about the events, conversations and eye-witness accounts that have forever changed my views about what's really happening to our people while the latest CNN, FOX and BBC headlines read … “Iran's Nuclear … “
Do you know that if you were to look up the latest statistical report on social issues in Iran, it would state that close to 2 million people are drug addicts? Now do you know that this figure is an absolute fabrication and guestimate based on IRI's, shall we say, less than reputable/ factual reporting tactics and methodology?
The truth of the matter is that no one could come up with a number for how many people have been affected by this epidemic which for a high percentage of users is the direct result of poverty and other issues facing our people … It was the one hour conversation I had with “Ali”, my cab driver on the way to Mehrabad airport to see a friend off … For some reason, Ali decided to open up to me while sitting in the hellish traffic of Tehran.
A guy in his late 30's with 3 daughters and a devoted wife, Ali stood close to 6'4 with a gentle face and a build that to him I'm sure was the outline of the athletic body he used to possess in his teenage years up to his mid-20's … He spoke of the fact that back in the day … “ma' koshti-geera' roghan mimaloondeem be gooshamoon keh dar haaleh koshti geeri, goosha' nashkanan … amma allan baceha miran gooshashoono mishkoonan keh khodeshoono pahlevoon neshoon bedan” …
Ali went on to tell me, as he pulled out his ID card around his neck that identified him as a government employee, that he got hooked on drugs over 10 years ago… I asked him to tell me why he found himself on that path, and his response was quite similar to what I had heard before … “Agha, chi begam … tazeh doomad boodam … mikhastam joori keh gholo gharar gozashteh boodam yeh loghmeh noon o yeh zendegiyeh saadeh vasseh zano bachehaam dashteh basham … amma khodet midooni keh … too in mamlekat chenderghaazi keh midan beh jayeet nemireseh … shoroo kardam ba machine kaar kardan, bad az edareh … ta nesfeh shab too khiyaboona mosafer-keshi … va too in khiyaboonayeh tehroon tanha ham dammi keh dashtam teriyak boodo … begzareem” …
On another occasion, while I was sitting in the car next to a polished gentleman in his late 50's, he opened up the conversation, as I directed him to take me to a clinic across from the “Vezarateh Keshvar” building … this clinic, for lack of a better term, was the place we had checked in someone close so that he could detox for a few days … opium had also taken over his life and he had decided it was time to rid himself of the physical, emotional and heartaches which had resulted from the use of this “shit” as he called it so that he could once again be the man he used to be … someone his wife, kids, family and friends could be proud of …
As this man began to speak, I could tell something was on his mind … I figured it was the way I had given him directions, or perhaps he could pick up on the inevitable mistake(s) blended in my Farsi that led him to believe I wasn't from around here and maybe he wanted to open up the same ol' conversation about “shoma koja tasheef dareen?” … But no … this time it was different … his curiosity had to do with our destination …
He quickly opened up by telling me that he had a “mosafer about a year ago that he had to drop up at some chalet in shemshak” … apparently the same guy he was driving there had, upon arrival at the chalet, (tebgheh omooreh moasherat) asked him to please come in and have some tea … well, along the aromatic cup of tea served, this man who was the proud parent of a college student he was supporting by chauffeuring others to and from had been offered some “sheesheh” … the latest drug to hit the streets at the time …
Following my ten minute lecture about how “BAD” that is-(I was in CAPS LOCK mode at the time) … he turned to me as if he was fighting and struggling to justify his use and asked “halla' shoma keh enghadr rajebeh in mozoo etelaat darin, fekr mikonin halla' mishe hafteyee yeh baar zad … moshkeli keh peesh nemiyad” … this flat out infuriated me … I had been so patient with this guy … he was twice my age, and we were in Iran after all, so the sense of respect for elders had up to that second been on a high level: “Aghayeh mohtaram,” I said, “Shoma mikhayn man behetoon begam keh eshkalee nadareh keh shoma dar een sen, ba khanoomo bacheh … pesari keh beh gholeh khodetoon daneshjoo va paako saadeh o mosbat … na nemigam … chon kheili ham eshkaal dareh … yek bar dar hafteh, mah, saal … omr … AGHA, ESHKAAL DAREH!!! … misporametoon beh khoda…”
I'm usually much more patient, but consider my predicament at that moment … I was being dropped off in front of that clinic to go visit a person dear to my heart, suffering from the same social malady started due to ignorance at the time regarding what he was about to put in his system …
But … what can you do … unfortunately the ignorance doesn't discriminate among social and economical classes … not in Iran, and not anywhere else in the world …
Tehran has its' share of drug addicts spread throughout the streets in “payeen shahr” … as well as the well-to-do kids and grown ups for that matter hitting the newest form of drug(s) … whether it be “crack” –compressed heroine or “base”-the real “crack” … the unfortunate reality of the matter and the level of ignorance is displayed through the naming of their drug … I would say 80% of the ones using really have no idea what they're even buying … smoking … snorting … shooting …
The fact of the matter is that Iran is facing numerous social maladies … it's destroying lives … and not enough is being done to expose, address, and eventually try to solve and cure them … Poverty, Drug Addiction, Prostitution …
Going back to my initial rave about the many Iranians who are making us proud with their contributions in their respected fields. I'd like to talk about the ones who may not get as much exposure, but have made it their number one goal to address and bring forth some of the issues discussed in this piece. And so we come upon a man on a mission, someone who I have recently come into contact with and had the pleasure of meeting this week.
Dr. Iraj Shamsian. A man who's been there and done that (if you want to know what I mean by that, you can “Google” him) and has for the last ten years dedicated himself to helping others through his practice.
Dr. Shamsian has also teamed up with Dariush Eghbali through Ayeneh.Org. They currently have a TV show as well as radio shows which are focused on bringing awareness to drug addiction, and other social issues facing Iran and Iranians in general. Great work is being done through the efforts of these two gentlemen as well as each and every person supporting this non-profit organization.
The following is what you'll find on the home page: Ayeneh.org
I think you'll realize that it's a worthy cause … What I'd like for you to know is that your support is needed … and it will count toward changing lives … one by one …
We established, Ayeneh, a non-profit organization, to depict the denials, the discrepancies, the pain, the wounds and the plight of our countrymen, whom willingly or unwillingly, knowingly or unbeknownst to them, are burning to live and live to burn to oblivion. The ever escalating statistics of each of the myriad of social maladies widespread in our country is proof of this devastating situation. It appears as though the base of our homeland is infested with a sea of malicious termite, ravaging the pillars of our land.
I believe that educating the mass, while annihilating groundless fears and cultural and social misgivings, combined an increased public awareness of preventative measures are the most vital of solutions.
These wounds should be a warning signal to those attempting to plan the Iran of tomorrow, and the future generation of our homeland whose mind and soul have been under a perpetual attack by these destructive social maladies.
We established Ayeneh to be the protector of our countrymen's human rights, and to be a supportive source to the social structures and entities within and outside of Iran.
We are determined to be a constructive force in this endeavor by encouraging our countrymen, as well as all the International Organizations, to remember and fulfill their responsibility, with their moral and monetary supports, during these critical times
Happiest are those who live a prosperous and healthy life with peace of mind. It takes an afflicted to feel the plight of those who believe are doomed to suffer.
Gratefully Yours,
Dariush Eghbali
Ayeneh.org! Visit it … support it … and know that you are going to be a part of something pure … something good … and something that will be very rewarding!
