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Being Bullied

It is very belittling to me to see how some of the western countries are trying to force their power to stop Iran from having nuclear power. Iran not only should be able to utilize nuclear technology to produce electrical energy, she should also be able to produce its own nuclear fuel to run these plants. We should not be at the mercy of some superpower deciding whether or not we can have our quota of fuel to run these plants and produce electricity. Iran is a sovereign country and needs to be able to decide independently much nuclear energy she wishes to produce, in as many power plants as she wishes to build >>>

The Spider Killings (12)

A while ago, Yassi had been arrested by a group of officers. Before they had taken her to the station house, they had gang raped her. When she came home after weeks of detention peppered with beatings, lashes, and other mistreatment, the young girl was hysterical. For the first day, she couldn’t stop laughing. It wasn’t laughter actually. More like a giggle. Not a light hearted giggle that you would hear at the end of a punchline. Something else. Something wild and ... not... sane. It chilled Azadeh to the bone to hear her friend giggle like that for no reason when she should have been crying or screaming, anything but that. Had she lost her mind for good?>>>

بازیچه گردون شدن

ای خوشا چون لاله های کوهها
در بهاران سبز و دامن خون شدن
از نسیم دامن افشان سحر
واله و شیدا و دیگرگون شدن
سی تماشای رخ خورشید خود
بر سر بام جهان بیرون شدن
یا ز انوار رخ دلدار خود
مست گشتن و ز پی اش مفتون شدن
>>>

Moon after Moon

I need you to say you love me. I want your words to touch me again. Look, who knows maybe I will break into a thousand pieces soon. Perhaps morning tempers and letters burn, but I want my body to learn new words, a fistful of words as sweet and sour candy that happens to be in my mouth; words that stem from the heart and soul, making rich feathery sensation on the back of my neck; words that tantalize like the tip of your tongue finding its path to my lips. These are simple adventures that fill, pant, and pour the depth of my body where I let natural forces find fever at every beat, every beat that is as strong as my desires>>>

Flowing with Forugh

Although a number of English translations of Forugh Farrokhzad's work have been published, many fail to capture the nuances of the Persian language, the incisive and edgy aspects of her mind, and her unique and powerful experience as a woman living through the turbulence of Iran’s 20th century modern history. I had the opportunity to interview Iranian-American poet-translator, Sholeh Wolpe and asked her about her role as the translator of the most recent collection of Forugh’s poetry, Sin: Selected Poems of Forugh Farrokhzad and the way Forugh’s life and legacy has personally touched her. >>>

The world cannot help

The Islamic Republic is not our entire problem. I would argue that with or without the IR, little or no significant difference would be felt by those who truly dream of a free and independent Iran. The major part of the equation I believe has not been fixed. The people of Iran need to define what are acceptable social norms in the Iranian society. The simplest solution is what the IR is enforcing. To take the Rights of all so no one would argue for the acceptable norms. IR agrees that we need to go back to Islam to find a common ground.>>>

يک مرتد و هزار مفتی

نوانديشی های آقای سروش نه بر ضد يا در رد تشيع امامی که در جهت تقويت مبانی آن است. با اين همه، بنظر می رسد که در حوزهء انديشهء تشيع امامی عارف و عامی، هر دو، حقی برای اين سرباز فداکار دين، و نوانديشی که اغلب نوانديشان ديگر امامی خود را به او منتسب می دارند، قائل نيست که در مورد دين خود بيانديشد و راهی برای انسانی تر کردن آن بيابد. يعنی، در واقع، اين «خودی بودن» اوست که کار دست آقای سروش داده. مثلاً، آيت الله سبحانی همهء دردش آن است که: «او (يعنی سروش)، با آن چهره نوراني و بيان شيرين، روزگاري مدرس نهج‌البلاغه بود. خطبهء‌‌ همام را به نحو دلپذيري تفسير مي‌كرد، چه شد كه از اين گروه اين همه فاصله گرفت؟>>>

دريا از آن من

ساحل فقط جای تماشا بود
و لم دادن سبکباران
اما در انفجار بزرگ
در سفر  پيدايش؛
از توآموختم بر موج برقصم
و جز بر پرواز و صبح آرام نگيرم

>>>

Looking down on others

If I go around saying all Iranians are terrorists, I should not be surprised when Iranians respond by saying all Americans are backward, cultureless, ignorant rednecks. Stereotyping is a vicious cycle that feeds on itself. When the members of any two groups of people start seeing themselves as vastly different from one another it begins to impair their powers of perception, they gradually begin to see the other, through the blurring lens of intolerance, as inferior, and they fail to remember that we were all born with ten fingers and toes and that we all bleed red when we’re cut. Weren’t we all innocent at one point in our lives before we learned how to hate, for hating is surely a learned skill?>>>

Do Politicians Dream of Electric Sheep?

Okay, I like the Dutch as much as the next person, or actually I like them more than most people I know. I like their language, despite all the “ch” sounds (that is KH, a hard, laryngeal sound not dissimilar to one cleaning one’s throat), I like their country, and I like their penchant for the provocative and the controversial. Recently, I dragged my girlfriend through the streets of Amsterdam during a five hour stop-over in Schipol on my way from Athens to Los Angeles. She hated it, and it was cold, and all the stores were closed (we got there at 9am), but I loved it. I even want to live there, if possible, but apparently I will not be really welcome, looking at the way Mr. Wilders is warning his fellow Netherlanders. Why?>>>

Close Up

The ever growing pool of exceptional talents offers a great opportunity to bridge the Iranian film community at large working both within the Diaspora or in Iran with that of Hollywood and the independent film society across North America. Iranian American Producer Siamak Ghahremani has filled in this necessary gap by founding the Noor Film Festival (NFF) which will be holding its 2nd annual this weekend in Hollywood. A glittering event and much welcomed initiative that acknowledges contemporary film and acting achievements while paving the way for future aspiring talents. I had the opportunity to talk to Mr. Ghahremani and learn more about his Noor Film Festival. >>>

My American Mother

My American mother says,
`In the next circle of life
I want to become
A tall, shade tree.` >>>

گناه

گرچه مترجمان بسیاری هم سعی داشته اند تا شعر فروغ را به زبان انگلیسی برگردانند و گاه ترجمه های غنی از ایشان خوانده ام اما بی شک شعله ولپی با حس شاعرانه و ممتاز خود یکی از زیباترین ترجمه های اشعار فروغ را در گلچین گناه برای خوانندگان به ارمغان آورده است. شعله با انتخاب و ترجمه این اشعار در عین حال به آگاه کردن مردم به وجود سانسور در ایران پرداخته است. بسیاری در جهان در مورد نقض حقوق بشر و استبداد حاکم بر ایران می دانند. با این وجود وظیفه هنرمند آن است که باز به افشای ستم بپردازد و توجه هر چه بیشتر جهانیان را به آن جلب کند. شعله با داشتن نامی آشنا در جامعه ادبی انگلیسی زبان به این مهم پرداخته است. وی در این تلاش یکی ازموفقترین ترجمه ها از شعر فروغ را ارائه داده است.>>>

Winning the War on Terrorism

Thus far, the so called war on terrorism has not produced the ideal outcome the Bush Administration had hoped for. Administration officials believe that any back down such as the partial withdrawal of US troops out of Iraq may be construed as defeat and will embolden the extremists. Therefore, the US has to continue for as long as necessary at whatever cost. In his speech in 9/07, Bush stated that further terrorist attacks are invited by the perception of weakness; a show of force is needed to minimize such attacks. I believe such argument is fallacious at best. The terrorists do not attack the US because they think the US is weak or strong. On the contrary this mentality may provoke more attacks. >>>

Our New Day Begins

The most noteworthy aspect of the “election game” of the 8th parliament of the Islamic Republic of Iran, was the endeavor of those persons and groups who were active players , to appear as if each possessed an optimal plan. Among those laying claim to power, each faction sought to use any means, including character assassination, in order to present their choices as the most effective. But in fact neither the option of participation, nor that of boycott could be considered intelligent and true options for the Iranian society, and the promoters of none of these options, even should those backing participation win some of the coveted seats , had an effective program for the day after the elections.>>>