LettersNovember 2005 Angry for a reasonOn Shahriar Zahedi's critique of Jalal Ale Ahmad: Shahriar Zahedi's critique of Al-e-Ahmad does not give enough credit to the man. Al-e-Ahmad's arguments against the supremacy of technology and consumerism at the expense of self-determination and national dignity are not as immature as Zahedi makes them, nor are they evidence of some sort of unique Iranian pathology. In fact, Al-e-Ahmad's sophisticated arguments predate a great deal of similar critiques of European and North American orientalism and imperial intent by much respected and credible scholarly figures as Anouar AbdelMalek, Edward Said and others. Al-e-Ahmad's nativism (as evidenced by his turn to religion despite his irreligious life) are also not unique. Although this nativism is an attempt at a response to the Pahlavi regime's promotion of Westernisation as a route to modernisation, it also borrows fortuitously from a vast wave of anticolonial writing at the time sweeping the Third World. Emerging from the repressive colonial yoke in the 1950s and 1960s, a great many African and Asian intellectuals were similarly seeking some native (and occasionally, nativist) basis of identity sought in an idealised national past or culture that is unpolluted by foreign intervention and denigration. To accuse Al-e-Ahmad of irrationality, anger, and belligerence, as Zahedi does, is to call the man by the same names so many former colonial masters have called those who hail from the Third World and who choose not to blindly bow then to their colonial masters. Best regards Lily Matin DaftariI'm an art student at Tehran University. I'm working on my thesis already & in one short part I'm writing an article about Ms. Lili Matin Daftari. Unfortunately I was not lucky enough to much information about her: 1 - When was she born? Not good enoughOn Persian Family Day at the British Museum in London: So what? Have you done anything good to help Iranian people inside Iran to bring their voice to the world? This kind of activities are not doing any good for us. Unreliable sourceOn Reza Pahlavi "renouncing" the throne: I have just been told by Foladvand's TV (shoma TV) people over the phone that the Office of Reza Pahlavi, "dabeerkhooneh" Mr. Ahi, has announced that Reza Pahlavi has announced that the Monarchy is no longer useful for Iran. Hence, Reza Pahlavi has renounced the Peacock throne. The Monarchy in Iran is once and for all abolished in Iran. That statement was told to me from the Foladvand TV show personnel over the phone. Please spread the news. I nominate Mr. Ahi, the spokesman for Reza Pahlavi's office as Iranian of the day for giving the Iranian world the news of the abolishing of once and for all the Iranian Monarchy. Jamshid Richard William Tehrani III Hilariously vulgarOn "Persian beetarbiyati" song: Salutations, Also, how can one obtain this song or perhaps similar renditions, on a CD? Please enlighten me, I am much obliged. Delam sookhtOn Azam Nemati's letter "Why do you even bother to go to Iran?": In khahoom-e Namati mas alash chieh? What gives her the right to attack in such a nasty way? And for no real reason. She is very straight forward with her opinions, but others can't even write of their observations? Delam vaseye Sara Nobari sookht. B Mulla beating on his head to the rhythm of Italian pop is not entertainmentOn humerous spin on Ashoora mourniong ceremony: When media uses individual and personal beliefs for entertainment of the masses, it is not entertainment. The poor mulla is programmed and does not know the fact that Imam Hussein was 72 years old and had the desire to be the Caliph but Maveyeh had better organization. The mulla believes in his uninformed heart and mourns accordingly. It would have been more educational to present the whole picture with an explanation for the uninformed individuals, rather than putting music to this event. Did you notice the pa mambaries? They did not hit themselves but promoted the behavior. They are the ones whom we all must fear. Odd comparisonOn Manesh's "Our worst": Dear Manesh, At least some 60 million Americans voted freely for G. W. Bush, dumb or other wise. Nobody raised a voice that the Bush election was rigged. But how many of our country men & women voted for Ahmadinejad? With all the rigging that was confessed even by the regimes so-called high personalities it was less than 12 million! At least as far as election is concerned, this comparison is a bit odd! H. Hakimi >>> More November 14 -- November 1 >>> All past letters |