|
November 13, 2001 * Even if you never win another game A great message from World Cup 1962 read, "Because we have nothing, we will do everything." You and the twenty-one other honorable men who stepped onto that sacred green field one fateful night in Melbourne in 1997 embody this message. The colors of our country, red and white and green, are etched in your hearts. Before you, I was clueless about the beautiful game. But today, my Persian heart is full. I understand the rules now; they have become a sacred book to me. I wear your jersey; sleep in it, pray in it, dance in it, cry tears of joy and pain and heartache on it. I am in love, and it is a love that resembles a bottomless pit with no end. I have fallen for Ali Daei, the captain with the heart of gold, for Karimi, who gives us glimpses of genius, and for all the rest... Four years ago, Iranians caught sight of their first heroes. Today, I know you by name, I know your birthdays, I know the light in your eyes and I see that your souls are pure and full love for us, for me, the forever faithful fans... If you never win another game, if you never were to score another goal, I would still love you. Four years ago, you opened my heart to a beautiful way of life. You gave me honor, you gave me pride, you gave me love. But most of all, you gave me back my country... Thank you... Bacheha motchakerim!!! * Thank you guys Couple of days ago I was talking to my Irish friend about the football game between Iran and Ireland. I had still the images from the Australia match in my mind and I thought with a play like that we would lose very badly, and I told it to my friend. He was actually a bit more positive about Iran's chances. Any way few days later we heard that the game will be shown in Chaps sports bar here in Montreal. So today we went there. The first thing that hit me was that wow so many Iranians. In a place fit for 100 people there were maybe 300 people (90% Iranians and 10% Irish), people were sitting on pool tables, lying on the floor and Of course in a sports bar full of Iranians the drink you get is Chai. The waitresses walked through the thick crowd with trays full of hot tea with no fear. Anyway the channel showing the match was an Irish channel and they talked a lot about Iranian football. After a while they showed the pitch and the players started to come in. People started cheering the players and "Chiro" which actually means Dumbo in Croatian (because of his big ears?). The match started, and as I suspected the Irish attacks started at once. They were many and dangerous. But there was something new about this Iranian team. The team was much more relaxed than in the game against Australians. They took their time when passing, defended good most of the time and they won most of the air duels. After long Irish attack, Iran started to attack with some good passing. My Irish friend was getting nervous. The match was weighing. Then the penalty came at the very end of the first half. An Iranian player jumped clumsy after an Irish player which made the Irish dive like a Hollywood actor(they didn't touch each other); unfortunately this is part of football now, if it wasn't the case Italians would have a tough time winning a single match. But altogether Iran played a very good first half. They did a very good defending. The second half was another story. Instead of attacking Iran continued playing in its own half. I say this because whenever they tried they could make attacks. Anyway Ireland got their second well deserved goal and then Iran started to chase. The problem was that Ali Karimi was not as accurate in his finnish as Azizi was against Australians and the Irish goalie made a very good game. Players like Daei, and Mahdavikia did. Although Iran lost the game by 2 goals I think this was their best game played that I have seen. The entire team was organized and disciplined. I think Chiro has done a great job and if he continues with the team we will beat Ireland in 1-2 years. The only thing needed for the team is a bit more joy of play that a player like Azizi had; running after every ball. Needless to say that the feelings all Iranians in the bar felt after the match was like the weather in Montréal's dark and rainy autumn day. Thank you guys, you put up a good game. * How can you bear it? Ben, Here's a pointer to add to the list you have compiled in "Under bright lights": As soon as air travel is safe, pack your bags and get on a plane that will take you to a country where you will not be subjected to the permanent humiliation that you endure here and where you will not be living under this dark cloud of suspicion. What a relief it will be to live in Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, any Arab country, anywhere but in the U.S. with its sad track record of attacks on civil liberties, its general lack of tolerance and respect of differences. We all live under duress in the United States. I mean, honestly, who would ever actually choose to live here? Really, who wants the realization of dreams, sending our kids to college, buying a house, reaching the top of our profession, making a name, being respected and accepted in a community, knowing that there's no limit to what we can achieve? Just think how much better off you will be elsewhere! War, revolution, uncertainty, corruption, no future, crackdown on dissidents, fundamentalism, the drab monotony of daily submission, censorship, oppression, wow, WOW, Ben, how can you bear to stay away another day? Have a safe journey, * Roots of terrorism First of all, let me express my personal gratitude to the country and people of Iran for their expressed grief for the recent American losses. I have a bit of understanding of Iranian culture as I am married to an Iranian who left Tehran during the revolution. I would like to use this note as a forum if I may. We in the United States were not well represented by our past president. In fact, many Americans think he showed the worst aspects of our culture. A recent finding showed he spent more money going after Bill Gates and Microsoft than he did going after Bin Laden. Now Mr Clinton is going around, looking for cameras, to say he is bettre prepared to lead this country. America does need to rexamine it's foreign policy, especially towards Israel. For 50 years, Israel has used the holocost to justify committing acts they once had committed against them. And too often the US has supported them with no check or balance. It seems that our current administration is putting much pressure on them. They are pulling out of area, not quickly enough for my taste, but they are moving, which is a good sign. Much of the problems between the Middle East and the west can be found in that one conflict. But having said that, the Palestinians have not had a leader worthy of his salt yet. Arafat is like the Bill Clinton of Palestine. On a larger note, is the Moslem culture is to thrive inthe 21st century, it needs to take a very hard look at it's conservative leaders. The fact tha tMoslem government s are tied to the church has created a large group of powerful men in many nations who misuse the koran to furhter their own corruption and power. Iran is no stranger to this. Iran was a country that was Moslem and was very successful dealing with the west. Conservatives who make great pains to restrict information be it internet or satellite TV are not doing so to maintain Moslem culture, they are doing so becuase behind the pornography that exists, is information. And an informed public thinks, and becomes able to decide right from wrong. I have access to the internet and satellite TV and am a westerner, but I don't view porn. Why, because god gave us a conscience and judgment, something conserative molsems refuse their people. They consider people as sheep to be herded >>> FULL TEXT * On the mark? You were doing really well, nice, polite and making reasoned arguments ["Shotormorgh Dynasty"] till you wrote "Say what you want about the IRI, but their regional foreign policy has been on the mark throughout the past two decades." On the mark? The unnecessary continuation of the war with Iraq was on the mark? Ignorance of Iran's interests in the Caspian till it was too late, was on the mark? Playing into the hands of the US, on the mark? Being outmanouvered by Pakistani and Saudi (intelligence services) was on the mark? How many more on the mark policies did you have in mind? And that is how you showed your true colours. Why are the agents of IRI so interested in what is published in an online magazine that is struggling to pay for its own way? Why do they consider such media as Iranian and NITV such a threat? * No dialog with executioners "History is written by those who hang heroes" It is incredible for me to read how ungrateful some of my countrymen have become. After all these years, still writing pure nonsense about the Pahlavi years and ignoring the facts that people such as I were there and witnessed the history. It is not important to me what their political ideology is, nor is it really important what they say. After all, I have been reading this kind of nonsense for the past 22 years. Nonetheless, it is extremely important for me to realize how ungrateful these people are. The article by Naghmeh Sohrabi "His royal lowness" is a good illustration of such people. At the minimum Ms Sohrabi should know without any doubt that, had there been no Pahlavis, the likelihood of her being married at the age of 12 to a totally unknown person was much greater than being the Harvard graduate that she is now. I challenge her or anyone else to name any well-known Iranian woman from the past 1000 years prior to the Pahlavi era. Today we have countless Iranian women of many professions throughout the world such as yourself who are the fruit of the Pahlavi era. This fact alone should be worthy of respect and gratitude from you. I don't know how old Ms Sohrabi is or if she was involved in the 1979 nightmare, but her writing is similar to others who directly or indirectly were implicated in the revolution. They still act as nothing has changed and have yet to acknowledge their failures and lack of vision. Some say we should have dialog to resolve our differences. I disagree. The chant of more executions by so-called "educated revolutionaries" is still quite real to me. They murdered the very people who gave them more liberty than any other Iranian ever had. Sorry, but this undefeated Iranian won't have dialog with their executioners and their supporters. * Foster democratic thinking Mr. Ahmad Javan's article ["Correction"] raises very interesting issues that are worth a closer look. Is the generation of 1979 revolution really responsible for the shortcomings in Iranian society today? The revolution of 1979 was inclusive of all genders, classes and ages. What united these vastly diverse groups of people was a thirst for democracy, equity and justice. The fact that during the reign of Pahlavi dynasty, the vast majority of Iranians remained impoverished and illiterate is not debatable. The voices of dissent were brutally suppressed under the pretense of maintaining a "jazeereh sobaat" with Iran acting as the regional police and a pawn of US foreign policy in its cold war against the Soviet Union. Systematic torture, persecution and elimination of political opponents was a regular practice that not only came to life during Shah's rule, but also reached disproportionate levels. Great Iranian cultural icons such as Ahmad Kasravi, Morteza Keyvaan, Samad Behrangee, Khosro Golesorkhee were murdered before the arrogance of their majesties. Ironically, both Shah's managed to strengthen the role of clerics within Iran by destroying the platform of other ideological opponents, namely intellectuals and secular members of opposition groups. This is why masjids became a convenient forums for the Islamic movement in Iran. The revolution did not start as a religious movement, but it included religious elements, because of its inclusive nature. We need to also consider the geopolitical factors during the time of revolution; America's foreign policy was shifting in the direction of inspiring Islamic fundamentalism to neutralize Soviet's influence in Afghanistan. America did not favor the radicalization of the revolution in the hands of leftist elements and was willing to apply pressure on its defunct pawn, Shah, to yield the power. This is not to place all the blame on America's side since both kings and fanatic clerics are our own creations and part of our Iranian heritage. All revolutions in the world have gone awry and diverged from the original aspirations of the masses. Therefore to unfairly target the Iranian revolution as a unique experience in that sense is not only unfair, but also simplistic. Of course, we "Iranians" like to seek simplicity in the midst of complex settings by relentlessly assigning all the blame to the so-called colonial powers, unseen enemies or pure elements of unlikeness. How could we then only blame the generation that sponsored the revolution of 1979 -considering their limited capabilities? We cannot and should not expect miracles from our Iranian youth today either. What do we have to do then? True that this is a hellishly difficult problem to solve. We need to start by fostering democratic thinking within our communities; we need to allow opposing views, no matter how poignant, to be heard; we need to abandon the illusional ideas of solidarity and instead support the concept of tolerance; and finally we need to ask for clarity of everyone's agenda since ambiguity was what got us into trouble in the first place. For example, I would like to hear what constitutional changes monarchists or other secular groups have in mind. No one can start a potentially successful company without a business case and politics, similarly demands the same. We must expose the ones who hide in the darkness, but prophesize light and prosperity. Once we believe in the democratic thinking and behavior, then it becomes much simpler to check claims of adherence to it. Lastly, I would like to ask all readers of Iranian.com to live and lead by example and financially support this site. this is not a tall order at all and the results a> re surely predictable. If we fail to keep our small platform of democracy alive in the cyber space, we will not easily succeed in strengthening democracy in Iran. * There is hope after all I was touched by Ahmad's piece, "Correction". Apart from the fact that the writing style is poignant, direct and free of ceremonial taarof, it is also a passionate cry that ought to shake the foundation of, what he calls, my generation. Ahmad is absolutely right in that it was my generation that is responsible for the catastrophe that has become the Islamic Un-republic. I consider myself to blame, at least to the extent that I was responsible, which is not hell of a whole lot; but to the extent that I was involved in bashing the monarchy, I feel responsible and will do anything in my power to correct it. Never a proponent of the Islamic theocracy, I didn't vote for it and didn't participate in any of its elections. When the revolution came like a thundering storm, I was a merely 19. I have written, in Iranian and elsewhere, about how it affected me and what were the circumstances of my generation's participation. While I do not pretend to speak for "my generation" (am not positive "my generation" would have me as a speaker, either) let me say this in our collective defense: we didn't want this crazy theocracy, either. No one did, except for the mollas and their friends. In our blissful ignorance, or inexperience (or whatever one might choose to call it) we were somehow given to believe that anyone or any system would be better than what we already had. Something that Ahmad has shown to have been too naïve at best. We were dumbfounded at the speed of occurrences and gladly accepted any developments, as long as it held the kernel of change. That was the sign of the times. We were dealing with ennui, and didn't know how to cope with it or recognize it or whether it was something which was recognizable. We were a lost generation and without wanting to blame the past regime, I want to say that it was to some degree responsible for its demise also. Political prisoners, censorship, the SAVAK, the usual suspects... Round them up and they were the reasons we had in our hands. If Khomeini's Resalah, or Shariati's books weren't banned by the government, does anyone have any doubt that they would have been read and criticized and dealt with as mere hyperbolic projections of backward minds? I am glad to see that Ahmad's generation is not about to recommit the same mistakes. When I read the reports of statements issued by leaders of Iran's current youth movement emphasizing the need to proceed non-violently tears come to my eyes. I tell myself there is hope after all. Similarly, when I read the kind of inclusive language that Ahmad has used in his piece my heart swells with pride and affection. Indeed we do not need arbitrary lines drawn amongst us, dividing us into black and white camps that do not exist in real life. In a clear departure from the past I think my generation has come to the conclusion that democracy is what is lacking and not this or that philosophy of government. If at times my generation (and the one before me) voices concern about the pace of the current developments, it's only to warn of pitfalls and nothing more. My generation is weary of its past mistakes and is not confident that Ahmad's generation would accept it without condescension. That is my perception and I am prepared to stand corrected. Cheers, * Needs patriotic leader soon My dear young friend Ahmad Javan, ["Correction"] Thank you for truly excellent letter. If our young people are as intelligent as you are, there is hope for the future. I have been really sick and frustrated by the so-called intellectuals who brought this disaster upon us and still insist on supporting it in one way or the other. Ten years ago they wasted our time with Rafsanjani (Sardar e Sazandegi!!!), and now it is the democratic molla?! Khatami and tomorrow will be another reactionary molla. As you correctly said our young people can not wait another 20 or 50 years. Our country needs secular democracy and a patriotic leader and needs it soon. We can not exclude anybody. I am labelled as a reactionary monarchist!!, but I am ready, same as Reza Pahlavi, to accept the will of the people and have a republic as long as it is secular and democratic. Let us forget the past and unite and liberate our country from oppressing mollas and Basijis and join the civilised nations of the world again. * Do NOT make same mistakes This is to respond to Mr. Ahmad Javan article, "Correction". Mr. Javan read your article and I hope your intentions are good. You, sir, are right when you say that we (the older generation) did not leave you nothing to play with. I hope you learn from our mistake and do better (only if you can learn from our mistake) and do not repeat them, our biggest mistake was to follow a PERSON. It seems to me you are doing the same thing! Seams to me the first thing you need to do is stop the blame game and starts "WITHIN". I could go through your article and find a similar one from 1979 where only the names are different. Please, if you are concerned, do a little soul searching, forgive us, and please do NOT make the same mistakes we made, or our fathers and their fathers made for the last 1,000 years. Dar panahe hagh, * No shades in between Dear Mr. Javan, I can only partly agree with your article. ["Correction"] If democracy means that a government is installed by the people and for the people, then be aware of the fact the the islamic republic was installed by the the poeple. Go back some 25 years and try to remember the crowds... Nobody forced them... Nobody ever could... What Iran needs now, is not a freedom of choice, but a solid basis for a choice to be done freely. In order to make a change in this very situation in Iran, one has to be willing to sacrifice his life for his political faith. Now this means that people must have a choice between several options and have the knowledge of several things. As a matter of fact, the major part of the iranian population is younger than 25, which means that they have known nothing else than the Islamic government. They have been totally indoctrinated and brain washed. What are they to know and to chose from? The artificial needs created by the people in power (drug abuse, prostitution, lack of everything related to fun) do the rest of it to keep people away from a healthy thinking. Mistakes of the history should not be repeated... The same people who one shouted "shah bereh, har ki oomad, oomad" are not supposed to shout now: "akhoond bereh, har ki oomad, oomad". Obviuously, we have learned nothing about history. What I totally disagree with and last thing I would like to see is a spoiled son of another spoiled son ruling the country. Someone who is not aware of the iranians like they are in present and knows nothing about this country, not having been there for 25 years. I admit the the founder of the Pahlavi-dynasty did some good things for the country. This was during an era of other patriots like Mustafa Kemal "Atatürk"... He built railways, telephone systems, roads, schools, hospitals and somewhat modernized the country. But is this reason enough to let his spoiled son take the power? I don't think so. And now, shall we let his grandson take the power? Even less... The arrogance of Mr. Pahlavi often turns me into rage. Why should he be leader of an opposition? If he is praising democracy and preaching it, why doesn´t he let the people chose and decide (which is very dangerous thing in Iran, as we know)... I can hear some of my relatives and friends yelling at me: "Chi shod bacheh? mollah shodi?" And no, I am not a supporter of the Mollah regime, but nor will I be one of a Monarchy coming back to Iran... As always, it seems that there is either black or white with no shades in between. Changes only can be done slowly and step by step. Decades mean a lot in our lives but nothing in history. Modern and so-called civilized countries have had their share to patience to show. For exaple, it took France over 200 years of tyranny, revolution, anti-revolution, chaos, civil war, etc. to become what it is right now... Patience paired with a broad mind and an honest will to make a change for the better and for all is the only thing that will lead to improvements. Maybe we all show that we are capable of it and deserve it... * Youth in better position As a 30-year-old Iranian who spent almost all his life in Iran, I respect your feelings. ["Correction"] However, there are a few things that I would like to remind you. You compared two, old and young generations. You are not right about the old generation because if you had experienced living out of Iran without a huge financial support you would have changed your thought a little bit. If that is the matter of comparison, I think younger people in Iran are in much better situation than we were. I lived the best years of my life in much more unstable circumstances than yours did. The changeable situation of a country after revolution and being involved in a rootless war differed my generation than the others. I never walked in the street feeling comfortable of being myself. I was hiding somewhere in the street when I would see a TASHEE JENAZE. I saw the victims of war every day. I lived with people who took the advantage of that unsteady situation. Moreover, I couldn't go to university with my two-digit rank because I had gone climbing with somebody when I was 12. We had nothing in media except being advised to keep silence. I was surprised when I went to Iran last year and I couldn't believe that I am in Iran. I cannot compare the relative freedom that people have in Iran now. You can express your happiness and your anger about everything in public, you can post different ideas in newspapers, you can wear almost whatever you like and you have access to Internet and international media. If Khatami has not changed the country so who did it? I found your article emotional and it cannot represent young Iranians, opinion. You shouldn't expect a country, which was in that terrible situation changes with a football match. In addition, I think that is not right to blame different generations because of your hardships. Life has been hard for me because I always carry the result of that spans of life with myself but I never blame any generation for that. I try to understand that our anger and other negative emotions are always because of our own internal "war"; it's how WE process information; our perception rather than reality. * I trust you more than anyone Dear Mr. Javan, ["Correction"] I enjoyed your article very much. I am 40 years old and left Iran in 1977 to go to college in the US and that is where I live now. I think I understand what you were talking about in your article. In a trip to Iran a year ago I was shocked at the degree of desperation the young people of Iran felt. I recall my own memories of my teen years in Iran and they are in such a stark contrast to what the young Iranians felt, at least a year ago. In the pre-revolution days of Iran, we had such optimism, such a positive attitude and self esteem about ourselves and our country. As if there was nothing that we as a nation could not do. We were so happy. I compare it to the attitudes today. The anger, the sense of hopelessness, the sense of denial that I felt coming from the young Iranians was overwhelming. I agree with you that my generation committed a huge act of national destruction. How could they? Didn't they know the akhonds, didn't their parents tell them about the akhonds? Didn't they at least read Hafiz, Sa'adi or Ferdowsi? I think the revolution generation will always be considered in our history a generation of shame and betrayal. And amazingly, they still cannot bring themselves to saying that yes, we were wrong, we made a huge error in judgment and actions. Not only that, they still air opinions that as if it is still 1357, the Shah is in power, and they have this blind anger pointing to Reza Pahlavi. Shame on their shortsightedness. For only one example, have you ever heard any of them talk about over $400 billion oil income during this murderous regime that has just disappeared? My young fellow countrymen and women, you will find the way to rid yourselves from this tyrannical, murderous regime, I am sure. I trust you more than anyone over 30 years of age in Iran. * Wake up to the reality Echoing the sentiments expressed by R. Sardar ["Exaggerated allegations"] and Ahmad Javan ["Correction"], I feel compelled to say a few more words to some of the newly-emerged-from-the-woodwork concerned hamvatans, who have tried to warn us about the perils of a revived constitutional monarchy in Iran. There appears to be a sudden surge in the number of these well-meaning concerned Iranians, recently!! Could there be a connection between this "concern" and the fact that Reza Pahlavi's campaign is gaining momentum and, therefore, certain groups are fearing that their personal interests may be in jeopardy?! Some (of the proclaimed EDUCATED ones) have resorted to nightmare scenarios (I had a dream) and seem to have developed a sense of Khaab-nama!! I wish them "sweet dreams" and hope that one day, soon, they will wake up to the reality. Let them be warned that it is not time for childish stories now. There are others like S.K. Pishevar ["Son of fire is ash"], who appear to have personal agendas of their own. Pishevar, who has been introduced as " an Iraniam-American businessman, entrepreneur and investor", is apparently a young man (of under 30 years) who left Iran when he was no more than 6 or 7 years old, but (in addition to his financial success) has also become an expert in history and politics!! One of the unique characteristics of Pishevar seems to be his deep, imotional (even romantic) love for his beloved President Khatami! The only way that I could think of explaining this strong love is that, as a child, he must have seen the face of his Imam (Khomeini) in the moon - and now he sees Khomeini's reflection on Khatami's face!! Pishevar claims that his great-grandfather was one of the enlightened leaders of the 1908 Constitutional Revolution (it wasn't Jafar Pishevari himself, was it? - shame on him!!). Therefore, being a "revolutionary" appears to runs in his blood - and now that he is grown - up (and has written his thesis!) he has discovered the miraculous powers of the charm, smile and popularity of his beloved President Khatami (love is truly blind, isn't it?!!). My few words to Mr. Pishevar are: if "son of fire is ash", sag-e-zard ham baraadar-e shoghaaleh. The reality is quite opposite of what he is trying to portray. It is likes of him that are shaken by the impact of Reza Pahlavi's successful campaign against the IRI and its puppet-president's so-called reform movement >>> FULL TEXT * Sheikh or Shah? There has been a lot of talk lately in Iranian.Com about Reza Pahlavi's suitability to lead the masses in their struggle against the Islamic regime on one hand and Khatami's dedication to carry out reforms and on the other hand. I personally can not understand either camp. Are you stupid? Have you closed your eyes to the realities of every day life in Iran? Do you think in a free Iran where people could freely choose their desired form of government any of the above (Shah or Sheikh) would have any place? I strongly do not think so. Have the people of Iran not tasted enough of one's modernism and other's backwardness? Do we assume that Iranians are culturally and politically so poor that they do not see any other choices apart from the ones mentioned above? I can assure you Iranians as much as any body else would like to give democracy a go also. The young generation in Iran (which is over 60% of the population) did not vote for the Islamic Republic, most of them were not even born then. Now it is their turn to say what kind of government they want, be it by peaceful means (e.g. Elections or ) or forceful ones (e.g. Demonstrations or ). Our (older generation) solutions are no good for them any more. The young looks at the world in a different way than we did or do. They do not see their world limited by a choice between the Sheikh or the Shah. So please stop prescribing out dated medicine to cure this illness. One of the biggest problems the present day youth face in Iran is the lack of any credible alternatives to the present regime. In the 23 years of their rule the mollas have effectively and ruthlessly destroyed any opposition they had inside the country and the ones that survived and live outside the country have shown that they are not really any better than the present regime in many aspects. May be this is really a blessing, because supposing another revolution had happened and one of these opposition groups had seized power, I personally do not think that Iranians would have been any better off. Maybe the molla's rule having lasted so long has had it's advantages (do not get me wrong I personally think molla's caused so much destruction to Iran that no foreign enemy could ever do), one of them being to help deepen our understanding of what we want and whom we can trust so that old mistakes are not repeated. That is why I think the youth of Iran has to come up with the alternative itself and should not rely on the old familiar suspect if not corrupt solutions. Those of you who support Khatami should know that he is a molla also and as the old saying goes " snake can not give birth to a dove". He was not elected democratically, The guardian Council rejected tens of candidates on the grounds that they were not good Muslims which in reality means they were probably good people. Most of the vote he received was so called protest vote and since Khatami was known as a reformer people wanted to show the world that they wanted change and not necessarily Khatami. So most of you who think know better, I think you should stay quite and let the ones whose actions and deeds really count for something do their hearts desire. They do not need guardians who for whatever reason (financial, political or personal) want things left or done their own way. Have your say. Write in Iranian.Com by all means but don't expect to change the world through these articles which at their best are rational and informing. These articles will not change much in Iran or what Iranians have to experience everyday. My own article is no exception to this rule. I let some steam off and hopefully it won't hurt any one. I know for sure that it won't cure anyone! Gone are the days when people filled the streets in order to support an entity they had no knowledge of. For god's sake, this is the 21st century? Nothing but democracy will do! * Can't deliver democracy I am writing this letter in response to all those who still hope the IRI and Khatami will bring democracy to Iran. As a simple Iranian there are some simple signs that would indicate to me that democracy has arrived in Iran. Here are the following signs: 1. Separation of the mosque and the state. The West did that a couple of centuries ago before it entered the age of democracy. 2.. A true referendum supervised by the UN to determine the form of the government in Iran. Italians, Greeks, and many eastern European countries put the question of the form of the government to their people and resolved it peacefully. 3. Equality of men and women and an end to patriarchy in Iran. Again, this can not be done in an Islamic theocracy, separation of religion and politics must be a prerequisite for the implementation of this principle. 4. Equal rights for ethnic and religious minorities in Iran. And that includes the Bahais. We need to stop dancing around this issue and resolve it once and for all. Again, the prerequisite to that is the separation of religion and politics in Iran. 5. An educational system that teaches tolerance not hatred of people who do not think like us. This is an essential ingredient for a democratic society. We need to start at an early age to teach our kids the rules of living in a democratic society. 6. The right of people to form political organizations and participate in the process without resorting to violence to gain power. 7. Free press and freedom to choose are also essential to this process. 8. And finally, we need to stop dwelling on the past grudges and start looking to the future for our answers. Let the future historians examine and analyze the past events and try to be objective about what happened in the past It is my humble opinion that the IRI and its president are incapable of delivering to us a democratic government based on these principles. Nice and fancy words of Mr. Khatami will not bring democracy to Iran. A.A. * Be respectful In response to these many condemnatory and negative based letters, on all sides of the political spectrum. It is my opinion, we as Iranians or Iranian-Americans, tend to look at things from the pessimistic, first and foremost, rather than from a constructive and optimistic point of view. Let's all try to see the good individual players can have for a more perfect Iran and Iranian society, instead of harping on these de-constructive aspects, which do no good. Someone said, "Son of fire is ash" but it is also true to say, the son of ice is water, water is part of life, and the son of man is human; all of which are imperfect but necessary to make up a living world. So, let's try to be respectful towards others, so others can show respect too. * Do the right thing Charlie Rose interviewed Khatami, the defacto president of Iran on his show last week. The towel head fanatic did not answer a single question asked of him and bullshited (pardon my language) his way through the whole Q & A. I have yet to see Mr. Rose, the self-proclaimed intellectual elite talk show host of American media to interview Reza Pahlavi on his show. I should think that fair is fair and that if you're going to interview one guy, that you interview his opponent, right? If you want some fair journalism (especailly in the wake of the WTC attack), do yourself a favor and start here by sending Mr. Rose an email at: charlierose@pbs.org and let him know that this agenda mongering, bleeding heart line towing of his is outrageous and that if he is a journalist who truly merits his position, that he would do the right thing by giving wellrounded information about issues. Thanks. Best, * Desires for a better life Mohsen Khan, Salam. You're email listed on Iranian.com does not work, so I shall forward my email to this forum. You state Whoever came to power... becomes a dictator. I agree, but I didn't actually understand what you are proposing. If Iranian behavior makes their leaders into dictators (again, I agree with this point of view), why even mention Mossadegh when. 1.) those following his "path were in charge in 1979 while the armed forces were dismantled until they were pushed aside by the stronger political party (possessing the dictatorial qualities Iranians desired). 2.) he is dead with no designated successor 3.) he and his family and close supporters would have succumb to the same expectations as any other respectable Iranian, if hypothetically they would have stayed in power. Are you proposing Khatami? There are several letters on the same day as your posting listing the grave errors of the reformist, namely 2 million youths being added to the population every year wanting freedom, access to education, respect of cultural identity etc. Reformist having no real power (unlike Gorbachev). Even being banned to hold a dialog with USA (and, I suppose, dialog with Iranian opposition to IRI) in the "Year of Dialogue Among Civilizations". I can see the negatives that you mention, but so what? What positive steps are you proposing? Given the circumstance and the Iranian psyche that you mention, the rapid industrialization of the 1953 to 1979 period (and the general education and technical training that goes with it) seems like a very good solution that met both the modernist desires for greater participation and the 70% illiterate public's desires for a better life. If you had taken the free election in 1979 and followed the slow path to reform as Khatami suggested you would have a population that respected the role of religion in Iran (if not the clergy), access to the skills and capital of those that were kicked out, no war and isolation. But that is just history too. If your revolution would have added a spiritual and democratic aspect on top of the Pahlavi's achievement great, but having mass executions in place of spirituality and Guardian Council with their chosen Kh --- whatever in place of democracy, all we have seen from your revolution is your inability to promote democracy in a country like Iran. Again, what exactly do you propose and what are your objections to a UN sponsored referendum for a future form of government. * Should not discrediti intellectuals Dear Mr. Mohsen Gorgi, ["Whoever came to power..."] Welcome on board of the Iranian Times, your comments are most welcome only that you are not the only person to have an opinion and even if indeed you exercise a noble profession of a Medical Doctor that doesn't put you above other Iranian citizens. YOUR People are People. During the Shahs reign given the priority given to Industry the two most distinguished proffesions were that of Doctors and Engineers as if other profesions did not count as much. Agayeh Doktor Salaam Arze meekonaam and so forth. However a civil society needs more than just Doctors and engineers to advance. A country also needs thinkers, politicians, writers artists,workers and peasants, social workers etc... One of the complexes which are being overcome by Iranians is the notion of education. When critics have arised towards certain Intellectuals or as it was common to say ANN TELECTUALHA who are accused of being responsible at least by some of our compatriots for the tragic course of the revolution was the fact that many back in 1979 thought that basically the fact that an individual had a PHD or another diploma gave that person an authority on all matters.This was not the case. We saw how Dr. Mehdi Bazarghan and others failed in their judgments on an individual like Khomeiny which Mr. Khatami still continues to praise even if he may not believe in it. This Intellectual complex has probably dissappeared today. Youngsters like to look at other role models and they are right. One of the major breakthroughs in Iranian society is probably this. The nation is not ashamed of itself. Don't get me wrong you are indeed important and you have without doubt contributed to the well being of YOUR compatriots but that is not the point. What counts in tommorows Iran is Democracy. Not the abstract notion but true Freedom and participation of all Iranians in a civil society. That means that each opinion counts. Iran is still far from being a totally stable democracy the recent trial in Iran are an evidence of how this current regime is run. The debate on the responsability of Intellectuals should not lead to discrediting Intellectuals in general. However you cannot disagree that something did go wrong in Iranian society be it the fault of the previous or current regime. The price was a heavy one. What one can hope is that the democratic transition in Iran if it has to take place will be a peaceful one. That does not mean that everything will be achieved but that the country is on its way to self determination. Ten years ago a certain French Actor Singer and political activist died shortly after the Second Persian Gulf War (that is what was to be known as the Desert Storm campaign). His name was Yves Montand. Ivo Levi (his real name) was the son of a communist partisan who had fled Faschist Italy. Like many people of his generation Montand was faithful to the ideals that communism and especially the Soviet Union seemed to carry. He was therefore a companion of the communist movement without neccessarily being a party member. It was only when he realized in 1953 that the Soviet Union of Stalin was a brutal regime as much responsible as Hitlers Nazi regime thanks to Krutchevs report on the crimes commited by Stalin such as more than a million deportees in Goulags in Siberia that he started to realize the extent at which he was manipulated as an individual. This is the man who gave us beautiful songs like "A Paris", "Le Chats des Partisans"and also films like "L'Aveu" or "Z" of Costa Gavras. In the first film he took a courageous step by shocking his own political sympathizers by showing the political threat of the Tchekoslovakian regime and the tortures commited in the name of communism. The film was based on the real life of a certain Michael London a minister in the Tchekoslovakian government who became a dissident. The second was a film on the Generals Coup in Greece. Montand was not faultless but he had the courage as an intellectual to put his own convictions in balance in the name of Democracy. He did it based on his origines and based on his personal experience. I see someone like Mohsen Makhbalbaf as a typical example of a citizen who in my personal opinion follows the same intellectual path and he carries on. I may not share his views on everything but he has the credit after having been a firm partisan of the Islamic revolution to have put into question his political engagements in films like "Noon va goldoon" or his latest film on the Taliban woman. In that I respect him even if his views may differ from mine. In addition he is a great director. That is just to point out that a citizen in a democratic society has to know that Democracy is not granted. The West has realized that in a harsh way quite recently. The end of the Cold War has set in front of us other challenges some of them unexpected. Let's hope for humanity that the challenge will open barriers rather than create new ones. Regards, * 1935 , not 1926 Dear Mr.Kadivar, ["Persian Aryan myths"] Thanks for your comment on Persian and European Histories.Just a reminder; if I remember correctly it was in April 1935 , not 1926 that his Imperial Majesty by a decree and against the expert's advice changed the name of Persia to Iran and created a new borne country that has no history or culture as far as foreigners are concerned. Regards, * Deeply sorry Dear Kobra Khanom, I never wrote to you, but always read what people wrote to you, and, what you wrote back. When I read that you called it quits, I felt deeply sorry ... It just felt like loosing a very close member of family. Wherever you are, wherever you go, and whatever you do, I wish you the best of the best in the world. Regards, MS * What did you expect? It is entirely justified that Mohsen Alavi ["Iranians will never get ahead"] felt enraged enough to respond to Siamack Baniameri's letter on the "Passive aggressive volcano" syndrome he claims that Iranian women have. However, these letters have flayed a very raw nerve inside of me, for the criticism is aimed in a most inappropriate direction. Understand this: Freud was wrong in his assertion that sex is the most important motivator. Our most vital desires, apart from food and drink, are to feel validated by other human beings and to feel competent in our ability to influence the world. In short, to be able to fully connect and engage with the world. Psychologists wired an eight week old baby's pillow so that when the baby pressed his head back, a colourful mobile would spin. The baby, even at that age, recognized that he could control part of his world, and grew excited, wriggling about in his cradle. Leave a toddler with some object that they have never seen before and without fail she will poke, prod, rip, throw, stroke and punch it in an attempt to find out what it is, what it does, and what it means. The search for meaning is hard wired within both males and females from birth, and is something that cannot be removed from our desires. Ever. What happens, then, to a person who has been told from birth that they have no value? A child who hears her father say to all and sundry "I have no children," when she expects to be valued by her family? A child who is trained as soon as she learns to speak that she does not have an identity of her own, that her only value lies in what she can provide firstly for her male relatives, and then eventually her future husband? An adolescent who is constantly harassed, perhaps even beaten and arrested by religious police for trivialities such as wearing lipstick or nail polish, or showing her ankle in the street, or even (horror of horrors!) a wisp of hair from beneath her veil? An adult who has been told all her life that she is a burden, because the dowry system insists that her birth automatically imposes a massive debt on her family? Do Siamack Baniameri and Mohsen Alavi honestly believe that a human being can grow to maturity in this kind of emotionally toxic environment into a well-adjusted and fulfilled person? That there is nothing essential in their souls that would rupture with the despair of finding that nobody in their lives sees them as worthy human beings? >>> FULL TEXT Rick Pratchett, * I very much wish to talk My dear Iranian, I am a Pakistani woman writer. Since September 11, I feel a great turmoil in my soul. What is happening in the Muslim world? Where are we heading ? If we are an entity -- what kind of identity do we wish to have? All we can see on the TV is BBC, CNN, or the Indian TV Channels. I very much wish to talk to and listen to some Muslims from other countries. The revolution in Iran had at first inspired people like me as it challenged a super power like the US. But the killing of women that followed completely horrified and disgusted us. Now it seems that Iran is emerging from this phase. But I still do not understand this obsession with women's hair. It seems perverse and insulting to me that women MUST cover their heads. I will never do that. And perhaps, therefore, never come to Iran. If women's hair is supposed to be so lustful, will it be acceptable if I shave my head and come to Iran? Pakistani women, as you know, do not wear Western dresses. We have never felt the need to do so. I have translated the works of Farough Farrukhzad into Urdu.Do people still read her in Iran? I hope you will respond to my letter. Khuda Hafiz. Sincerely, * Mohammad Ali Salahi We are looking for our lost brother, Mohammad Ali Salahi, son of houshiar, last time contacted us , he was in houston, Texas. You are our brother and we love you. Please contact us via iranian.com or email us at finlandj@aol.com. If anybody know him or his phone #, please email us. Thanks a lot, B., I. and G. Salahi * Iran-Iraq war Can you please suggest one or two substantial books on the Iran-Iraq war. * Iranian holidays? Dear Sir or Madam, We have neighbors who are Iranian, and we would like to send them appropriate greeting cards for their major holidays. Could you please tell us the names, dates, and some ideas for appropriate greeting cards for major Persian holidays? Thank you!
|
|
|
Web design by BTC Consultants
Internet server Global Publishing Group