Archive - Apr 2008 - Article

The Dangerous Slope

The fact is, is that we don’t like to think that western governments could be either involved or complicit in torture; if anything it seems counterintuitive to suggest that liberal and democratic societies could be responsible for the heinous acts we usually associate with so-called third world dictatorships scattered throughout the Middle East and Africa. The conventional wisdom of late however has come under increasing attack in both the media and academia. Last year for instance, Professor of Political Science at Reed College, Darius Rejali published his prolific and critically acclaimed tome Torture and Democracy, which argued for two central theses, which irrevocably transform the way we view the role and development of torture in modernity and democratic societies in particular>>>

Ahmadinejad Phenomenon

Among the IRI's seniors, president Ahmadinejad is more famous for his fierce rhetoric and odd behaviour. His absurd comments, lack of rationality, revolting habits and odd gestures suggest personal immaturity or even abnormality. In his speeches, he usually sinks himself into a hectic and incoherent stance in which his words go so beyond the limits of decorum that even some of his companions feel embarrassed about him.--even the most inexperienced and insecure politicians rarely engage in spontaneous outbursts like him.>>>

Persian Dirt Under The Carpet

When you speak of purging gender apartheid

 

Bear in mind mixing public places would invite

Sexual harassment of anything female that moves

As it was done by men and boys under the Shah.

>>>

The Islamic Mission to Europe

On the auspicious day of 25 of Shawwal (the tenth Muhammedan month, beginning with the feast of breaking the fast of Ramadan) of the year 1346, representatives of the Muslim nations were solemnly invited to participate in a conference in Samarrah, one of the prosperous cities of Arabia, in order to deliberate and consult about sending a team of missionaries to disseminate and promulgate the orthodox Islamic teachings throughout the world. Mr. Crown of the Orators (Taj ul-Mutakallimin) was the president, Mr. Nightingale of Islam (‘Andalib ul-Islam) the deputy, Mr.Helm of the Law (Sukkan u-ShShari’a) the consultant and accountant, and Mr. Chief of Commanders (Sunnat ul-Aqtab) the stenographer of the conference>>>

The Pomegranate Path

The sun was just beginning to rise over the March horizon as Ollie’s new alarm clock began to ring. He struggled to open his eyes, but with the room still dark and the bed so invitingly warm, he fought to resist the temptation to lay back down for just a few minutes more. The last time that he closed his eyes for just a few minutes more, he ended up being an hour and a half late for school. This is the reason why his mother bought him this damn new monstrosity. As he struggled to consciousness, the fleeting thought popped into his groggy head that this was no ordinary clock; no, this was Big Ben!>>>

نگاه بامدادان

ز سر کرم که گوید مه شاد خوش لقا را
که به رسم دلنوازی بنوازد آشنا را؟
نه به دل شکیب ماندم که طریق عقل پویم
که به اوش وام دارم قدح جهان نما را.
چو ثمر فراتر افتد ز دو دست کوته ما
>>>

باید سکوت کنیم

خانوم، آقا خیلی حواسمان را باید امسال جمع کنیم. حرام‌زاده‌های آمریکایی قرار است جنگ مذهبی و نژادی در ایران راه بیندازند. به آدم‌هایشان پول بدهند که بمب بگذارند و آدم بکشند و بعد هم یک سری گروه‌های قلابی مثلا سنی مذهب یا وهابی یا چمیدانم جدایی طلب عرب یا ترک یا کرد مسوولیت آنها را قبول کنند. می‌خواهند جوان‌های شیعه‌‌ی متعصب را بزنند بکشند تا بعد که آنها از روی حماقت و نادانی رفتند و مثلا انتقام گرفتند آرام آرام این پینگ پنگ خونین را شروع کنند و کل ایران را در عرض شش ماه تبدیل به بغداد کنند. شوخی ندارم و آنها هم ندارند. >>>

The Spider Killings (15)

Babak had not dreamt of his mother Fati in a long time. He still missed her a lot but he was glad he was not having his nightmares anymore where a creature resembling his mother but smelling of damp earth and with two gaping black holes where its eyes should have been would fool him into thinking she was still alive, waiting for him at Kuh Sangi Park. Accepting the harsh reality that his mother was gone forever and would never come back to pick him up from Mahin Khanoom’s house had been a traumatic ordeal for the five year old>>>

لرزه های تن تو

می دانی وقتی به تو فکر می کنم
پیراهن روحم را از تنم بیرون می کنم
تا به تو بیاویزم من
لبان صورتی ات را به دهانم می دوزم
ودر جسم تو حل می شوم
تا تنمانمان در هم دوخته شود
>>>

It's a girl

On Presidents' Day, Rain is keeping pace, With moans in the bathtub, Cutting through her dream, Riding the waves of pain. >>>

Terrorists Among Us

In recent months, there has been significant activity by a terrorist group lobbying Senators and Congressmen on Capitol Hill. The Mojahedin-e Khalq (MEK), an Islamic socialist organization listed on the State Department list of terrorists, has launched a widespread lobbying campaign to persuade US politicians to unfreeze bank accounts associated with the MEK and to promote war with Iran. In pursuit of these objectives, the MEK and its affiliate, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), have created numerous front groups, with the express aim to lobby prominent California members of Congress. Their targets include Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi—all individuals who urge high-level diplomacy with Iran>>>

Tehran Nights

Ross opened a set of double-doors. The doors were arched. The arches hinted at a theme in the house. The design was replicated in the frame of the burgundy-velvet draped windows placed strategically around the home for auxiliary privacy. As we followed him through the luxueux abode, the music got louder and louder. A drum-like beat complimenting the song playing in the background, Sharam’s ‘Party all the Time’, led us to the crowd. Walking through the candle-lit passage and into the first of five bays, we were faced with the ecstasy-party bit in the opening scene of Syriana, but infinitely swankier. High quality, everything.>>>

دونده

دویدم و دویدم
اینجا عرق میشود ریخت
ولی از گریه باید گریخت
دویدم و دویدم
تا دردم و خاموش کنم
فکر کنم چاره کنم بی تو چکار کنم
>>>

Friends forever?

Where are your friends when you really need them? Isn’t that time of need when true friends really surface, sharing their buoyancy as they try to help keep you afloat? Well, we really haven’t seen many of those friends around, not for America, although we have seen the traditional parasites – those who instigate our misguided foreign policy for their own ends, as well as those who either go along with America’s criminal government, or simply look the other way. In some regions, such as Latin America, one would hardly expect to find any friends of the United States – of the non-servile kind, that is – given the long history of bullying and the oppressive hand this nation has had in that region… but what about Europe?>>>

Who do you hate the most?

I always knew so well how to hate. I hated being a child and being ignored. I hated being a teen and waiting, wondering, doubting. I hated Shah, I hated Khomeini, I hated Saddam the way their ideological differences changed all of us for the worse. The way the war locked me in my room, listening to the silence, listening to the noise, missing joy or temerity, missing the light seeping through sheer curtains. I hated missing one small volume of space in time when opening my window or listening to loud music, or painting red on my bloodless lips and nails wouldn’t have been called an act of bravery>>>