Letters

February 2006
February 13 -- February 15 -- January 10

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Insulting what is so dear and sacred to millions

On Amir Normandi's "12 post cards for Muharram":

In the month of Muharram, millions of Iranians, from all social levels and backgrounds, pay their respect to Emam Hossein and to all the spiritual symbols that the events of Karbala represents to them. And Mr Amir "Normandi", as well as the editor of Iranian.com, do not have the slightest respect and sensitivity to "NOT insult" what is so dear and sacred to millions of their compatriots!!

I understand that you see this as your "freedom of speech", but it is not because you have the freedom to hurt other people's feelings that it is morally right to do it.

Dareh dizi baazeh, hayaae gorbeh kojaast?!!

Ali Nasri

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Watch out

On Amir Normandi's "12 post cards for Muharram":

I was surprised when you published "12 post cards for Muharram". No, I am not offended at all. These iconoclastic images should be shown. Islam, in much of its Shiite and Sunni manifestations, has become a major source of oppression, backwardness and terror. I was surprised because their publication showed a lot of courage when most publishers have taken the safe route.

I am, nevertheless, worried that one of these nut jobs might try to hurt you as a way to get to heaven. You know that you are risking your life by publishing these photos. But try to not make it easy for these seekers of virgins. You don't have to prove anything else.

Remove any information that might tell people where you live. I also hope you have an unlisted Tel #. Call law-enforcement if you receive any threats.

You know about Theo Van Gogh and many more who have been killed for offending Islamists. IRI has also killed dozens of Iranians overseas so there is a history there too.

I hope that I am wrong and somehow this does not blow up like the Muhammad Cartoons.

Ali K

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I feel very insulted 

On Holocaust cartoon quiz:

Wow!! I'm very surprise of you Mr.. jahanshah!! So what would be the prize for the winner??! or what if we ask nazis to repeat that experience?!! I didn't know that the industrial form of death that happened to millions can be that funny!!!

I have no answer to this, but as a human and as an iranian I feel very insulted to see this image that you called cartoon on Iranian.com.

Mohsen

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Give me music

On too much politics & religion in iranian.com:

I was so SICK and TIRED and DISGUSTED by all the articles, letters, arguments, even pictures on the Iranian site about Iran's nukes, cartoon demonstrations, freedom of expression, how to overthrow the Islamic regime, violent Islam, peaceful Islam, Ahmadinejad's comments, UN security council, Israel bombing Iran, Iran sending missiles, on and on and on.... Lately I just skim through the titles without reading the same repetitious "garbage" (excuse the language!).

THEN... I saw the Music section with old music by Pooran, Masoudi, and the rest. I clicked on it and listened to Masoudi who was my favorite singer, especially his "Banafsheh Gol..." Gilaki song. It took me back to more peaceful and better times when people were more polite, more tolerant, less vengeful, and less violent.... It took me to the beautiful and lush and serene plains and mountains of Gilan and the simple women in colorful dresses working the rice fields while singing the songs that Mas'oudi sang...and it took me back to a time when we enjoyed simple things... an ice cream or a glass of "sharbat-e albaloo" on a long hot summer day a lot more than all the meaningless luxuries of the modern times.  

Even though after the songs I was back in the "real" world of nukes, bombs, death, violence, and hatreds, I still want to thank you for putting these beautiful and wonderfully nostalgic songs on the site to balance some of the more depressing, but real world, material.

N. Shafiei

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Beneath the surface in Denmark

On Mohammad cartoons:

Denmark is a racist country and is becoming more as times goes ,ask the iranian who live there.

to make things worst the paper that the cartoons appeared in is a jewish oriented paper. and none of the happenings originated in Denmark is just a thing of freedom but on the contrary it is completely out of malace-ness towards what the Dane's sterotype as the foreigners living in Denmark " bunch of terrorist muhammaden ", these caricatures were not to practise freedom of expression, but to put more pressure and cause more insecurity for the Moslems living in Denmark.That is why many iranian there wish to find a way out of denmark, because they are not happy there.

In Denmark today the determining issue for the politicians to be elected is which one is more hard and more difficult on the foreigners being  mostly turks , pakistani and persians ,who happened to be muslims. The sweet and loving Dane's have a change of heart and wish no longer to practice freedom of expressions by the muslims in their country. and they would go out of their way to kick them out if they could. so you see the caricatures had ment to  intensify the already pressure on the muslims living in Denmark not to extend freedom to the muslims of the world.

It was/is extremely Insensitive and unfortunate in modern time when many are working so hard towards peace and trust among Moslems, Jews and Christians a Jewish paper in Denmark starts a racial rally under pretense of Freedom to practise terror. Irony!

Mehran

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Typical gutless intellectuals

On Behrooz Ghamari's "When a cartoon is not a cartoon":

Once again, another Iranian academician in the West who wants to have it both ways. On the one hand Mr. Ghamari regurgitates the old story that these Westerners have not yet come to terms with their past and have not realized that they are still carrying with themselves vestiges of colonialism and . . . But he is careful to suggest that he believes the reaction of Muslims should not be punching their opponents and . . .

This is so typical of gutless intellectuals who want to promote themselves and protect their position as scholars of Islam and East and . . . in academic environments and at the same time define themselves as radicals who are against colonialism and Imperialism and a host of other isms.

Let's make one thing clear one more time: this is about freedom of speech and those who try to change the subject are not to be trusted. Nobody is talking about the reasons behind the publications of these cartoons. Let's assume that editors and cartoonists of Jyllands-Posten are lackeys (the term these people love to use!) of colonialism and Imperialism (or as Khomeini used to say Estekbar). So what? Freedom of speech means protecting these people and these statements.

The author gives a bunch of irrelevant examples about statements which would trigger negative reactions by other religious and ethnic groups. Very conveniently however, he forgets that for example, in the United States, KKK still holds rallies and demonstrations. They are hated by everyone but they are protected under the law.

Again, this discourse is so familiar. On the one hand the author is presenting himself as someone who has once again found an example of Western colonialism concealed in the veil of freedom of speech and on the other hand he is advising the Muslims not to recourse to violence. We all remember the position of so-called scholars who, after the shameful fatwa against Salman Rushdie, decided to talk about Rushdie's insensitivities. And we all remember similar "scholars" who, after the brutal assassination of the Dutch filmmaker, Van Gogh, reviewed the film and gave us a lecture about the offensive nature of this film. And of course, at the end of all their illuminating lessons, they told us that, of course, they do not advocate violence.

Let me be clear. This is an issue about freedom of speech even if we believe these are disgusting and at least tasteless cartoons. However, those who want to take advantage of this event and promote themselves and avoid taking a position, should realize that at the end of the day they are natural allies of those Muslims who will not hesitate to assassinate freedom of speech.

Sudabeh Siavashan

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Who gains?

On Mohammad cartoons:

i have never considered myself particularly religious, and i have never particularly cared for how iran was ravaged by the savages from peninsula in the 7th century....

however, after the recent publication of the cartoons insulting mohammad, i just don't understand.... who gains anything from such a situation?? muslims get insulted, and the publishers get threatened...

are they mad? are they crazy?? doesn't the world have enough problems to deal with??

alas....

Hooman Golshan

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Bit too much

On photos of Muslim demonstration in London against Mohammad cartoons:

It is amazing to see a group of people using their right to "free expression" to freely and openly promote intolerance and violence. Freedom of expression is wonderful and essential, in fact most of us have chosen exile for this very reason.  This group of protestors however, did not have to resort to such an outrageous language to express their dissatisfaction about the printing of several distasteful cartoons.

I agree that in the light of what has been happening to thousands of innocent Muslims both in Iraq and Afghanistan; and the constant negative portrayal of Islam and Muslims in the Western media,  the appearance of these cartoons was a bit too much ( Both my children who have no religious upbringing thought that while few of them were funny, several were indeed offensive.) Still none of thess warrant the beheading of anyone or bombing of any place. Mohammad himself would not have wanted it.

Shahin Shoar

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And by the way who the fuck are Danes?

On Mohammad cartoons:

In Islam we learn that god is forgiving even for those who choose not to join Islam. In Islam we believe that Christians and Jews are very similar to us and believe in the same god. and we are respectful of them, at least in theory. but Muslims of the world have forgotten The rights they have. that only god Through his device other than muslims shall provide punishment equal to the crime and there is a devine Justice in Islam which is something that god himself shall take care of so muslims  let it go.

Few years ago  Irish singer Sinead O'Connor in protest over the issues regarding abortion on a live show (SNL) tore a picture of the Pope. People were shocked and got so angry and wrote in the papers and threathened the little lady of all sort of revengeful themes mostly boycotting her and later on we learned that she had disappeared for a decade almost from all scenes, but then to ease the Catholics, SNL programers of the show had a man very much looking like the late Pope himself tearing the picture of the singer herself of course humor being the revengefulness of the good Pope.

The moral of the story i believe is that Muslims can do the caricatures of stupidity of a judgemental western red neck Danish white supremist paranoids  who get agitated with people who are different, whom at the sight of Muslims getting lynched in their homelands everywhere almost these days, he finds it humorous to teach muslims a crash course in Democracy on a main newspaper where muslims live as minorities.

Intelectual or not, for a believer of democracy where peace , the most costly peace between  Israelies and Palestinian so hard fetched and fragile in danger, was it really an outmost necessity to print something so provoking and offensive to the muslims? The editor of a paper who claims "we live in a democracy and we have freedom of expression".

I guess Muslims are not fun loving peoiple and can't stand a joke, which i believe if you let The iranian Humorist  rise to challenge The issue with Caricature of the Event, he couldn't last a moment with The iranian champions of humor.

I think we should write to the queen of Denmark who recently expressed her dismay of anythings regarding muslims and islam in her country in a frank statement, to mend the dark clouds between the muslims and her maybe we have one of those Humor Olympics where we can express ourselves to each other and realize that People are People. And by the way who the fuck are Danes?

Mehran Farah

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Standup or submit

On Mohammad cartoons:

The real instigators of the outrageous reactions to Muhammad's caricatures are the devilish Muslim clerics in Denmark who re-circulated the so called blasphemous cartoons months after their initial publication.

Their feelings were hurt when the Danish premier, being ill advised refused to meet with these Danish clerics four months ago.

Remember, the Jyllands Posten Daily originally published the cartoons back in Sept 2005!

The Islamic political Card, Mass Manipulation by un-popular and non-democratic governments in the Islamic countries has now been played.

The United States and the European Union better, swiftly and firmly, get their acts together.

They need to be ready to tell the supposedly Islamic Nations that they have 24 hours to shut their embassies and leave the western countries.

The organized savagery and barbaric acts against Danish and other country's diplomatic missions must be stopped immediately by the Imams and others responsible for getting the crowds out for the ritual marches of outrage.

For the U S media, in conjunction with other defenders of democratic principals, some of whom are still on the sideline, stand up and publish all those caricatures in defiance of those oppressors!

Show the courage it takes to safe keep the freedoms, rights and values that are precious to free people everywhere.

For the Tehran's daily paper that initiated a retaliatory caricature contest on the subject of Holocaust to challenge the tolerance level on the freedom of expression, I suggest that while they are on this issue; why not print all the censored cartoons and images in the archive of the Information and Guidance Ministry's.

Many of the authors of these images lost their freedom over that expression of their thoughts, if in fact not their lives. 

"We must not be intimidated" by agents of darkness and promoters of hate.

Amir Normandi
Chicago, Illinois

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What's the prophet got to do with it?

On Shahla Azizi's "The Age of Liberty"

Shahla Azizi's, "The Age of Liberty" has it all wrong. She refuses to accept the realty of the Muslim world generally and Iran specifically. The Salman Rushdie fiasco of more than a decade ago should have awakened everyone in the western world about what the Muslim world is all about.

The cartoon in question had a man with a black turban which was shaped like a missile. First of all, the Prophet of the Muslims did not have a black turban. The Prophet Muhammad had a green turban. It is not clear if the cartoon is making fun of Khamenei or the Usama bin Laden network.  The cartoon went on to offend all, even a bunch of homeless, unemployed people in the Muslim world who should be more focused on earning a living rather than paying attention to some cartoon written by a European newspaper millions of miles away.

Ms. Azizi's essay refers to the mistreatment she has seen in Muslim countries. That is a political issue. What does this have to do with a Prophet that has been dead for over 1300 years? He lived in Saudi Arabia. Ms. Azizi's problems stem from some people in Iran. And how is a cartoon that was printed in Denmark going to solve her problems with her homeland? I conclude that Ms. Azizi is just plain pissed off. I always say, "It's better to be pissed off, than pissed on". But nowadays pissing on people has become an alternative lifestyle and is accepted, so may the Lord protect me from the politically correct police.

A lot of people in the world have unresolved issues about Iran, Islam and freedom of press. The state sponsored religion of Iran since the 1600s has been Shia Islam. If Ms. Azizi wants to change Iran she is welcome to leave the west and go back to Iran and start a movement like Ms. Shireen Ebadi. On the way she will get a Nobel peace prize, some cash, and fame. But will anything change in Iran? No.

What made the west great? All those great thinkers of America would have no place to stay if it wasn't for 400 years of slavery and the mass genocide of American Indians. I wonder where the Iranians will be able to find American Indians, and slavery has been abolished for over 100 years. The Iranians who want something similar to America must come to the conclusion that that is not possible.

The only option is for Iranians in Iran who don't like the circumstances is to leave the country. And why not? Good riddance to bad rubbish.

Jamshid Tehrani

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Danes don't deserve this

On Mohammad cartoons:

First of all I want to put it like this; A Danish newspaper published some drawings of Islam Holy Prophet. Then the people in charged apologized for the insult which they said they did not mean, and if the offended feels unsatisfied then the case can be brought to international court and that's all. The rest I believe is the cultural misunderstanding that is becoming an international trauma by the attempt of some ill will groups who gain from this.

The misapprehension comes from the misinterpreting the concept of terms and I start with "state". In countries which typically demonstrate Democracy rather than practicing it, the state is real and ultimate sovereign. Nearly all Muslim nations are living in the countries that everything is in the hands of their governments and because of this when they are said that the Danish government had nothing to do with the disrespecting Islamic or any other religious beliefs, the Muslims generally can't accept it. Another term needs to be redefined is "freedom", Europeans too are deeply sank in their thoughts to attain the real and righteous values authorizing them to prescribe definition for every contexts, for instance; freedom. I can't forget the embarrassing calls for a young lad who happened to be from UK's royal family to apologize in person and publicly for the crime he committed. He had Swastika armband as fancy dress when attending a friend's birth day party.

Finally, I would like to express my very personal view of this unpleasant incident. For people like me that had no chance to live in western countries some events or even a person -though unreasonable- can epitomize nations. Hong Kong stadium in February 1-2003 was a platform for Danish people to display their high standards of Moral laws they actually observe. When Danish soccer Captain Wieghorst deliberately kicked wide a penalty awarded to his team which he thought to be unfair. So, I heartily believe the culture that can raise such honorable principles may not have anything to do with the mocking our ways of life if ever meant to be. Hence, burning their flag is I strongly believe unethical, and they do not deserve it.

Amad Saremi

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Ever campaigned against mullahs?

On Abbas Edalat's "Iran, war & sanctions":

Has Prof. Abas Edalat ever campaigned against teh mullahs in Iran? For women's rights, freedom of press, independent judiciary, freedom of political prisoners, any thing against the mullahs, I would like to know what he has done in the last 25 years against the mullahs, and does he travel to Iran?

Ardeshir Palizban

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Nejaat az afsordegi

On coverage of debate over Mohammad cartoons in iranian.com:

mikhaam behet tabrik begam baabat-e chaap-e kareekaturhaay-e hazrat-e Mohammad va oon maghaaley-e e'teraazi dar Iranian.com. to jozve ma'dood iranihaa ii hasti ke vaakonesh-e e'teraazi neshun daade. baghiy-e sokoot kardeand. taghriban hamey-e doostaan-e nevisande va shaa'er va journalist!...

i'm deeply disappointed. this rotten silence makes me think that maybe there is really no genuine opposition to the Islamic Republic among us. no one has reacted, let alone condemned, the brutality and barbarism of these new 'bodyguards' of the prophet Mohammad!...i have a lot of problems with the eurocentrism of the European papers too. but that is no reason for the silence and inaction between us....

be nazaram kheilihaa dar in community mikhaan tu Iran-e eslaami vazir-o vakeel beshan va bary-e hamin ham hast ke sokott kardan! shaayad hataa inham na: mikhaan tu iran ketaab chaap konan va ershaad baayad azashun raazi baashe! cheghadr hagheer! baavar kardani nist ke aadamhaaii ke sang-e aazaadi, edaalat va jaame'y-e madani ro be sine mizanan intour dar moghaabel-e ertejaa'itarin model-e eslaam va feshfeshe-baaziyaash sar tu laak foru konan.... dorud bar to!

you know, it's simply a matter of being socially conscious and caring about what's going on in the world. i've lost friends to the torture chambers of the Islamic Republic. how can i be indifferent! ma Iruniyaa khoob miduneem chetour laaf biyaaym. vali vaghti paay-e amal mirese joft mikoneem. anyway, baaz dame to aziz garm ke man ro az soghoot dar afsordegiy-e kaamel nejat daadi. inghadar tu in chand rooz-e gozashte naamey-e e'teraazi neveshtam ke dastam az kaar oftaade!...

HF

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One universal truth

On Ali Zandi's "The purest form of love":

In a good mood and thinking about God/Reality/Truth, I typed into Google Search "purest form of love". What popped up was your website: Ali Zandi's poem about "Purest Form of Love" is so beautiful; and it is so beautiful that this female person (me) found this entry in probably an Islamic setting... all the purported differences proclaimed; the extremist annihilators...

Then I read that passage and my heart dissolves into the one universal truth that is that we are all one, our beginning and our destiny... there are no differences at the root of reality.

Aloha,

Donna Alalem

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Monetary motives?

On Bahar Mirhosseini's "Long arm of justice":

I have a couple questions and problems concerning your article on Iranian.com:

1. How can plaintiffs receive monetary damages when Iran has no assets in the US? Even if you consider Iran’s frozen assets currently in the US, from my understanding those assets cannot be accessed by any plaintiffs pursuant to an agreement made by Iran and the US following the hostage crisis.

2. Who would the defendants be? You stated corporations with minimal contacts, but Iranian corporations are forbidden from accessing US markets under the Iran-Libya Sanctions Act, hence no publicly traded Iranian corporations on NASDAQ or the NYSE. Under the doctrine of sovereign immunity, Iran as a country and its leaders can’t be sued. In fact, if I remember correctly, that’s precisely the reason why suits brought against Robert Mugabe, Burma, the United States, etc. have been dismissed by the Courts.

It also bears remembering that the federal district courts and the court of appeals have dismissed almost every case where the defendant was a person not residing in the US. Bearing that in mind, it seems somewhat disingenuous to have any discussion concerning ATCA lawsuits and Iran without noting significant problems plaintiffs would face. So I ask again, who would the potential defendants be?

I’m not sure whether your article is being sincere in its attempts to rectify harms perpetrated against Iranians, or whether it’s simply an advertisement for the Center for Constitutional Rights.  Since you are a law student, I would caution you from advertising big monetary awards and easy legal actions as you do in the article and be more forward about the significant legal impediments that a potential plaintiff is likely to face.   [See reply below]

Nema Milaninia

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Not an empty promise

On Nema Milaninia's "Monetary motives?":

I appreciate your concern about not wanting to mislead people. In the submission, I did not make any claims that any group of Iranians would definitively gain monetary damages. In fact, in the first paragraph I stated that "it may be possible" for Iranian plaintiffs to seek remedies under ATCA. Stating a possibility, as a possibility, is very different from as you phrased it "advertising big money awards" and "easy legal actions". Where I noted that politically unpopular claims may face resistance -- was an indication that especially in this particular climate, there may be political as well as legal obstacles to such suits by Iranian plaintiffs.

I also indicated that this possibility is perhaps worth the research and investigation. I appreciate your concern about not wanting to mislead people -- I think that is very important. At the same time, I do not appreciate the characterization of my submission as "an advertisement".  Prior to my submission, there was an article suggesting judicial investigations and suits in federal courts regarding the human rights violations experienced by Iranians. That posting, prompted me to make the submission, for the purpose of sharing with the Iranian community, information about ATCA.

I wanted to inform people, especially creative legal thinkers out there, that there are such suits and there is such an act.  I cited CCR so frequently because, to the best of my knowledge, CCR is the organization spearheading the litigation under ATCA, although groups like Human Rights First and some private law firms are also involved. This was a short and general article to inform the Iranian community of the Alien Torts Claims Act and the possibility of Iranian plaintiffs filing suit in federal court. I encouraged research and investigation of this matter. I did not in any way guarantee "big money awards". Your characterization of my writing is problematic.

My submission was an article written in good faith, to inform the community, because perhaps someone out there with the resources and skills, would read the article and perhaps it might inspire some research on the matter. I appreciate your effort in engaging with me on this matter, however, with all due respect, I feel that your characterization of the submission as promising big awards or an easy legal action is unfair and inaccurate.

There are many people in the community who are not aware of ATCA and I think it is to the benefit of our Iranian Diaspora to share this information with each other. Presenting information about a statute from the 1700's which is being used to litigate claims on behalf of victims of human rights violations from around the world -- is not an advertisement nor is it an empty promise. Your use of the word "advertisement" does not do justice to an effort by an Iranian student to share with her community information that may possibly be useful in compensating victims of human rights violations.

In response to your questions, the fact that Iran has practically no economic relations with the U.S. (to my understanding) does not alone preclude such a suit, because ATCA suits target American or American based corporations or individuals residing in the U.S. (such as former Iranian heads of state who are currently under the jurisdiction of U.S. law). While US economic relations with Iran are practically zero right now, there, was a time when American individuals and corporations were much more heavily involved in Iran while Iranians in Iran experienced human rights violations -- namely during the Shah's era. I submited this article because perhaps there are corporations out there who have contributed to gross violations of human rights in Iran, who are under the jurisdiction of U.S. law and can be sued. These are the potential defendants. I think you have misunderstood the basis on which an ATCA suit can be litigated. I believe that your concern is moot because the suit would not target Iranian companies (and U.S. courts lack jurisdiction over such companies anyways). It would target American or American based companies or persons under U.S. jurisdiction.

As for potential plaintiffs, firstly, there are many Iranians residing in the United States who have experienced human rights violations in Iran. Several other post 9-11 cases involve persons who do not, or no longer, reside in the United States or who are not U.S. residents.

You commented that there are no Iranian corporations in the U.S./the frozen assets issue -- a potential ATCA suit would not target Iranian companies because U.S. courts lack the jurisdiction to adjudicate over Iranian companies -- or companies from any other country where the entity lacks the minimum contacts required for personal jurisdiction. Even if Iran had amicable economic relations with the U.S., Iranian companiess based in Iran would not be the target of the suit. Neither Iranian companies nor the residing Iranian government would be the target of the suit. ATCA protects non-Americans from the harmful conduct of companies and persons over whom U.S. courts have personal jurisdiction -- companies with at least minimal contacts and persons residing in the United States (as the defendants).

It is not that Iranian companies in Iran would be sued or the Iranian government would be sued under ATCA.  A potential claim can look like defendants based in the U.S. facing suit by Iranian plaintiffs who experienced human rights violations as a result of the conduct of these companies/perpetrators who are currently under U.S. jurisdiction. I believe I stated this clearly and the cites to CCR also explain this fairly clearly, that the perpetrators and companies would need to have minimum U.S. contacts.

Furthermore, you mention some cases that have been dismissed. Are these ATCA cases? There are ATCA cases which have prevailed, which have been dismissed, and which are pending -- as are the torts based litigation in a number of state courts on more ordindary matters such as personal injuries -- some are dismissed, some prevail, some are pending, and some will be appealed. Since such a case has not yet been litigated, we really do not know that it is impossible to receive such compensation or seek other legal remedies.  I would rather present the information to the community and let every reader be the judge for him or herself of whether this is something worth looking into -- rather than hiding the information until I have accumulated every ounce of possible research -- that may never happen and there might be someone who is more willing and able to look into this further than I currently am.

If you found any of the above repetitive, it was simply to ensure that you understand my communication and my intentions, since you have misconstrued and mischaracterized the posting on <//Iranian.com> Iranian.com.  Again, there is a significant difference between presenting a "possibility" and sharing information about human rights litigation versus your framing of the situation as an advertisement promising big rewards.

As far as the possibilities of litigation go, dont be so quick to close all the doors.

Bahar Mirhosseini

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The Age of Disbelief

On Shahla Azizi's "The Age of Liberty"

Your brand of fiery narrow rhetoric epitomizes the very rift between the West and the East, and the endless struggle it entails. It is all the more depressing that such words of hatred, intolerance, and myopic anger should come from someone who claims an Eastern ancestry, especially when we of such descents should help bridge that rift.

Whereas Pain would “strenuously support the Right of every Man to his own opinion, however different that opinion might be” to his, you on the other hand would strenuously dictate your beliefs on everyone else, even go to war to do it.

When it comes down to it, you will neither “go to war,” as you pompously boast (though you might certainly be “willing” to send someone else’s kids!), nor put your face and name behind your beliefs in public protest, but only be happy in the narcissistic belief that a liberated woman from the East can freely express her mind for the first time. How liberating!

“My mind is a church” is a travesty of narrow-minded bigotedness we’ve come to associate with any kind of organized thought, be it a sect, a cult, a doctrine, a fatwa, or a church – now applied to one’s individual beliefs. Indeed, a fascist is a fascist is a fascist – and it’s all around us -- especially when they believe their mind is a church.

Moe Maleki

As a sociologist I believe cultural relativism has run a mock. Muslims demand respect from people of other faiths while disrespecting the people of other faiths in their sermons and publications. It is ironic that when the president of IRI called for the destruction of a people and a nation there was not even one word of protest from all these Islamic governments. Thanks for speaking out.

AA

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Powerful pen

On Shahla Azizi's "The Age of Liberty"

Love you for what you said so eloquently so beautifully, and to the point. I want you and to encourage you to use your powerful pen to expose these backward savages for what they really are and what they represent. They cut throats, poke eyes, stone innocent women and many other atrocities in the name of God or some other names and here they incite riots for a few cartoons that truly depict the subject. I share your contempt for the very hypocrite bastards that come forward as apologist for the cartoonists. Please allow me to be your honorary brother in comrade.

RH

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Sad Afarin!

On the Quiz section:

Dear JJ,

I have often answered the questions to these quizzes sometime as soon as they are posted. Despite several correct answers, I have never recieved a "sad afarin" and so I am heartbroken. It also seems to me that a select group seem to win many of these. As there is a prize involved, how do you go about doing these?

MHE

Reply:

Mohammad Jan... thanks for your email. You've been unlucky... you should try harder :)

Here's how I do it:

About every 24 hours I try to figure out a new quiz. When the new page is up, the first person who sends the correct answer wins for the day. And I repeat the process.

No one is favored over any one else. The reason you have not won yet is that you have a life and have better things to do than check for the new quiz every 15 minutes, all day, every day... Yes, there are a few of those, and if you can beat them to the buzzer... Sad Afarin to you! :D

Qorbanat

Jahanshah Javid

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