Archive - Sep 17, 2008 - Article

Optimistic future

John Limbert is a former American hostage. He is also one of several former hostages who have spoken out arguing that the US should engage in negotiations with Iran. John and Parvaneh met in Iran in their mid- twenties, got married and had their children in Iran. John Limbert did not just fall in love with an Iranian woman but with the country and its people, though naturally he felt differently after he was taken hostage. John has written numerous articles and a book, “Shiraz in the Age of Hafez: The Glory of a Medieval Persian City” (University Washington Press), which is about the city where he lived, studied and taught>>>

عدم خشونت خوب است، ولی فقط برای ما؟

خیلی جالب است کسانی که تبلیغ مقاومت بدون خشونت را برای ما می‌کنند همان‌هایی هستند که تنها بودجه‌ی ارتش‌شان ده‌ها برابر کل بودجه‌ی کل ما روی هم است. آنها هر وقت پای منافع خودشان باشد کمترین تردیدی در استفاده از وحشیانه‌ترین انواع خشونت (بمب‌های شیمیایی و پلوتونیوم ضعیف‌شده و بمب‌های خوشه‌ای و شکنجه و بازداشت‌های چند ساله‌ی بدون تفهیم اتهام و ...) نمی‌کنند. ولی وقتی به ما می‌رسد یک دفعه همه چیز باید بدون خشونت باشد، چون خشونت مال آدم‌های عقب‌افتاده و بی‌تمدن است. وقتی فوکو می‌گوید سیستم کنترل در جامعه‌ی جدید از شکل‌های قدیمی و آشکار و تنبیهی به کنترل گفتمانی و ماسک‌دار و دیسیپلینی تبدیل شده است دروغ نمی‌گوید. همین گفتمان مسخره‌ی عدم خشونت یکی از همین گفتمان‌های دیسیپلین یا تادیب کننده است.>>>

But, why?

The collaboration of various sectors of society with the centers of power and the religious authorities can be attributed to ignorance, and one could say that every society has its share of ignorant individuals, who are used and exploited by influential and powerful elements or its ecclesiastic orders. But what about the group that calls itself progressive, intelligent, on the intellectual vanguard, supporter of the people, and such names, and its claim to moral authority has filled every ear? Should we close our eyes to the truth that almost every political organization, whether on the left or the right, religious or secular, nationalistic or otherwise, in the most self-serving way have colluded in this suppression? >>>

Dream On

I take my prayers and start
To kneed them into creamy dreams
And from that rich texture
I will sing encapsulating songs from the void in my heart
To wrap them into bitter sweets
Then I wakefully task myself again
To taking these dreams and with them
Create a hammock that sieves my anger -into singing daffodils >>>