LettersDecember 2006 Part 1 -- Part 2 December 15 Iran must remain adamant in the defense of her rightsIn response to Daniel M Pourkesali's "Manufacturing a phony crisis": Dear Mr. Pourkesali, Salutations. I read your piece titled 'Manufacturing a phony crisis'. The points you raised are valid and factual. Iran's pursuit and mastery of the nuclear process is of paramount importance, regardless of the type of government at the helm in Tehran. Nuclear Technology is essential for the scientific advancement of our country, viability and protection of our sovereignty and territorial integrity, thus our survival as a nation. The 'Non-proliferation Treaty' was predicated upon the notion of eventual abolition of nuclear weapons. It was a framework to dissuade non-nuclear countries from the pursuit of nuclear weapons, in addition to serving as a platform to persuade nuclear countries to abandon their atomic weapons programs in exchange. While the former is being used as a pretext to threaten Iran contrary to the treaty's own legal provisions, the latter is ostensibly altogether shoved under the rug as the possessors of the 'Bomb' have continuously expanded and advanced their nuclear arsenals. The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty is now a de-facto, albeit illegitimate, tool in the hands of nuclear powers to hold all others hostage and vulnerable. To reiterate, regardless of who runs the show in Tehran, Iran must remain adamant in the defense of her rights as a sovereign and great nation, a compassionate and inspiring ancient civilization. In other words aghaye Pourkesali, damet garm dadash, eyvallah. Who can they talk to?In response to Zia E. Ahari's "The art of compromise": Dear Mr. Ahari, The problem of direct talk between US & IRI does not rest with USA alone. It is the IRI who constantly during the years, has refused to talk to Americans. Even if they agree to talk to one another direct, who is going to talk to them from IRI side, considering that there are hundreds of decision makers in IRI that they so rightly do not trust one another!!?? Therefore the Americans are at loss to who in IRI they can talk to so that they get a tangible lasting effective result. How do you think that this inherent IRI internal dilemma can be overcome by the Americans? H. Hakimi, Circumcision of freedom of expression in the name of poetry!In response to Naanaam's poems, "Extra": I read the "poetry" by Naanaam, and thought how happy are those who appreciated poetry one way or another and now are DEAD! Just go and read his words of wisdom and see how vocal diarrhea can open new doors to the world of chaos and a ticket to watch the circumcision of freedom of expression in the name of poetry! I hope we will have the honor to read more poems of this great poet and please let us know when you change your career so that we bring some flowers! They speak so muchIn response to Niki Akhavan's Iran photo essay, "Sign of the odd times": Hi Niki jaan, Your pictures were excellent; they speak so much to our cultural and personal relationships as Iranians. Well-done! It didn't make me laughIn response to Ali Nasiri's "I have boycotted Iran": I can't tell whether this piece of writing is supposed to be serious or rediculous. Don't discourage other IraniansIn response to Ali Nasiri's "I have boycotted Iran": You have too much hate in you mate. grow up, wake up and smell the coffee, when there's no more interest in Iran by other countries trying to milk it from its goods or control its geopolitical position, then and only then you can ask for a change. Boycott Iran if you want to but you're the one who's not visitting your family unfortunately but by no means discourage other Iranians to seach and enjoy their heritage because maybe it's the only thing they can really call their own. Funny delusionsIn response to Ali Nasiri's "I have boycotted Iran": Nice try Mr. Nasiri --- your article shows how "delusional" you are in your methodology of fighting the Islamic Republic. And it's really funny when you say whoever uses Arabic words such as "Masha'allah" and "Insha'allah" they are not Iranians; I would suggest that you look at your own name: Amir is an Arabic word meaning "leader", "commander" and Nasiri is another Arabic word meaning "one who helps". You are a danger to your selfIn response to Ali Nasiri's "I have boycotted Iran": I think the one person that needs to be reported to the authorities is YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU. SERIOUSLY SPEAKING. What a pitiful existenceIn response to Ali Nasiri's "I have boycotted Iran": What a pitiful existence you must have Mr. Nasiri. Stop false pretensesIn response to Naanaam's poems, "Quest for silence": The very fact that you call it "Palestine" indicates that you are biased. There has never been a "Palestine" as a country. Stop false pretenses. But there is good news...In response to Zohreh Ghahremani's "A gift-wrapped stab": While I have believed Ted Koppel to be a decent journalist, and while "America held hostage..." was not caused by the Americans... I found your friend's conclusion to show the real evil of the media machine. I am not certain of The Discovery Channel's political leanings, however if the same words were uttered on the Fox Network ("Iran, the most dangerous nation on earth") I would be sure that the volume would have been louder than the loudest advertisement... and the aim would have been, as your friend described..."to justify an attack". But there is good news... James Baker and Henry Kissinger are recommending talks with Iran, and the Bush cowboy mentality will have to take a back seat since the midterm elections. My favorite person in the world is an Iranian woman...so I am prejudiced. We only have a limited time on this earth...and we should leave it in better shape than when we first got here. Sincerely, Kevin Koppel ripped our collective nation a new oneIn response to Zohreh Ghahremani's "A gift-wrapped stab": The whole world now knowsIn response to Zohreh Ghahremani's "A gift-wrapped stab": Well said, Zohreh Khanoom. But we have a saying in Farsi "digeh hanaashoon rang nadareh". The whole world now knows the ulterior motives of western journalists when they go to the Middle East to make a "documentary". Why are you so surprised?In response to Zohreh Ghahremani's "A gift-wrapped stab": Why are you so surprised about this program's angle? The man is in the service of Zionism as is half of his production team. He belongs to the same Israeli gangIn response to Zohreh Ghahremani's "A gift-wrapped stab": Dear Zohreh Khanoom, Thanks for your wonderful article. When I read something that makes sense, has been worked on, and thought for, like your article, I feel proud of my heritage, Iranian people, and Iran. What caught my attention more than anything else, was what your article said towards the end, that you don't know Mr. Koppel's background. I think he belongs to the same Israeli gang that believes Israel can only exist if there is trouble in the ME. That is the way to extact American tax $$$ and live comfortably on the territories of others occupied by force. If Americans were told that they are loved and respected in the world if it weren't for the misdeed on their behalf by the Israelis, they would not pay a penny of their tax $$$$ to these junkies. Let's hope one day we all wake up to the truth. Insensitive to ChristiansIn response to iranian.com's holiday logo by Mazloom: Dear Sir/Madam, I am writing because I would like to comment on the logo that appears in the upper left corner of the web page for Iranian.com. The "Nothing is Sacred" slogan appears under the Iranian.com logo which includes a Christmas tree, candles, a snowman, and presents. Today, Christmas has become very much a secular holiday, and a Christmas tree and snowman are hardly religious symbols. However, Christmas is sacred for many people and I think that it is insensitive to Christians to put those images together with the "Nothing is Sacred" slogan. Khoda Hafez, What is he hiding?In response to Iranian of the day, "Jamie Masada": Regarding Jamie Masada owner of the Laugh Factory, why does he lie and tell Howard Stern that he is from Israel? Gary Del Abate, from Howard Stern, questioned Jamie on this about a year ago, because you can obviously tell his accent is Iranian. What is his Real Name? What is he hiding? From one extreme to anotherIn response to Hiedeh Farmani's "Modern maiden": I agree with all you have said. BUT we should not jump from one Extreme to an other Extreme. the way we say it in french "le juste milieu" She's a manIn response to Sarvenaz's "French dance": You must be full of shit. "French dance" was written by a man. A man that is lonely and does not know how women think and operate. Please keep Iranian.com clean so every one can enjoy this great site. Humble natureIn response to Fereydoun Hoveyda's death: It was wonderful to see the coverage of Fereydoun Hoveyda's life and accomplishments on Iranian.com. I saw him speak at Columbia University several years ago. I was impressed to see such acute intellect be accompanied by a great sense of humor and humble nature. His passing is a great loss. Cultivate a little toleranceIn response to Sean Amour's "Iranian Hillbillies": Mr. Amour, You come across as a real angry person. I think you should cultivate a little tolerance towards your fellow human beings, it 'd make life easier for you! It is true that people should restrain their kids in public places, and if they don't they aren't hillibillies as you call them. And please learn that in Middle Eastern cultures and in Asia kids are everything and always treated with respect. I completely agree with you, but...In response to Sean Amour's "Iranian Hillbillies": Dear Mr. Nasiri, I completely agree with you, save that your last sentence is contrary to your criticism of Pahlavi Dynasty! What Mullahs destroyed was only made & accomplished in Pahlavi era, since before them we were even worse of what we are today under IRI. H. Hakimi, Stop acting like a childIn response to Sean Amour's "Iranian Hillbillies": Please stop publishing trash articles like this one. The author needs to grow up and stop acting like a child..... I believe in freedom of speech but not "ebtezal". You have absolutely no "khaye"In response to Sean Amour's "Iranian Hillbillies": At first I thought I was readings legit essay written from point of view of an American. Being a critic myself, I found it beyond "normal" to read your article and not pass judgment since "you" may not be familiar with our culture and most probably have so much resentment towards "Iranians" in general for variety of reasons. But my assumption came to an abrupt halt when I read your below comment and I quote you; "thus are probably a bunch of thugs and obaash". So, you are an Iranian yourself and hiding behind an American name hey? The phrase "Obaash" as you have mentioned is an ancient phrase used by "Iranians" only and that gave it away my friend! You are a miserable "coward" sir! You have absolutely no "khaye" in my opinion. (I am sure you know what a khaye is or heard about it in your case!!). Go get a life and party somewhere else if you don't like to be around "nouveau-riche Iranian hillbillies"! I bet they had enough money to buy your girlfriend and sell her the same night :)) How about moving to Alabama? Oops! I forgot that they won’t even allow “American” version of Iranians in that hood!? We own this country now! Deal with it bache poroo! The force was not excessiveIn response to UCLA taser incident: I watched the video of the student being detained by UC Police. Not knowing the full set of circumstances leads people to make judgment about Police action hindsight and come to the wrong conclusions. If this student would have left the library when asked properly, this would have never happened. I heard the officers repeatedly tell him not to resist and stand up. He was clearly not complying. The force the officers used was not excessive from what I watched. I am a use of force instructor for a Parole and Probation department. The officer based on the totality of circumstances must overcome the subject’s resistance with force that matches the threat’s resistance. You have to put yourself in the officer’s shoes and see if their actions was in line with any reasonable officers would do. There are a series of givens. 1. The student was not leaving as directed. There are other factors that the officer will take into consideration before taking action and using a reasonable level of force. All the factors must be considered before we condemn the officers. We would have to review the entire scenario before pass judgment. It's like the pot calling the kettle blackIn response to UCLA taser incident: The incident involving UCLA student, Mustafa Tabatabai-Nejad, is extremely troubling. The degree of force the police used against him was clearly excessive. The officers who brutalized him must be held to account for their actions as I'm sure they will. Moreover, by the time Mr. Tabatabai-Nejad's attorneys are finished with UCLA, he will most likely be wealthy beyond belief as well he should. Withholding financial support to UCLAIn response to UCLA taser incident: Dear UCLA Chancellor Abrams and Mr. Ross, Stop turning your back on your own peopleIn response to Faramarz Fateh's "UCLA: Let's get a grip": First off, I just wanted to say that us Iranians in this country make up a tiny minority compared to other racial groups. If we don't stand up and fight for each other, who will? Second, the matter is not just of Mostafa being out of line, it's of student safety in general. As a UCLA student myself, I want to be sure that such minuscule matters don't result in the serious injury or even the possible death of a fellow colleague. Today the name of the officer that actually used the Taser was released (article can be read at www.dailybruin.com) and it became evident that he has had numerous excessive force complaints from students in the past and had even shot a homeless man on campus in 2003. So my response to you Mr. Fateh is to stop turning your back on your own people, stop being so concerned about what other Americans think about Iranians (trust me, to them, a brown person is a brown person), and take your own advice as far as finding the facts before taking any kind of action. Blaming the young manIn response to Faramarz Fateh's "UCLA: Let's get a grip": If he had read all of the letters, perhaps he would remember than most of those who had watched the clip has witnessed how the young man did not throw a fit for no good reason and how he out of respect, was on his way out, until he was forced down the ground and tased. What is so complicated about this that he does not get? Why would someone be tased and dealt with in such an excessive manner? And then he has the audacity to compare this situation with what women in iran go through and he thinks he is justifying his case? The truth lies somewhere in the middleIn response to Faramarz Fateh's "UCLA: Let's get a grip": You Iranians are so funny! And yes I was born there too. Ron Ghana and few other people wrote articles expressing their view regarding the UCLA issue. Man, you guys were like hungry lions, just wanted to catch these people whom had opposing views and just eat them alive. Many of you live in America, but still haven't learned to respect other people's views. You don't exactly know what happened at UCLA, neither do I. Why are you so eager to say the student was not at fault? Oh, I forgot... because he is an Iranian. It looks like many Iranians are liberal, where they preach liberty and freedom, but only for the people that agree with them. There will be investigations and we will find out what happened. My view is that the truth lies somewhere in the middle and both sides will be punished. Why do you have to jump up in few hours and start demonstrations? It looked like these protests were organized by Islamic student group since I have seen many ladies with their Islamic attire. Yes, you may correct me if I'm wrong. In another post I wrote: even if an Iranian raped or killed your sister, some of you will jump up and say: that's OK he is a hamshari! Many of you Iranians believe that you are special ( including some of my friends), YOU ARE NOT. You are same as a Mexican, Arab, British and etc. You are not any better just because you are Iranians. You don't own LA or UCLA. You are just a minority group like others and there is nothing wrong with that. I have had some interesting email exchanges with some of you, that is fine. But don't go attacking people like Ron Ghana and others whom oppose your views. That is nasty. Here in Northern California, many iranians, especially the girls believe they are the gift of god to mother earth, BORAT says: NOTTTTT! Explosion from coast to coastIn response to UCLA taser incident, a copy of my letter to UCLA: Dear UCLA, I know of your reputable and very respectful university and have many friends who graduated from your university in the '70s. Please look into the incident of the two officers who completely mis-used their authority and tased that students numerous times and in a very short period of time (he was incapacitated, and was tased again and again). The first question is (out of many), why did they resort to tasing him at the first place? This incident, if left without any serious and harsh review and action, will bode a very ugly image for your university. Please bear in mind that southern California is home to a very large and affluent Iranian-American community. The news of this shocking behavior by those two officers has exploded in the Iranian-American community, not only in California, but from coast to coast. Respectfully, Kaveh Independent reviewUCLA's response Kaveh [see above]: I am responding to your message of concern regarding the arrest of a UCLA student at Powell Library and the use of a taser by the University of California Police Department. Rest assured this matter has the close attention of Acting Chancellor Norman Abrams and UCPD Chief Karl Ross. They have decided to move forward with an independent review. The following link provides further information including statements by I can assure you that student safety and treatment is a matter of the utmost importance to UCLA. As updated information becomes available, Sincerely, Lawrence Lokman Next time you see a dog barking at you, stay coolIn response to Setareh Sabety's "Scream (louder)": Regarding the incident at UCLA and so much as we say in Persian "Naneh Man Gharibam". Let's give some credit to the police officers whom have been just doing what they get paid for. Let me ask you all sympathizers: If you enter a junkyard at the midnight would you tear to entangle your ass with the junkyard dogs barking at you and warning you not to come in? Well, perhaps if you are a silly Iranian student you might go in and get your ass beaten. Has anyone of you thought about all the virus that are sent to computers all over the world causing destruction of computers and loss of livelihood to persons and businesses? Well, one of the ways to send such virus is by going to a university campus ananomously and finding a computer to do as such. Universities in order to protect their integrity have a simple rule -carry your ID with you. How hard is that, so one has to go as far as crying for fifteen minutes as "don't touch me, don't touch me" why not touching you I ask? Who the hell do you think you are that a police cannot touch you? You are going to a university to learn the art of descipline and respect so that you won't end up to be like most of your fellow countrymen whom disregard 90% of the social rules. So, next time carry your card with you, follow the law and if someone insulted or assaulted you keep your cool and try to find enough documentation to go after them. I think the fact that most other students did not show any reaction was because they knew the student was at fault by not showing an ID. Next time you see a dog barking at you, stay cool, sit down and show no aggression. This is USA after all, "naneh-man-gharibam" won't get you anywhere. Storming SetarehIn response to Setareh Sabety's "Scream (louder)": Good to see some vintage vitriol from my one time sparring partner Setareh Sabety. As is said in our sweet Farsi tongue, "hanooz az kondeh doodi boland misheh"! Much that I wished to keep my peace with Storming Setareh, the temptation to drop a line or two proved irresistible! So here is a courtesy call for old times sake! Consequence of lack of education, not geographyIn response to Setareh Sabety's "Scream (louder)": What difference would it have made if the incident had happened in Alabama or Texas? Are you suggesting that there is a smaller educated and tax-paying Iranian crowd in Texan cities, as in major cities, such as Dallas, Austin, Houston, and San Antonio, or in Montgomery, Alabama? Or are you basing that on the traditional notion, derived from many western movies, that the South is home to bunch of dahati rednecks and therefore it is expected of them to behave as such? Police brutality and use of excessive force is a direct consequence of lack of education and possibly a bad judgment call of the involved officers and does not depend on what presitgious campus or location it takes place on. You don't use an ax to kill a gnatIn response to Setareh Sabety's "Scream (louder)": Dear Setareh, If the incident at UCLA proves to be another case of excessive use of force to administer ethnic profiling it must be condemned not only by the victim and his supporters, but by every loyal American whose duty is preservation of the most fundamental human right rights that have been under assault in this country for quite some time especially during the past six years, ironically in the hypocritical name of preserving freedom and democracy. It may take a long time for the investigations to find the real cause, but the mere fact that the student was released without a bail indicates that the heavy handed campus police was uncalled for especially in the library, on a well-known university and in a country that is supposed to be the champion of preserving freedom and democracy. Aside from that our modern education philosophy, modern wisdom and even the old wisdom condemns excessive use of force. According to a Chinese wisdom, "You don't use an ax to kill a gnat." I have been impressed by the enormous outpouring of sympathy especially those of Iranian origin who demonstrated their civic responsibility by standing against the force of hypocrisy, ignorance and arrogance. America, known as a "Nation of Immigrants" can ill afford to allow the archaic policies of 'divide and conquer' split it along its ethnic and racial seams for power and profit. This self-destructing policy ignores the invaluable contributions of the immigrants in the long run. They fail to recognize that if they take the word immigrants out of the Nation of immigrants there will be nothing left except a nation like most other nations with no uniqueness. Let us also hope that the similar unprecedented outpouring of the American voters against hypocrisy during the last election will restore the rule of law and respect for human rights in America and the world that follows it. For more please see my website: Ali A. Parsa Learning from the example set by US forces in IraqIn response to Ron Ghana's note on UCLA taser incident, "You broke the law": I am surprised and shocked to read such incoherent babble from a UCLA 'student', Ron Ghana. It is clear from only watching a third of the clip that the force was excessive. If one was too much, five was cruel and inhumane. What happend to your precious rights under the constitution to not to be subjected to cruel and inhumane torture? Leyla Razavi He deserved what came to himIn response to Ron Ghana's note on UCLA taser incident, "You broke the law": As though we don't have any other problem as a community, and now we have to waste our time for such an insignificant issue. A student with attitude wants to take on the campus police and he is taken down. This happens hundreds of times every day and no one even blinks. He deserved what came to him. The issue for me is that non of these bleeding hearts who vehemently object to the police even bother to tell us what the police/campus guards should have done? how do you suggest the matter could have been resolved? No, they all say they used excessive force. In my opinion, the student was given ample opportunity to leave, but instead he created a scene and commotion which the police HAD to deal with it. We all obey the laws, whether we like it or not. And if we decide to break it, we should face the consequences. He did and he paid for it. Simple as that. Well reasonedIn response to Ari Siletz's "Iranian guilt": Well said, and well reasoned. You are absolutly correct BORN in the USAIn response to Ron Ghana's note on UCLA taser incident, "You broke the law": There are people who are under the impression that UCPD resorted to tasering because Mostafa was inciting a riot and asking other students to join him. This is entirely FALSE, as evidenced in the 7 minute footage, at no point during his arrest did he ask his fellow students to disobey the law and join 'his resistance.' This falsehood was published by LA Times to cover the cops's asses. I'd feed you to the sharksIn response to Ron Ghana's note on UCLA taser incident, "You broke the law": Ron Who? Ron.......What? You are suggesting that what is done to this student is right?......First as a Human, Second as a As an Iranian, third as a Student, and fourth as as Ex-Iranan student Association President of University of Minnesota, you are lucky to talk and type your thoughts, cuse if I knew who you were, I would wrap you in an Iranian flag and feed you to the sharks of Gulf of Mexico. And Ron.....you can go fuck yourself NOW. Thank god for lawyers and lawsuitsIn response to Ron Ghana's note on UCLA taser incident, "You broke the law": First, it remains to be seen if broke any laws. He refused to behave according to a university established procedure most likely meant to save the university some money. There is no doubt that any library that lets people in without checking ID would be considered a public place. UCLA may be using an honor system by posting signs that only students are allowed in and if so I can tell you that UCLA is going to be a big check as well. Thank god for lawyers and lawsuits. Another Negro in AmericaIn response to Ron Ghana's note on UCLA taser incident, "You broke the law": Mr. Ron Ghana, You don't get the point. You're blaming the student for not showing the guard his ID while you're forgetting that the guard picked a Middle-Eastern looking student and hit him with suspicion and interrogation for no other reason but race whatsoever. We Iranians are Law-obeying people but if we allow anyone to hand-pick us and accuse us and prejudge us, soon we'll become another Negro in America. The student was saying: "Do not touch me, I'll leave on my own..." but guards kept grabbing him and pepper-spraying him as if he was an animal. We should not allow prejudice against us. I certainly won't. Go live in your own countryIn response to criticism of Ron Ghana's note on UCLA taser incident, "You broke the law": Interesting. many of you people are talking about civil liberties, but ron ghana can not write what he feels and thinks about this matter???????? we all have to support this law breaking student, if not we are just jerks. i think many of you iranians need a wake up call to appreciate where you live. here is your wake up call: go live in your own country for a year. What do you expect of him?In response to Arash Hosseini's "Tasing is not an equivalent response to a problematic student": Arash khan, Agreeing with you 100%. In a normal world, whatever it may be, with normal people, and at least half way normal "police", yes, it is not equivalent. But you have to consider an undereducated officer who wasn't even smart enough to pass the civil service test to become a real cop. What do you expect of him? I'm not defending him, by no means. If I'm ever in front of him without his taser and gun, I'll punch his lights out. Don't forget that one of the questions on the civil service exam is: What is 2+2! And, yesssss, it is a multiple choice answer. Good article. Beauty of life is in diversityIn response to Ben Madadi's "Not that special": Bravo Ben, you are making some good points. That is what we have been advocating for years. With input of free spirited and progressive people like you, there should be no fear of unity or separation, which ever becomes the choice of people of each region. Although Iranian.com is a liberal site, it is not willing to freely publish all of articles related to Kurdish issue, which in fact is an Iranian issue. So I gave up sending most of my writings to them. Ultimately all Kurds are of Iranian origin and Iranians should be the one to promote their cause first at home and then in other neighboring countries, the way our neighboring Arabs rightfully advocate the right of all Arab people. At the same time, I believe in contrary to grandiosity and racist ideas of Aryanists, Iranians are neither better nor worse than others. They are just different and the beauty of life is in diversity and not in homogeneity. Joon amricayeeha kheyly mohemtar astIn response to Ben Madadi's "Leaving Iraq in broken pieces": baba hamvatany chera faghat rajeh be koshteh shodan sarbazhaye amricayye neveshtehy mesl inkeh joon amricahya mohemtar az joon baghyeh hast. pas 655,000.oo nafar araghy ke koshteh shodeh chy ke moghayeseh 10,000 amricaye hich nyist. mesl inkeh chon amricayee hastand 10,000 barabar ba in hameh araghy badbakht hast. dorost haman tory ke red neckhaye inja ke fekreshan inhast ke joon amricayeeha kheyly mohemtar az joon baghye hast. ey baba. Stop complaining about IranIn response to Farah Ravon's Kashan and Abyaneh photo essay, "Frozen in time": I do not understand why this Iranian are living out of Iran they are so much complaining about life in Iran? and I never saw any one of them comp lining about life in west USA or country I live Canada?large Numbers of poor and homeless, drugs and Yong Canadian or American looks to me gangs or drug dealers or gay or lesbian.....%40 divorce......as I told before Iran is country with so many mountain or Sahara which we can not makes almost any money from farming? others people in Iran so leas they talk so much and working few, asking so much from government of Iran they do not pay TAX same as us in west or in Canada Iran was be in war in eight years.... what is the rung with you guys, why so much comp lining about life in Iran? if you don't like to live in Iran you welcome to move here in Canada to became homeless. I write to every one of you please be shot fuck off, and do not complainer about Iran thinks positive and pride about your country. Man masto to divaneh, Bar ham zadeh kashanehIn response to your response titled "Suicide Bomber vs. Carpet Bombing", which was to my response titled "There is no one to blame but ourselves" to your article titled "Capitalist Jihadist": Dear hamshahri: I think you were too offended, by my suggestion to read diversely, to make any coherent sense. Did you think you could criticize someone else on a public forum and not be criticized? You should be prepared, not offended. You are mixing up several issues. One issue is your comprehension of Islam, another is your conspiratorial view of the root cause of the revolution in Iran, and yet another is the relationship of the West and East in post revolutionary Iran. I took your advice, communicated to me by your first email to my email address, and read “the Last Circle” by Carol Marshall, an investigative reporter’s account of drug trafficking and CIA’s alleged involvement in it, hardly relevant to the point of discussion, but still interesting and intriguing (towards the end it delves into too much pseudo science). You cited Robert Fisk twice, though good reading, it can hardly be considered diverse reading. He is as much driven by his liberal agenda as the most right winged conservative might be. You should filter out the bias and only make sense of the half truths each side presents (this is not a product of malicious behavior or mal-intent but a byproduct of human frailty; different people can have different interpretations based on their prejudices). You (not you alone, but a whole segment of the educated Iranian class in exile) have demonized Jews and sympathize with the Arab cause, and blame all the ill will in the world on Zionism and Capitalism. By reading material with the same bias you keep reinforcing that limited view. Your conspiratorial view of the influence of the West on the course of revolution in Iran is limited by the same sources you reference. You would have to argue that Carter would be willing to give up his “Island of Stability” in the Mid East and a key link in Kissinger’s “white belt” against the Soviet Union (together with Israel and South Africa), that ensured the uninterrupted flow of oil to the West, to experiment with an uncertain revolutionary force of clerics and band with them to topple the regime of the Shah and take a chance with the stability of the entire Mid East. As the relationship between the IRI and the West has proven, for the past 27 years, the revolution could not have been masterminded by the West, or the Zionists. Heck, Khomeini himself had no idea how the events were unfolding until he saw the crowds from inside the helicopter that was taking him to beheshteh zahra. Iran’s revolution was a grass roots uprising, organized and orchestrated by the Islamists from the early seventies, and only aided by the West, and in particular Carter in its lasts stages, when they pulled their support from the Shah, after realizing nothing could be done to stop the millions of people marching on the streets. Female university students wore hejab as a sign of protest, intellectuals complained about the lack of freedom, the destitute complained about their abysmal conditions, the religious complained about “promiscuity” rampant in society and too much freedom, bazaaris were weary of plans to shift the control of the economy form the bazaar to the central bank, and young people found excitement in all these street gatherings. During all of this, the Islamists were playing their game to their best advantage and orchestrating the events to meet their needs. “Tell me Mr. know it all when was the last time that you read the book of Shefa by Ebne Sina. Have you even opened his book of Esharat va Tanbihat .Do you even know about the book of Asar Al-Baghieh by Aboo Reihane Birooni?” I have read about the contents of these works but unfortunately I have not read them. I will take your advice and read them. However, I think you should seriously consider reading shojaedin shafa’s after 1400 years (pas az hezaro chaharsad sal). “It is really a new level of arrogance for a person to say that they know the mind of our great poets and scientists like Ebne Sina, Hafez Saady and Molavi better than these people themselves.” It is not arrogant to question and try to make the best sense out of what you read. Ebne Sina is certainly a giant but not the last word in Philosophy, science or logic. It would be arrogant and foolish to adhere to that logic. In fact there are many more giants who have stood on his shoulders and enhanced his thoughts. One such giant is Molavi who frequently questions the wisdom of adhering to religious tradition: Ey ghomeh be haj rafte kojaied Saadi is certainly a giant and is the master of Persian writing but hardly the bastion of consistent thought and unified philosophy. His philosophy spans the whole spectrum and is sometimes contradictory. Hafiz, however, is very consistent and, once you enter his “garden”, then you begin to see the light. I think you have put your own words in Hafiz’s mouth. The beyt you quoted (In hame shahd o sheker kaz sokhanam mirizad Ajre sabrist ke az dolate Qhoran kardam) is not Hafiz’s. I have quoted the correct version below. In any case, to put it into context you need to read the rest of the ghazal, the key elements of which I have presented here: salha Payrovieh mazhabeh rendan kardam Har cheh kardam hameh az dolateh ghoran kardam (you can either read it as if he obeyed the Quran out of respect or was forced to obey out of fear, and not belief. Only in the context of the rest of the Ghazal does this beyt take meaning. Hafiz was a very smart man and lived in times not much different from the conditions in present day Iran, and had to preserve his head. He uses the mastery of his language to mask his intent form those outside “the garden” and makes it apparent to those inside.) As for Ferdowsi, you must have skipped over the pages of his portrayal of the Arab (Islamic) victory over the Sassanian. I’ll recite a few beyts here: Cho bakhteh arab bar ajam cheereh shod It is in the context of the meaning of these lines that his allegory of the only Arab king, in his shahnameh, with a serpant grown out of each shoulder that require the brain of two young Iranians daily, takes meaning. In closing, I wish you happy and productive reading in the future, and will leave you with the following thoughts (no offense intended, it seems like a natural place to present the following feeble attempt at poetry). Man masto to divaneh Baa sar masti, Vulgar with meager talentIn response to Siamack Baniameri's "How not to make a sex video": You remind me of Jews on the "Borscht Circuit" in the Catskills. USA: Vulgar "scat" slobs. But how else, with their meager talent, can they gain attention. Give them timeIn response to Siamack Baniameri's "How not to make a sex video": Siamack, Babajon, give them time. You cannot compare the quality and the experience with the west porn films. Anyway can you send me a copy? I haven’t seen it yet? Shahram I laughed a lot!In response to Siamack Baniameri's "How not to make a sex video": That was excellent. I laughed a lot! Good job! It was a war of aggressionIn response to Afshin Deyhim's Beheshte Zahra photos, "Fending off invaders": Mr. Deyhim, thank you so much for these pictures, thank you for reminding us, nestled in our safe homes in the west and enjoying the good life, of what it means to be a true patriot and "honorable" Iranian. And thank you for your wonderful comment about these young Iranians killed in a horrific war to save their homeland -- and that on the other side of the war front were the Mojahedin Khalq giving Saddam a helping hand in killing them! Way to goIn response to Farah Ravon's Caspian sea photos, "Come rain, come shine": Thank you for the lovely pictures. Interesting subjects with great frames! Way to go... From dependence to interdependenceIn response to Jahanshah Rashidian's "The best: Western European democracy and secularism": I read your dialog with Mr. Amil Imani, and have enjoyed the enlightened discussion. I have made the observation that your interpretation of democracy and independence are in absolute terms, and that’s what I am having problems with. Capitalism which is defined as the freedom of choice, freedom of market and freedom of enterprise forges the mold of a democracy, as we observe a transformation in China brought about by a flourishing capitalism in the face of waning dictatorship. Capitalism is a two way street. It feeds on the markets it creates. Would you consider it a bad thing if the dependency of the West on oil was offset by the influx of technology, industrialization, medicine and scientific breakthroughs to the East? In order for capitalism to succeed in the East it has to create a dependency for consumerism and “creature comforts” which people "vote" for with the dollars they pay, in exchange. In the end it is the satisfaction of the masses and their perception of freedom that matters most and not what freedom means in an absolute sense. Iran, I believe, had the same sort of dependence/interdependence before the revolution, as it has now, after the revolution. The dependency then was on the West and in particular on the U.S. to provide state of the art military support and security for Iran, and now the dependency is on decrepit military equipment and outdated technology from Russia, North Korea and China. The fact that Iran has a proxy army in South Lebanon, paid for by the petro-dollars snatched from the Iranian populace, which is struggling to survive, does not make it independent. IRI by making the rest of the world feel insecure is driving Iran ever closer to a head to head clash with the West. That is as much independence as a juvenile misfit in society can claim to have. I think you have to shift your focus away from the semantics of dependence to those of interdependence, which today’s world necessitates. As long as Iran is a dictatorial Theocracy and a misfit in the world community then it can never be independent, but dependent on the mercy of the world community at large. Ideology of jihadIn response to Amil Imani's "Ummeh-ism is anathema to democratic ideal": Dear Mr. Imani, Thank you for your reply. Firstly, I like to mention that I did not intend to criticise or offend you in any form because of your attachment to the US, one of your two countries. I apologise if the way I expressed myself was not in appropriate form. Also, because of my relatively unprofessional command of English, some of my articles, including my last article, Let Us Save Farsi, could not get published in Iranin.com. In this latter article, not only I proposed to modernise Farsi, but also, after the IRI, by introducing an adaptive alphabet, to de-Islamise our presently arbised and Islamised Farsi. As mentioned, the article was not published. In fact, I was punished for not having the privilege to have lived in an English speaking country thus not being able to dominate English as good as those who have got the privilege to live or study in an English speaking country. After all, let me say at the same time that Iranian.com, dispite its versatile feature, is the only Iranian website which shows courage to publish politically taboo breaking writings. Regarding your views about the Muslim community in the US, it is not undemocratic when the US or any non-Islamic country stops the immigration of Muslims. Furthermore, since Islam is promoting a political ideology of hatred and intolerance, a ban of Islamic values like hijab, mosques, Tawhid centres, Islamic associations and foundations are to be understandable in the West. In fact, we are both free and convinced to criticise Islam. We both will hopefully never escape from the fact that above any difference in taste, method and tactic, we have a common enemy and especially have to have a common priority in pushing back religion from its present aggressive position. The protected freedom of human is today very liable to the influence of secularism in the world, in which religion represents a heavy obstacle. I start even thinking if a front with the goal of de-islamisation cannot be the necessary solution of Iran’s question. All other differences aside, Iranian opposition can gather around the idea of a “de-Islamic” Republic of Iran or “DRI”. I agree with your critics over the dangerous growth of Islam in the West. The dimensions are even more dangerous in Europe. However, the point that probably makes differences between us can be our point of views about the fate of over one billion people in the world branded “Muslims”. I believe, regardless their religion, they must be respected and protected as human beings-- I cannot accept any discrimination towards Muslim population in the West under any pretext. I am sure a great majority of “Muslims” are not really conscious Muslims; this great majority, especially under Islamic regimes, is even the bearer of the Islamic yoke, therefore hundreds of millions of human beings in the “Islamic” world can be helped to get rid of the yoke if we know how to deal with their problems. It is a human duty to consider that many of people branded “Muslims” need courage to get rid of Islam. But we should never forget that a person accidentally born in an Islamic family cannot deny Islam. As you know, jihad in the religious sense does not only concern the conquest of the territories which are still controlled by the "unbelievers", but also, it means to maintain Islam in the already Islamic societies, Ummah. The alleged peace in Islam means only breaks between the conflicts. Peace in Islam should be accomplished when all people of the world are converted to Islam. The point I insist on is to the ideology of jihad, but not the people who are accidentally born in an “Islamic” society or people whose ancestors were forced by jihadists to convert to Islam. The wave of Islamic fundamentalism which overruns the Middle East and offers to people a renewed political and cultural self-esteem, can lead to a human catastrophe, the one which will be bigger than any of tow recent World Wars. The aggressive claim of Islamic universality is the main cause of conflicts and crisis centres. Free our language from ArabicIn response to Hasan Behgar's "Maslaeye aghvaam": The question of federalism is highly complex. It should encompass a pragmatic study of Iranian multi ethnics. If such a confederation can be a reasonable solution for democracy and primary problems of all society, there is no problem, but if it is a question of ideology, which I think, it is even needless to talk about when we are now facing a huge plague called the IRI. What concerns our Farsi language, in the course of its history, Persian or Farsi has been written with a number of different scripts. The last one was Avestan, which was banned along with the language itself after the islamic invation in 642 AD. After the imposition of Islam in Iran, the Islamic invaders imposed Arabic as the only official language in Iran. The current Farsi appeared during the 9th. century and is written in a version of the Arabic script. Because of its strong links with Arabic, language of the Koran, since ever, nobody has the right to reform or modernise the language. What is important to know, our superseded Farsi language continues to be a language of both Islamic and Arabic influence. It is not representative to our national identity or adaptive to our modern day. While many languages around the world have been permanently and adaptively modernised-- our Farsi has been crippled from any reform because of its use as a support for the safeguard of Islam in Iran. In a modern Iran, we need appropriate reforms to free our language from the imposed Arabic / Islamic burden. A modernised Farsi language not only should represent our culture and Iranian identity, but also must push back Islam and its backward culture from creeping back into people's daily life. Contrary to some supports for the use of multi languages in Iran; we need a unique and reformed Farsi language as a central support for school system, from primary to high education. Local languages or dialects are popular and verbal means of communication, but not solid bases for modern needs of education and researches. Like it or not, many languages and dialects cede the ground for the stronger, modern languages. We can see this process also in Iran—new generations have more and more tendency to use Farsi as a pragmatic language of all Iranians. This is a matter of a historic process and a need of social evolution. In the course of history many languages and dialects, as means of communication, appeared and then disappeared. There is no reason to be sorry for this normal process. Like it or not, modern-day methods of instantaneous communication requires a proficient in a range of modern languages if a modern society's economy is to remain vibrant. Therefore, after the IRI, parallel to restoration of a modern Farsi, an international modern language, as a second language and a solid support for advanced education, researches, computer and adaptive modernisation in Iran must be nationwide highly promoted. Both Modern Farsi and an international modern language open one door of the continuing struggle of modernisation. Those Iranians who speak modern languages know better that our Farsi, under the current condition, is scientifically poor. In many domains of modern sciences, it is not sufficiently expressive. Developing a modern Farsi in high levels of proficiency, particularly in higher education, will require significantly greater resources than are at hand. Our experts hopefully can focus on the study of development of a modern Farsi. They can change the words of many names and verbs to the pre-Islamic synonyms, but at least for the use of scientific terms, it is more practical to use their most common international words. Iranian linguistics has some sources of pre-Islamic to de-Islamise the daily language, but in the field of science, they should not complicate the language. In fact, a language is not only a coding system of communication, but also a bridge between thought and language, in other words, because of verbal behaviour, the way we talk can in turn influence the way we think. A rich and modern language can considerably improve our cognitive faculties, memory, mental ability, emotional expressions, behaviour and even habits. The pivotal point is how to form a useful language freed from the burden of religious backwardness and unnecessary complications. We should not forget that the new generations are not born to follow our criteria, but will be quite wisely to follow their own needs. From this perspective, language is an adaptive form of communication. All experiences show that the Farsi we have gives way to Western languages. For example, the Iranian communities in the US or Europe can expect that only a little rate of their children can be fluent in Farsi. It is not however the case for Westerns living in Iran-- their children would speak fluently their original language. The reason is not only due to the country's official language but the fact that Farsi is not adapted to modern life. Furthermore, children can not use Farsi alphabet in their internet or for their modern toys, Democratic establishments should take care of rending language modern and attractive. At the same time, there should be little need for speakers or writers to waste time looking for words, terms and expressions to mean objects or ideas. What is to be made of all of this? To ensure that a language remains the predominant way of national communication, learning and development, we need pragmatic reforms without any bigotry or prejudicing modern languages. Hooshang Hedayat?Searching for an old college friend: Name: Hooshang Hedayat met him in 1959 at a junior college in Orange county Cal. Orange coast Jr col. Wondering how he is and if still living. many thoughts of him lately.Many thoughts of him lately. IT WOULD BE GREAT to hear from him or a family member as to how his life served him. My name was Aline Cardin at the time.I will never forget him singing to me in the library, very sweet person. Virginity is equal-opportunity veilIn response to Mahnaz Ahari's "Save sex for marriage": READING YOUR COMMENTS, I AM STRUCK BY THE MENTALITY OF WOMEN WHO ARE SO LIMITED IN THEIR SELF-DEFINITION THAT THEY ARE CONVINCED THAT IN VIRGINITY, THEY HAVE "SOMETHING" TO GIVE THE PERSON WITH WHOM THEY WILL, OSTENSIBLY, BE SPENDING THEIR LIFETIME (AND VICE-VERSA). THIS IS A DANGEROUS MISCONCEPTION. Ignorance is no longer an excuseIn response to Farzad Jamshid's "The Good Revolution": Dear Mr. Jamshid, Iran was far ahead of TurkeyIn response to Farzad Jamshid's "The Good Revolution": Democracy seems to be holding well in Turkey and Iran was far ahead of Turkey. Sure they struggle, but its working. I disagree with your assessment. You conclude very simply that there is only one way a democracy can take hold and that is with a specific social model. Democracy is different things to different people. The good prophetIn response to Farzad Jamshid's "The Good Revolution": I appreciate the analysis put forth by Farzad Jamshid's article "IRI good for Iran". While one can debate whether all people progress through the same path, can we agree on the premise that what distinguishes human beings from the animal, plant and mineral, is that we possess free will? If we were to agree on this, then rational thinking, that is founded on the freedom to question, analyze, and express, is the fruit of a free society. We are then face with the question of what constitutes a free society. Does this mean that we are all free to act and speak as we please? Individual freedom is what secular society cherishes. When we closely examine these individual freedoms, we realize that they cannot be absolute but required to be relative. That is absolute individual freedom leads to anarchy and its absence to repression. It is when individual freedoms are regulated that the most people enjoy the most freedom to pursue their full potential. The regulation of these individual freedoms has been exercised by rulers and religious clerics in all societies, and is not unique to Iran. The degree to which the prevailing culture, political system, or religion in a region of the world has determined how much the society's ability for rational thinking has developed. If you believe that the people of Iran have to go through this painful process, then we must again conclude that we as human beings are formed by our experiences and that movement in a society is tied to the movement of the masses. This is, however, not supported by human history, as the greatest transformations in society have been instigated by a small band of people. The Constitutional Revolution of 1906 was not a movement that occurred because the vast majority of people were ready for it. A few visionaries were responsible for the first attempt for establishing a constitution that would allow the formation of a judiciary and a parliament. Due to the opposition of the clerics the first attempt failed only to gain wider support, two years later. This was made possible because the Qajar Shah had no alternative but to concede. The question in modern day in Iran is when will the rulers of the IRI, or velayat-e-faqih, ever reach the point of having no alternative but to concede. This has been the debate amongst many and there appears to be no consensus within reach. What differentiates the current situation from 100 years ago is that the grip of control is so tight and the outcome, if loosened, so devastating to the Islamic institutions, that the path that you assert to have been the necessary path for the evolution of the Iranian people to being rational, already has exacted a heavy toll with no end in sight. Should one analyze the situation rationally, and examine social movements in general, you will realize that transformation is not contingent on a coordinated and uniform process. George Bernard Shaw said, "The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man". Those that defy the norms around them ultimately make the sacrifices to make the changes in a society. Today, the Iranian youth, that represents the vast majority of the people of Iran, is more than ever materialistic and least inclined to sacrifice anything for change. They are disenchanted and consumed with the daily chores of making ends meet. They have been repeatedly betrayed in their struggles through their elected officials. To speak of Iran "joining the ranks of the powerful nations of the world and putting their terrible, violent, past behind them" misses the point entirely as the world is moving towards breaking this model of an ideal nation. The prime example of such a state is now mired in a struggle that has rendered it morally and militarily bankrupt. We are moving towards the removal of national barriers and interests and towards the creation of coalitions that acknowledges the interdependence of nations and the common fate that the world's inhabitants face in the economy, environment, health and food supplies. In this regard, it is my hope that Iran does not arrive at a point that the rest of the world has left behind a century ago. This the price that will be exacted on its people if they are destined to follow the linear model of progression you have put forth in your thesis. As you pointed out, we Iranians have demonstrated our ability to not follow but lead, when we established a progressive society based on justice and recognition of human rights, 2700 years ago. This ability was again unleashed and demonstrated in the mid-nineteenth century with the Babi and Baha'i Faiths. Principles such as equality of men and women, universal education and independent investigation of truth, were born out of one of the most corrupt societies under a despotic rule of the Qajars and clergy of the time. Within the span of 6 years, over 10% of the population broke with the past traditions of culture and faith when they became Babis. This transformation was based on the universally acknowledged freedom to ask questions, and to debate rationally. We can therefore conclude this potential to be present at all times and its potency for social change not to be contingent on its adoption by the majority of people. It is my hope that we as Iranians will be able to join the movement towards the next stage of evolution in human civilization, the unity of mankind.
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