October 5, 2001
* Equally important
In reply to "Mass
murder":
It is a bit disconcerting that The New York Times of all publications
would print Petikoff's article,
even as paid advertisement. However it is interesting as it spells out how
the right wing libertarians think about Islamic Fundamentalism, the Middle
East, and the developing world in general.
It is equally important to note however that an equally appalling call
to mass murder is included in every chant of "Death to America",
in massive Friday prayers throughout the Islamic world. Specially since
we now know for sure that it has not been merely metaphorical. "Death
to America" was never the kind of logic that was subject to discussion
or opposition either, so we all dismissed it as a bengin ritual for the
poor, powerless and misguided people of the repressed Islamic world.
But if there is any hope for democracy and civilized values to take hold
in that part of the world, it should start by us taking them seriously,
treating them like adults and holding them responsible to their words and
actions. In that regard I don't think people who have been shouting "Death
to America" in Iran for 22 years are at all innocent or misguided.
They would not qualify as victims of "collateral damage" if they
were struck by us. As for the ordinary Iranians, to the extent that they
choose to tolerate rather fight this kind of logic, they are implicated
as well. To the extent that they are not heros, they are not totally innocent
victims either.
As a civilized nation, we must try to protect ourselves and fight, only
when necessary, to achieve worthy objectives. As we fight in Afghanistan
to uphold these values, the moral burden of any tragic collateral damage
would befall the murdurous Taliban and not us. We cannot act like loving
surrogate fathers for all misbehaing "children" around the world.
This is particularly important since our defense may not stop at eliminating
the Taliban.
This week's New York Times magazine printed an insightful editorial
titled "This is a religious war", finally the kind of analysis
intelligent readers expect to see. This is a far deeper conflict and the
masses of people shepherded to hate and take a shot at our civilization
cannot be treated as innocents, no matter how numerous and illiterate they
are.
Omid Parsi
New York
* I don't buy insanity
In reply to Leonard Peikoff's "Petikoff's
article":
Dear Lenny,
I read your recent musings on a solution to the problems you perceived
and I must say I agreed with a lot of what you said until you conveniently
left out a few important factors like History and Truth. I am not trying
to change your mind, (golly, why would I?) it's clearly hopeless. I don't
have an answer. I am trying like everyone to figure out how this could have
happened. What could possibly have led to this and why would someone get
so angry to do this. I don't buy the religious fundamentalism excuse. I
don't buy insanity. I believe it's more about politics and desparation at
being kept down. It's manipulation by a few bad people trying to cover it
up with something smelly so we won't find out the truth.
I would however, like to help you tighten up your argument by adding
in the bits you left off, either because you didn't have enough money to
buy more space (Lord knows no one would publish it freely) in the NYT or,
you just don't have all the facts straight and your justifiably high emotional
level at this time, caused your lapse in judgment. Of course I'm just being
polite. Think of it as being "Objective" like you are supposedly
expert at >>>
FULL TEXT
Shirzad Mahmoudi
* No (big) worries
In reply to Leonard Peikoff's "Petikoff's
article":
I would not worry too much of this becoming mainstream American Policy.
Just look at his affiliation. The Ayn Rand Institute is on the lunatic
extreme-right fringe of the American political spectrum, and very few people
pay attention to their rantings and ravings.
I am just surprised that The New York Times would publish their
advertisement. Maybe the Iranian should organize a write-in campaign protesting
the ad to The New York Times.
Karim Pakravan
Chicago
* Sick man
Dear New York Times staff,
I am writing to you as an European of Iranian origin, but foremost a
human being, to express my disbelief and utter amazement at your decision
to accept and publish such a abusive, war mongering and hateful piece of
a sick man's mind dump in
your reputable and respected paper.
I hope that you are aware that by hosting such "advertisements"
your are effectively providing a public platform to a minority of mindless
and short-sighted bigots, in a time when what we need most is logical and
objective pursuit of justice.
Peace!
Kamran Dianat
United Kingdom
* Passion for hatred
Dear Dr. Peikoff,
I read with great amusement your paid advertisements in The Washington
Post, and The New York Times. I was fascinated by your ignorance,
your passion for hatred, and your lack of knowledge about the Middle East.
I am shocked how the editors of these papers even allow you to publish
such biased information, no matter how much money you spend!
As an American who is very proud of his Iranian heritage, may I suggest
that you do some basic reading about the history of Iran. A book called
"The Lion and the Eagle" written by Professor James Bill is a
good start for you.
I have noticed that you do have a history of publishing articles without
doing your basic research (this is indeed interesting, since you hold a
doctorate degree). May I remind you about your passionate writings on health
care and the fact that "it is not a right", or how you wrote a
letter criticizing the movie Titanic and how it glorified communism
without even watching it! These articles are rather humorous and perhaps
you can publish them to the joke section of various Iranian internet magazines.
If you are ever in the Washington D.C. area, please drop me an email,
and we can have coffee together. You would benefit greatly from being exposed
to other cultures, and people who are tolerant and respect each other.
Last but not least, numerous studies have shown that hatred, racism,
and constant thought of revenge increases one's chance of developing cardiovascular
disease.
Sincerely,
Alireza Maghsoudi M.D.
* Wake up
As a person of Persian heritage when I did become a US citizen, I re-channeled
my loyalty in its entirety and exclusively to the United States of America
for all great values it stands for. This paid article
by Ayn Rand's Leonard Peikoff clearly takes the opposite approach of
advocating to divert the US resources for Israel, albeit by rewriting the
US foreign policy so that the Israeli interests superseded those of the
US.
This so called "objectionist" view point continues to take
American ideals and twists them around to fit egotistical ambitions in the
context of Israel's expansionist doctrine at the expense of disenfranchising
over 1.4 billion Muslims to say the least. Well, Mr. Peikoff: Wake up to
realize the US does continue to stand for "freedom, democracy and justice
for all."
That does extend at times to promoting the same theory to all countries.
Every American recognizes that bombing and annihilating Iran or any other
country to serve your twisted purpose is not the solution. Grant it that
officials in those countries have committed many wrong doings. That would
give us as Americans even more reasons to take the side of their masses
that are oppressed by tyrannical regimes; Israel is not excluded either.
To sum up, I feel sorry for those who contribute toward your non-for-profit
organization to find their money? wasted for your babbling. I trust the
Internal Revenue Service would investigate your organization and other similar
ones soon.
Bagher R. Harand
* Don't lose it
If I am not dreaming, it was few years ago when Rob Sobhani the partial
Iranian friend was trying to run for the U.S. Senate from Maryland to become
a civil rights protector for Iranians in the Washington area.
He was on all Iranian TV shows, paid or unpaid, talking about how the
U.S. lawmakers discriminate against Iranians and that he was there to rescue
us.
Amazingly after the New York and Washington incidents somehow overnight
he become a terrorisom expert. It's mind boggeling. He never told us that
while he was begging for Iranian-Amercian votes.
Aside from that, you had to see the first day when Fox News got ahold
of him and if you did not know him you would think this guy was born in
Oklahoma and Rob is really his name.
He said to the Fox local anchor, "We in this counrty had done a
bad job and let all the bad apples come into this country... " Oh my
god.... Rob jaan, don't you ever loose your esaalat. Don't get confused
when some media organization invites you and asks your opinion. Don't lose
it.
Don't ever forget where you come from buddy. This is not your country
even if you carry that U.S. passport or citizenship. You should replay some
of your so-called interviews with CNN and see the way you kept saying"our
country" and "We... we... we..." like "We should not
give visas to everyone."
I am so happy you did not get enough votes to run for the Senate otherwise
you would have interuduced a bill to deport all Iranina from "your
country".
B.Z.
* Dispassionate passion
In the wake of the Sept.11 tragedy, I came across this site quite by
accident, but was hooked up by some of the most intelligent and, at the
same time, gut wrenching and soul searching articles I have ever read (certainly
including the satire section).
For example, Mr. Housmand's article, "Strange
new world", is amazingly dispassionate, yet full of passion for
all the humanity. I salute him for his eloquence and wish that at least
some of the media outlets would draw on your writers' wisdom.I am a US citizen,
but born and raised in Poland, have always felt like a Citizen of the World,
but your site makes me even more so.
Thank you for giving me a new perspective.
Regards,
Mary Wojnicki
* Change and adaptation
Noshi ["United
we shall heal"] like so many other Iranians who have been in this
country for long time complains that they are not yet considered American.
The fact that most people living in the United States are immigrants, and
because there are no discriminations (I mean legally) and due to everything
else this society is known for, does not make you accepted as "American.
One who have lived here for a few decades, change his name from Samad
to Sam or Batool to Bety, have a college degree, live in a nice neighborhood,
even have married to an America, still does not make him or her an American.
Having a Green Card or holding a US passport, although gives one certain
legal rights, does not make one "accepted.
To be accepted, in my opinion requires change and adaptation: Are you
willing to be accepted? I means REALLY willing to let go (or let loose)
of how you are feeling about your homeland. Are you ready to change your
political outlook, and religious standing that have shaped you to what you
are? What about your culture and history that you have identified yourself
with? What about how you are so quick to distance yourself from rest of
the Middle East and declare yourself as Persian. Or how you love to celebrate
Noruz, or cook Assh-e Naazri.
For us Iranians, it's hard to detach, isn't it?
Do you participate in this country's political process? Do you believe
in the system? Do you support the policies of the United States? Are you
willing to take up arms and fight for the interest of the United States,
wherever they may be? How do you feel about your teenager son and/or daughter
being sexually active? Do you own a US flag? How much do you know about
US Constitution? Do you have any books on US history? Do you go rock concerts?
What does 4th of July mean to you? What do you SEE when you see an America
soldier? Do you do "American" things ?
It's hard to adapt, isn't it?
Once you "Detached and did all the "Adaptations, you still
wouldn't make it! Because, in order to be accepted, you need to have been
from some European origins. And you are not.
Consider people from Cuba, Caribbean Islands, Mexico and rest of the
Central/South American countries. Are they accepted? Even though they are
closer to the Americans in so many ways. What about Blacks? They have lived
here for hundreds of years and their way of life has shaped a large part
of what made today's USA. Do they feel accepted? Asians are in the same
boat.
I can summaries it all like this:
1- To be accepted one has to leave behined what doesn't match in the
new system.
2- One has to accept what comes with the territory; politically, culturally,
and etc.
3- Make sure "they like to accept you as much as you like to be
accepted.
And the last things: Why would you want to?
Perhaps as a matter of convenience!
Ray Irani
* Moronic response
Honestly folks. If I wanted to hear a rant from a freaking hick, why
would I come to "THE IRANIAN" to read it? I am referring to the
article titled "Get
off the fence".
Was there a reason you felt the need to post such a moronic response
on your website?
Not only does this show the divisiveness which exists in the country,
it will more than likely infuriate most of the readers of this site, which
could cause reduced website traffic.
Not sure where the thinking laid on this one folks. Maybe it would be
a good idea to pull the article off.
Shervin Amoukhteh
* Somewhat irrelevant
Dear Roy;
Your response ["Get
off the fence"] to F. Kian's article, "American
Fundamen- talism", was excellent. I found his article as insensitive
and somewhat irrelevant at this tragic time in America.
You methodically challenged the immature and half-baked ideas of that
article as well as the misunderstood notion of what America is all about.
I mean, who would be referencing Lenin and Howard Stern in the same article
in this day and age?
Anyway, I just wanted you to know that Kian's article does not represent
the views of the majority of the Iranian people I know. I am an Iranian-born
American, and always proud of the fundamental American principals of liberty
and justice for all.
Farhang
* Contradicting
Dear Setareh,
After writing the previous letter ["Don't
get carried away"], I thought more about your piece ["We
are the victims"] and the following occured to me:
Since "As a woman you would rather live anywhere but Taliban's country"
,that obviously includes places like Nazi Germany.Would you have lived there
and put up with all the crimes just because the women had all the "rights"
, provided they were not Jews or blacks?
Accordingly , since apparently for you , the women's right has priority
over human's rights , why have you been so anti Pahlavis in your previous
writings? Didn't they take the veil off by force and granted so much women's
right that caused them so much trouble? Would you have also lived in Pahlavi
Iran rather than Bush's America? After all, it wasn't worse than Nazi Germany
or Sharon's Israel(including the occupied lands) .Or was it?
My point , dear Setareh , is , aren't you contradicting yourself by embracing
Sharon and rejecting Pahlavis? Or as you said you are a different person
now?
As far as the old country is concerned , People living in Iran ,including
the women , are responsible for their acts and for their government. They
will do what they deem appropriate according to the circumstances.Don't
rub it on them , please.In the meantime , you can search the world and find
the best places to live , whether it be Sharon's Israel,Nazi's Germany or
Bush's America.You already have done so ,and as we say , GOOSHEH NESHIN
DELESH FARAAKHAH.Since the human's right is not as important to you , probably
there are many more places to choose from.
Regards,
Peerooz
* We should liberate...
America and Co. will Definitely bring Zahir Shah back to power in Afghanistan
and the last moves of US and Pakistan show their major influence in the
new government of Zahir Shah. Despite hard efforts by Russia, Iran and India,
Americans continue to support Pakistan and even provide increasing financial
and diplomatic assistence. Again the new government of Afghanistan will
probably be a puppet of the US and Pakistan while Iran-Tajikistan will have
no influence and no role in the fate of their Afghan brethren.
Zahir may pursue secular and democratic ways and for this reason he would
not approach hardline Islamic Iran. He definitely will not approach Russia
and will escape from the influence of Tajikistan in the political sphere.
He prefers the West over Russia and Islamic republics. So he has wants to
be a puppet of the US-West along with Pakistan.
Only in the sphere of culture he can maintain relations with Tajikistan
and Iran. So again there is a great obstacle for the re-unification of Iranians
or all Iranian nations because of wrong and useless politics. The only way
of bringing all Iranians together is to maintain a nationalistic ideology
among all Iranian nations and dethrone Islamic and inhuman states. Islamic
Iran has lost a lot of chances of unification of all Iranians.
Iran supports Palestinians and gives Iranian money annually to Arabs.
But at the same time it had no role in bringing the peace in Afghanistan
and had no influence in the fate of the Kurdish people in Iraq and Turkey.
Instead Islamic Iran always sold Iranian interests to Pakistan and Turkey
and Iraq and other Arab countries.
Pakistan by any means has no right to decide about the fate of Afghanistan,
since it shares no cultural, national, linguistic and genetic feature with
Afghans. The Afghan issue should be the exclusive issue of only two countries
of the region: Iran and Tajikistan. This is the internal issue of these
nations.
Just because of the lack of attention, patriotism, and competence, Iran
and Tajikistan emerged as passive and pariah governments which left the
fate of Afghans to the enemies of Iranian nations. The only way of bringing
all Iranians to succes is dethrone all those cruel Islamic and puppet regimes,
raise nationalism among all Iranian nations, support nationalist fighters
in Kurdistan, Baluchistan and Pashtunistan of Pakistan, Central Asia in
a very legitimate and democratic way.
It's clear that in all those countries which have a large number of oppressed
Iranians, all these Iranian nations are left without basic human rights,
education, economic and social development etc. Only we should voice! The
voice of Kurds in Turkey and Iraq, Baluchis and Pathans in Pakistan and
India should be louder and be supported by Iranians and Tajiks. We should
make their voices reach to the global community. We should liberate them.
Amasingly I found that among Pashtuns in Pakistan there are some secular
and democratic movements which are very patriotic and nationalist rather
than religious. We should support such movements. Pakistan never wants a
peaceful Afghanistan, because a peaceful Afghanistan is a threat to Pakistan
which has a lot inter-ethnic conflicts. The peace in Afghanistan will be
a beginning of war in Pakistan, since there are many oppressed people in
Pakistan who are deprived from major human rights and they of course want
their independent national states.
E.A.
* Idea
I sent this cartoon idea to Saman: Two Afghan gunmen talking to each
other while planes far away in the sky are dropping aid (blankets, food
, fruits and bread)
-- First fighter: Are they carpet bom-in (bombing)?
-- Second fighter: No idiot. They are dropping blankets and food to fatten
you up before they slaughter you.
Dariush
* The right to live in their land
For a Shi'ite Moslem, you sure managed to repeat a number of old worn
out Zionist propaganda themes quite well. ["Reality
check"]
For example, the "Palestinians don't exist" theme which was
first voiced by Gold Meir. Here, the claim is that since no nation of Palestine
existed previously, then Israel isn't doing anything wrong by denying Palestinian
statehood now. Of course, the problem is that even if a Palestinian nation
didn't exist, a Palestinian people do exist, who have a right to continue
to live in their own homes and lands and not be driven out by Zionist aggression.
The other standard propaganda theme you repeated is known as the "Refugee
Weapon" myth: If the Palestinians in exile are miserable, it is only
because their fellow Arab countries did not accept them and give them passports,
not because Israel drove them out of their own homes. Of course, the problem
with this line of argument is that other countries are not required to clean
up after Israel, even if they are Arabs too. The idea that all the Palestinians
should just move to another country and live happily because they're all
just a bunch of Arabs is inherently racist, and betrays the tribalistic
thinking of Zionists.
Among other themes you've repeated are the "Poor Little Israel was
attacked" routine, the "Israel's security would be hampered by
a Palestinian state" routine, and a few others. And I hate to break
the news to you but Israel IS based on religious fundamentalism, and they
have killed civilians quite intentionally.
Anyway, everyone who has delved into the rhetoric of the Arab-Israeli
conflict is familiar with these worn out standard lies. None of them stands
up to much scrutiny.
J. Mohammadi
* Utterly unexpected
Absolutely love the horoscope...
it's so witty... and so utterly unexpected. and to start the thing with
a Benjamin quote... Who is this Mme Bayaz? She rocks!
Laleh Khalili
* Een chiyeh??
With all due respect, een cheeyeh?? what's up with the Horoscope? I though
the earlier letter was kidding, but I see now that I was sorely mistaken.
This looks more like a bollywood plot than a horoscope for me. When are
my lucky days?? What day is good for romance and business?? CHEE SHOD?
Let's spruce it up a bit!
Mitra
* Great edge
Thanks very very much for your poem, "Shekaf".
Your poetry reminded me of Sohrab, with a great edge. I absolutely loved
your last line:
"I am rain
pouring from soil to sky."
Wow! Great image--I bet this rain is brown.
Thanks again,
Moji Agha
* Language schools in Iran?
I'm sorry to trouble you with this inquiry, but I was hoping that you
might have information about schools in Iran that offer Persian language
courses for English speakers. I have spent time traveling in Iran and taken
a limited amount of Persian language instruction through University of Califirnia,
Berkeley.
However, I feel it would be more productive to learn this language while
actually in Iran. Any information you have about how to go about this would
be greatly appreciated.
Much thanks,
Jonah Holmes
* Lion symbol
I am a Sinhalease and our flag is the symbol of lion. Iranian flag was
a lion one too. can you write about your lion flag. Send us picture of that
flag.
Wth Metta,
Deshappriya Jayasuriya
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