Archive - 2007 - Article

زورآزمایی بدون برنده

*خروشچف که در سال 1959 در شرایطی مشابه با شرایط احمدی نژاد در نیویورک قرار گرفته بود تهدید کرد که سفرش را نیمه کاره گذاشته و به مسکو بازخواهد گشت. این تهدید منجر به توقف فعالیتهای تبلیغاتی "جوخه حقیقت" علیه وی شد. دنیل شور ، تحلیلگر و مفسر اخبار در "ان پی آر" – شبکه ی رادیو ی عمومی امریکا – معتقد است رفتار ی که با محمود احمدی نژاد در دانشگاه کلمبیا و مراکز دیگر شد، یاد آور رفتاری است که امریکائیان با رهبران شوروی سابق در جریان جنگ سرد داشتند. >>>

Express delivery!

Fast Food. Get it quick. Delivery in 30 minutes or less. A minute on the lips, a lifetime on the hips. Why do we spend so much money (and time) ordering take-out and eating convenience food? Because we don’t have time. Because we are busy, because we have 3 kids and a husband/wife to feed when we get home. These are all valid reasons, of course. But what if you took the very same 30 minutes that pizza places promise to deliver food to you in and instead make something simple and delicious at home instead? Sure, there is a little effort involved. I believe you have to ‘Give a little, to get a little’, but the food you produce will not only be better for you and your family, but will probably be even better received!>>>

Ellie can dance

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Much ado about nothing

On the surface, it has the trappings of a controversial historical event. Ahmadinejad assents to visit Columbia University, protestors of all stripes camp outside the gates, Lee Bollinger springs a rhetorical ambush on him, Ahmadinejad cries foul, public opinion is inflamed and polarized. Fierce debates ensue: Is Bollinger in the service of Neocon and Israeli interest groups? Was the invitation a stage for Ahmadinejad to legitimize his infamous views? Did Bollinger's critical introduction backfire and allow Ahmadinejad to steal the mantle of advocate of free speech? What happened at Columbia on Monday has spiraled far beyond the well-manicured grounds of the Morningside Heights campus, and like a steroid-fuelled game of Telephone, has totally changed its meaning>>>

The small voices of history

It worries me to see only a certain number of Iranians voicing their experiences, stories and opinions. It seems to me that only a small number of Iranian voices are being heard throughout the world and the concerns of many other Iranians are not being disregarded in different ways. As an Iranian who lives in the United States, I worry that we are getting too distracted by our own voices and experiences of immigration, exile and nostalgia. I worry that many of us forget that Iran still has a population of almost 70 million peopleó 70 million individuals. Not all of these individuals are privileged enough to have a chance for voicing their own stories and opinions.>>>

Ahmadinejad in America

As an Iranian-American who observes Iranian politics with equal parts curiosity and concern, I am at once amazed and astonished by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s most recent display of tactlessness at Columbia University, especially given his oftentimes eloquent if not ebullient nature. Unable to posit straight answers to questions like “Do you seek the destruction of Israel?” and “Are you supporting terrorism in Iraq ?” he appeared ostensibly opposed to directly answer anything controversial. Consequently, and contrary to his somewhat emboldened image at home, he made himself look clumsy, weak and dare I say feeble.>>>

Brutal denial

The presence of the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at University of Columbia reminded me of the act of another extremist figure, the well-known Imam Suhayb Salam in the Netherlands. On 31th of July I was invited to a Dutch TV-program called Bimbos & Burqas, this title refers to the post-modern hedonistic Paris-Hilton-culture (Bimbo) on one hand and the orthodox-religious be-afraid-for-the-hell culture (Burqa) on the other hand. One of the Burqa members was the Orthodox Imam Suhayb Salam, who had brought along his wife who was wearing a Burqa, looking like a human-penguin in studio 52 of Hilversum television station. >>>

Love me or hate me

I have developed such a HATE-CLUB (as opposed to fan-club) for myself I don't know I should be proud of it or not. It is indeed an achievement though, you must acknowledge, to make so many virtual haters who would even be ready to fill up a petition, complete it with virtual signatures with different IP's to throw me out of Iranian.com. I still don't know whether to be proud of this achievement or not. Believe me that I did not have the least idea that my writings would lead to this. I was surprised. Then I could choose among stopping the writing, changing my attitude, or continue on. I have chosen to continue on>>>

Participate, suggest ideas

Iranian Society for Human Rights in Northern California plans to organize a seminar in order to generate an inclusive and non-partisan discussion among interested Iranians on the problems and challenges facing human rights activists in Iran. The idea of a non-partisan struggle for human rights or democracy is very new to our political culture. While recognizing that non-partisanship is not opposed to or a substitute for partisanship, the proposed seminar will explain the central role of non-partisan agents and agencies in promoting a culture commensurate with the idea of human rights. >>>

From the heart

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Eye of Hurricane

Who put my son Youssef on fire?
He must have a heart darker than oil

My daughter’s doll is a skull in Darfur

A woman half buried in the dirt
Showered with dark ages stones

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Beebokhaars

The Iranian students of Columbia University, who should be the youthful leaders of a resistence and opposition movement against the Ahmadinejad regime, are not planning a big protest nor a demonstration like that which preceded the fall of the Shah when he visited Washington DC in the late seventies. No acts of civil disobedience are in the plans nor enactments of the stoning of young women nor the hanging of homosexuals by our bright Iranian students of Columbia University. No, instead they have decided to treat the Ahmadinejad visit to their University like an “Introduction to Middle-Eastern History” ... Might as well organize a group therapy session where the students express their ‘feelings’ about the controversial president. >>>

Mighty Bollinger

Let me start by saying that Dr. Bollinger, president of Columbia University, made several valid points in his address before Ahmadinejad’s speech. I also commend him in the tone that he used to challenge Ahmadinejad. Politicians should not receive a free pass because they’re guests, invited speakers, or politicians. On the contrary, they should be subjected to harsh criticism when they deserve it. And so, let’s analyze Dr. Bollinger’s speech starting with his tone. Would Dr. Lee Bollinger have the courage to confront George Bush, Dick Cheney, Tony Blair, or any other world leader with the same tone? >>>

I was there

NEW YORK -- It's the day after President Ahmadinejad's speech at Columbia University… I’ve had a hard time going to sleep last night. I was just at the United Nations General Assembly meeting. President Ahmadinejad was the 6th speaker of the afternoon session. He followed the president of Argentina who contributed a good part of his speech condemning Iran on the famous Argentinian terrorist case, asking the international community to adress this issue and handle it differently! He used the phrase "la República Islámica de Irán" many times towards the end of his speech, just a few minutes before president Ahmadinjead was about to start. I start feeling a bit self-conscious...>>>

Too late?

I listened to President Ahmadinejad's speech today at Columbia University. There are several correspondents, reporters, journalists and analysts who have covered the story and shed light on the different aspects of this encounter. Some still blame Columbia University and some now are worshipping its President Lee Bollinger for his bluntly critical introduction. Some reporters are already manipulating the quotes and words to transfer an impression that did not exist in President Ahmadinejad's words. Some are asking themselves if Ahmadinejad actually extended an olive branch to the United States. >>>