Iranian of the Day

Shame

The arguments about regardless of IRR, Frye being an Iran lover first and foremost is like the argument about an anti-war activist promoting a cluster bomb manufacturer and being rewarded and accept the reward from such manufacturer.

Frye is an academician, as such lending his name to the Islamist Rapists and accepting payment for it is unforgivable for an honest scholar.

Again, shame on Frye for his tacit approval of IRR, he is old enough to know better.  

Tempest in a tea pot

Given the mess of IR, perhaps.  In a real Republic however, .........

Ari, I know in IR all bets of reason are off

But in this well publicised and documented case it is important to highlight the inappropriateness (legal?in IR?!) of this kind of activity by the president of the Republic without due process. 

tempest in a teapot

i don't think there's doubt that this man deserves the offer.  in the video, ahmadi said, "az taraf melat iran": from the iranian nation. so there was something lost in the translation.  also, in the clip it shows that the "governor general's office of isfahan province" was handling the formalities.  it appears then there was some legal process in place and we just don't know the details.

the professor will probably put input in the formation of the museum as an added value for this public property.

Good example...

To show Iran unlike Taliban or other radical regimes doesn't have a blanket and blindfolded hated towards the Westerners.

This is by definition called a civilized and cultured society that respect itself and others whom respect it!

Mehrban

"...for the rest of Iranians, there is a process and a forum that reflects their view which is called the majles."

I do not share your faith in IRI's Majles, and I doubt this institution reflects Iranians' views as much as you seem to think. However, in some easy situations, such as honoring a universally acknowledged scholar-a man on whom Dehkhoda himself bestowed the title of "Irandoost"-- It is unlikely there would be enough Majles "nays" such that following proper legal procedure would be an issue. Please note that Ahmadinejad is the person who is ceremonially presenting the gift from the Iranian people; taking this to mean that he is the one actually making the gift is being too literal minded.  

Pick a Boo with "Some Facts about Mr. Frye"

Henry Kissinger’s name in the Wikiped  tells it all. He and his boss Richard Nixon were so much in love with Iran ("Irandoost") that the Shah of Iran had been willing to donate them the whole country!! Thanks GOD that they were happy with a number of antiques carpets as our people gifts to them when Shah had hosted them.

Raoul,

Can you feel it's coming? I see it vividly that one of these days I will wash and hang you for good!

Let us now not spoil it

The Professor seems to have done a lot for Iran and if he is given a token of appreciation for his work then as far as I am concerned he is most welcome to it. 

It is a shame that Ahmadinejad as always is making this into a publicity stunt but by being ungracious about it ourselves we will make ourselves appear undeserving of the Professor's years of effort. If he has been given a house rather than the Key to Esfahan then we can take it as it as an original Iranian gesture and not act like a 'Gaveh noh man sheer deh'. 

Kooftesh Besheh

Why doesn't the government extend this same gesture to building shelters for battred women or recovery hospitals for addicts? If the prof really loves Iran, he should donate it to a charity or city right now. Can't he afford his own appartment in Iran? or stay in a hotel?

The Key

I thought in the ther countries they offer such a person a key to the city by

the head of the state as it was done by Canada's Prime Minister to Nelson Mandela.

I guess we have to go over board.

Some facts about professor Frye contributions and the house

From a simple Wikiped lookup:

(small subset of Professor Frye's contribution):

Professor Frye helped found the Center for Middle Eastern Studies[2] at Harvard, the first Iranian studies program in America. He also served as Director of the Asia Institute in Shiraz (1970-1975), was on the Board of Trustees of the Pahlavi University at Shiraz (1974-78), and Chairman,Committee on Inner Asian Studies, at Harvard (1983-89), and as Editor of the Bulletin of the Asia Institute (1970-1975 and 1987-99).

Among Frye's students were Annemarie Schimmel,[3] Oleg Grabar,[4] Frank Huddle (former US Ambassador to Tajikistan), John Limbert, andMichael Crichton, whose Hollywood film The 13th Warrior is loosely based on Frye's translation of Ibn Fadlan's account of his travels up the riverVolga.[5]

Frye was also directly responsible for inviting Iranian scholars as distinguished visiting fellows to Harvard University, under a fellowship program initiated by Henry Kissinger. Examples of such guests include Mehdi Haeri Yazdi (1923–1999), Sadegh Choubak, Jalal al Ahmad, and others.[6]

The Qavam House, where the famousShiraz University Asia Institute was founded. Frye headed the institute from 1969 to 1974.

Frye felt that Persian civilization was under-appreciated by other Muslims, and Arab Muslims in particular. Frye wrote:

Iranians responded enthusiastically to his appreciation.[citation needed]

In August 1953, shortly before the fall of Mosaddegh, prominent Iranian linguist Ali Akbar Dehkhoda gave Frye the title: "Irandoost" (meaning "a friend of Iran").[7]

--The house in question is a historic site, which will be turned to a Musuem after his passing away, which I hope is another 40 years.

And Well Above Wonderful(fool) News for

the homeless, the poor, the tents dwellers, and the families of more than 4 crammed in one small room housings!!!!  

Good for you Ari

for the rest of Iranians, there is a process and a forum that reflects their view which is called the majles.  If they want to give away part of their property, there needs to be a process.  The president can not just give away anything to anyone for any period of time unless it is his personal property.  

Wonderful news, both for

Wonderful news, both for Professor Frye and the people of Iran.

Onlyiran, think about it

It is the question of ownership and law, where does this house come from? who owns it?  if it is personal property of AN, he can make a gift of it to anyone (after clearifying the source of the money to purchase it of course).  And we know that it is not AN's personal property.  Well whose is it? is it a confiscated property? does it belong to the ministry of culture?  Whose is it?

Most likely, through some process it has come to belong to the government of Iran and in a Republic it belongs to the people of Iran.  It is not AN's to give it away as he wishes be it even for a limited period of time.  

Happy to gift my share

If the house belongs to the Iranian public, then we each own 1/70,000,000 of this property. Speaking for my share only, I am delighted to gift it to a man who has contributed so much to our understanding of our country. Consistent with his love for Iran, the public will inherit this house, which will be far more valuable having once belonged to this great man.  

I actually think this is a good thing

the professor has spent his life studying Iran and providing the world with an unbiased and accurate portrayal of our culture, our country and our people.  This is the least he deserves.  

I do hope, however, that after his passing, the house becomes a museum where his life's work about Iran can be featured there.   

حرف حق

  رئیس جهور ایران با چه حقی اموال ایران را به این و آن می‌بخشد مگر او مالک مملکت است.

"Mummies"

Let’s mummify Mr. Frye together with Mahmoud & any other ”Abarmards” around and save them in the above proposed museum.

although the gesture is good

but i would have given the house back if I was Frye and asked to only be allowed to burried there.  under the context that the Iranians are not happy with the current situation and he cannot accept such a gift when people live in poverty.  He should have used his stance in the world to get a message across to Ahmadinejad.  If he claims to love Iran as he does.

An 'all male revue!'

No females in sight.  
Resembles Saudi Arabia without the rags on their heads. LOL

prsch

“I don't know why you question where the house came from?  Clearly, Ahmadinejad did not pay for it himself.”   

I did not question “where the house came from?”

The question was how exactly this show president of Islamist Rapists came to own it in the first place to “donate” it.

With Islamist Rapists’ over millennia old dogma being based on theft, the question was rhetorical.

The punch line was to Frye who knows history of the region well and should know what his participation in Islamist Rapists’ shows who care the least for Iran’s culture and heritage will mean for his legacy.

Edward Browne he will not be.

The house will become a museum

According to Iranian news, the house is given to him for as long as he is alive. After that it will be a museum under control of city of Esphahan.

That's nice

I would have clapped vigorously for Ahmadinejad if he had given me one tenth of this mansion.

Vaalaah!

Perhaps the same deal was promised to "Sandis Khorha."

Anyone else wants a house in Esfahan? Here's the address to apply: daftar.org

This is an investment in

This is an investment in future tourism.  And as Eddie Murphy asked in Beverly Hills Cop "How do you steal a house?"  Until we hear from a rightful owner that it was stolen, I don't know why you question where the house came from?  Clearly, Ahmadinejad did not pay for it himself.   

I Hope

That the good Prof. would do the right thing and donate it back to the city so it could use it house the poor and the homeless...

Giving away Iran's property

"President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad donated a house in Isfahan to Professor Richard Nelson Frye, an American scholar of Iranian and Central Asian Studies."

And how exactly did "President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad" come to own such house to "donate" it to anyone?

Shame on Frye, he is old enough to know better.