Monday
May 7, 2001
* X
Dear friends,
I am writing to you to acknowledge a mistake I had previously made by
recommending Iranian.com as a family type source of information regarding
Iran and related topics. Unfortunately, recently I have come across certain
articles in Iranina.com ["Bahram"]
that are not suitable for young adults. Since I have always enjoyed your
trust, I would like to ask you for your forgiveness, and I have an obligation
to inform you that not only I no longer recommend this site, I would warn
everyone on the contents of its articles. In my opinion this site is not
a family oriented site and I would rate it as "Restricted" if
not "X". Once again please accept my apology.
Regards,
Behrooz Parsa
* Unity in diversity
In Bozorgmehr's article "No
solidarity", the author reaches the following conclusion regarding
the Bahais: "The loss of ethnicity among Iranian Bahais is understandable
in light of their religious doctrine of integration and assimilation."
Although the Bahai teachings promote global community and fellowship,
they by no means dictate the loss of Persian ethnic identity or the promotion
of uniformity; in fact their "religious doctrine" teaches the
principle of "unity in diversity".
-- Baha'u'llah's words addressing all humanity, illustrate this principle:
"Ye are all the fruits of one tree and the flowers of one garden.."
-- "Let your vision be world-embracing, rather than confined to
your own self "
Faryar Mansuri
* Pure fiction
The figure quoted by Maziar about 10%
of the population being gay has been discounted for years now. Research
conducted by the University of Chicago's National Opinion Research Center
(NORC) several years ago put the percentage of gays in the US population
at around 2%, and this has more or less been the widely accepted figure.
Common sense alone would tell you that it is IMPOSSIBLE that there are
28 million gays (10% of the US population) in this country. That is nearly
equal to the population of California; also consider the fact that there
are a total of 35 million Blacks in the United States. Does anyone believe
there are almost as many gays as Blacks in this country?
The figure of 10% is now only used by gay rights activists to advance
their cause, even though that number is pure fiction.
Nariman Neyshapouri
* Don't want your Green Card
BOY OH BOY! I feel sorry for Kobra Khanom's husband. That is if she has
managed to find and keep one. It seems that Kobra Khanom is not in a good
position to offer Mel from
Denver any advice, as she suffers from very low self-esteem.
First, there are 60 million people in Iran. half of them are female.
Among them there are very few that would be willing to "whore"
themselves off for a green card or a few dollars from a married man. I
pray to god that people, particularly iranian women, stop resorting to these
over simplified stereotypes. It is very insulting and a very woman-unfriendly
mindset. Simply backwards thinking.
Iranian women who marry Iranian men from other countries, are often the
ones who are duped. Often when an Iranian girl marries a Iranian man from
another country she does it with the intention to make a life with that
man not to steal his Green Card or his dollars.
Unfortunately these unions sometimes (often times) don't work, because
of differences in culture and experience and expectations. It is the same
as any marriage, but these marriages have a few more factors going against
them. no one should be blamed!
Second, Kobra Khanom when people want to cheat they do it. Be it on
a trip to iran, a weekend away with the boys or girls, a lunch date with
old friends, after work, or whenever. You can't keep an eye on your man
like that. He'd likely suffocate from claustrophobia.
You sound very insecure to me and just like the kind of person that would
spend all her energy in manipulating her man and wrapping herself around
his life for fear that he may cheat on you. This is not a life, it is pure
torture for both parties involved. the kind of torture that would make your
man want to run to the nearest arms available or the nearest bed. What
about trust, love, space, freedom to develop as an individual?
I am sure that Mel is smarter than to be duped by a "gold digger"
or a "green digger." If he isn't he would be duped in and out
of Iran just the same. You have given Mel and his wife poor advice that
only perpetuates negative and untruthful stereotypes about Iranian women
and erodes trust.
As an Iranian woman I want you to know that I am completely and utterly
offended by your prejudiced opinions. I think you owe us all an apology.
Mel should visit Iran to connect to an important part of himself. He should
visit Iran with his wife, so he can share the beauty of his heritage and
his culture with her. After that trip or several more they can then decide
together what it is they want to do.
PERTURBED IN IRAN
Sahar Shirazi
* Funny, not rude
This dude (Siamak Baniameri) is sooo funny ["Cover
your donkey"]. I love his sense of humor. It is so refresshing
to raed his clean "tanz". He proves that It is possible to be
funny, and make fun of other people's point of view without being rude or
offensive.
Reza Reza
* Vote
Finally Mr. Khatami announced his nomination for June's presidential
election. Along with him there are hundreds of other candidates from conservative,
independent and the liberal parties. I encourage all of you to please take
this matter seriously and VOTE ["Uncivil
society"]. If we want to have the right to make a change or to
have a voice we have to go to the polls and let everyone know that we care.
It doesn't matter what party you believe in. This is your country and these
are your people, inside and outside of Iran. So please vote, let your voice
be heard.
Shady Javan
* Great
I always enjoy the photo features in Iranian.com such as the recent
"Neighbohrs"
by Zara Houshmand or various works by Nader
Davoodi, etc. They all have been great, and keep up the fantastic work.
I think Iranians abroad have a particular thirst to see pictures of everyday
life in Iran or just her sceneries. I know I do. Let's have more of them.
They can be very up-lifting.
Sina
* Mourning ==> Ahriman
Dear Najmeh,
Sad isn't it, all this mourning business? ["Siavash
to Hossein"] But a reminder: in Zoroastrian Persia of my forefathers,
there was no room for mourning. If you are familiar with our texts, you
will see the constant theme, "that mourning, sadness, death, belongs
to AHRIMAN", and five times a day in our prayers we shun it away by
"cursing it " ("zad shekast e bad ").
To this day we have no rites, public or private to mourn anything. Tell
that to your readers please. You will be doing them a big service. The Iranian
nation gave up such wonderful ideas of celebrating joy and numerous festivities,
as all joy and good belongs to Ahura Mazda, and replaced them with this
sorry state of affairs you see and abhor today.
Feroz Dinshah
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