Archive - 2007

Life in two nations

While I found myself concerned about this being another nostalgic look back at Iran through the eyes of an Iranian woman’s memoir, instead I encountered A Mirror Garden as a bildungsroman—a tale of growing up and self-realization—and of the ways that a woman’s perseverance, vision, and good fortune, lead not necessarily to a fairy tale ending, but a rather, a clear sense of being and acting in the world. This is a narrative that indeed runs against the notion what has been so regularly drummed into Americans—that women of Middle Eastern cultures — whether Iranian or Arab — are merely being acted upon and have no agency.>>>

نیاز

دوستت دارم
اما تنها به اندازه ی آن نیاز سراپا مستی
که در رگهایم هست سرشار
به قدر آن شعبده ی ظریفی که در لبخنده ات پیداست
>>>

My real Iranian

Forty-three days ago, my wife and I buried our only son. Although he was a teenager, he was our baby. He was his mother's bright and shining angel and he was my best friend. I feel so broken and empty because now that I have had time to replay his short life in my mind a hundred thousand times, I don't think that I told him enough just how much I loved him and how very much he meant to me. The thing that hurts the most is that I know that there's nothing I can ever do to change any of that now. If God would give me just an hour to sit with my son and tell him goodbye, I would be willing to pay any price, but I know that is not going to happen.>>>

همسایه

گاه حوادثی هست که اگرچه ما نقشی در انجامشان نداشته‌ایم اما بار سنگین گناهشان را مجبوریم به دوش بکشیم. مانند میراث خونی که برخی پادشاهان گذشته‌مان در لشگرکشی‌هایشان به اینور و آنور به جا گذاشتند و هنوز لکه ننگ خون‌ریزی‌شان در کتابهای تاریخ خشک نشده است. یا آنچه امروز برخی سردمداران‌مان می‌کنند و نام ایرانی را می‌آلایند. این هم یکی دیگر مانند همانها٬ کمی دم دستی‌تر اما تلخ تر و تلخ‌تر از همه...

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End of the world

I asked the young Russian woman who was my translator whether they were saying anything about Ahmad Shah Massoud’s health after the explosion. She listened and said: “Some say he is still alive. Americans say he is dead.” In the afternoon, as we were driving back into the city, I asked her again if there was any news about Ahmad Shah Massoud. She listened and said: “No news about Shah Massoud. But they say an airplane ran into the World Trade Center in New York.” I didn’t believe her. She had made some mistakes with her English earlier that week, and I was sure she didn’t know what she was talking about. She was quiet and I kept quiet, too.>>>

خیال بهار

اینجا هنوز
زمستان در هوا موج می­زند
دست­ها
سرما را
تا مغز استخوان رسم می­کنند
قاصدک
گویی خیال رساندن پیام بهار را ندارد
>>>

دلم مي خواهد...

پياله‌ي شعرم
از نگاه تو لبريز است
كوير تنم
چاك چاكِ انتظار
دلم مي‌خواهد در تو به‌پيچم
مثل نيلوفر
در حضور ماه >>>

The "D" Word.

Are we being honest with ourselves in assessing the current economic climate as a simple recession versus a full-blown depression? >>>

Your wish has come true

You need the greatest amount of freedom for the greatest possible diversity. So I am happy to announce that from this moment on EVERYBODY can leave a comment below articles, photos, cartoons, etc. You do not need to register. We were hoping that most people would see value in registering. But since the launch of the new design, it has become apparent that the registration process has not appealed to average users. I got lots of feedback about this and the number one complaint was the need to register. >>>

US House Resolution in Support of Labor Movement in Iran

Condemning the persecution of labor rights advocates in Iran. (Introduced in the US House of Representatives) Congress...  (1) condemns the Government of Iran for the arrest and imprisonment of Iranian union leaders Mahmoud Salehi and Mansour Osanloo and demands their immediate release; and (2) expresses its solidarity with the workers of Iran and stands with them in their effort to bring political freedom and individual liberty to Iran. >>>

Urgent Action Required to avert the war on Iran

In recent days in the MSM and as Gen. Petreaus testimony last night indicated, it has become increasingly clear that the administration has decided or has nearly decided to launch a massive attack on Iran, which will include but not be limited to all installations connected to the country’s nuclear program and economic infrastucture. All military equipment is in place for such an attack (three carrier battle groups in the Persian Gulf), as reported in the raw story piece yesterday. >>>

Amy Goodmans interview with president Carter

Former U.S president Jimmy Carter on Greeting the Shah of Iran at the While House, his book on Israeli Apartheid and selling Weapons to Indonesia ..... >>>

Marriage and Evolution

Do you believe in Evolution? In Marriage? Just a thought: If everything from species, plants, economy, and socio-political environments go through evolutionary process, then why not marriage?I mean, why must we abide by principles established 5000 years ago? Is marriage a static entity and must not change? Is that even possible? Of course not, that’s why we have plenty of divorce cases, legal fees, and poor gay couples desperately awaiting their turn in the chapel.I say, let’s allow gay couples be married, call it “adaptation”.>>>

Then and now

Much has happened in the world since September 11th, 2001. For one the terrorists seem to be winning the war on terror. They are more prominent, more popular and more active than before. They now have a new base in Iraq and “the liberation” of Afghanistan and Iraq is nothing but a joke. Iran was the only victor in the war with Iraq. The U.S. did such a bad job of occupying Iraq that anyone, like Ahmadinejad, who resists her in the region is deemed a hero. The Americans learned the hard way that it was much more difficult to bomb an ideology or a belief system than cities, towns and villages. The U.S. and her allies found out that unlike Saddam Hussein, fundamentalist Islam cannot be chased out of its entrenchment with guns.>>>