Archive - 2008 - Article

Money beats history

This is an article I found on Boeing’s monthly employee newsletter in praise of their presence in Saudi Arabia. In of itself it is no more than a propaganda piece to appease their minuscule investment in the Arabian Peninsula. But what struck me odd was the fact that the author had mentioned “Arabian Gulf” in place of the “Persian Gulf”. This is a clear violation of the UN charter and I protested this act in a letter to the editor, author and a senior VP of the Boeing Company. Needless to say I have not heard back from any one>>>

ترس آفرينی

انتخابات دورهء نهم رياست جمهوری را می توان آغاز دورانی دانست که حکومت اسلامی مستقر در ايران به انتهای ديگر «مدرج حقانيت» می رسد و ديگر چيزی از حقانيت آن باقی نمی ماند و، بنا بر قوانين خلل ناپذير علم، از آن پس چاره ای ندارد تا، برای باقی ماندن بر سرير قدرت، راه سرکوب تمام عيار را در پيش گيرد. البته، از همان ابتدای تشکيل حکومت اسلامی، سرکوب جرء ذاتی سياست های اجتماعی اين حکومت بود، اما اگر در ابتدا می توانست اين سرکوب را متوجه آنها که «طاغوتی» و «استکباری» و «ضد انقلاب» خوانده می شدند نمايد، در طی زمان دامنهء اين سرکوب گسترده تر شد و، پس از پايان دورهء موسوم به «اصلاحات»، همهء جامعه را فرا گرفت. اکنون روزی نيست که خبری از اعدام و سنگسار و دست و پا بريدن و از کوه پائين انداختن نباشد.>>>

Gates are Falling

Early morning calls are bad news for most
I have been there too, I HAVE been most
But today, you see I receive a call
Frantic and hurried, deserving a big toast
How do I tell you of my fluttering chest?
To be composed through this, to be at my best?
How do I let the world know I’m soaring?
>>>

Transsexuals in Iran

If you are a Jewish Iranian, living in the U.S. from the age of 6, it is very likely you don't like Ahmadinejad. So of course you would like to show how you hate him and how he is such a liar and how evil the entire government he represents is, in any way you can. So you decide to attack one of the only positive angles Iran has been reported: Sex-change. And why not connect it to Ahmadinejad's speech in your city's university, Columbia, where he said in Iran homosexuality doesn't exist the same way it does in the U.S. (We all know the united Republican>>>

راه نجات

راه نجات، هيچ به جز انقلاب نيست
جز اين، هر آنچه هست به غير از سراب نيست

گفتند انتخاب کن از بين شيخ و شاه
اين هردُوان يکند، نه! اين، انتخاب نيست

چون شد که رفت او و به جايش نشست اين؟
فرزند من مپرس! که ما را جواب نيست

>>>

Bad news

The newest and much-anticipated International Atomic Energy Agency report on safeguards activities in Iran was sent to the IAEA Member States on February 22, 2008 and almost immediately leaked to the press. As usual, no one was completely satisfied by it but everyone could find in it something that upholds his or her particular point of view. And as usual, the most important part of the report – that dealing with Iran's ongoing uranium enrichment program, with the potential to provide the material for a nuclear explosive device -- was relegated to the end of the report>>>

Obama's life in danger?

In eloquent speeches presidential candidate Obama has made copious promises, understandably to attract voters. He talks about “change,” without really spelling out change from what to what. It just sounds good: “change.” A great sound bite, indeed. Change is exciting, while status quo is viewed as stagnant and boring. It is all part of the political game of telling people what they want to hear, getting elected, and worrying about delivering later. The electorates are both short on memory and long on forgiving. So, the farce of empty high-sounding promises fills the air at campaign times. But there are instances that a promise during vote-gathering can later haunt the person>>>

When does it end?

Obama was asked two nights ago, in the debate in Ohio, about Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan’s endorsement of his campaign. He replied that he denounced the endorsement. He was then asked if he had rejected it. Obama replied that he doesn’t think there is a difference in the two. Tim Russert kept pushing it, “yeah you denounced it but do you reject it?” Ok, maybe it didn’t happen quite like this, but what the hell? The guy, Farrakhan, is goofy. He’s well on the other end of normalcy, especially when it comes to saying things. But why doesn’t denouncing him and his endorsement enough when it comes to the Jewish community?>>>

The Spider Killings (5)

As soon as Azadeh got home, she rushed to the bathroom and locked herself in. Quickly shedding all her clothing, she stood in front of the mirror, looking at her naked reflection, something she seldom dared to do. Her arms and legs were covered with a multitude of scars, as well as the coagulated blood from fresher wounds. Her body had for years been the canvas for her monstrous designs. She used knives, razors, and scissors in guise of brushes and pencils. She opened one of the drawers in the bathroom vanity and took out a pair of scissors. The thought of cutting her skin once more filled her with both trepidation and exhilaration. Slowly, she brought the sharp tip of the instrument down, until it rested against the skin on her inner thigh>>>

Damn Illegal Aliens

First of all, this damnation only covers head of the family, spouse and children under 18 who live with parents. Children older than 18 years of age may be damned under different damnation policy through college, university or employment. Secondly, Only immediate family is damned. Family members who do not reside in the US are not covered. Proof of residency is required for the damn coverage. One might ask why should we provide such a damn costly coverage for damn aliens? Although this is a naïve question, it deserves a clever response. Let me explain.>>>

برای تولدم

مولود عشقم.

مادرم آبستنِ خجستگی بود و

در زمستانِ رو به بهارِ روزی خوب

مرا به دنیا آورد. >>>

The Fusion Confusion

Ever since I can remember, I always had a taste for the bizarre. Food combinations that pregnant women wouldn’t dare crave. In order to satisfy my bizarre craving, I always need something savoury with a hint of sweet. I start each morning with 2 slices of granary toast, one with Marmite (You either love it or you hate it!) and the other slice with honey. Ultra-sweet honey and uber-salty Marmite, an equal presence of sweet and savoury. Although I don’t have a sweet tooth, I do crave food combinations that contain both sweet and savoury in order to satisfy my cravings. For instance, I think red meat just begs for some kind of acidity to cut through it’s intense meaty flavour. Ladies and Gentleman, please welcome the guest star for this meal… fruit!>>>

Wholesale attack

My predicament: which one of the numerous half-truths and falsehoods packed in the brief speech should I address? Should I remind the audience that Coptic Christians of Egypt practice honor killing just as their Muslim neighbors? Would I have to reiterate the fact that genital mutilation predates both Islam and Christianity and, while not sanctioned by either religion, persists as a vestige of the earlier animistic practices? Would it be better to state that the nemesis of civility, tolerance and human rights is not religion as such, but the "illusion" of a literal reading of the scriptures that creates dangerous fundamentalists in every religion, with lurid dreams and plans of fiery holocausts to usher in the end of the world? >>>

Running out of time

When talking about torture and whether the practice could be morally justified the most common scenario that is offered is the example of the “ticking time bomb.” As the example goes, a number of bombs have been planted in a few populous areas. The authorities have the bomber in custody. They are certain about the facts that the bombs have been planted, the person in custody knows where the locations are, they have limited time before the bombs go off, and there is no possible way to find the locations of the bombs other than torturing him. The question now is whether in such circumstances, where the lives of thousands or (in the case of nuclear bombs) millions of people are in immanent danger torture could be a morally justified method for stopping this catastrophe?>>>

V for Voice

My unselfish and greater wish is to represent the voice of our repressed Iranian people, of the women of Iran who endure human rights abuses that should not even be occuring in this day and age... I would love to use our current production of "The Vagina Monologues" as a springboard for both a show in solidarity with women's and children's rights from you, my community, and as a compassionate vehicle of greater involvement of our Iranian community within the American community at large. This is a fabulous video where Jane Fonda and Eve Ensler, the playwright and women's rights activist extraordinaire, passionately and so eloquently explain our cause >>>