Letters
December 27-30, 1999 / Dey 6-9, 1378
Today
* Fiction:
- Celebrate creativity
* Nostalgia:
- Dastmal-e Hareer
Previous
* Christmas:
- In Tehran
* Iranians:
- Our problem
* Culture
- Not the center of the world
* Zoroastrian:
- Sacred marriage
* Discrimination:
- Voter anger
* Intolerance:
- Stop telling us what we should be
email us
Wednesday
December 29, 1999
* Celebrate creativity
I really enjoy the diversity of features in iranian.com. Ms Afsari's
bit on dating was fun to read ["The
sixth man"]. Same with Mr. Samiei's moon landing memories ["A
moon of our own"]. So it was a bit disapporinting to read letters
bashing these creative endavors ["Chossi
aamadan", "Unsympathtic"].
Perhaps an unintended function of this web-site is to be an open-laboratory
where creative and literary Iranians can post their work, regardless of
its "appropriateness" -- whether it is a piece which would ultimately
find its "English-media home" in Cosmopolitan or The
New York Times.
Let us celebrate Iranian creativity in all its incarnations at home
and abroad and offer our opposing thoughts as constructive criticism and
fuel for lighting our own creative fires!
Ramin Abhari
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* Dastmal-e Hareer
Referring to the Nostalgia
photo on December 27, if this is the same Haleh, who did the commercial
for Dastmaal-e Hareer tissues ("Khanooma, Aaaqaayoon, Dastmaal e man
Hareere..."), she lives in California.
She used to be a sidekick in Fereydoun Farrokhzad's TV show in California.
Then she had her own TV show. At the moment Haleh and her husband run a
24-hour satellite TV company called Pars.
Simin Habibian
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Tuesday
December 28, 1999
NONE. No internet connection.
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Monday
December 27, 1999
* Christmas in Tehran
From a friend in Iran
Just wanted to wish you a wonderful holiday season! I can honestly say
that I wish I were in the U.S. to celebrate the holidays with you. The
sheer absence of Christmas in Iran, is enough to make me desperately homesick.
Though today, I took to the streets and visited an Armenian neighborhood,
where I lit some candles in an Orthodox church, listened to a beautiful
choir and later bought some Christmas lights and decorations -- just like
the ones we had when I was young and lived in Iran :-).
Later today, I will buy a Christmas tree and tonight, I will think of
each and everyone of you, as I decorate it. Besides missing my family and
friends and feeling occasionally homesick, I am having a nice time in Iran.
As many of you know, I am enjoying my work here quite a bit. Again, I have
been extremely lucky. I have met some of the most remarkable people here
and am enjoying some beautiful and meaningful friendships with them.
This indeed is a gift, for which I feel eternally grateful. In some
ways, everyday here has been a Christmas of sorts. A time of reflection,
a time of discovery, a time of understanding all that I have left behind
and discovering the endless possibilities that await. It has been bittersweet.
I know now, more than ever before, that I am two people, with two homes,
two families, two sets of friends, two realities. Two halves of one heart,
torn eternally apart.
But still, there is a peace in knowing this, that cannot be explained
with words alone, for which I have no words.
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* Our problem
As I was surfing the Net somehow I lost my way into you site. I am not
even sure if what I am writing will be seen by anyone, but here it goes:
The problem with Iranians is partly due to our upbringing in Iran.
Between 1978 and 1988, the country went through a revolution and war
and the impact of Khomeini was worse than a nuclear bomb. I have always
had a problem with that.
Reza Saba
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Friday,
December 24, 1999
* Not the center of the world
I truly appreciate Ms. Shashaani's earnest attempt to demonstrate yet
another "borrowed idea" taken from good old Persia and enacted
in the West ["Borrowed
ideas"]. But her idea of Christmas being a borrowed Persian concept
is at best questionable.
May I suggest that Persians were not the only ancient civilization that
worshipped the sun and celebrated the winter solstice. Most ancient civilizations
did! As they worshiped the sun, there was common fear among people that
the shorter days during the winter solstice meant that the sun was about
to abandon them or punish them with bad harvest....
Ancient Persian civilization was rich in tradition and festivities,
but may we all accept that we are not the center of the world and never
were >>>
FULL TEXT
Ramin Tabib
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* Sacred marriage
I was indeed interested in your summary of Zoroastrian divorce laws
["Zoroastrian
divorce"]. I am a Zoroastrian and do believe that marriage is
a sacred contract that should not be broken. The majority of times, Zoroastrians
do not get divorces, very few. Well, it was great to read your article.
Nikan
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Thursday
December 23, 1999
* Voter anger
I truly appreciate the fact that The Iranian Times is providing
a forum for the Iranian community around the world in general, and the
United States in particular, to voice their opinion and protect their legitimate
interests and rights.
A vivid example is allowing people to learn about and petition
regarding the discriminatory practices of finger printing and photographing
Iranians upon arrival in the U.S.
Well, let's go back to the origin of this practice. It was enacted in
1995 by the Clinton Administration (and I am non-partisan) when it declared
Iran as a country supporting terrorism. In the past seven years the Clinton
- Gore Administration has consistently and systematically demonstrated
their staunch anti-Iranian stand. Their behavior towards Iranians is unprecedented
compared to previous U.S. administrations. Mistreatment of Iranian nationals
upon arrival is only the tip of the iceberg.
Well folks, there is an election coming up next year and all of us should
remember the manner in which this administration has dealt with Iranian
nationals. There are no indications that if Al Gore is elected he will
make any changes regarding this racist policy. I believe that the Iranian
community living in the U.S. should make it known and absolutely clear
that they will not support any politician or administration adhering to
this racist and discriminatory practice.
Masoud Neshat
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* Stop telling us what we should be
Your letter "Allah
knows best" is the very example of narrow-minded people who live
in the past. I and many young Iranian boys and girls who grew up during
the revolution feel under pressure from people like you because you want
us to be as you think we should be.
Fortunately we have found a very good way to deal with people like you
and the fascist hezbollahis: WE IGNORE YOU. But I cannot guarantee what
would happen if you loose power in Iran. The gap is wide and the hatred
deep.
I left Iran 11 years ago. I used to think Islam meant fascism. But I
met other Muslims in France and I realize that you can read and interpret
the Koran as you want. If your are intolerant you will be like the Taliban.
The main problem is that you always refer to Islam's golden age that
ended centuries ago! Be what you are but stop telling us what we should
be!
Amin Naraghi
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