bahmani

To: The truth: Self Criticism Better than Self Delusion

For someone who calls themselves the truth, you certainly appear to be in a fair amount of denial. Which is understandable given the 2500 years of practice we have all had at it. Don't mistake my criticism for self hate. Disappointment in our inability to exercise our collective free will without the "help" of a dictator/king (even if on occasion benevolent) is not the crime you suggest. In fact it ought to serve to rally both you and me to get off the bad habit of the outdated and increasingly obsolete "Persepolis Syndrome", namely the constant look back at how GREAT we WERE. What we used to be has at this point, clearly demonstrated and proven that is has almost nothing to do with what we have become. We don't even appear to have pride in what we were. If we did we would defend it far more effectively than this slow apathetic march toward extinction. At this sad stage or our de-volution, the faded glory of 2500 years, has me frankly concerned for our future. If it takes scaring you with a sharp somewhat insulting wake up call by hurting your ego, then so be it. Sorry, but something has to be said or else there will be nothing left to say.

"It is common for Iranians

"It is common for Iranians to put down everyone on the planet except white people from Western countries" etc etc. Never will one see so many incorrect and negative defamatory comments written against Iranians as a whole anywhere, and by a bunch of ignorant fools. Comments such as Iranians are all bad, nothing good came out of Iran, Iranians are racists, etc. won't help solve or improve anything. You guys are a bunch of ignorant nuts, and you are proving it with your very uneducated generalizations, while patting yourselves on the back.

Isn't it a waste of dirt!? Dirt's used to plant trees!

I would say a heaty-hot-steamy-shit on your heads!!!!
Iranians are pure garbage!

Mercury Rising

I wouldn't worry too much about these trivial issues for now. Pretty soon, George Bush will be bringing democracy to Iran, and turn it in to a pile of rubble much like Iraq. All of this will be a moot point. Maybe an outside enemy of this magnitude (America) will create the impetus needed to change our backward culture, which is the underlying current of all our problems (Not our religion, or lack there of).

:Dirt on ......"! Indeed young man. Indeed

Very well said, Mr Bahmani.

Lately, I’ve been usually staying away from getting into this commenting stuff here due to some obvious reasons. But the quality and depth of this article of yours makes neutrality almost impossible. So here’s my dos centavos.

The occasion (bahaaneh) of your writing though, could have been anything in addition to witnessing an Asian Indian winning a post. I must also add that in earlier times (mid-60s,) there were Iranian elected officials in municipalities and urban areas (Atlanta for instance.)

However (comma however,) those individuals were very different than the current generation of Iranians. At the time, only the deserving and privileged came to the US. Therefore, the US-bound students (or otherwise at that time, were of a very different mold and make than the majority of the Iranians that you see residing in the US today. That generation came here –by choice and merit—to advance. This current generation is here mostly because of either chorak (bread in Azeri Turkic) or the notion that molaa’hs are akh (bad, which they truly are) and make them wear hejaabs ([fe]male). Most of them are also shallow, pontificating know-it-all, non-trustworthy, west-worshiping, base, cheating, inconsiderate, opportunistic, big-mouth demagogues. …and as you alluded yourself: ANONYMOUS.They make anonymous comments, avoid paying taxes anonymously, get undeserved grants and welfare anonymously, live off of other peoples’ efforts anonymously and in short, they LIVE ANONYMOUSLY. So it’ll be naïve of you or anybody else to take this anonymous taayefeh (Islamic qabeeleh, not a nation) seriously.

Remember Rob Sobhani? Where is he now? I tell you where he is. He’s in DC doing mostaqellaat and besaaz-o-befroosh (and don’t get me started with the opposition in the US please.) Heck, look at this forum. For every Saman, you have tens of Hajiaghas and other foul-mouthed shallow (though ionically loaded) ANONYMOUS intellectuals!!!!

Kholaaseh, as Engels said: “you must learn about the people, from the one’s who claim to lead them.”

Also:

ايران ستمديده، همواره حزين باشد
”در دايره قسمت، اوضاع چنين باشد“
خاكش زر و زرپرور، بر عرش کشاند سر
واندر کف  چند ابتر، این خاک ثمین باشد
زاین قوم ابو سینا، رازی و جنید آید
گردون بر درگه‌شان، شرمش به جبین باشد
کم نیست در این امت از عالم و فرزانه
دانش همه را از ارض تا عرش برین باشد
امّا ز تبه روزی، کارش به بدان افتاد
دائم دغل و سستی رفتار گزین باشد
کید و کلک و تزویر، سالوس و رياكاري
دریوزگی و پستی، كردار مهین باشد
بر دوستی و كین شان، تكیه نتوان كردن
در صدق سخنهاشان، شك شرط یقین باشد
شاش است به جای خون، اندر رگشان جاری
این جامعه را سرمشق، نامردی و كین باشد
شیاد به سالوسی در كاخ زید لیکن
مرد حق و حق گویی،  ویرانه نشین باشد
این خلق به گِل در به٬ کز حدّ سیه روزی
در ظلمِ به نوع خود، از خبره ترین باشد
و از اجنبیان امّا، بوسند چنان ماتحت
كآن مقعدشان گویی، بگزیده سُرین باشد
با این همه این امّت، با  ”زوزه و چُس ناله“
هردم سرشان برعرش، کانصاف نه این باشد
ما قوم ستم دیده، حقّ است که در دنیا
اندوخته‌مان محنت، دل زار و غمین باشد؟
لیکن ز حد کوری، هیهات نبیند کس
خرمهره که خواهان اقبال نگین باشد

زین ملـت نامـردم، اخــلاق نمی بینی
تا بوده چنین بوده، تا هست چنین باشد 

I love indian food. Also the

I love indian food. Also the country is fascinating I love to visit it one day. I know many indian professionals here, they are great people, kind and friendly. But still you cant beat the food.
India has endured centuries of hardship and has finally come out of age to maturity, great accomplishment, commandable indeed.
I also recommend the Asian to visit the Lotus Temple in new Delhi, india. It is symbolic of unity of humanity and open to people of all religions for meditation and worship. It was built by the interantional Bahai community. Bahai Faith was founded by Baha'U'llah about a century and half ago in Iran. Among its principles are oneness of God, and humanity, and equality of man and women.
Bahais believe that BahaUllah is the Lord of Age, the one promised in all holy scriptures.
Here is a link to the temple;
www.viator.com

Well Said!

Mr. Bahmani,

Excellent points. I am afraid Iranians will not realize positions on the same level as Governor-Elect Jindal, because so many Iranians feel that they are owed something simply for gracing the rest of us with their presence. Fortunately, that particular character flaw is not exclusive to Iranians, as I have seen it in every other ethnic group in one way, shape or form, even among Indians. It just looks 100X uglier when an Iranian does it. Well, at least to me it does.

Dr. Ala, while you may also seem to agree with Mr. Bahmani's post, your comment regarding your participation in Mehregan festivals, your subsequent discontent and cessation in involvement doesn't say anything great about you. Neither does posting a condensed version of your CV as part of your online signature. You are just like those Iranians who have Ph.D. on their taxicab licenses. I could care less if you can split an atom with a toothpick, just get me to the airport before my flight leaves and don't damage my luggage. Also, Indians and Pakistanis are not the only ones who stink or are poor. I have had the displeasure of walking among a crowd of Iranians who haven't taken a shower since they went through customs at Kennedy Airport. I still remember the stench in the cabin of that Iran Air flight. Last time I checked, being poor wasn't a crime, either.

Well said JJ

I wish everybody had a chance "or vision for that matter", to get in a space shuttle and and leave the earth for a day or two and go and go and......till they see the EARTH the size of a blue berry and then think to themselves,  on that blue berry out there! I am form mmmmm let me see !! S**T !! what happened to the borders ??and people!

Iranollahis

Excellent article Bruce. It is common for Iranians to put down everyone on the planet except white people from Western countries. It is a disease. It is wrong. Being Iranian is just as special as being Indian, Jordanian, Indonesian, Zimbabwian or Mexican. At least think about the meaning of the poem you keep quoting from Sa'di with such pride: Bani Adam azaaye yekdigarand...
Bani Adam my friends... Bani Adam means everyone. We're equally special as any human being. Get over your stupid, racist, empty superiority complex.

Dr. Ala you smell, I smell, he smells

Majid: LOOOL

Mammad Ala, you call Indians and Pakistani "smelling people?" Shame on you shame! This is not the way to talk about other human beings.

I have worked and met many Indians, they are industrious, frugal, private, but extremely smart, extremely peaceful, humble, selfless....

I have met many Iranians who are as good...

But I keep meeting some X-moftkhor fossils who are paid just like their parents by the British minds and CIA minds to bad mouth their fellow countrymen and in their private parties they say: Irani adam besho neest! They insult Iranians, and the very same people voted for Khomeini, the very same Professor Ala dropped the Green YES vote...

Mohammad jaan, stop the rat-race, life is too short. Start respecting Iranians, a website and a couple of poems and pictures will not bring the lost glories.

If you as an adult Iranian do not post some positive remarks we will of course continue to have 4-letter words all over this forum. And then they blame JJ for not implementing censorship!

We are equal. Some had money inherited from their fathers and some did not.... I did not....

DR. Professor,Pezeshk,Ostaad,Mechanic, " GOD Mohammad Ala.......

.......And every other acheivement in the book !!

WE GOT IT MY FRIEND !!

BY NOW WE   " ALL "   KNOW WHO YOU ARE !

Dr. Mohammad Ala is Professor of Business and a Board member of www.iran-heritage.org, www.iranalliance.orgwww.persiangulfonline.org

Beleive me , we're not that DUMB ! we just look like we are!

I will have it tatooed on my forhead tomorrow, promiss!

You don't have to shove it down our throat at the end of EVERY comment !

MR.   KHOD-E KHODAA himself! 

Thank you all. In Persian We

Thank you all.
In Persian We say "Az kuzeh Haman Borun travad keh Darust:. If you read each response, it will tell you who they are.

Iranians are very good individually, but not collectively. In evry town and citis there are thousands of Professional Iranians, but not one active organization. !!! Why?

When I was asked to see some, and collect some money for 'Construction of Bam Hospital", I met one in elevator alone. "Janabe Dr.....Salam arz mikonam".
"Hi how you doing?",
"Khaily mamnoon, Hatman nameh komak baraye Bimarestan bam daryaft farmudid..."
"Well, I think about it..."
"...Pas khabar be farmyeed..."
Then ...Came closer to me and said in Persian.." Pool nafresti ha. Hameh khodeshun mikhoran..."

Is this a familiar scene?. Beleive me this person makes several thousands in a matter of few hours, but charity... "mikhorand..."

God bless all

We have a long way to go . . .

by Senor Professor Doctor Mohandes (not verified) wrote . . . Can you write an article and praise those who have accomplished something?

Answer/question: Couldn’t you do it?  Are you one of those who sits on his duff and criticizes others?  Why don’t you write an article and start a website to help our community? More than 90% of respondents in Iranian.com are using a pseudo name.  How can one write an article if most people are hiding and taking cheap shots at others?   At two institutions, I received the rank of a Professor, I did not make this up.  I would not call you by your first name if you are a doctor or professor. 

You did not get my point about us participating in community activities nor you understood what Mr. Bahmani wrote. 

To Asian: You must not have been to Iran, but I have been to Pakistan and India.  Don't get me started in comparing Iranians with Indians.  Everywhere one goes in India smells and people are very poor (that is all I want to say here).

Dr. Mohammad Ala is Professor of Business and a Board member of www.iran-heritage.org, www.iranalliance.org, and www.persiangulfonline.org

Gunga Din

Right on!...........But WHY????????

Why always the y in equations solved for x?

Hindis produced Gandhi, J. Nehru, R. Tagore, and the
most populous stable democracy in the world.

Iran has produced Khomeini, Aryamehr, Ahmaninejad,
and the most repressive and destructive tyranny in
the 21st century.

Hindis have world-renowned spiritual gurus in the
world with global followings.

Iran's mullahs are despised and reviled by the world.

Hindis are trusted with nuclear power.
The world does trust Iranians, nor considers them
sufficiently mature and responsible to be permitted
the use of nuclear power.

Hindis dress their women in beautiful open saris
and gives them equal civic and legal rights. They
protect and educate their children.

Iranians enshroud their women in black chadors,
deny them basic human rights, stone them to death,
and are addicted to hanging innocent children,
women and men in public.

There is something VERY, VERY, VERY SICK AND WRONG
with Iranians and with their way of life!

As for the Hindis, Kipling said it best:

"You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din!"

Nuclear aftabeh

is the right technology for Iran.

Ankeh beh ma narideh bood ghlagheh koon darideh bood

Mr. Ala calls himself "Professor"! It is like if I call myself: Mr. Scientist!

Calm down from those high flying fantasy and stop insulting Iranians. Just because you call yourself Professor doesn't mean you are better than the Hammal who carries luggages at the Tehran Bazar, or the mechanic that changes the oil.

Those hard working people go to Mehregan to eat, dance and be happy with their family on a weekend, not to save the Land of Iran from IRI and give it back to Pahlavi, or any other charities that you are or are not supporting.

You stopped going there now, I stopped ten years ago, so am I better than you? NO! We are both going to miss a good food and rubbing shoulders with some fellow Iranians. Why the hell do we get our kicks to insult each ohter. Positive criticism is good, but sheer insult is only a sign of spitting upward.

This whole article shows that the author is racialy motivated and here is why:

The title is "dirt on our head" or "Khak bar sareman" which simply means this: "look how an Indian who is inferior than me an Iranian got an office and I have not" so he starts his article with insult and ends with it.

Then people like "Professor" come in and post their website's link as if we give a damn, and add salt to the injury.

I am a full professor of nuclear physics and aerospace at a New York University, and member of many scientific circles, but rarely think that I desrve to judge Iranians. Because stereotyping is an ailment, but it can be cured. There is help out there.

Can you write an article and praise those who have accomplished somthing?

Calm down!

Every King indeed deserved it!

Do not kid yourself, every king deserved the position and the office he held. He desrved it even if he failed.

Those kings, many fearless, far more brutal to their enemies as Khameniei is to his subjects. You and I would have not dared to even look at the Nader's eyes! That is the way the world was.

It is easy to write, but those kings conquered and united their land by sword and not by pen. Today is a different story. No king or President is worth the office they hold since we are always manipulated by the media.

Just because an Indian born got a political office job in a corrupt state, doesn't mean Iranians have not produced. Iranians have conqured the corporate America, that is far better than a lousy political job, appointed or elected.

This land is a melting pot, you are what you are now, forget the past!

God bless Ivory Coast

Iranians are Racists

Iranians are the most racist people on earth. We don't like Indians, treat Afghanis as second class citizens, never marry a black person, and use the expression 'johoud' instead of 'kalimi' for our fellow jewish Iranians. We blame the Arabs for losing our great civilization to Islam. We think the Azeris are descendants of 'donkeys' and Rashtis pimp their wives. All Ghazvinis are gay and all Kurds are good for construction work. How the hell could we be descendants of Cyrus the Great? I think we all have some Moghul, Arab, Osmani, Russian, Turk,...blood.

A nation of Aftabeh manufacturers, you are...

You Arabs will never go any higher. Born to be aftabehsaz!?!??!

thanks for our people. . . we get nothing. . .

Great write up, I agree with your points.  We should blame ourselves for being lazy and cheap when it comes to community involvement(s).

I also read about the Louisiana governor.  He had an important post in that State when he was 24 years old.  In general, Indians, Koreans, or Chinese have taken their social responsibility more seriously than us.  The worst of the matter is that if an Iranian organization does well, some members of our community get jealous and attack it with baseless accusations (using pseudo names).

Iranians have no shortage of time or money to go to a Googhoosh concert or drive good cars and live in fancy neighborhoods, but have no money to give to worthy causes.  After several years of participating in Mehrghan gatherings in Orange County, I gave up attending it and promoting our causes.  People had money to stay in food lines (several times) for hours but did not visit charity tables or give Iranian organizations a hand.

Then if someone such as Delshad gets to a position, he bans companies which invest in Iran.  As it is said . . .  thanks for nothing . . . thus we get nothing.

Dr. Mohammad Ala is Professor of Business and a Board member of www.iran-heritage.org, www.iranalliance.org, and www.persiangulfonline.org

Well Said

Wasn't Cyrus the Great supposed to have been some king of great king? I heard last night on TV actually, that he was generally known as "the liberator." Apparently he did not impose any specific religion or even civic code onto the provinces under his rule. That sounds pretty democratic, if it is true. I am not sure, however, if finding one king would help us. I think we still do need to grow a little faster, as a group.

excelent article

Thanks, it was awesome.
But we don't always do as you mentioned... we have been
extremely active in the past few months, siging online
"petitions" (with false names, and some of us have been
ambitious and signed multiple times, since the petition
site allows it, as they only anxious about the traffic..
psk psk google ad), once the lousy petition is signed, we
can rest assure and relax, job well done.
See, we are very active... this is our motto :
"Did you sign a petition today?"
Hey JJ, why not host a petition site on iranian.com, more
traffic never hurts :)