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July 14, 2004Top

 

* Some choice!

Good for you Maryam! [Saving children from the chador]

I was one that allegedly took the veil "by choice." It was really just to please my (then, now ex) Iranian Shi-ite husband since he kept pestering me to humor him with it. So I humored him and, in return, demanded that it remain my own choice to either take or leave hijab. He acted affronted about that. He said women were NEVER forced to wear the hijab. They only wore it by choice.

When we went to Iran, I found out differently. Any attempt to remove the hijab resulted in beatings. Any stray hair peeping out resulted in harassment by the stupid morals police. Some choice! Now days, I think I'd just kill the next an that tried pressuring me in hijab I detest it so much! >>> Full text

Debra Watts

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* Promoting coups, or democracy?

I think posting the kind of mad articulation of a coup against Iran's govenment [Nice try] by pure treason, or a who-knows-who ghost who claims to be Iranian is an ultimate insult to the Iranian intellect.

I am surprized those who claim they want democracy and more freedom in Iran advocate such sick strategies of promoting coups and killings of innocent such as mass bombings and coups. This article incites violence and is against any acceptable standards in discussion groups. I ask your consideration and immediate removing this article.

I appreciate your realization of the outragousness of this article, in advance. Not removing this article sets a very backward standard and establishes greate recklessness, treason and terrorism as its best. The continuation in posting of this article can definitely not go without setting an alarm in our community and beyond.

Hess Aletaha

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* Upsetting

I wanted to let you know that this [Moe's "Top 10 things the 'opposition' should do"] really made a lot of people upset and downright angry at your website. At a time when students are demonstrating and fighting for freedom it's pretty sick to publish such a link.

Please take correctve action.

Arya B

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* Insulting one billion Muslims

Referring to a link in Updates to the Iranian Quran News Agency:

You ought to be ashamed of yourselves insulting the beliefs of more than one billion Muslims throughout the world by referring to their holy book as crap. Insulting other peoples' beliefs only demonstrates your own intolerance and ignorance. Try to grow up, or if you can't, stop publishing filth.

Mohammad R.
A concerned Iranian

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* A little worse

Just a correction to "Nice try": it has not been JUST the past 25 years that Iranians have been executed for having different opinions, but for the last 250 probably. The pervious regime dug its own grave by ignoring the people and now this regime is doing exactly the same, perhaps a little worse.

Mehrdad

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* If US-Israel don't like it, it must go

How unfortunate, indeed. [Cool it]

While reading your article about nuclear weapons, I was hoping, and not trying to question that you are a nuclear physicist or have extensive knowledge about the matter. Never the less, very good information, thank you.

I cannot and will not argue about any points, since I don't know any better. I can talk about radioactivity and general radiation in my tiny nuclide world of radiology, but nuclear weapons, that's another story >>> Full text

Hamid Bakhsheshi

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* Two-faced American World

Why is it that the Western world sits with their fingers up their asses while Israel has every weapon of mass destruction and then some. Where is the courage of the so-called convictions of the World? It is time that someone or many make this an issue and not later, NOW. I am really sick of this two faced phony American World sticking their heads in the sand over Israel. Get with it World.

Danuel Colter

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* Informative

I am leaving this note to thank Mr. Kasraei for writing the informative article under titled "Cool it". I think we need more scientific articles like this.

Morteza Fotouhi

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* Misunderstood

Having read the comments by Ms. Hakakian [Gone] on "The Outrage of Silence" (Bidade Sokoot) by Fereshteh Kosar, I was disappointed with the review, as it appears that the reviewer has not thoroughly read the book.

As a result the whole concept of the book was misunderstood and misinterpreted. Ms. Hakakian clearly ignored and dismissed the merit the book and the author deserve.

Mitra Rafiii

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* Misleading notions

I guess that by conducting such surveys in your own community, you can probably be called one of those iranians who have done their fair share of becoming and educated voter and that is very admirable [Educated vote]. But when it comes to evaluating the economic accomplishments of the system, let's not get carried away by the outcome of such not-so-reliable economic assessments that you mentioned in that article.

you must be getting your information from the mainstream media,but the reality of this so-called economic boom is based vastly on a series of misleading notions and traditional indicators. the one percent drop that you make refrence to has been brought about mainly due to a relatively large group of jobseekers who have simply given up on their endeavors to find suitable employment, something your main news channels will never bother to bring into your attention.

I agree with you that the seeds of some of the current legislations had been sown during the former administrations and that no one could honestly and reliably predict which party will govern this nation most efficiently, but keep this fact in mind that it has been within the recent years that the number of economically disadvantaged families who, to some extent at least, had to rely on government support has gone up substantially compared with the statistics years ago, and this, in addition to the unresolved dilemmas in so many other areas of the economic and social lives of so many individuals, translate into a major lack of accomplishments (as you partly mentioned at the beginnig of your piece).

Kyle

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* Dislike what hejab signifies

Hello and thank you for article. [Saving children from the chador] How refreshing!

So why is this not published as an article in mainsteam newspapers in a pc place like San Francisco or New York or Washingon DC? The only women i know who cover are those who wish to maintain tradition from where they came from OR like being holier than thou OR the newbies - American girls who have picked up the newest religious craze and who wish to stand out from the rest of the group - i am Arab (Moroc) + French. I dislike covering because of what it signifies.

If bungee jumping was a religious experience and it had a particular style of clothing and ritual attached to it - everyone and their dog would be in to it. The only time i cover is when i go to moroc to visit family - out of respect - they have to live there i dont, and to have semblence of civility towards me from the men in the market. Hah - yeah right.

Name withheld

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* Zendeh bashi

Way to go Miss Nemazi or Rafiq Maryam [Saving children from the chador]. Zendeh bashi. I enjoyed your article.

Kamal Artin

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* Moore convincing

In future you may want to be more clear in expressing your views [Moore Shrek]. I do not understand what you are trying to accomplish by combining a review of F911 and Shrek. It is not funny but confusing. In combining the reviews, you are insinuating certain ideas... I don't know what!

In discussing F911, you seem to imply that a documentary film-maker should offer a balanced view. This is not necessarily so. Many documentaries on great athletes solely emphasize their greatness, nearly completely ignoring their weaknesses.

Documentary, by definition, consists of actual events. I don't think any director, of fact or fiction, can ever be completely objective, and nor should they. Moore is clear on his position, and is not afraid to admit he had an agenda in making F911. I believe that he does not trust the American public to make the "right" choice in electing the next president, so he is out to convince them.

You also claim that "some months ago Shrek had endorsed General Wesley Clark." And your point being? Writer and the text are not the same. Your views on F911 should not be clouded by your views on Moore's character as a director. The documentary F911 is a brilliant piece of filmmaking, which contains some flaws, but reveals many truths. This is the wake-up call America needs. This is reality and should be treated as such.

Majid Saleh

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* Don't feel guilty

Hello Jim S., [I am sorry]

I just finished reading your letter to your daughter, and I wish I would have never read it! It hurt me so much that I was crying for the most part, and it was not for your daughter, but it was for you and how regretful you felt! I must say that I AM SORRY for making you feel so guilty, since I don't think you should!

Your child is an Iranian if she wishes, whether she has mastered the Persian language or not! To be Persian is not only to speak the language, but more importantly to identify with the people and feeling the culture in your soul. Another words, do not snob the Iranians and be proud of your heritage whether you speak Persian or not (of course it only helps if you do).

It would have been bad if you would have divorced your wife only for that reason. Please do not feel guilty! If anyone should feel guilty should be those Iranian parents who in the name of fitting in, do not teach their full-blooded Iranian children any Persian! Shame on them!

As for you, I am glad that you finally realized this, and love your daughter enough to write such an emotional letter that I hope it would be a wake up call for those Iranians who know little about their heritage, and feel ashamed to be Iranian, because of the temporary and ignorant current government in Iran! Thank you for sharing your story with us! I think your suggestion for her to go to Iran is an excellent one, since that's where she might finally find her heritage!

Goldust,
A middle aged Iranian man

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* Only difference

One could take a picture of New York City's subways and superimpose it on top of your work and the only difference would be the "Hejaab", (women's head coverings) [Tehran underground].

Otherwise the sad faces and looks directed to infinity, if anywhere are those of "under ground" riders.

I did, however, count one tiny smile. Maybe she was thinking of her "subway-mate" somewhere in the world.

Hamid Bakhsheshi

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* Fan mail

vaghean vaghti site shoma ra mibinam lezat mibaram makhsoosan ghesmat nostalgia ra man ke an zamanha naboodam hasrat an rooz ha ra mikhoram omidvaram movafagh bashid va too karhatoon kheir va khoshi bashad va har rooz ham aks haye nostalgic bishtar.

Nila Nasr

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* Help me not forget

Dear Azam,

Your music collection and selection bring the world of yesterday right in front of my eyes. I can not thank you enough. You help me not forget friends I grew up with, and the beautiful city of Abadan.

Keep up the good work.

Hamid Ansari

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* Our human experiences

Dear Jason,

Just wanted to tell you I read your piece [Extreme filmmaking] on your endeavors and challenges in making your movie "A World Between". Iranian directors especially belonging to the Diaspora are still very few and I wanted to say that it is to your credit to have had the courage of pursuing your vision to the end, it proves gratifying in return.

In addition I raise my hat to Mr Javid's initiative in creating the Iranian.com film festival which I believe offers a great oppurtunity to have films like yours presented to the Iranian and American community. I personally through my articles have modestly tried to rise interest and alert readers that there is a great deal to dig into the cinematic artform in order to create a form of cultural awareness through films and that we can draw a picture of our times and testify on our human experiences as exiles or simply as people who have the luck to be exposed to both a western and an oriental culture.

Keep up the good work and all the best to the Iranian.com for promoting this artform.

Et Vive le Cinema !!!

Darius KADIVAR
Film critic and reviewer

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* Iran better off under Phalavi

Mr. Rahbary, [Yes, Iraq is better off]

You are correct when you stated that the world is better off without Saddam Hussein. However, you have conveniently left out that the world, and namely my Iran, was a better place during the rule of HIM Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.

Under the House of Pahlavi, there was peace and stability in the Middle East. Under the House of Pahlavi, Iran was an ever-proud and prosperous country well on its way greatness never seen before for a third-world state. Under the House of Pahlavi, the word Iranian was met with great respect and even greater envy, as were setting an example of what a rising secular industrial power can become.

Under the House of Pahlavi, the Mullahs (your masters, as you are undoubtedly a paid agent of the Islamic Republic in NYC) and Saddam Hussein deranged views were held in check. Under the House of Pahlavi, Iranians were proud of their Iranian heritage, and not that of some nomadic killer and his band of thugs (strikingly similar to Khomeini and his band of thugs, albeit 1400 years later).

After the House of Pahlavi, your Mullahs brought terrorism, murder, an eight year war claiming 1M lives, and corruption to the doorsteps of the world. After the House of Pahlavi, Iran has become an international pariah ~ You should be extremely proud of this distinction!

And yes, Iran will be better off without you and your masters. Take that back to your SAVAMA minders residing at the UN.

'Rahbaretoun OLAGHEH, yek dastesham CHOLAGHEH'

Babak Kalhor

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Archive
All past letters

By subject
July 2004

July 14

Hejab
* Some choice!
* What hejab signifies

* Only difference
* Zendeh bashi

Nuclear
* US-Israel don't like it
* Informative

* Two-faced America
Satire
* Upsetting
Islam
* Insulting billion Muslims
Fahrenheit 9/11
* Moore convincing
Coup
* Promoting democracy?
* A little worse

Iranians
* Misleading notions
* Don't feel guilty
Novel
* Misunderstood
Film
* Our human experiences
Pahlavi
* Iran was better
Music
* Help me not forget
Nostalgia
* Fan mail

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>>> All past letters

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