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August 5, 2004 * Iran in Shahnameh Dear Mr. Kadivar, [Sekandar, Iran and Aryans] The word "Iran" comes literally thousands of times in the Shahnameh, and is the name used in the poem for the whole country we now call Iran / Persia. The word originally referred to the inhabitants of the country, rather than the country itself, and this is clear from the fact that the country is also sometimes called "Iran-zamin" , ie "the land of the Aryans". The word is of pre-Islamic origin, and derives from the same Indo-European root from which the English word "Aryan" derives. Aryan more precisely refers to the speakers of a language rather than to the descendants of a common ancestor. Because this was an Indo-European language, Persian has many cognates in other Indo-European languages >>> Full text * Sekandar, Iran and Aryans Dear Mr. Davis, * Poll: Has he got a clue? Dear Manesh, * They dseserve worse, but come on! I appreciate the platform you provide for contributors to express their points of view, and I always enjoy the diversity of opinions expressed. However, I think the "Chera F... Shodam?" satire is of extremely poor taste. I am not referring to the cotext, but am amazed you allow such foul language and unrelated hardcore porn photos to appear on your website. Would
you want your family be exposed to this kind of vulgarity?
I think not. The akhound from Bandar Abbas dseserves worse,
but Effat-e Kalam should not be copmromised. Otherwise
we are as bad as the mullahs in Tehran. * Bush is not as bad? Oh boy * It all disolved You claimed the "such loyalty and sacrifice (of the armed forces) stems back to Cyrus the Great, and the Imperial Guards" [Top gunned down]. However, you fail to mention that during the Sassanid Empire, the armed forces all disbanded and joined the Arab invaders because of the corruption and repression of the Zoroastrian clergy under Sassanid Rule. The Persian Empire collapsed with little blood lost, because the Persian armies never gave a fight (because they were tired of all the fighting against the Byzantines for hundreds of years). The same with the Shah's Imperial Guard. How long did that last when the revolution happened? It all disolved within a matter of days. Most of the generals left way before the revolution happened, or during the revolution for fear of their lives >>> Full text * Is this Islam? Again and again.... when are we (Iranians) are going to hold the mullah's responsible for what they are doing to the Baha'is? [Takhreeb] What have they done to deserve such treatment from the government? Is this Islam's teaching to persecute other religions? Does Islam teach hatred for other religions? Where is this written in the Holy Qoran? Don't make any mistake about it, the future generation will hold each and everyone of us (Iranians) responsible for this savage act. * Words we hear a lot What are the interpretations of the following words in Farsi which we have heard a lot and not truly understand the meanings? [Saturday school ] 1- Dayoos * Guatemala impressions Dear Ms. Ravon, I really enjoyed your pictures from Guatemala. Your selections give a good impression of the kind of environment there is in that country. Thank you and good luck to you. * Ojoobeha Thank you very much for making this great site available to
all the Iranian music lovers. I was wondering if you had any
of the songs from a group called Ojoobeha (they were a group
that surfaced for a short time in mid 1960s) and
could possibly add it to this collection. * Palestinians should be -- wiped out? I think it's important to know what you're talking about before you broadcast whatever it is you're trying to say [Placing blame where it counts]. It's evident you don't. I'm sorry to sound hostile, but I have Jewish family and friends, and you are simplifying a terrible conundrum as they would, too, testify. You make it sound as if intellectuals are babysitters. Why don't you go live somewhere where you have absolutely no human rights and are getting pushed into the water after having your home taken away and pull off a peaceful demonstration. Let's see if you can change human nature's reaction to hostililty after years of colonialism (hell, at least they're not weilding machetes like some other post-colonial societies we know). Things haven't always been this way and unfortunately the world pays attention to blood more than rational, intelligent words (look at Edward Said and how he got sidelined). Maybe if there were more people pushing for a negotiable solution (let's get back to the ORIGINAL agreements), then it wouldn't be such an all-or-nothing situation. But, no one stuck to the original agreement and hence the Palestinians should be -- wiped out, you'd say? According to World Watch organizers and human rights groups, the death of Palestinians has reached genocidal numbers but we're too afraid to use that word because Jews have a history of genocide. I think that's pretty stupid but people can be stupid. Anyway, be careful when pulling propaganda without enough knowledge to pull it off. * Attacking our baby, Googoosh Azam aziz, [Iranian Diva] There are four kinds of people who attack Googoosh. 1- people who are just jealous because they cannot hold a
candle to her sunshine. * Like Kurdistan's rivers Dear Nemati, I wanted to than you so much for compiling these beautiful Kurdish songs. And Rojan's voice is just beautiful, just like the Kurdistan's rivers. I was wondering if you have made a video of this performance. If you have not, please to do so. I am sure it would be a great success. Best wishes for you and your group specially for your vocalist, Rojan. * Photocopygenic Thanks a lot for putting my collection at the Iranian.com [Glass wall]. The interesting is the fact that the whole process of these pictures was totally based on a coincidence. Two months ago I was photocopying several school related papers in De Anza College's Cafeteria [in Cupertino, California]. And I accidentally pushed the bottom 'start' on the photocopy machine while my hand's palm was on the screen. To my surprise the outcome of photocopy (zirax) of my hand was quite interesting. So just for the sake of it I put face on the screen of the photocopy machine in the middle of De Anza College's Cafeteria. Like an insane, I continued taking the photocopy of my face since then and the collection you saw is the result. The interesting fact is that I have tried taking the photocopy of my face in many other photocopy machines too. I have photocopied my face in Kinkos, Santa Clara University and many other place; but it is only the De Anza College's Cafeteria Photocopy machine that has given good results. As one of my friends says: "I may not be photogenic, but I am definitely a photocopygenic". * US should clean house in Iran Thanks for reading my article [Do not be fooled] but I respectfully disagree! [Full relations] Lie down with dogs - you get up with fleas...that's practical advice (not idealistic at all). The Akhoonds are dogs - and the US will rise up with fleas (it will have a hard time getting rid of). Remember, 9/11 terrorists were nationals of Allies (Saudi Arabia and Egypt ... totalitarian dogs with good relations with the US, that sent fleas here ...). Raprochement with Iran will create, not reduce, anti-US terrorism - that was my point. US should clean house there and build from a clean foundation - like in Iraq. The mullah's must go - and go now. Short-term help to the Iranian people is less important than sustainable, long-term help - in the form of a real democracy. The very problem with US policy has been its short-term orientation. * Deterioration overdue Dear Massud, [Oh, make it all a nightmare!] Are you kidding?!! I am over-joyed that the "reformists" are finally getting the hell out. The hippocrites who only added to the life a scoundrel government deserve to leave in disgrace. The smiling mullah who got elected president of one of the most corrupt regimes in the history of mankind is nothing but a two-faced, conniving criminal. I cannot believe that so many people fell for them and actually thought that they were going to implement actual reform within a rigid, archaic dictatorship run by a bunch of under-educated Islamist men. The regime that was due to deteriorate many years ago lasted because of the support it received from people LIKE YOU! Shame on you for letting this tyrranical regime continue to crush our people's souls and minds for so many years. * I won't vote for Torkzadeh I followed the link from your Today page to MTV's "Choose or Lose" page to see who Reza Torkzadeh is and why I should vote for him on that site! As I began reading his essay I thought it was well written and supported a good cause (community service and voluntarism, etc.) But then he went down the path that many Iranians go trying to get credit and sympathy at the expense of the"Iranian Revolution". Now, reading any of the pieces I have written on Iranian.com shows that I am no fan of the Islamic Republiuc of Iran or the ruthless religious fundamentalists that lead it. But it disturbs me to hear yet another Iranian who claims to have fled Iran in 1979 or shortly thereafter to save their lives from certain annihilation and doom! But history shows that a large percentage of these people didn't leave Iran to save their lives and indeed no one was after them and they just had the money and resources to pack up and leave. Even worse were those who mismanaged the country and ran it into the hands of Khomeini and his followers and then left Iran (without even being in any danger necessarily) leaving the less fortunate to deal with the wrath of the Mullahs! So, the answer is NO, I won't vote for Reza Torkzadeh because he wants to win hearts and minds at someone else's expense! Cheers, * What's wrong with praising Islam? Dear Faye (Fereshteh) Farhang, [How about just doing your job?] Salaam va Doorood. Shirin Ebadi has neither failed Iran or Iranians. She has lived in Iran the past 25 years, even spent a year in prison for her activities. She has defended the oppressed, the down-trodden and those who lost or have no rights in society. However, I saw your mindset in your article. You mentioned the "raping of virgins in the prisons." That happened in the early years of the revolution. Things have changed dramatically in the past 15 years (especially past 7 years) of the IRI. I am in no way saying Iran is now some kind of utopia, or even close to it. It is far from it. However, the Iran of 24 years ago is radically different than the Iran of today >>> Full text * Orgasm or perish Ms. Najmabadi, [Sexual politics of naming] I am surprised with a well known scholar such as yourself who builds a scholarly proposition on fictional evidence (In parsi tongue Afsaneh?) regarding the sexuaity and sexual eroticism in Iran. I suppose when it comes to publish or perish one should choose perish if she or he has to compromise one's chosen disciplinary principles for the sake of publication. But don't get me wrong-- just to see one's work in print holding it with both hands is as erotic as you can get worth overriding any deep held principle that one is adhering to -- even having seven orgasms one after another in one shot intercourse pales color when compared to the euphoria experienced of having one's book in hand. Professor Danesh, Ret. * Change is slow When it's all said and done what will we accomplish? [Last Tango with Tehran] No matter what we do Ms. Zahra Kazemi will still be dead. The Islamic Republic of Iran has already sentenced a person for the murder of Ms. Zahra Kazemi. Ms. Ebadi, the attorney of Zahra Kazemi will eventually re-open this case. Dr. Ebadi will eventually obtain more awards. Ms. Ebadi may one day become the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. But will anything change? Not much. The Rafsanjanis, Khatamis, and Ebadis of the world are so many and change is slow. Iranian Immigrants in America should be proud that we live in a democratic republic. After watching Fahrenheit 9-11 I know that our lives are better than some bums living in the 3rd world. God bless America. And God bless us all. And why not? * I'm Croatian and proud I just got done reading the new article by Siamack Baniameri [Drama queens]. I stayed up until 3 in the morning the other day to see Iran's second match in China live, and man was it painful. Here, while I would like to echo and sustain all of Baniameri's many right-on and witty points, I would like to especially draw out one particular point. He is absolutely right about Iranians propensity to blame their own shortcomings on others. It's always someone else who has done us wrong, while we, the righteous have always been victims of evil-doer's satanic designs >>> Full text * Q is for Queer Is it not fun to have so many comedic writers on the same issue of the Iranian? Q. Bolourchian (hereafter Q for brevity AND for Queer - as in strange!) has such an insight into the future that one wonders why his ESP has been ignored all these times. Using the predicting powers of his crystal ball, Q gives us a picture of things to come (in the event of Bush starting war with Iran: >>> Full text * Intolerant intolerance Hahaha! [Q is for Queer] Nothing like denouncing Islamic intolerance by egaging in intolerance yourself! I may just BE Queer, can you handle it? * Horrible role model I am really shocked to read a commentary [All good] for a book (a piece of garbage really [Farah Pahlavi's "An Enduring Love"]) and recommending it. I have not read the book and have no desire to read it. I saw the old gold digger who is truly an embarrassment to Iranian people because she is really stupid and after having lived more than 26 years in the Western world, her English is horrible >>> Full text * Liberation from within Just some facts here in response to "Top gunned down", Your American freedom fighters freed Iran about 50 years ago or so from a democratic government and gave it to a dumb ass dictator. Iran was librated about 25 years ago by Iranians but we (all of us) with the help of some foreign forces f*&ked up again and let it slip into this mess. And some opinion: Those who advocate for a foreign country to come with force and liberate Iran are nothing but traitors. True liberation needs to come within and by the Iranian people. I doubted you would ever take part in that, as you and I have found a safe heaven here and waiting for others to sacrifice and liberate the country again. And I will assure you, if Americans ever tried such adventure, they will face a bigger Shock & Awe then what they have got in Iraq. * Give me the job! I found Mr. Mohammad Poor's review of Radio
Farda's web site [A
vision for Farda] to be a terribly biased and unprofessional
critique. It made me wonder what his true intentions were by writing it.
Perhaps the
list of his suggestions at the end of his article can be a clue to that.
Something like, "GIVE ME THE JOB, I CAN DO IT BETTER!!" * Az maast k-e bar maast Ever since Shirin Ebadi won the Nobel Peace Prize, I have been reading news items of demonstrations against her and articles condemning her. Lately I just read the titles, not the actual articles! All countries around the world invite her to speak at universities and come to listen to her but her own people, Iranians, demonstrate against her outside those universities and lecture halls! Is there anything more shameful than this for a nation? All I want to say is one thing: ever since people came together and established nations, we Iranians are probably the only nation on the face of this earth that criticize, condemn, demonstrate against and attack one of our own WHO HAS WON THE NOBEL PRIZE! Every other nation in the world would be proud that one of its citizens has won such a prestigious award. Arab women, Southeast Asian women, even Western women laud her and praise her for her untiring work and courage, but we Iranians, her own people, demonstrate against her and write so called "scholarly" articles against her! Can we Iranians do ANYTHING ELSE except criticize
each other and whine and nag about everything! I hate
to say this, especially as an Iranian, but I guess we, as a
nation, deserve what we have! As the saying goes: "«az
maast k-e bar maast"! * Military intervention Dear Mr. Mahmoud Ghaffari, [Top
gunned down] It is important for historians to look back at those troubled years where many Iranians actually hoped for an American intervention or a military coup especially after things turned from bad to worse in the political life of our nation when the Islamic fundamentalist students took over the US embassy with the help of PLO terrorists >>> Full text * Shame on you, Team Melli! I watched the game and while my patients were waiting in the office, I stood there and watched a disappointing end to a disappointing game [Not to be]. I have played the game and have been in similar situation, where after a tie game and a tie extra 30 minute, the game ended up in penalty kicks. Our coach, a player of our own caliber, realized and recognized that I, a less experienced defender, should not be in the game during the last minutes. There needed to be better "kickers" or at least ones with better knowledge of kicking a ball into a huge goal from freaking few steps >>> Full text * Tone of language I suggest to review materials such as "Chera F... Shodam" before publication. I support free expression; however, such articles might be published in a different site with similar tone of language. Constructive critisism and open communication with the author prior to publication might effect modification of the tone of langauage and wording for your site. Good luck, * Failing each other Dear Faye, [How about just doing your job? ] It seems as if you are trying your best to discredit and undermine shrirn ebadi's efforts in iran and abroad by placing a rather heavy burden, the responsibility to represent our nation's integrity in the world and expose the criminals, solely on one person's shoulders, and then you go on to criticize iranians for being too self-involved and individualistic, a punishment and a criticism that is totally unrelated and unfair to the crime that you claim to have been committed >>> Full text * Rajavi supporter or not Dear Mr Mohammadi, [Kooky Hughes] You have attempted to use the old tactic of discrediting the messenger to reject the message!! [Growing sex trade] Whether Donna Hughes is a supporter of Maryam Rajavi or not, the growing sex trade and slavery of young Iranian women by the muslim clerics of Iran is a real shame and MUST be stopped. According to some estimates, over 2,000,000 women in Iran are involved in the sex trade. That is, 1 in every 14 woman in Iran. This is shameful. Not for the women, but for the men who have caused and allowed this to happen. Would you react
the same way if your 16 year old sister or daughter were sold
to some Arab or Pakistani man and was
providing sex to upwards of 20-30 men a day? * Logical advice I have been glued to your advice column [Abjeez]. Not only are the stories intrieging, your advice is like a free couseling session. You give unbiased logical realistic advice. I have gotten many people onto this website, many just to view your advice column...so keep up the great work! * Soopoor or "superintendent" Soopoor is actually a bastardized version of "super" or "superintendent," or the person who gathers the trash of the apartment building and disposes of it on designated days [Saturday school ]. The super also does light labor and repair work on the behalf of the owner of the house and for the residents. I am sure there is a joke in here somewhere. Something to do with the English or something. * Follows logic Simply one of the best articles I have read regarding the US - Iran relationship and in general an excellent assessment of the situation. [W is for War - with Iran ] It contains facts and follows logic. * What many believe Thanks for finally publishing what many
Iranians in Iran believe and would like to hear. [W
is for War - with Iran ] * 'Liberate' Iran's billions This is a rather nostalgic and unrealistic look at the Nojeh coup attempt. [Top gunned down] Let us not forget that the coup was a foolhardy attempt to topple the Islamic regime at the height of revolutionary fervour, with blind disregard for the prevailing social and political currents of the time. It would not have succeeded, and would likely have caused more bloodshed had it developed any further than it did. Also, I would much rather that the US 'liberate' billions of Iranian assets that it has been holding for decades than to 'liberate' Iran. * No military action Would you please name one time President Bush has even remotely said he's going to "attack Iran"? [W is for War - with Iran ] Those who are going around claiming this should be held accountable for their blatant lies and deception. Read this several times especially the part that reads "NO MILITARY ACTION ON IRAN", and FOMET REVOLT - meaning REVOLUTION - not military action. That's been said a million time by President Bush and the entire administration. What President Bush wants to do in Iran is help the opposition overthrow the government inside the country, military action is totally off the books.
* How dare you? I could not help but laugh that either this chick [Left to rot] is really stupid or has balls enough to think the rest of us are stupid. If my memory does not fail me this is the same person who did not know who Dariush the singer is [He's not Shahram] and thought going to a concert made her more Iranian and advertised the fact that in her home Farsi was not the spoken language and neither was Iranian music the music of choice. How dare you bored (no doubt well off) person giving yourself the right to give an opinion on Bam? So you got your bored ass there to feel like you are Iranian, right? What did you do while there? >>> Full text * NO substance Why do you constantly print such pointless verbal diarrhoea by this Mohammad Atta clone? [My Iranian neo-con] Do you realise this man makes countless trips to and from Iran even though he writes illegible children's articles criticising the Mullahs? Do you realise this so-called die-hard Muslim was a supporter of the Mujahedin and its leader Rajavi and now considers himself somehow reformed? Do you realise that his pieces on the 'Days of our Lives' at some obscure fruit stand in Queens, where he resides, in addition to some tomato he bought on a break from dicing Halal meat at Mamoun's Falafel Palace on MacDougal Street, which he insisted to be from Palestine, but the stand owner maintained was from Israel and as a result he going to ask all his fellow cabbie friends to boycott the poor man's shop in protest, do NOT add substance to your website? I just ask you to be more objective in admitting these 'dunces' access to your website, as it just brings your credibility to an even lower level within the Iranian community (Zartoshti, Bahai, Massihi, Mosalman). * Difficulty in perfection Dear Ms. Farhang, [How about just doing your job?] Thank you for being interested in human rights and thank you very much for writing for the media. I am learning considerably from your article. I totally agree with you that one needs to go for a job after evaluating all sides of it. At the same time I have noticed the complexity of the social issues during my 60 years of being interested in people and in their well being. As you would agree the difficulty is in the extent to which we would like to see actions being close to our ideals and to the perfect situation. It is the speed with which we like to see the improvements that results in the main difference between our judgments. Fortunately we Iranians inside and outside Iran are improving in all aspects of life. It is gratifying to see that our activists are not claiming to be heroes or saviors. You hear: I am just an attorney. I follow the laws of the nation until we change them with better laws. I was glad to see that they are against hunger strike and say that a healthy individual can fight for her/his rights better and so on.We need more realistic active men and women and we know that this struggle is a continuous and lasting process. It started many centuries ago and will last for many to come. Thank you again for your valuable efforts . Mohamad
Navab * You liberals Sharif, [My Iranian neo-con] I thought you liberals were open minded people and quite tolerant of other point of views. After all, this is what you pride yourselves of being. Yet you are so shocked that some one else has a completely different point of view and opinion than you. Your intolerance is so ridiculous as to criticize your friend for reading the Wall Street Journal. Give me a break. You live in New York City, the capital of capitalism and you think that reading the Wall Street Journal makes you a radical freak in need of intervention? Go sip your cocktails at your posh upper east side parties. You are an intolerant snob who has his head up his ass. * Silent opening If I didn't know what Professor Najmabadi's specialised subject
was, reading her article, "Sexual
politics of naming", would have me believe that she
is the current incumbent of the prestigious Vali Khan chair
in Bums and Buggery, named after the legendary Vali Khan, an equal
opportunity bugger of the Qajar court who treated his objects of desire hole-ly
equally! As a matter of fact, the expression "bugger all" finds
its true usage in the exploits of Najmabadi's valiant Vali Khan. * Glad Dear Natasha and Boris, * Plastic foreingers Could you please advise me about any company / organisation doing cosmetic surgery for foreign people? Some of my friends are interested in doing their surgery in IRAN. I have explained to them that they can do it with a better quality and reasonable price. * Iranian organisations in Madrid? Do you know of any Iranian organisations in Madrid, Spain? In particular I want to practice my Farsi and re-learn to read and write it. Thanks, * Freedom of choice In reply to article 'Iranian Diva' by Azam Nemati I went through your article several times and I still can't realize your main purpose of writing such an article. Was it supposed to be general analysis of social problems like marriage/divorce, male sovereignty and oppressed women or did you try to teach us the basic life theories by exemplifying your trite family stories? Was it all boasting about your open minded and second to none father or was it about the trivial problem you have with your son and his interests? Or maybe you wanted to show how DIFFERENT you act as a lady who spits on the floor to express her objection like hooligans and used to tease her teacher by placing gum on his seat!? (I hope your son don't choose you as his role model!) Whatever your purpose was, I believe you totally chose the wrong subject for that. The title was Iranian Diva but all I could find about her was hardly 1 page of your 7-page article! What did you think you are doing? Chit chatting with a friend? >>> Full text Mr. Javid, I'm so glad I read that disclaimer by you [Not my nonesense]. I received a few of these e-mails with terribly rude and disgusting words and when I saw your name I was appalled! I said is this the "REAL" Jahanshah Javid? At any rate, you should have sent this disclaimer much earlier and in a more conspicuous place on the site for people to see. These e-mails have a very negative effect on people. NS |
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