This begins with a personal story. For eight years now, I have been at war with a few lunatic Americans currently residing in Colorado, California, New Mexico and Kansas, who have been responsible for several years of harassment, slander, libel, stalking, interference with employment and other felonies. These individuals have all received legal warnings and orders per their ongoing activities but as my lawyers have claimed, when dealing with people who are mentally ill, deluded and incapable of understanding what the law means, you can expect them to continue their illegal activities until they land in jail or have every penny they have taken away from them.
Racism is rampant in the U.S., despite the fact that this country claims vehemently that it’s a melting pot. My above-mentioned enemies are a bunch of white Americans of either Protestant or Catholic backgrounds, and it’s unlikely that they would continue their defamation, harassment, stalking and so on if they were dealing with a born-and-bred American instead of an Iranian Muslim.
After 9/11, there was a tremendous backlash against Arab-Americans and other ethnic minorities of Middle Eastern descent. One could argue that given the tragedy of what happened and the atrocious actions of Al Qaeda, it’s only natural that Americans would feel resentment. The same racism was displayed to average Iranians living or studying in the US during the Hostage Crisis, even though the majority of these individuals were vehemently opposed to the Islamic Republic and its actions toward the US embassy officials in Tehran.
Having worked as a writer, editor, researcher and online producer for a number of news organizations in the US, I have been astonished that I have worked with so few minorities. During 20 years of employment, I have worked with only six African-Americans, two Asians, and three Indians. The significance of this fact is that the majority of top executives and editors who control the news are still white Americans.
As a result of my personal experiences, I have become completely guarded against most Americans. I find a majority of them to be liars, malicious, narrow-minded, disrespectful, rude and unaware of the cultures and traditions of other nations and religions. Although I have some solid and stable American friends who are trustworthy, decent people, most of my social circle consists of foreigners.
Before we jump to conclusions, it’s important to say that I have also worked with some American colleagues and bosses, who are kind, intelligent, worldly people who truly command respect. One can never generalize, but given what the world is today, it’s important to remain cautious and to see the majority of average Americans for what they are.
Many would argue that as Iranians who live in the US, we should be grateful for the generosity America has bestowed upon us. I am not arguing that America—the so-called great melting pot—has also allowed revolution-struck Iranians to find shelter here, but when push comes to shove, are most of us still considered “foreigners” or Iranian-Americans?
I have spoken to several Iranians and other foreigners who reside in the US, and the answer is generally the same: I am considered American as long as I don’t oppose the US government or criticize Americans. Therefore, given this sentiment, we can assume that there are conditions placed on being accepted as an American. As the great Albert Einstein once said: “Should my theory of relativity should prove correct, Germany will claim me a German and France will declare that I am a citizen of the world. Should my theory prove untrue, France will say that I am German and Germany will declare that I am a Jew.”
The older I get, the more “Iranian” I become, interestingly enough. I have an affinity for my culture, language and traditions and also those of Europe, where I was raised as a child. I date Iranian or other Middle Eastern or European men; most of my trusted friends are foreign; and I have lately become more involved with Iranian cultural organizations.
Perhaps another study twenty years from now of Iranian children born and bred in the US will provide a different result. But for now, most of us who weren’t born here, still consider ourselves Iranians and have on occasion battled racism to some degree or another, as have other ethnic minorities in the US.
As for my own personal war with these Americans in Colorado, California, New Mexico and Kansas, if the law doesn’t destroy them, then vengeance will. We are, after all, the people who have always believed “an eye for an eye….”
Tara Taghizadeh is a Washington-based writer.