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Friday * Comon standards of morality With much thanks to Bahram Rajaee for his kind comments ["Look in the mirror"] on my opinion piece regarding the Khobar bombing, I would like to remind Mr. Rajaee that the historical misdeeds of Israel such as the Lavon Affair was not brought up ["Ghost of Khobar"] as an excuse or justification for the historical misdeeds of the IRI, whatever they may have been. Rather, my point was that a credible hypothetical case can also be made for Israel's inclusion in the constellation of potential culprits of the Khobar bombing, just as a hypothetical case has been made for Iran's involvement. Second, I did not express an opinion on whether opponents to a normalization of US-Iran ties are predominantly Jewish (I prefer "pro-Israeli") or not. Indeed, I can think of many people in addition to Jewish and non-Jewish pro-Israeli lobbyists who are opposed to the removal of the sanctions, including some Iranians (of whatever religion) such as the Mojahedin and the monarchists and probably California pistachio growers, and maybe even the dealers of Pakistani and Indian hand-woven carpets. That's at least five or six other people who are opposed to the removal of the sanctions right there. Anyway, while the theorists still argue over whether morality has a role in power politics, surely if Mr. Rajaee asserts a moral standard on the actions of "the murderous behavior of this small group of powerful people in Iran over the last 15-20 years", then he would also agree that standards of morality are not restricted to Iran's national borders, and would also apply to other states. After all, we are Iranians, but we are also part of the rest of humanity >>> FULL TEXT * Did Tel Aviv pay Salman Rushdie, too? In his thinly veiled apologia for the Islamic Republic's murderous villainy ["Ghost of Khobar"], John Mohammadi would like to have us believe that a vast Zionist conspiracy plotted the Khobar Towers bombing in order to discredit and malign Iran's clerical regime. The main objective of this conspiracy, we are told, is to forestall the warming up of relations between Iran and its main adversary, the United States, as well as its neighbor, Saudi Arabia. I've come across countless conspiracy theories in my life, but the crackpot quotient of this one is the most breathtaking. Does the author believe that Israel was also behind the systematic elimination of Iranian dissidents in France and Germany as a way of setting back Iran's relations with the European Union? Perhaps Tel Aviv also paid Salman Rushdie to write Satanic Verses in order to snarl Great Britain's relations with the Islamic Republic for more than a decade. You may want to look into that one, Mr. Mohammadi >>> FULL TEXT * Ashamed of your feelings In response to the short story by Nooneh ["Bahram"], I'd just like to say that I thought it was brilliant. I don't read many short stories and certainly not of this genre. My mind succumbed to the lure and passion of gothic horror and science fiction at a very young age, but I found myself reading this and enjoying it thoroughly. It made me feel like I didn't have to give up hope after all, that maybe somewhere out there, there were open minded Iranians who could relax and be comfortable with themselves and not have to create an alter-ego to show to the rest of the world while their real selves decay amidst frustration of any kind. I don't begrudge anyone their opinion but I wonder who it is they are trying to protect... themselves? the youth of our country? Or perhaps just trying to portray an image to the rest of the world that we are pure in thought?... I don't buy it. The reason why most people are shocked to talk about it in public and think that it is dirty is because they are ashamed of their own feelings and thoughts. I say try it one time, read about it, talk about it to your husbands... wives... girlfriends or boyfriends... tell me you don't feel comfortable and just a little warm on the inside when you're done before you knock someone with a serious talent as Nooneh. * Grabbing I am an Iranian-American and I wanted to tell you that this article, "Into the horizon", was one of the best I have ever read on The Iranian. Since I read this article yesterday it has grabbed a hold of me and not let go. I found myself reading it over and over, basking in the power of its words and meanings. The struggle that goes on in Iran effects us all as a global community and should not be ignored. Dorod bar jonbesh-e eslaahaat! * Hafez vs. Hemingway I liked this article ["Embrace"]. It was a good approach about how always we live in a dilemma and how we interfere our emotional values with real life. But, despite a profound understanding that the author is showing in understanding our cultural flaws (if we can call it cultural not politically motivated selfishness or simply low class people living in a higher class of wealth and welfare), he misses a great deal because of lack of knowledge about Iranian literature, poetry, politics, and other cultural values. I am a great fan of the American contemporary literature; Hemingway, Steinbeck,... But can you really compare any of them with our Hafez and Sa'di? Why not read our own cultural treasures along with American literature? Why not combine good things from both American and Persian cultures? You see even blacks, after generations of living in U.S., call themselves African-American. Do we have to call ourselves American only? The author is a good writer but not a good analyzer! * Talk about mohtavaa! What a bunch of horse-manure this article "Embrace" was? I must say, the articles in The Iranian are getting better and better each day! Talk about mohtavaa! Have you guys in The Iranian started to specialize in publishing works of "half-wits" only? What is this? I should really note that since your site's changeover your standards have taken a dramatic plunge. Back to the article "Embrace". Wow! Yariz (what kind of a name is Yariz?! What? Your parents are Star Wars fans or something?) I think you are "apple-pie-Chevrolet" enough for the rest of us poor closed-minded Iranians, so don't sweat it boy. Your Americanism will carry us all through! And all that negative characteristics you see in your fellow Iranians? Braaaavo! I guess it takes one to know one, huh? Listen, like Majid said in "What the hell is American culture?" go do some research about OUR 25,00-year-old (I am being modest) culture and the weight it carries in the history of civilization, and don't compare all Iranians to people you see in your family gatherings. Okay? I just want to know what is wrong with being an Iranian at heart? What's so retarded about it? I have nothing against Americans but why bash your own heritage? Both cultures have their very positive points. That's what you should have written about; having the best of both worlds. One piece of advice: if you want to write again, keep the facts as facts, not mandaraavordi stories because you either write fiction, or non-fiction. By the looks of it, you more partial to fantasy. That falls under fiction. * Be yourself To thine own self be true; and it must follow, as the night the day, thou can'st not then be false to any man. -- Hamlet, Act i, Sc.3 God forbid that I should encourage my children to act 'American' or 'British' or 'Iranian' - I hope they will go out into the world, with a love for their mingled upbringing, a respect for the cultures they encounter and with this line from Montaigne in mind: 'Nature forms us for ourselves, not for others; to be, not to seem.' Yariz Kangani's admonitions to 'embrace America' show a hungry longing to belong - a desire to be consumed by the 'greatest nation on earth' and leave behind the embarrassing cultural stereotypes of Iranians and their weakest foibles. It might surprise Kangani that there are naturalized Iranian citizens who come from the beloved West, we love our adopted country (and our own), and feel proud to raise our families with Iran's rich culture in mind. It would no doubt be a further surprise that as we explore another culture (and educate about our own) that we are neither weak muscled, regarded as unattractive, or have time to be depressed as we blend families, festivals and faiths. Most of us are capable of recognizing the wonderful opportunities America extends to immigrants - but lets not leave our wits behind and bury our critical faculties along with our past >>> FULL TEXT * Times have changed Cyrus Jon, I'm sorry that you see people like me as Satan's helpers ["Well done, Satan"]. Having faith and being religious can be a wonderful force in one's life. However, a lot of the "laws of God" written in the holy books were created for the era that they were "written" in. For example, Muslims and Jews do not eat pigs. Why? Because back then we did not have sufficient ways to clean these animals and people were getting sick, so, a law was created to not eat pigs; problem solved. In the Koran, a man can have more than one wife. Why? Because back then men went to war and died, leaving their wives and children without any money or power so, a law was passed for men to take on more wives so that these women were not left to starve; problem solved. Today in the modern world, however, we can clean pigs well enough that we don't get sick and women are educated and can take care of themselves and hence don't need men to survive. My point, my dear, is that times change and so must we. I have no fear of what awaits me in the "next world" because I live my life being the kindest and best person I can. I give to people when I can and I don't hate ANY of God's creatures, no, not even you :) The world is a far better place when we live in kindness, and not in fear. * Strong images This recent article by Sadaf was one of her best ["Sedaa-ye koocheh"]. The reader almost feels the taste of home, like the taste of sweet and sour grapes. I think her writing skills has improved and the sentences interact beautifully. The images are so strong, so touching that one can feel the sickness, the feverish head, hear the sound out in the street and even the hot and lazy afternoons of Tehran do not seem that far and away. Sadaf, you have done a good job in awakening memories of my childhood years when the sound of the street was the last thing that would touch me enough to tap dance with it's echo. * Steps to assimilate I just wanted to write and say that I have enjoyed reading several of the letters posted recently on your web site regarding: "Mollas damaged Iran for a 1,000 years"; "Ignorants brought mollas, not Reza Shah"; "Reza Shah's achievements". I am neither Iranian/Persian nor Muslim. However, because I have many close friends who are from an Iranian and/or Muslim background, I have tried to educate myself about a little about some "Iranian" issues (especially the Iranian Islamic views/issues). I learned when I was a child studying World History (even on an elementary level) that two steps were necessary to fully assimilate a civilization after they had been defeated in war: 1-The victors would convert the defeated to their religion (by force if necessary). 2-The victors would also impose their language on the defeated as the official language even if it was not the "daily/common" language among the populous. (I'm sure there were many others steps too - I just don't remember my world history too well.) These steps were enacted immediately after conquering a civilization even if it took many, many years before the total transition to the new language & religion was totally complete. I often think of these two points concerning Iran/Persia. I thought that Iran/Persia previously enjoyed a society where various faiths co-existed with the Zoroastrian faith without fear of discrimination? Also, are not the words on the present Iranian national flag Arabic and not Farsi/Persian? It seems that the Arab conquest of the once glorious Persian Empire is now finally coming to completion? If indeed this is true, it is truly regretful... the Persian Empire was a civilization which had many glories and was not surpassed by many others in regards to its accomplishments. A civilization which other religions (Christian and Jewish) share in admiring its history. [I confess that I do not have a very deep understanding of many Iranian/Islamic issues, so please consider the above remarks more as inquiring questions than ignorant statements.] * Bahais easily separate national ties Mansuri states that Bahais do care about their Persian ethnicity and suggests that I have chosen a narrow interpretation of his quotation ["Bahais care..."]. While I understand that regardless of one's beliefs they will always be attached to where they come from (as an example although I have chosen to immigrate to Australia, been naturalised as an Australian and at the present can not imagine that I will be returning to Iran under any circumstances yet I keep in touch with whatever is related to Iran and can not divorce myself from following the news and what is going on there). However, my point about Bahais ["Not Persians"] was that they have this overall connotation that (as Mansuri introduces himself in his letter as a 'jahan koodak) they are working towards a global community and which I believe is exactly what Bozorgmehr ["No Solidarity"] has said in his article about solidarity with other Iranians in his article. Since Bahais claim to have a much broader and expanded view of the community and do not limit themselves to the national borders they would be more inclined to easily separate themselves from the rest of Iranians >>> FULL TEXT
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