Iranian of the Day

you're right

i would have to say that of all the things i'm proudest of, it's been my work ethic.  my dad didn't give no allowances for nuthin'.  i cleaned house and yard.  i remember spending a summer painting the outside of our house.  and believe me... it was done RIGHT the first time.  that first paycheck... oolala.  went straight downtown charleston to the record store and bought my first Dylan album.  it meant something then. 

and not to gloss perfection on the boy-child but i remember when he first started earning money.  he was expected to buy his own toys.  all of a sudden... he really didn't want it that bad!  i remember... honest to god... having to borrow money from him one time when i got to the checkout and didn't have my wallet and had $70 worth of groceries.  this KID... maybe 11 years old... LENT me some money.  and reminded me of it when we got home... before dinner... and before he went to bed.  when i reminded him that we provided the food that he ate, along with a roof over his head and that i necessarily shouldn't have to pay him back... his response was that i should have told him before he lent the money that there were conditions attached to it...LOLOL.  the little mercenary.  i of course paid him immediately.

he's finding out the hard way that civilian live isn't so hot.  he had money in his pockets while he was in the Corp.  went to school on the NON-existent GI bill and with degree in hand... is standing on the side of the road with a flag in hand...LOL.  but he's pretty humble and is simply happy to have a job.  he's fully aware that he is one of the lucky ones. 

he left a child and came back a man. 

See? You say Toe MAY toe

I say ketchup.

Maybe I used the word entitlement without being clearer. If I did, my bad.

Personally, I love arrogance. I respect arrogance, of course, when it's backed up with results. When you mention "American arrogance", that was the work ethic I was raised with.

I never worked in a fast food joint, but I washed cars, cleaned swimming pools, was a "jack of all trades" at a tennis club (my first job....minimum wage plus two hours free court time a week---I was only 13!!). I stocked store shelves, I even babysat. A couple of my friends laughed at the babysitting jobs, but they laughed with empty pockets....that kid's mom was a big tipper...she was hot too.

I remember my first check at that tennis club.....$37.00. It said "casual labor" I asked my boss if it meant I should wear tennis whites instead of blue jeans.

I loved working those jobs. It was MY money. I earned it. In retrospect, those low-paying jobs felt better than getting my driver's license. Maybe because I already knew how to drive a car.

I'm glad to hear about your son. Especially glad he's back home from the Corps. I have no doubt that you're proud (as you should be), but I'm sure that you're even happier he's a civilian again.

Don't be sorry about your feelings on citizenship. You make perfectly good sense. If you want to be treated equally, the least you can do is become an equal, in that sense of the word.

entitlement

i think we're talking about two different things.  or maybe i am just misunderstanding how you meant it.  i'm NOT saying i think "we" are entitled to anything "just because".  and certainly not "just because" we're american.  you should know me better than that...:-)))  however, i do feel that the american "arrogance" which is so oft criticized IS exactly what got us where we are today.  and i'm going to ignore the demonizing (i love that word now and am sooooo glad y'all gave me the opportunity to use it with the same abandon) of the US and remind everyone that in a relatively short period of time, we became a super power.  for how much longer, i don't know..:-)

anyhoo.  i've decided to embrace the criticisms of the usual anti-american crowd who just love to call US racist... HA HA HA... and accept them as compliments instead!  because... when someone with a regime like the IRI calls US evil... when someone with a culture 2500 years old instead of 250 years old and is where it is TODAY... when someone who likes LIVING in the US but NOT americans... when those guys show up talking about ignorant racist americans... i just smile.

what goes around, comes around.

but kaveh.  it's funny you say that because "back in the day"... EVERYONE worked those crappy jobs.  it was "the" thing to work at the red and white.  not piggly wiggly mind you... but the red and white...lol.  car washing... absolutely.  my brother worked at my dad's plant in the jobs that NO ONE wanted.  i worked at hardees in the summer.  there was NO shame in working common laborer jobs.  why is there today?  seriously... why is that?  these are OUR kids thinking that way.  how could it be?

well, not mine.  my recently graduated son (after 4 years in the marine corp) is currently working as a flag man for a local construction crew in beaufort.  ya don't see many white boys doin' that...:-0.  i am hugely proud of him. 

and yes, i understand the difficulty of immigation at that time.  perhaps it wasn't a major issue before but i stand by what i say.  i am adamantly opposed to ANYONE living in the US for a period of time without becoming a citizen.  sorry... it's me.  i'm proud of my husband and his brother for making the committment to the US.  i'm less proud of one of his friends who enjoys a business here but hasn't seen fit to make that committment. 

Looked staged

The questions looked staged. No wonder he changed his name to Stephen and my guess is he started calling himself Persian (not Iranian) after this despicble show of hatred toward someone who's trying to live the "American dream." The same B.S. that is as American to this audience as apple pie. They just stopped short of telling him to go back to where he came from. And our good old liberal Donahue was encouraging them.

Wathcing This Was Great

I love how he kept his composure and kept on smiling after the multiple ignorant remarks and questions.

He goes by the name of Stephen Bourmand these days. Looks very succefull.

This is his website:  www.nourmand.com

Excellent.  

Fish

This "conspiracy" was even worse... It was a conspiracy hatched by Iranian Jews. (Taarof and nagging....the combination will kill ya'.)

What is it that you think those people are "entitled" to? All I think they or anyone is entitled to is the opportunity. Beyond that, it should be "may the best person win".

We're seeing it in a different way now, with jobs that are filled by Mexicans with such a crappy command of English. Jobs that not too long ago, white kids might have had. Fast food joints, car washes, yard work, stuff like that. Mexicans have these jobs because white kids don't want them anymore. The white kids adopted this sense of entitlement that they should be paid "x" amount of dollars per hour, and that they shouldn't perform tasks they deem to be "menial" or beneath them. They feel entitled to "skilled labor" wages when they're still unskilled. Then they complain when they see a foreigner working in a burger joint or a convenience store.

The lady who said "if you want to be angry...." Why be angry at all? Channel that anger into figuring out how to get a piece of that action for yourself.

As to the citizenship issue.....remember, if you were Iranian, 1978-1981 was not exactly the best time for Green Cards and Yankee Doodle Licenses. (Not that you didn't already know). Also, prior to that time, being a non-citizen wasn't the big deal it is now. But I remember my family members going through pure hell when it came to green cards and citizenship during that time. When Mr. Nourmand said that he applied for it, it brought back memories of all the INS hearings my family went through. We should have had own reserved parking space at the immigration court.

oh my... this is rich

first...i think this was great!  who knew donahue was so cool!  and i absolutely admire sayeed for maintaining his composure.  shows a lot of class if you ask me.  typical iranian?  i think not.  i think the typical iranian would be glaring...lol.

however... lets get back to issues, shall we?  i thought it was the JEWS who owned beverly hills?  what?  no jewish conspiracy?  :-)

bravura.  ignorant racist americans?  you ARE aware this is 1981... right?  you know... right after the hostage were released?   you think americans should be forming a welcoming committee?  ooooookay.  if you say so.

royal... same to you.  i'm not sure how you think "americans" should have been acting.  but... if you think we should have been happy with iran... there you go! 

kaveh.  i don't think there is anything wrong with "entitlement".  i rather think it's what has helped us become successful.  (can't wait to see what response THAT comment brings...LOL)

i agree with the lady who said "if you want to be angry with someone... be angry with the ones who are selling".  she's right.  THEY are the ones making the money.  who can blame anyone for trying to make a buck... at least he's making it the honest way!

i also agree with the lady who said "if you've been living here for 17 years, you should have already been a citizen".   totally agree with that.   you want the benefits of living in america?  become a citizen.  no if, and or buts about that.

all in all... i was impressed. 

What Did You Expect?

For many years there has been a tremendous sense of "entitlement' among some Americans. Forgetting the fact that "we're all from somewhere else", they think they own the place, whether we're talking about L.A. or anywhere else.

Of course this does not mean that everyone acts this way, but if Phil Donahue filled his audience with only passive open minded people who all share the same opinion his show would not have lasted as long as it did.

I know I'm probably the exception to the rule, but when I see someone who is successful, who has "made it", who has achieved something, I don't criticize them. I'd rather meet them, get to know them and learn some of the secrets of their success. 

We came. . .we saw. . .we bought

I've always said. . .California. . .we own it. . .:). I moved to the states as a 10 year old exactly when this clip was made. . .I have to say my grin is wider than his :). Too late to boo, we're here, and we OWN :). No need to get pissed about the booing, just try to walk in Cali (or go to any company/court or neighborhood and live without "ghormeh sabzi". . .good luck. Equally as heart warming is the fact that we've had a fundamental role in expanding the state's economy! Okay so we have the Friday night "kelab X" losers who give us a bad name from time to time, but why focus on them when we have Kordestani or Omidyar, or Ansari to name a few. . .:)

Wonderful Iranian man!

wow - i wish more Iranians will become like this - what a smart guy and also what a good insight into how horrible Americans were in the midst of the revolution!

We own Beverly Hills

Ignorant, racist Americans... And I love the fact the Iranian guy is grinning through the whole thing, so typical.

People

Don't seem to change much!

B H Real Estate

Wow! He was either real bold or real stupid. I know, he made tons of money. I grew up in the area he's talking about in the 70's, and I remember the shops on La Cienega going from mom and pop, to rug merchants.

I know some people were pissed, and rightly so, because the same iranians who protested in Beverly Hills, against the shah and the U S, bought the place up.

BEAUTIFUL

THIS WAS JUST CLASSIC!!!!! BEAUTIFUL!

Honesty is beautiful to see.