Letters
June 12-16, 2000 / Khordad 23-27, 1379
Today
* Journalism:
* Nice way to start a war
* Copyright:
* "Iran Pride" vs. Nike?
* Youth:
* Misguided generation
* The Iranian:
* What the hell?
Previous
* Journalism:
- Immediate public apology
* Names:
- Interesting Iranian names
* Rumi:
- Don't forget Azar-Yazdi
* The Iranian:
- Why, for God's sake?
* Poetry:
- Wonderful way to start a day
* Satire:
- You're free, but not funny
* Lobbying:
- Meritorious cause? YES
- Need to relate
email us
Friday,
June 16, 2000
* Nice way to start a war
Letter to CBS television's "60 Minutes":
I watched your show on the supposed "Iranian Defector", and
became very incensed - even furious at the thought of Iran having been
responsible for the PanAm bombing ["Iran
Defector Talks To 60 Minutes"]. Frankly, I thought it appropriate
- even at this late date - for the US to take strong military measures
against Iran consequent to the "proof" which you offered.
Lo and behold! It turns out that your supposedly unimpeachable source
is a fraud and that the story you presented was - in all significant respects
- false ["Iranian
Defector Called an Impostor "].
Nice way to start a war.
As for similar stories on your network and on others (e.g. "The
Insider", Peter Arnett's several falsifications, etc.) it will be
interesting in the coming weeks and months to see how your managers "spin"
this one. My guess is that we'll just have to keep an eye on the "Columbia
Journalism Review".
Y'all have a nice day out there in infotainment land, and do check out
your sources - and your source checkers - a bit more carefully.
Now let's just hear this one read out this coming Sunday.
Not likely.
Bill Phillipson
Woodway, Texas
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* "Iran Pride" vs. Nike?
As a professional graphic designer and someone who has had more than
a few battles over copyrights and ownership of images, allow me be the
first one to warn Iranians for International Cooperation (IIC) and their
visual communication designer, Siamack Sahafi, that their new "Iran Pride" logo WILL most
likely draw the attention of Nike.
Adding a green dot on top of Nike's established red "swoosh"
is hardly creative enough to be considered an independant work of art and
it may result in a lenghty (not to mention expensive) legal case. A case
IIC they may easily lose.
Since the intentions are commandable, I strongly recommend they re-do
the logo before the large multi-national with hundreds of lawyers on staff
picks it up. Perhaps some of the legal minds who read The Iranian Times
could also offer some guidance.
"eyeranian"
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* Misguided generation
I'm not Iranian, but I know and believe that what Aytollah Khomeini
did was not something any ordinary person like our own selves can do. He
gave Iran its freedom and showed them the light. He made Iran so powerful
that today it is one of the only countries that actually survives without
support from the superpowers, and only looks up to the Almighty for help.
And today two decades after the revolution, the new generation is a
little misguided ["Three
years later"]. They says they want freedom, but don't they realize
that they got thier freedom 20 years ago, when thousands of Iranians gave
their lives? And now they have to maintain this freedom and not let the
enemy misguide them with petty things.
The younger generation has to understand that all the sacrifices that
were made were for a purpose and that the war is still not over; the war
is still on today and to make sure that all the people who were shaheed
their blood does not go to waste. It is important that this new generation
keeps the spirit of the revolution alive.
Iram Fatima Vakil
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* What the hell?
What the hell is the point ["Sisters"]?
Don't waste my time.
Hamid Atabakksh
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Thursday
June 15, 2000
* Immediate public apology
Letter to CBS television's "60 Minutes" producer:
Dear Mr. Hewitt,
I am writing this letter to protest the biased and inaccurate reporting
concerning of an individual (an alleged Iranian spy) who was interviewed
on a recent "60 Minutes" program without a background check ["Iran
Defector Talks To 60 Minutes"]. Professional journalists like
you are supposed to maintain integrity in their jobs and be independent
and responsible. Accuracy in reporting is a critical element in responsible
reporting.
CIA and FBI officials investigated that alleged Iranian spy ["Iranian
Defector Called an Impostor "]... As an Iranian, I request an
immediate public apology >>>
FULL TEXT
Mohammad Ala, Ph.D.
Professor of Management
Director of Productivity Center
California State University, Los Angeles
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* Interesting Iranian names
I just read your article on Iranian names ["Delband
o Delavar"]!! Very interesting. You may like to know that I have
two boys names Delavar and Sardar - Delavar is now 8 and Sardar is 7 and
when Delavar was born I wanted to give him an Iranian Farsi name and my
father chose that name and also for my second son. I have not seen or heard
their names anywhere. Everyone always comments on their names.
Mariam Nahavandi
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Wednesday
June 14, 2000
* Don't forget Azar-Yazdi
I read the story "The
donkey's gone!" I also checked the book on the Amazon website.
I believe the story is a word by word translation from one of the stories
in a book written by Mehdi Azar-Yazdi. Mr. Azar-Yazdi wrote a series of
books titled "Gheseh-haaye khoob baraaye bacheh-haaye khoob"
(Good Stories for Good Children).
As far as I know, he wrote seven such books, each of which is adapted
from a classical book in Persian literature and re-written for children
in an easy- to-understand prose in Persian. Two or three of the books in
the series won UNESCO prizes, and in my opinion, each of them is a masterpiece
of children's literature.
It is curious that Mr. Azar-Yazdi's name is not at all mentioned on
the cover of the book you have on your website. I believe that Mr. Muhammad
Nur Abuds Salam is committing a fraud by claiming that he has translated
and adopted the stories from Persian.
Nima Aryan
Editor: The introduction to the book does mention that they are based
on Mehdi Azar-Yazdi's adaptation. The excerpt has been amended to include
this fact.
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* Why, for God's sake?
In your latest issue you have a feature about "women" titled
"Sisters".
What for God's sake are you going to say by showing two women in their
pajamas! I impatiently followed the links to read the main article! But
surprisingly I saw the phrase "Page one" at the bottom of the
last picture.
I think readers of The Iranian expect you, as a well-recognized
Iranian online magazine, to publish articles or pictures that make some
sense, not a private photo album of two sisters before breakfast! The fact
that the pictures were taken by the publisher makes the issue especially
more annoying.
Maryam
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Tuesday
June 13, 2000
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* You're free, but not funny
Making fun should make sense, shouldn't it? Your cartoon [of President
Khatami] didn't make any sense. The only thing we have learned from
freedom -- especially the Western kind -- is to make fun of key people
and officials.
As a pro-2nd-of-Khordad person, I believe the freedom we fought for
and achieved was meant to help us focus all our constructive forces to
build the millennium we have been longing for for such a long time.
This isn't in line with aimless destructive forces which tend to deteriorate
the situation or mock sincere, understanding individuals who are trying
to lead us to our sanctuary.
You are definitely free to express your ideas etc., but your cartoon
was not funny; and I expressed my idea because I am free, as well!
Mehrdad
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Monday
June 12, 2000
* Meritorious cause? YES
Whereas, having carefully and repeatedly read Poopak's Taati's piece
with enthusiasm ["Long
way to go"], I do find several points as presented therein that
reflect the truth; nonetheless, I must disagree with her tone of despair
and absence of specific recommendation for improvement with respect to
those activities that pertain to the promotion of Iranian Americans in
the US.
Yes, she is correct in characterizing Iranian American associations
as young. Such associations, are, however, quite numerous and dynamic,
and each with a sustained level of momentum, supported by hundreds of compatriots
who provide their expertise, experiences, funds, etc. on a pro bono, in
cognito basis to benefit the rather young Iranian American community, a
community that has just begun to feel the taste of diaspora.
Are they each perfect? Absolutely NOT. Are they striving to follow a
meritorious realistic cause? YES, absolutely >>>
FULL TEXT
D. N. Rahndi, Ph.D.
Professor of Chemistry
Pace University
New York
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* Need to relate
Professor Taati is right in saying that organizations dedicated to advocacy
for Iranians have not been able to gain enough legitimacy among the Iranians
abroad ["Long
way to go"]. This is only partially due to the inability of these
organizations to come up with an agenda that attracts all Iranians.
The problem is that Iranians are a heterogeneous population divided
along several lines of ethnicity, class, politics, language, religion,
and gender perspectives. Even our common denominator, i.e. the love of
homeland (nationalism), is not immune to this diversity of affiliations
>>>
FULL TEXT
Akbar Mahdi
Associate professor of sociology
Ohio Wesleyan University
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