|
Monday * Skip the rest I think after two of your stories ["Bahram", "Dariush"] I will respectfully omit the next eleven. The first one presented novelty and a hint of shock, but the second one, for me at least, collapsed into the common malaise of stories of this type: it takes itself too seriously and masks the lack of a story with intellectual rap, sentimental choke and sexual hype. In cultures like ours, it is often common to escape from meaning to emphasis on form and protocol. Therefore it becomes the point of a story to break from protocol or tradition through the use of sex, language, and other devices instead of focusing on the conflict or a meaning behind relations that they represent. I don't mean your story should have a message per se, but it would be nice if it has something heavier to say instead of bringing the words to a dance for the circus effect. I hope you dont mind pointing these out, but here I think are two examples of how stories with sexual/relationship angle can be done better: //www.nerve.com/Fiction/Cosper/keepingCount/ * Irani sense of humor Sharp! ["Bahram's cousin"] Nice way of showing that good old down-to-earth Irani sense of humour and safaa rules over the Westernized, overly-romaticized melodrama. I really enjoyed the first piece "Bahram" as well and plan to read them both again soon; but "Bahram's cousin" keenly put the first piece "Bahram" into perspective. * Closer to reality Very humorous story ["Bahram's cousin"]. In fact your story is closer to reality than "Bahram" by Nooneh. * Back to beloved Tehran I found a link to one of your stories in The Iranian ["Sedaa-ye koocheh"]. It was very nice, and simple, and that made me to read all your stories in that site. I really enjoyed all of them. I just want to say thanks to you to take me home. It is about nine months that I have left Iran, and your nice stories took me back to my beloved city, Tehran. I really found myself in Tehran during these two hours that I was reading your stories. Thank you very much. Reza Omrani * Those little things Dearest Sadaf, I have read your last piece ["Sedaa-ye koocheh"]. It was great as usual. I am proud of you! Your writings give me the things that I really missed about Iran! Those little things that most of the people don't pay any attention to and you feel them with your heart and soul! KEEP IT UP! Sally * Mossadegh: Enough praise See my comments in Persian about "Don't call me 'Sir'". * They've heard that song I'd like to offer some final thoughts on the many supportive comments made by The Iranian's readership regarding my views ["Look in the mirror"], as well as John Mohammadi's rebuttal ["Common standards of moraliy"]. Much can be extrapolated from my own and John's original pieces ["Ghost of Khobar"], and for clarification I think it's appropriate to reintroduce some of the elements that I thought were central to both--in order to illustrate exactly how much we agree rather than disagree. Bearing in mind that the essence of my argument was that in the U.S. today it is extremely difficult to get policy makers and political interests to focus and act on "the facts" regarding to U.S.-Iranian relations, I'd like to briefly make the following two points: First, the principal group that I had in mind when I brought up the issue of powerful political interests in Washington that are opposed to the normalization of U.S.-Iranian relations is far more central to American politics than the MKO, Californian pistachio growers, Pakistani rug weavers, or even the Zionist or pro-Israeli lobby groups. We are talking, quite simply, about the hardline leadership of the Republican Party in Congress, and in particular, the House of Representatives: Tom DeLay, Benjamin Gilman, and Dick Armey (just to name a few) >>> FULL TEXT * Speculation no substitute Mr. Rajaee, thanks for your kind and cordial comments, I found the discussion to be quite enlightening ["They've heard that song"]. I hope I didn't cause you any offense, but I think you again misconstrued the point of bringing up Israel's misdeeds. I did not "raise the issue of Israeli transgressions in order to make any headway in rehabilitating Iran." Indeed, I have no intention to rehabilitate anyone and couldn't even if I wanted to because I have no special knowledge of the facts or the evidence. It was simply to point out that a historic event known as the Lavon Affair acts as a precedent to support a hypothetical scenario of Israeli involvement in the Khobar bombing. The point is that speculation should not substitute for analysis, but if speculation is all we have, then it should apply evenly to all the potential culprits. Now, whether the politicians will find this arguement convincing or not, I agree that they probably won't. And you know what? I don't care! To paraphrase Nelson Mandela, they can all go jump in a lake. In a democracy people have a duty to express their opinions about the policies of their government especially if the powerful find it distastefull, and maybe if enough people speak up, they'll listen >>> FULL TEXT * Scapegoat In the recent flap over allegations of Iranian involvement in the Khobar bombing, Louis Freeh is being portrayed as a patriot fighting for truth and justice in the face of obstruction of justice by self-serving politicians ["Ghost of Khobar", "Look in the mirror"]. Freeh supposedly believes that he has evidence sufficient to indict Iranians and yet he chose to wait for a change in administrations to get a more favorable result. In my opinion, it is highly unethical to sit on evidence. If there has been obstruction of justice, would this not fit the description? Is he looking for justice for the victims or revenge, or even worse, a scapegoat? What kind of civil servant makes decisions about justice based on politics? The courts should decide the validity of Freeh's evidence. Justice is not a political decision. If a grand jury determines that indictments should be handed down then it should be so. In the mean time there is no usefulness in spreading rumors, except for self-serving political reasons >>> FULL TEXT Bradley Hernlem, Ph.D. * DARING to criticize Israel I found it very interesting that Mr. Bakhtiar would try so hard to defend his beloved Israel ["Did Tel Aviv pay Salman Rushdie, too?"] in response to John Mohammadi's excellent piece on the Khobar case ["Ghost of Khobar"]. Did we offend your Jewish sensibilities Mr. Bakhtiar? You must forgive us for DARING to criticize Israel in any way, shape, or form, or to even remotely suggest that Israel is even remotely capable of anything barbaric, destructive, or terroristic. It's time to take the gloves off. For 20 years now, Israel and politically active Jews worldwide (but especially in the United States) have gone to extraordinary lengths to villify, isolate, and malign Iran and Iranians. US sanctions against Iran were single-handedly the work of Edgar Bronfman (president of "World Jewish Congress"), who in 1995 called then President Bill Clinton and demanded that the United States take action to prevent Conoco from proceeding with an oil exploration contract they had signed with Iran >>> FULL TEXT * Ahura Mazda keep you well Nima, I read The Iranian from time to time, make a few comments here and there, when I see someone (unintentionally) has not understood the simple tenants of my old Iranian faith, long forgotten now in its birthplace. I take rejoice in reading about heroes like your dad ["Into the horizon"], to me they remind me of the numerous old people I have met who had made the arduous journey by foot in the early 30's from Iran to a safe harbor in Pakistan, finally giving up the land, as all was taken from them but their dignity, persecuted only because of their conscience, as they refused to be converted from our Zarthushti faith, but like your father, warriors they still are, there spirits unbroken, what admirable courage they and your father emanate! I marvel at the stuff they are made off. Some day Nima, as we say, this scrooge over Iran will go away, Ahriman will be defeated, "man ano awayad shudan" as we recite these words three times in one of our pazand prayers. Long life to you and your family, may Ahura Mazda keep you well. * The promised one Dear Mr. Entesari ["Bahais easily separate national ties"], The Bahai new year is called Eid Rezvan nad it is in April and not March. Bahais have a 19-day fasting period that ends on March 21st of each year, therefore they celebrate the ending of their fast on that day which coincides with the day of Noruz or the day after. As for the temple of the Bahais, there is one on every continent and there are Bahais in every locality on the face of the planet. In fact the Bahai faith is the most widespread religion in the world. The Bahai ARC and world center is in Haifa, Israel on Mount Carmel and not in Jeruselam. The establishment of such ARC is the fulfillment of promises made in the Bible as well as Qoran. As for why the Bahais refer to Iran as holy, it's because God chose Iran to fulfill the most great manifestation promised by Moses, Jesus, Mohammad and Buddha. That promised one is Bahaullah or Glory of God. I suggest you read some of the writings of Bahaullah. For example you may find one of his writings, the Book of Certitude (IQAN) in a Bahai Center in any city. I have read that book may be ten times and still cannot fully absorb it's immense meanings. After reading this book you too will then understand why the Bahai faith is the fastest growing and the most wide spread religion in the world. * That's an order Dear Yariz, I admire your courage to take the time to share your views with the intention of helping the rest of us in this era of apathy and indifference ["Embrace"]. The more I looked through your letter to find more praise for you the less I found. Your recommendation of "stop brainwashing your children by telling them they are iranians" hurt me to the core. Denial of truth is a sign of sickness, be it from an individual or a nation. Although I could answer you better if I knew your gender, your age and your background, but I will take a shot at it anyway. You strike me as a person who is far younger than the number of years I have been in America. I suffered from such illusions a very little when I was in my twenties. In that case, I hope you have an open mind and consider my comments as constructive criticism. I am writing this in the spirit of helping you to do your homework better and avoid hasty conclusions before writing and passing judgement on anyone or any nation. You also strike me as a person descending from some of our Persian poets or writers who unconditionally praised the kings, thus promoting corruption >>> FULL TEXT * About love "Homosexuality is not about what you do in bed, it is about whom you fall in love with." I was once a homophobe. I had learned to hate and to abhor gays and lesbians. I was taught to believe that they were sick, not normal, and that what they did was not naturalBut that was a long time ago. Before I fell in love with a woman. Before I realized I was a lesbian. Oh, she wasn't the first woman I had fallen in love with. But it was the first time I was conscious about it. The first time I didn't deny my feelings. And loving her was the most "natural" thing for me to do. Being a lesbian, and accepting my homosexuality definitely made me a better person. It made me think how much most of our beliefs are based on our ignorance, lack of knowledge, superstition, etc. It made me more accepting of other people's differences. It made me more tolerant. If I hadn't fallen in love, maybe I would still be a homophobe today. I'm thankful to God for making me capable of love. I'm thankful to God for making me a lesbian.
|
I |
|
 |
Web design by BTC Consultants
Internet server Global Publishing Group