BBC: Story of the revolution

email us

Farshchian

Fly to Iran

Alefba

Iranian books

Sehaty Foreign Exchange

Flower delivery in Iran

Advertise with The Iranian

Letters
October 2-6, 2000 / Mehr 11-15, 1379

Today

* US elections:
- Clinton-Gore's demonization of Iranians

* TV:
- NITV no promoter of culture

* dAyi Hamid:
- Falling off my chair

Previous

* US elections:
- Pragmatic, but not patriotic
*
History:
- Cyrus and the hejab
*
Abadan:
- No matter where they are...
*
Fiction:
- Airing, sharing and caring
*
Googoosh:
- Discography

- New songs sad, but real
*
The Iranian:
- Love, Beauty, and Hope
*
Feelings:
- Healthy and wealthy
*
Music:
- No Iranian concert -- for a while

* Politics:
- Clinton will receive much credit

- Depressing comments
*
Racism:
- Being Black


email us


Friday,
October 6, 2000

* Clinton-Gore's demonization of Iranians

I totally disagree with your position of separating the current (Clinton-Gore) administration's demonization and denigration of Iran and its nationals (past or present) from the upcoming election ["Go Gore"]...

Shouldn't this administration answer for these past years and not take for granted the Iranian community's support for reelection? Iranians living in this country should stand up and ask why our relatives, athletes, thinkers, artists, etc., who come to visit are treated like criminals. The fingerprinting of an 80-year-old woman visiting grandchildren, or a director winning international awards for his work, cannot be a positive action to any rational person. This constant humiliation did not happen prior to the Clinton-Gore administration >>> FULL TEXT

Masoud Neshat

Go to top

* NITV no promoter of culture

I would like to ask National Iranian TV CEO Zia Atabay, what exactly is he talking about when he says he's promoting Iranian culture, with his broadcasting [News].

Showing old films and videos to fill time and generally having a hollow program does not constitute a worthy cause.

I fully agree that his program should not be stopped from airing, but don't buy the claim that there was some social/cultural cause associated with his TV station.

Bardia Saeedi

Go to top

* Falling off my chair

Just wanted to let you know that your articles are great ["dAyi Hamid"]. I don't agree with everything you say, but admire your honesty. Most of your articles are smart and witty, and some are funny. If you were not meaning to be funny, I am sorry to let you know that some made me laugh. Sometimes, I sit at my desk and laugh so hard I fall off my chair.

Maryam Moussavi

Go to top


Thursday
October 5, 2000

* Pragmatic, but not patriotic

Articles like this ["Go Gore"], as well-thought out as they may be, neglect a critical perspective. Regardless of how much we assimilate, there will continue to be a negative reaction to Iranians as our nations' relations remain this negative.

Even as a 21-year-old student, I have felt discriminated against numerous times simply based on the impression many ignorant individuals have toward Iran and the Middle East. We are Iranian and we cannot, nor should we, desire to change that. To assimilate is reasonable, but to ignore our brothers and sisters in Iran is unacceptable >>> FULL TEXT

Danesh Mazloomdoost

Go to top

* Googoosh discography

I'm happy to discover that people other than myself are interested in the copyright issue ["What goes around... "]. Long ago, before anyone knew about Googoosh's comeback, I was searching into her musical career and finding little information...

In order to make a little sense of Googoosh's musical carreer, I'v created a "Googoosh Original Vinyl Discography" . My intention is to find people that will contribute to the Googoosh discography (with scans of 45's and information) so that the information missing from all these horrible CD's released by the Tehrangelesian record companies becomes available to everyone >>> FULL TEXT

Dario Margeli

Go to top

* Cyrus and the hejab

I would like to comment on the excerpt from Ms. Sandra Mackey's book "The Iranians" ["Cyrus the (not so) great]"]... The veil or the "roosarri" was probably common among Persian women, but they were also common among Greek women.

The reasons mentioned by Ms. Mackey are debatable. I believe that other factors could be linked to the presence of the veil in the Middle East which unfortunately the excesses of religious and male autocracy have probably turned away from their initial purpose: and that is the climate. The extremely hot climate as well as the dust and wind in many areas of the middle east may also be a reason why women wore the veil. But if Mrs. Mackey was to visit Russian peasants today, she would be surprised to see them wearing the "roosari" while conducting their trucks in the fields >>> FULL TEXT

Darius Kadivar

Go to top


Wednesday
October 4, 2000

* Googoosh's new songs sad, but real

I beg to differ with Mr. Bagheri's judgment about Googoosh's new songs and Babak Aminis compositions ["Houston, we have a diva!"].

I had the pleasure of meeting and spending some time with most of the talent traveling with Googoosh both before and after the concert in New York. The day after the concert, over lunch and a good deal of humor, punctuated by discussions about life in Iran, religion, music and politics; I learnt a great deal about Babak Amini, his background, influences and his compositions.

Having heard of the five new songs at the concert, courtesy of Napster, that same evening, I was able to form an opinion. The new Googoosh material can only be judged against the backdrop of post-revolutionary Iran, the lives of Googoosh, the people, their experiences and the life of present-day Iranian youth >>> FULL TEXT

Faryar Mansuri
New York

Go to top

* Airing, sharing and caring

Oooo! Tears in the middle of the day. A very fine story indeed ["A big beautiful lamb"]. Interesting to think that just by being there, you are making good writing happen -- just a certain degree of airing and sharing and caring about it, and the yeast spreads and suddenly all these loaves are rising, popping in and out of the oven, and writers are being read and everyone gets to feast. Be proud. (Not to mention the lamb squiggle, one of the best... :-)

Zara Houshmand

Go to top

* No matter where they are...

Dameton garm for this site. It reminded me of Abadan and all the good people of that city; all the Abadanis I have seen since the war. No matter what they do, or where they are, one thing is for sure: they all miss their city, and their freinds. People see themselves in these pictures and we can find some of our lost freinds.

Mehran Jahromi

Go to top


Tuesday
October 3, 2000

* Healthy and wealthy

I enjoy reading most of dAyi Hamid's articles. When I read his recent one, "Elm behtar ast yaa servat," I felt compelled to comment on it... Iranians are very reserved people. In the past, maybe more in the villages or small towns, parents, especially fathers, would kiss their kids only while they were asleep. It was not common for people to talk about their feelings and dreams. You were considered a good kid if your head was down while walking or talking to your parents or teachers. Married couples barely talked about their feelings. It is said that this is why Iranian girls have beautiful eyes, because they transfer all the feelings in their heart to their eyes. Of course, time has changed and so has the ways to raise the children and communicate feelings.

In those days, for the school writing assignment, elm was always said to be better than servat... Those days are over now, and as I grew older, I came to the conclusion that there is no doubt that one needs education or "elm." But there are a few more things that I now think are also very important in life. These have become my motto, which I like to put on a sticker one day,"Happiness is being healthy and wealthy." Later on someone asked me to add "... and in love!" and I thought, why not? But on the other hand, I believe if you are healthy in mind and body, you will find love too >>> FULL TEXT

Simin Habibian

Go to top

* Being Black

I enjoyed the cartoon about saving the White hand and ignoring the Black hands ["Discrimination"].

I am a Black man who is a Muslim born in America. Everyone knows that Blacks were the first Muslims in America. They (Americans) beat us, chopped our limbs, hung us, raped our women and did not allow us to read. If you read, you lost an eye. They would not let us pray to Allah (SWT).

Now some of them are trying to study Islam. But Anglosaxons can never be Muslims because they will never say we are equal to them. I have seen it myself in the mosque. The only reason they are studying Islam is to keep them from being killed in prison. Or they want to rebel against the Baptist belt or their parents

Americans have made things right for everyone that they mistreated except the American Black people, the people who built this country. And also won their wars, and won the most medals.

Please do not let this fall on deaf ears. Being Black in America today is worse that 30 or 40 years ago.

Kalil

Go to top

* Love, Beauty, and Hope

It is with a sense of great pride that I thank you on behalf of millions of Persians around the world for your continued efforts to provide our fellow compatriots with significant information and updates, on the well being of our dearly beloved Googoosh.

I was about three years old when my family left Iran, so it has always been difficult to feel like I am a complete Iranian. God has surely blessed you and your staff with wonderous talent, skill, and determination to bring our community together (regardless of the turmoil that may occur in our motherland).

The first time I chanced upon your site, I was in awe of the amount of dedication my fellow Iranians had placed in creating a site that would become an emblem of all Iranians seeking a unified front. A site filled with Love, Beauty, and Hope.

As I embarked to see Googoosh at the MCI center in Washington, deep in my heart, I knew I owed that beautiful moment to the hard work and dedication of people like yourself. I am truly proud to be Iranian.

Mitra Gholam

Go to top


Monday
October 2, 2000

* No Iranian concert -- for a while

My wife and I went to Ebi's concert in London last night - billed as "aasheghaaneh-tareen konsert-e saal". It was supposed to start at 8, after the doors opened at 7. It was not until 9.15 that Ebi and his band came on.

The venue was not right. A seated concert hall would have been better, but it was in one of London's bigger discoteques. We had managed to position ourselves upstairs in the balcony area overlooking the dance floor and stage.

Within 10 minutes there was fighting at the front of the crowd by the stage. The floor was jam packed (sineh-be-sineh). Ebi was saying "be jadetoon ghasam, ye nim metr berin aghab, aakheh man ghorboonetoon beram ..." >>> FULL TEXT

Farhad Nikkhah

Go to top

* Clinton will receive much credit

Thank you for your insight ["Clinton's legacy?"]. If you look back on the previous U.S presidents you shall notice that many of them had extra marital affairs. In fact FDR, Eisenhower and JFK were openly carrying on with their lovers.

However, the legacy of all former U.S presidents are about what they accomplished during their terms in office. I strongly believe that Clinton will be remembered as a shrewd politician and a pragmatic manager. I further believe that he will receive much of the credit for his relentless efforts towards the upcoming peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians.

Kambiz Ameli

Go to top

* Depressing comments

Reading Mr. Kadivar's reminiscing his trip ["Requiem in Cairo"] and observing the 20th anniversary of the death of Mohammed Reza Shah Pahlavi was very heartwarming and enjoyable...

While Mr. Kadivar's article was enjoyable and impartial I was so disgusted and yet depressed to read some of the responses from the distinguished visitors to this wonderful site. I was astonished to see how after twenty years Mr. Bardia Saeedi, Neda and Babak Arminian can find it so easy to "throw up" at Mr. Kadivar's trip to Cairo. Immediately after reading their letters, I began to think about all that has bothered me through the past 21 years both in Iran and in the U.S. >>> FULL TEXT

H. Jalili

Go to top


Copyright © Abadan Publishing Co. All Rights Reserved. May not be duplicated or distributed in any form

 MIS Internet Services

Web Site Design by
Multimedia Internet Services, Inc

 GPG Internet server

Internet server by
Global Publishing Group.

THE IRANIAN
Letters archive


email us