Letters

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Tuesday
April 17, 2001

* No "real" Persian left

I am writing in regards to John Johani's comment on Siamack Baniameri's "Quit whining". I always look forward to reading Siamack Baniameri's articles and enjoy his great sense of humour, which is cleverly interlaced with the Iranian way of life.

Mr. Johani's response is quite sad, if not offensive and racist. He needs an awakening and stop living in a self-made dream. The "glory" of the Persian empire 3,000 years ago has nothing to do with the Iranian culture of today!

Mr. Johani is the typical Iranian Mr. Baniameri is referring in his article. He whines and blames it all on Arabs. I'd like to tell Mr. Johani that there are no true Persians any more. After 3,000 years and numerous occupation of foreigners such as Arabs, Mongols, Turks, Afghans, Russians, British etc, the Iranian gene pool is nothing anywhere near those the Persians of 3,000 years ago, nor is our culture and behaviour >>> FULL TEXT

Javan Barzakhi

* Khomeini destroyed Iran, Islam

I am sure we all remember this sentence: "I am warning you, Islam is in danger." Yes, these were among the words from that goddamn Khomeini (may God increase his suffering and chastisement).

Well, we all know that before the revolution certain people did whatever they wanted but they usually never insulted or made jokes about God or his messenger. People tended to be more religious and they respected religion as they should.

But what Khomeini brought with him was not only the destruction of our nation but also the destruction of God's holy religion. His ugly methods of introducing the holy religion of Islam through his insane followers made people turn their back to Islam and lost whatever faith they had before his return to Iran.

Islam is no more in any kind of danger; it is dead in hearts of millions of Iranians. I am sad , though not surprised, to see that some of us go beyond our limits and touch the stuff we all have to respect ["Quit whining"].

In the end we will all die and to Him we will return. Please stop it and have a bit of faith. There are a lot of subjects we all can discuss and we don't need to touch subjects we have no knowledge about.

Siyamak T.

* Corruption, discrimination brought Persian defeat

In response to the letter on the impact of Arabs on Persia, it seems to me it i necessary to write some comments, as this misunderstanding and propaganda has had disastrous consequences for our nation:

If Persians of that time had been superior, why did they lose in the war against the Arabs? And why did we easily lose our alphabet and a lot of other things?

In my opinion, Iran's political system was highly corrupt and the country was under a discriminatory casting system. But the newly-emerged Islam of the Arabs was a fresh and healthy culture.

Remember that based on Iran's casting system before Islam, many people did not have the right to learn reading and writing, so the alphabet and language was only in the hand of a few. That's why it was lost easily.

Also, the arrogant culture of Persians (or maybe generally the Aryan race) under-estimated the enemy. And I like to add that almost the same reasons (corruption, discrimination, arrogant behavior) caused of the collapse of Pahlavi dynasty in 1979.

Maryam Alborz

* Look inside

This was an excellent article ["Passion & tolerance"]which invites each Iranian to look inside to develop social and political skills. For a very long time, I have also been struggling with the same issues. Unfortunately, I could not articulate my thoughts into an eloquent article as the author did.

M.R. Zonoun

* I felt secure and invincible

Hi Shahrzad,

You won't know me. However our parents know each other and would have been friends and work colleagues. Just wanted to say thank you for your article and the pictures, it has brought back happy memories ["Oh, sweet home"].

It reminded me of the happy childhood spent at Golestan Club, Thursday afternoons, watching cartoons or funny movies. Summer days spent at the swimming pool, evenings at the Naft Club open air cinema. What idyllic days, how secure and cocooned lives we lead.

I was in Iran just after the war and visited Abadan when it was still, relatively speaking, a ghost town. It broke my heart to see our beautiful town in such a state. So much destruction. unfortunately I couldn't go too far into Beraim and didn't see Gloestan Club or Hotel Abadan.

But I managed to get to the last house I lived in, #264, near the radio station. It was a very nostalgic moment, knowing that it was the last place where we lived happily and it was filled with pain knowing that it was where my father was killed helping the guards to build bunkers.

Being in Abadan and on Khouzestan soil I felt physically clean; it is the best way I can describe it. I felt at home more than I have felt anywhere else in the world. I felt secure and invincible as if no one and nothing can hurt me. I don't know if anyone else has ever had these feeling, but they were very tangible feelings.

I wish now that I had the presence of mind to bring back some soil.

Zareh Khachaturian
London, UK

* Nothing makes me more emotional

Dear Shahrzad,

I was delighted with your article regarding your visit to Abadan ["Oh, sweet home"]. I checked The Iranian Times email at work this morning and could not wait to get home and thank you for sharing your emotions with all of us.

I left Abadan in 1977 for England and returned to Iran in 1989. The first thing I did was to go to Abadan. I got there very early in the morning on a hot Shahrivar day (Sharji va khormaa-pezoon). I walked the whole day on my own and visited all the places that I had left behind in 1977.

The only member of my family who returned to Abadan is my nephew. I lived in Isfahan and worked around the mining and steel industry until 1996 when I immigrated to Australia.

The only time I felt at ease in Iran was when I was in Abadan. The only matter that has always made me so emotional in my life is the subject of Abadan.

I would also like to thank you and your friend for displaying the pictures on the net and allowing us to walk through our childhood and memories.

Reza

* Somebody should pinch you

I am sorry to be so blunt and frank ["Oh, sweet home"]. How could you go to a devastated city and be happy?

Did you ever give a thought to the people, your friends, neighbors, relatives that used to live here and were killed, injured, or lived for a long time in places that you can not tolerate for a day?

Did you think about those people that have gone through agony and misery for such a long time and some have not yet recovered?

I believe you are either very self-centered or have not yet grow out of being a naive, happy child.

Sorry, but I felt so angry by reading your ignorant pattern of thoughts in your "report" that I thought somebody should pinch you and wake you up.

Mansour Zand

* Made a non-Abadani cry

Dear Shahrzad,

I am not sure why I want to write you, but I just do ["Oh, sweet home"]. I am not from Abadan and have never been there, but your story made me cry a lot. I wish all the Iranians living abroad will get an opportunity to go to Iran. Iran's not as bad as you hear; everybody has good memories from the old times.

Negin

* As big as its people's heart

I am also bacheh-ye Abadan ["Oh, sweet home"]. Born and raised there and got my undergraduate degree from AIT in 1974. Your trip to Abadan and the pictures made my heart beat like crazy. My blood flowed so hard i that I thought I will sankoob.

I had the same experience when I went to Abadan five years ago. I got a taxi and asked the driver to drive me to all the houses I lived: eesgaayehh davaazdah; eesgaayeh haft; Bovaardeh Joonoobee in several houses.

I took pictures and lots of videos. I told the driver that the city has got smaller. He told me: "Na volek; to az jaayeh bozorg oomedi; eenjaa beraat koocheek miaad." He was right. Going from Washington DC to Abadan! However, to me Abadan is as big as its people's heart which is bigger than any other.

Unfortunately I could not stay for long in Abadan and it was also extremely hot. It was August. You don't know me, but I believe I know your father Mr. Irani. My relatives lived in Beraim too as many friends. I tell you only their first names: Sheri, Farnoosh and Feri. Their father like mine worked for the oil company.

I used to go to Golestan Club very often. Last time I was there Aref was singing. And also, do you remember the sandwich shop belonging to Hambarson, as we called him, at the falakeh-ye Alfi in Beraim?

Thank you for sharing your trip and the beautiful pictures. I have been in this country for 23 years. Nothing has changed my feelings for bacheh-haaye Abadan. Are we too sentimental? Maybe. But we are Abadanis.

Do you know this song: Mo khodom maaleh Abaadaanom, shahreh garmaayeh fezaanom / Toe beh jaadeh meer mammad nakoni velom taaghat naadarom / Yeh galloobandeh talaa mo az booshehr vaasat meeyaarom... I'm Going to visit Abadan again.

Reza Saidi

* We loved Abadan because we were privileged?

I'd like to thank you for posting your pictures of Abadan ["Oh, sweet home"]. They brought back a lot of good memories. I'm also from Abadan and lived in Boavardeh Shomali at #3242 and later in Beraim at # 391. Our house was on the street leading to Iran store, I attended 25 Shahrivar High School and my sister went to Roya school and her name is Roya too. I think we are a little older than you, so don't think that we have any common friends.

I went back in 1993 after 14 years and like you couldn't wait to get back to my beloved city and birthplace, and went to visit all the houses we lived in, my old schools and of course the baashgaahs and remembered all the dances we used to go to and girlfriends I used to arrange dates with in those dances, and all the other good memories.

But in '93 a lot of the areas were still in ruins and it brought tears to my eyes but it still didn't take away the joy of being there. I was back in Iran this past year from August to mid November but unfortunately didn't make it to Abadan. I was discouraged from going there for I was told that it was still in bad shape but from looking at your pictures it seems that they have repaired most of the damage.

But my father was able to arrange a vacation to Mahmoudabad which I'm sure you know is the Caspian Sea resort for the N.I.O.C senior staff. It was great. They have cut down the trees in the old forest area and have added new apartment towers to the old villas and lots of other facilities, and I must say they have done a great job. Being there also brought back memories.

I don't know why us people from Abadan have such an attachment to our city which I find unlike other Iranians from other parts of the country. Could it be that Abadan was unlike other parts of Iran specially (sherkati) areas and also for the privileged way of life that we enjoyed, which has left us with such a sense of nostalgia?

The only sad part for us is that the saying "you could never go home again" is more of a reality in our case than most others.

It is always good to see and know that there are a lot of other Abadani and sherkatis out there who still love and care about that torched piece of land which we once called home. Thank you again for sharing.

Farshid
Toronto

* I went to Pars International

I cried when I read your piece in The Iranian ["Oh, sweet home"]. I used to go to Pars (or later Jahan) International school. The one next to Jahanshah Javid's house and Parvaneh kindergarten. My sister was his sister's (Iran Javid) friend and she used to make fantastic fudge! I remember Iran climbing over the fence to go to school!

I visited Abadan and Khorramshahr in 1995 just before I left for the U.S. with one of my classmates from Pars. We almost got arrested for taking pictures of our school and Segoosh swimming pool. The trip devastated me but I'm so happy that you visited, took pictures and came back happy. Good luck and thanks for keeping the memories alive!

Linco

* Tashakor

man yeki az tarafdaaraane par o paa ghorse shomaa hastam ke har rooz taa site shomaa ro nakhoonam nemitoonam bekhabaam.

Aaghaaye Javid behetoon tabrik migam baraaye kaare ghashang va baa arzeshetoon ke baaes mishin man va hezaaraan iraani door az vatan ro dore ham jam konin va az keshvare azizemoon baa khabar konin.

Omidvaram ke hamishe movafagh baashin. Az bi savaadiyam mazerat mikhaam ke saal haaye ziyaadi hast ke faarsi neminevisam.

Farah
Italy

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