People vs. "Persians"
Unlike the warriors in "300", women are not computer generated graphics

March 13, 2007
iranian.com

I can’t help but be amazed at the amount of energy and dedicated emotion our fellow countrymen, almost all men, are showing a movie these days.  Everywhere I go on the internet there is an article, a dialogue, or a sign of major attention to the movie, 300.  At first glance, I say well-done Gentlemen!  I appreciate the passion both for and against the issue.  Thank you for speaking up, letting us know your opinion in a democratic way. 

While obviously the release of this movie and the topic it portrays is a very important event in some people’s minds, it is, unfortunately, not the most atrocious thing happening to Iranians, Persians, their image, and their history these days. 

With much less fanfare, no red carpet, no million dollar advertisement budget, and no big business backing, 50 women went to a peaceful assembly to protest that which is plaguing all true Iranians (formerly Persians), limiting and destroying their hopes for the future, and reducing them to half-humans.  Much like the movie, they were attacked by stick-wielding morons, beaten up, and 33 of them were imprisoned.  There was just a minor difference -- these were not computer generated graphics, they were real people, women of our country, mothers, wives, daughters, and sisters, unprotected and alone, yet brave and defiant.

If only half of the emotion our fellow countrymen are displaying for a movie were to be displayed for Iranian women, their plight, their cause, and their movement, I should think we would be a lot farther along in opening and conducting dialogues which would end the inequalities forced on our nation.  Building a stronger nation will be the true offensive on those who try to portray our nation as half-humans, ghouls, and monsters. 

To these bright young minds, these enthusiastic and energetic men, I say that when half of a nation is mistreated, ridiculed, bereft of basic human rights, discriminated against, insulted, threatened, and made to shrink in spirit, the other half will also suffer, it will also be degraded, it will also be ridiculed, it will also shrink in humanity and spirit.  A degraded mother cannot raise a proud son.  A mistreated sister cannot support and help uphold the dreams of a brother.  A broken daughter cannot make her father a happy parent.  A maltreated wife cannot be half of a successful marriage to a man. 

While it may seem that some Iranian men are taking full advantage of rights given to them by current Iranian laws at the expense of Iranian women, it is my belief that in accepting those rights, they lose so much of the joy of humanity, turning into gluttons and little dictators themselves. 

I would like to see some passion from Iranian men about that.  I would like to think that for the younger Iranian males, many of whom at some point have witnessed and read about the mistreatment of Iranian women on social, legal, and marital issues, there is a cause about which to feel passionate and fired up.  I would like to know that our men understand the immensity and peril of the issue at hand, that they are genuinely outraged when in bright daylight, our women are beaten up and prosecuted, the 2 most steadfast of whom continue to stay in solitary confinement, defending the rights of this nation.  As we speak, a little of what is showered on a Hollywood movie, would carry our fearless women forward tremendously, I assure you.

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