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THE IRANIAN
Letters

* Latest comments received in Sept/Oct 1997
* Back to main Letters page


Satire
* Ghash Ghash!
* The stupidest
* Gender issues

Freedom
* Complete freedom?

Arabs
* Friendship
accepted

Weapon
* Tir kamoon

THE
IRANIAN
* Honar nazd-e
* Kissing butt
* Interesting,
informative
* Fantastic



Farah Diba
* Disappear
* Illumine
* Love you

Hedayat
* Adversity

Seyed Alavi
* Moving art

The Peacemaker
* Too extreme

dAyi Hamid
* Name change
* Baa mazeh

Birdman
* Delneshin

Naderpour
* Missing

Sanctions
* Still loyal

Culture
* Mix the best

Soccer
* World Cup
* Father's help

Tennis
* Funtastic Bahrami

Music
* Daryoush koo?
* Took my heart
* Farhad alive?!
* New singers
* Download

Nudity
* Scandalous

Persia, Iowa
* Strange fate


Ghash Ghash!

Hi! I am new to THE IRANIAN, and of course as every self-respecting Iranian would do, I went straight for the Satire section. Thanks for a great laugh, especially the Horrorscope section. It reminded me of my school days at Iranzamin and the silly things we had in our yearbooks. Ghash Ghash khandidam!

Vivian Panahy
Vivian.Panahy@btinternet.com

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Delneshin

What a touching and "delneshin" story, "The birdman of Boumehen".

By the way the man standing on the immediate left of Arham Sadr is Abolghasem Jebbeli, a famous and extremely popular singer with young Abadani's in 1950s.

Abbas Atrvash
atri@2000tech.com

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Still loyal

Although I agree with many of the positions taken by the League of Iranian American Voters there is one major difference between us. As far as nation states are concerned the Iranian people are still my first preference for exhibiting a sense of loyalty toward.

It is the Iranian people who should decide how their natural resources are developed, not Mr. D'Amato ( sponsor of the bill who recieves campaign contributions from the Shah's cronies ).

Although the Islamic Republic of Iran has not exactly been successful at dealing with the economic problems Iran is confronted with, I trust them more to do what is good for the long term future of Iran than Mr. D'Amato. The long term suffering of the Iranian people has very little bearing on Mr. D'Amato.

Reza Reyazi
rreyazi@nextek.com

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Adversity

I'm very pleased to see Hedaayat's inclusion in the plethora of ever (recently) improving material in THE IRANIAN [Tanz-e Hedayat = Dast-e bar qazaa].

Hedayat and some of his buddies/contemporaries, belonged to the very few late 1800s/early 1900s Iranian intelligentsia' who fought both the internal and external adversity with an unparalleled conviction.

May their souls rest in peace and I do personally thank you for this sort of material in THE IRANIAN. We'll all benefit from this in the long run, I promise. I hope that somewhere down the line, you get to the likes of Bahar, Eshghi, Farrokhi-Yazdi, Iraj...

Kaamraan Seyed Moussavi
seyed.moussavi@gsa.gov

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Funtastic Bahrami

This was a fantastic story about a fantastic man [tennis pro Mansoor Bahrami]. Ever since watching him play in the French Open doubles final I always wanted to know a little about Mansoor Bahrami. I did also see a short bio on him done by the ATP TV which admired the man for his love of the game and the fans.

Many players today are either in it for the money, or have the personality of a potato. However, Bahrami loves the game, its fans, and to top it all, has a "funtastic" personality.

Isn't it great of him to say "Anyway, it is good for the soul to go hungry at some time in your life."? WOW! I admire the man and would love to be able to chat with him for an hour or two over a game of backgammon and chaiee ghand pahloo.

Abbas Soltani
abbas_soltani@ea.epson.com

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Tir kamoon

Latest news on this new secret weapon which shows that the "tir kamoon" thing is fo real :-)

A few days back, I was reading the Norwegian Newspaper "AftenPosten." There was a column on a man who was arrested in Kristiansan city for secretly breaking the windows of a college there. The damages were roughly estimated to be the equivalent of $30,000.

While reading it, I thought "Oh my God, this guy is certainly Iranian." Surprise, surprise, he was! Reading a few more lines, it appeared that he was a 41-year-old Iranian, breaking the windows as a revenge for not being let into the computer science study in this college.

The weapon of choice was of course "tir kamoon-e simi." I think the man was released on psychological grounds, since the reason for his release was very vaguely mentioned.

Kambiz Iranpour
Oslo, Norway
iranpouk@oslo.Geco-Prakla.slb.com

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Friendship accepted

[Response to an offer of friendship from an Arab]

First of all I would like to commend your mature outlook, and your generous offer of friendship to the Iranian community. Before coming to the United States, I had very little contact with Arabs, and my mental image of the Arab was of the unsophisticated, uneducated, uncouth bedouin which is the stuff of stories and propaganda and the result of mutual ignorance of the different peoples of the Middle East of each other.

Even though I started the study of history at a young age, it took me some time to realize that the definition of the word "Arab" as it is today, is quite different from the early Islamic or Pre-Islamic one. The modern definition of the name includes anyone who speaks Arabic; therefore including the people of Egypt and Syria who respectively have cultures that are older or as old as ours, and who have certainly contributed asmuch to culture as we have.

The mutual ignorance between Iranians and Arabs is also a large problem, which contributes to the problem. In Europe, countries which have along history of bloody conflicts with each other, with millions of dead on each side, countries such as France and Germany, have managed to come together, to forge a mutually beneficial Union. The crimes they have committed against each other , in a much more recent past, have been on a much more horrific scale than any conflict between the ancient Iranians, and the Arabs of that time (who are not the equivalent of the people who today identify themselves as Arab).

It is time for the different people of the Middle East, Iranian, Arab, Turk, etc, to get to know each other and realize their multitudinous similarities and shared cultural characteristics, and to celebrate these similarities, rather than focusing on the differences, which only plays into the hands of those parties/countries interested in exploiting all of us.

It is also time for us to stop caring about what the "West" thinks of us, or how they name our cities, or geography, or whether they bother to differentiate us from each other. If they don't differentiate between us, or persist in using names that cause controversy among us , it is only because they either don't give a d___, or that it serves their purpose.

I , in turn accept your proferred hand of friendship, hopefully as only one of many of my fellow Iranians, and I wish all of us ever increasing peace and compassion.

Ali Shaibani
shaibani@hotmail.com

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Took my heart

Enjoyed the piece by Farhad which brought back my childhood memories. Thank you!

I grew up under the deposed regime of the Shah and had depressing moments by losing most of my high school friends in his torture chambers. His SAVAK agents took my childhood friends one by one and with that took my heart with them.

In those days songs by Farhad, Daryoush, and the like kept us going and await a day to see a free Iran. Free in the sense that the people take their destiny into their own hands and CREATE and BE RE-created by their own hands.

I would will wait for more songs by him and Daryoush from those days in your sight.

keefer@mailcity.com

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Fantastic

We would like to thank you very much for your fantastic website.

Mohammadi family
mohammadi@webtv.net

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Name change

I am an Iranian-American and I still go by my Iranian name, Cia (short for Ciamac). But I can see why Iranians would want to change their names in the U.S. [dAyi Hamid's "Why change a name?"]

Why not? Having a common name adherent to the culture in which you live is just a part of assimilation. Many Europeans had to change their last names because they were too difficult to pronounce by Western tongues. I see no problem with it.

Cia Tahmasebi
Cia420@aol.com

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Farhad alive?!

I did not know Farhad is alive. I thought he was dead, but thanks for the music... You awakened my sole.. I have been in the U.S. for the last 21 years and I miss IRAN's 70s music. It was one of the best periods of pop music in Iran.

Seyed Kalantar
SHADAN@classic.msn.com

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Moving art

Fantastic work... [Seyed Alavi's "Three thousand butterflies"].

I have not felt as moved about any works as I was with yours in a long while. Perhpse we deal with the same issues deep inside.

Behnam "Behn" Samareh
behn@aud.ucla.edu
//www.aud.ucla.edu/~behn/

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Kissing butt

Thank you for all the services you are providing for the Iranians outside Iran...it is way too great! I cannot believe anyone could do such a good job. I am not trying to kiss any butt... it really is a good design and format.

Hamid T.
hamid@sj.bigger.net

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Scandalous

As one who delighted in the display of the nude on the cover of THE IRANIAN, I am writing to rebut the vituperations of a certain "Anonymous," who claims that nudity is not Iranian!

Of course, terms such a kun-e lokht, kun-e berehnah, lokhtish gashingeh, lokhte madarzad are all French! Nudity is simply a metaphore for sensuality and that representation is abundant in Persian art forms.

Of course, these luscious representations of the human body and its attendant sensulaity in Safavid art down to today are English! What is all the more scandalousin Anonymous' s opinion is that Iranians are in massive denial regarding the very un-Iranian character of nudity. "You can't hide your head under the snow," writes Anonymous. Who is hiding now?

Guive@aol.com

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Download

Thanks a lot for the music you have put on the web. I am just listening to Farhad. Man, it is amazing! A suggetion: unfortunately RealAudio player still has a long way to go to become a stable piece of software, it glits, it stops for many different reasons. If it be possible, please give an option to download the files too.

A. R. Nezami
Faculty of Computer Science
University of New Brunswick
Canada
a9sj@unb.ca

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New singers

I've noticed you haven't been updating the Music section. Can you please try to get new singers like Susan Roshan, Shohreh, Nahid, and more Googoosh and Sima Bina.

I don't have RealAudio and I can't listen to half the songs, too. Also I loved the article about Sandy. I have all their CDs.

Maryam Mottaghian
Gigijoon@aol.com

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Honar nazd-e...

Congratulations to you and your collaborators for an excellent job. The content and design are some of the best on the net. As Ferdowsi said: "Honar nazd-e THE IRANIAN ast o bass!"

MOPSFARSI@aol.com

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Father's help

Iranian soccer players can play in the national team as well as forigen clubs (Daie, Baghari and others do). Arash Noamouz used to play (mostly as a substitute) for the Iranian national team just because his father was the chairman of the national team not becouse he was the best.

Siamak Kananizadeh
cejee@westminster.ac.uk

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Mix the best

I read "Don't forget home" by M. Sadighi. I felt so concerned about the subject, because as an Iranian who has been in the States for only three years I can totally underestand what the writer means.

I feel the writer is right; we have a rich culture which shouldn't be ignored. We can show our valuable social interactions to the rest of the world, but this doesn't mean we can not learn from other cultures too. I see that the writer, like all of us, does not feel good with this new culture.

Just think how wonderful it would be if we mix the best from each culture, and omit the disadvantages. I know some Iranians who have done this, and are really in peace.

Good luck to all Iranians.

J. Sadighi
jsadighi@iupui.edu

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World Cup

While most Iranians one comes across these days have something to say about Iran's World Cup qualifying matches, THE IRANIAN TIMES (IT) seems to be (somewhat uncharacteristically) silent on the issue!

Perhaps the IT is not a forum to report on such not-so-social-or-cultural issues! I sympathize with this point of view. However, I find it hard not to feel the significance of these games, in connecting people of differnet types, in and out of Iran; and in reviving, and giving meaning to, the sense of being Iranian, in a more healthy way than, say, arguing over the name of a gulf does!

So...maybe some attention to the topic in the IT is warranted!

Hossein Samiei
SSAMIEI@IMF.ORG

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Gender issues

Thanks for the wonderful cartoons. I do appreciate your selection of cartoons dealing with gender issues. I use them regularly in class.

Janet Afary
Associate Professor of History and Women's Studies
Purdue University
afary@purdue.edu

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Daryoush koo?

Dar safhAte moosighie shomA taghriban esme hameye khAnandehAye ma'roof-e mA be no'i Amadeh joz yeki az behtarin khAnandegAne asre mA (be nazare man albatte) Daryoush. Taajjob mikonam jA-i ke inhame az Googoosh, Vigen, Shahram Nazeri, va akhiran Farhad va ....( ke albatte hamegishAn bekhosoos Farhad az nazare man ham honarmand hastand) sohbat mishavad, hattA kalame-i, sharhi, tozihi, az Daryoush ke be no'-e monhaser be fardi dar miAne khanandegAne mA tak ast (albatte bAz ham nazare shakhsist) chizi nayAmadeh.

albatte ehtemAle in miravad ke shomA dar morede IshAn (manzoor Daryoush) bA man ham-aghideh nabashid, vali har che ke hast ishAn joz'i jodA nashodani va shAkhes dar moosighie gheire sonnati-e mA hastand. az AnjAi ke mikhAstam harfhAyam rA be rAhati bezanam, in nAmeh rA be fArsi neveshtam, shomA agar ghasde neveshtane javAbi dArid mitavAnid be ingilisi yA fArsi benevisid.

bA sepAs va Arezooye piroozi barAyetAn erAdatmand,

Sasan
sasan@technologist.com

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Strange fate

I was fascinated by your story ["Persian, Iowa"], it felt like a part of a Stephen King novel! I stared at the first picture on top of the story , & thought fate plays strange roles. A railroad worker from Iran in the U.S. a hundred years ago, and now we're here! Thanx again for the story. I'll recommend it to all my friends.

Kamran Arasteh
kamy@execulink.com

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Complete freedom?

I happen to sort of agree with some of the stuff that you are saying here ["Freedom ... for some?" by Kristin Aileen Motlagh]

"Sort of" and "some" you may rightly argue to be pretty vague at best. Please let me clarify myself:

1) I "sort of" agree with your proposed concept of "Democracy for all" due to the fact that I don't know what is your underline (hidden) agenda for such a brave proposal. If, on the other hand, you do not have a hidden agenda and are merely a free spirited human being, then I salute you and declare that I too subscribe to your theory (my views on this concept can be found in my essay.) Irregardless, the fundamental concern in this respect would be the application of such a concept in a society like Iran. In your views, is our nation really ready for such all-around Egalite?

2) About the "some of the stuff" part, I must simply state that I have a mighty hard time sympathizing with items 4,5, and 6 of your article. I'd be more than happy to engage in a dialogue about those items, but that definitely requires a forum other than email.

With regards
Seyed Moussavi
amousony@erols.com

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Missing Naderpour

Just a note that Nader Naderpour is clearly missing in your Poetry Index page. Thanks for all you've done to make THE IRANIAN so wonderful.

Arrash Hassibi
arash@espresso.Stanford.EDU

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The stupidest

These must be the stupidest horrorscope predictions yet!! Get a life man!!

Rasoulit
rasoulit@jaxn.com

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Childhood

Today I got a chance to see your photos [Firoozeh]. It was so cute and it reminded me of my childhood, and the pictures that I had taken when I was a child which I hardly remember now.

Shahram Banihashem
bani0001@algonquinc.on.ca

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Interesting, informative

I just wanted to let you all know you have done a good job providing a variety of interesting and informative information [in THE IRANIAN TIMES email newsletter] and your news about Iran has been very up to date.

Even though I'm very busy, I've usually checked most of the news every few days. Keep up the good work.

JamnRamn@aol.com

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Disappear for good

I would appreciate very much if the ex- so called "Royal Family" [Farah Diba] members are not brought in THE IRANIAN since I hold them directly responsible for what is happening to our poor Iranian people today.

As far as I and so many other Iranians are concerned, they can go and play with their billions stolen from the people and just leave us alone. We had almost 50 years of them showing off their wealth and making fun of the Iranian people. That was enough and I wish they just disappear for good.

Joe B.
Pars34@earthlink.net

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Love you

We love you [Farah Diba] and support you in any way we can.

Ahmad Akrami
aaakrami@theonlynet.com

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Illumine

(Click here for English translation)

Chere Majeste [Farah Diba],

Ce-ci est un message pour vous dire, combien je suis fier d'etre iranian en ayant une reine comme vous, je suis sure que vous reviendrez un jour en Iran, car les iranians n'oubliront jamais ce que vous avez fait pour l'Iran, je suis certain que vous ne vous rappellez pas de moi, mais je me rappellerais toujours de votre beau visage illumine et illuminant, ce jour le je chantais avec les autres enfants la chanson que ma tante avait ecrit pour vous "khosh amadi ey khorchideh taban, ey setareyeh bakhteh iran...."

Aujourd'hui, j'ai fait mes etudes en medecine, j'ai passe mes examens americans pour me specialiser aux etats unis. Bien que vous ne me connaissez pas personnellement, j'ai l'impression de vous connaitre depuis au moins 2500 ans, j'ai une admiration et une adoration hors commun pour vous, je vous trouve non seulement belle, elegante, et gracieuse mais encore une reine exemplaire pour un pays tel qu'IRAN. Je serait honore si vous me repondiez, merci d'avance pour votre reponse.

Chere Majeste Veuillez agreer l'expression de mes sentiments les plus respectueuex.

Houfar
fc491856@er.uqam.ca

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Illumine

Dear Majesty [Farah Diba],

This message is to tell you how proud I am to be an Iranian having a queen like you. I am sure that you will return one day to Iran, for the Iranians will never forget what you have accomplished for Iran. Certainly you do not remember me, but I will always recall your beautiful face, bright and shining, that day I was singing with other children a song that my aunt had written for you: "khosh amadi ey khorchideh taban ey setareyeh bakhteh iran...."

Today I have finished my studies in medicine and I passed my American exams in order to specialize in the United States. Although you do not know me personally, I have the feeling to have known you for almost 2500 years. I have an outstanding admiration for you, you are not only pretty, elegant and gracious but what's more an exemplary queen for a country like Iran. I would be honoured should you answer me and thank you in advance for your response.

Dear Majesty, accept the expression of my most respectful sentiments.

Houfar
fc491856@er.uqam.ca

(Click here for original French text)

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Too extreme

[Responding to critics of the way Iran and Iranians are portrayed in "The Peacemaker"]

Ben and I have just been to see "The Peacemaker" because I decided that I should see the movie and understand the context of the comments. The comments about Iran as a potential market for a stolen nuclear weapon were appropriate for how and where they were used. Don't know that "fucking" Iran was appropriate.

I guess I would like to ask ... you to offer an alternative to using Iran as a potential market for this weapon when it was stolen in south Russia. Would Iraq be better? What is your recommendation to Mr. Spielberg specifically -- to get the message across of a potential terrorist act relative to a stolen weapon in that geographical location? If the stolen truck was in Finland and they used Iran as an example, it would have been way out of line -- but five miles from the Iranian border?

While I obviously don't share your sensitivity to comments about Iran, you know I have been there and met the people and believe in general that they are good people. I also know (from living on this planet) that there are good and bad people in all countries -- and that it is possible that a nuclear weapon could be bought in Iran just as it was portrayed as being stolen for a Sarajevo "terrorist".

My interpretation of the comment was not that Iran is full of horrible people and that they are ALL terrorists but that there could be a lunatic in that country that would pay for a stolen weapon! And I do believe that just as I believe there are people in this country who would pay for a stolen weapon!

As for "educating half the terrorists in the world," yes, the United States did educate Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols as well as others who have spread terrorism around this world. I respect your opinions and agree that we Americans are influenced by the media and it's where we've learned the most about Iran (and many other countries!)

However, I'm also concerned about your desire to censor what Mr. Speilberg says. Maybe it's because I was born here and have not lived in any other country but it seems as if you are trying to take away my choice of deciding about Iran or any other country.... or implying that I'm too stupid to know what to belive from what I see/hear in movies.

I love you guys and do appreciate the love you have for Iran. I urge you to continue to voice your opinion. I also ask that you consider your audience and the fact that too extreme of an opinion will turn people off more than make them want to listen -- don't stop talking, just understand that you're dealing with a lot of people who've grown up listening to alot of TV. Hang in there.

Susan M. Nurre
snurre@connect.net

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Baa mazeh

I find your comments extremely funny and true [dAyi Hamid] . Khaily baa mazeh bood, I think you are really talented. I lived in Europe for years myself (France), and It is so true what you said about changing names. I will be waiting for more of your articles

dAyi Houfar
fc491856@er.uqam.ca

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