Persian Realm

Austria celebrates 'model' law on Islam established under Empire

Legal clout (bbc)

Austria's Muslims thank old empire for equal status

Austria has had a checkered history when it comes to relations with Muslims, but its 100-year-old Law on Islam is seen as a symbol of tolerance.

The law gives Muslims the same rights as other officially recognised religions in Austria, such as Catholicism, Lutheranism, Judaism and Buddhism.

At the weekend senior members of the Austrian government and the country's Islamic Community attended ceremonies to mark the centenary.

So Islam has been an officially recognised religion in Austria for 100 years.

Yet another historical event is probably more familiar to most people - the 1683 Siege of Vienna, when the Muslim Ottoman army's advance on Christian-controlled Europe was halted.

And in recent years, the anti-Islamic rhetoric of some Austrian far-right politicians has made the headlines.

Looking Forward To Your Next Blog ;)

...

Yes I've heard that Anonymous Broken Record before ...

Favorite Oscar® moment - The Streaker

Iranian.com Is A "Public" Forum .....

As I have indicated in my earlier comments, so long as we are respectful to one another, and do not resort to personal attacks, one is entitled to present one's view in any blog ..... !

If you look at any of my comments in your previous blogs, any time that I have resorted to harsh criticism of your blogs, it has been primarily due to your very personal attacks on me, and your less than gentlemanly behavior with respect to my comments ..... ! Again, go to your previous blogs, and see for yourself ;)!

My suggestion to you is practice what you preach - Furthermore, like I have also said before, if people commenting on your blogs bothers you, then you should avoid blogging altogether :) !

Hypocricies are not really welcome on Iranian.com,

Respectfully,

R D

"Facts" as you put them are subject interpretation

Otherwise there is no point in debating on anything when it comes to history or any other subject for that matter ...

REVOLUTION DEMYSTIFIED: Truth and Lies Surrounding the French Revolution

Someone can very well present your arguments the otherway round or in a more nuanced manner by claiming quite the opposite in regard to your positive assessments of a 'strong willed' Reza Shah in Favor of a deemed "Weak Willed" Mohamed Reza Shah.

Constitutionalist Student Shares Views on the Pros and Cons of Reza Shah's Rule

Constitutionalist Student Shares Views On Mohammed Reza Shah's Rule 

Their interpretation is no less no more legitimate than yours. Same when it comes to argumenting in favor of a system like the Monarchy (Constitutional or not) instead of a Republic ( Theocratic Or Secular) 

ROYAL FORUM: Explaining the Concept of a Constitutional Monarchy to a Staunch Republican

History is not about "Sympathy" but "Empathy" ...

In order to "learn" from the past ( if that is a given person's goal that is ) you first need to "understand" it or at least try to understand the other person's point of view even if they differ from yours before being judgemental merely because you deem that everyone has to think like you or because you think that his or her philisophical or intellectual assessments are different from yours.

But then I don't think the purpose of my blogs is to teach anyone anything for that matter ...

I blog for my own enjoyment hoping it can at best be thought provocative and interest others including my like minds.

If it does all the better ... if it doesn't then like the French would say "tant pis" ...

You remind me of that other fellow Sargord Pirouz who in his pavolovian reaction would jump on each and every blog without even bothering to read or watch the videos displayed or even notice the irony of some of the content being illustrated. 

Like him you Judge the Book by the Cover ...

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9n98SXNGl8

I'm sure BIG Brother Would appreciate Your Stamina in identifying culprits of free thought  ...

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4rBDUJTnNU

But I'm not looking for YOUR endorsement of MY views ...

I'm simply Sharing mine with my readers, using the creative tools at my disposal and personal knowledge, cultural background, curiosity, interests and imagination to illustrate my point of view.

Journalists as much as historians have the right to be opinionated.

They are entitled to an opinion as much as anybody else. 

You think that entitles you in your virtually pavlovian reaction to poke fun, trash and diminish the value of what is being shared here with some cheap comment merely because you are looking for attention or don't like what is being said here fine ...

but spare me your recurrent ad hominem harassments ranging from irrelevant patronizing comments on my family to my qualifications. 

Best,

DK 

I'm Of The Belief .....

That Facts Should Be Presented To People ..... !

As I have indicated in many of comments in the past, I grew up under the Shah in the 1960's and 70's in Iran (Tehran) -

Furthermore, as I have also indicated, I have a very deep respect and affection for Reza Shah - In many ways, he was the true savior and father of modern Iran -

But, Mohammad Reza Shah was a different story - Unfortunately, her twin sister, Ashraf, was perhaps more like their father than the Shah ever was -

As I indicated earlier, irrefutable "Facts" should be presented to people - Especially, to the younger genertion who were not alive during the reign of the Shah -

I believe that presenting a Romanticised picture of the Shah's reign is a total and complete disservice to the younger generation -

There is no question that there were some good and desirable things during the Shah's reign - However, an objective account of the Shah's reign should be presented, and not a misleading and Romantacized one -

Be Reasonable and Objective in your presentation, and I promise you that I'll reciprocate in kind  - I believe that you have referred to yourself as a "Journalist" in the past - Therefore, what I have said shouldn't be too much to ask ..... ! ?

We'll See ;) !

R D

Repeating the Past ? ...

In Iranian History One Dynasty has always Chased another ...

When was the Monarchy ever Restored in the history of Iran (as has been the case in the History of Great Britain, Holland, Belgium, Combodia or Spain,  the point of which Parliamentary Democracy took root ) so as to be a repetition of the past ? ...

On a sidenote clearly You have a lot of time to waste since my so called "irrelevent" and "Fantasy" blogs seem to obsess you so much as to have to comment on each and everyone of them ...

You are Welcome to do so, I don't mind ! 

Is it Personal Insecurity Perhaps ? ... Or You are just "passing Through" ? ...

Or too afraid that they may interest others who simply don't share your patronizing outlook on history, culture, films or even in your own "Pure & Simple" so called "poetry" ... 

 "The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there" -L.P Hartley - The Go Between 

Everyone is entitled to their opinions, dreams and aspirations without having to be patronizingly DICTATED or LECTURED as to what they should Think,  Fantasize or Dream about ...

Who is stopping you to Put your own Creativity, energy and talent to write and speak about what matters to you ?

But maybe You Prefer Wasting Your "Precious" Time in "My Fantasy World" after all  ...

Have A Nice Weekend !

We Have To Understand The Past .....

Of Couse We Do - As The Saying Goes: "Those Who Do Not Learn From The Past, Are Condemned To Repeat It "..... !

But Learning From The Past Is One Thing, Repeating It (As In The Restoration Of The Monarchy) Is Something Totally Different :)

Everything Has Its Time And Place - We Need To Look To The Future - And, Not Live In The Fantasyland Of The Past :) !

Very Simple, And To The Point,

R  D

...and then there is tyranny of past/history!

       The issue is that there are as many histories as there are points of view! There is no such thing as a unique history! In other words whose history? History written by who? Didn't just we saw a video of a clergy saying the eleventh Imam didn't have a son?! He was denying the 12th Imam ever existed! You admit matters of history could be rather confusing much less liberating.

       And there lies the tyranny of history. Much worse than tyranny of the present. You don't have to look passed Israeli-Palestinian conflict to see the tyranny of history! Two people cursed by their history!! I wish I could meet the eminent British historian to tell him about it!

       Churchill summed it well when he said: History would be kind to me because I intend to write it!

Tyranny of the Present ...

Simon Schama on the importance of understanding the past

All That Grandeur .....

To What Avail :) ? !

Indeed, To What Avail ?? !