Musings of a former chicken

Off Topic

Fooladi,

I wholeheartedly agree that it is a folly to apply lessons from USA’s civil right movement to present day Iran when the country is on the brink of falling into a violent war. Most bloggers in IC underestimate the scale of psychological damage to average Iranians in the past 30 years, and are reluctant to admit that the bar for violence to get rid of Mullah is already set so high. These are the good days of Islamic Republic no matter how dark they look.

...Keeping the dream of a democratic Iran alive makes all the difference

Come on Fred you are going NOwhere!

This is one of your many little cheap tricks to open a new front - Eastern Front. You just want to give credibility to your views, after this no one can accuse you of sitting in the US and telling others how to fight your IRR regime. Now you are going to analyze the situation based on your "personal and close" observations!!! meaning from your base 12000 miles away from Iran.

Nice try buddy!

Ashpal & Stoli? No .. no ..

Passerby

This ex-peasant will only offer Khaviar and unlabelled vodka from Mashda Agha's vodka distillery for that special occasion.

PS: Fooladi: Point taken. Wish you prove me wrong one day.  

Actually SP

On one of my previous visits, I witnessed frustration of customers, arrogance of IRI terrorist "employees", and on annoyed customer who almost [rightfully] punched the hezbollah operative at the window. Other  customers had to physically restrain him from attacking the guy.

As far as your bleeding heart for other nations, all I have to say is that there are injustices everywhere in the world.  There have been more than five million dead in Congo in less than a decade.  They  literally made human stew in Siera Leon and Liberia.  Here, read this:

 //www.slate.com/id/2253842

And frankly, I really don't give a rat's a## about a Saudi national who gets caught with a Kalashnikov in the mountains of Afghanistan.  He couldn't have been possibly up to anything good there.  I think that GITMO is too good for those creatures.   As Iranians our first priority should be about our own people.  Let the rest of the world sort their own problems out. 

And it's not just about head scarves.  It's about lack of basic freedoms, a dictatorship, rape, murder, oppression, etc...    

History has tought us....

That fascist dictatorships, especially the ones with their back agaisnt the wall, like the IRI velayate vaghih version can only be overthrown through a well planned, well led bloody and violent revolution. It is a folly- at best- trying to learn lessons from USA's civil right movement to apply them to present day Iran! Good news is that strong revoloutionary political leadership with solid popular support is already in place in Iran , as seen by brilliant one day general strike in kurdistan recently. Also IRI leadership are pretty good at digging their own graves. So, just sit tight and watch the space....

They're pretty helpful at

They're pretty helpful at DC, aren't they. Many years ago, my Aunt had a lot of problems with them. It used to be really expensive, too. But these days it's pretty easy. I was there right after Norouz, so there were plenty of treats.

Hey, if headscarves are that big of a deal, stay away.

Since you're so ornery about the perceived injustices of Iran, how do you cope with Guantanimo, Abu Ghraib and the Gaza blockade? I mean, do you simply negatively dismiss everything about the US like you do the Islamic Republic of Iran? Or do you resort to double-standard?

SP

Anon, when is the last time you've had any official dealings with the Islamic Republic of Iran? Have you ever even been to the Interests Section in Washington DC?

Last year.  I had to get my Iranian passport renewed so that I could travel there.  Everything went smooth.  What's your point?  They're paid to do a job.  

You haven't answered the real question.  Could your aunt, or could she not, walk up to a Basiji, or just be on the street, and take her headscarf off if she wanted to?  What would happen if your aunt had a case against someone in an IRI court?  And what would happen if her opponent was a man?  Wouldn't her testimony be worth half of his?  What would happen if your aunt screamed on the top of her lungs on the street that she didn't like the color of Khamenei's turban? What would happen if she wanted information about the atrocities in Kahrizak?  

See, SP, being an Iranian is not just about dining in North Tehran restaurants or basking in [fake] joy about a repainted half century old F-5.  It's more complicated than that. But who am I kidding?  How would you know?   

SP, with you, everything is just you.

Do you take classes or special training to come up with this arajif, or is it an allah given talent? 

Did you get the Evin jacuzzi when in Iran? did you visit DC 'interest' section for a visa or they have issued you an IRR passport already? Or is is a special education pass for wannabe studies?

OKtaby

Anon, my aunt wasn't a

Anon, my aunt wasn't a tourist. She was/is an exile returning to the motherland. Sure, her hosts were hospitable, but she also had business to conduct with government authorities. In fact, just six weeks ago, all of us had official business to conduct, including me. It all went smoothly. During the past five years, we've even had multiple dealings with Iran's civil and criminal justice systems. Again, it has gone remarkably smoothly. 

Anon, when is the last time you've had any official dealings with the Islamic Republic of Iran? Have you ever even been to the Interests Section in Washington DC?

So Fred, if you don't mind divulging the particulars of your upcoming trip to Iran, will it be happening this Spring or this Summer? Personally, I prefer Iran in winter, but that's just me. 

Stoli & اشپل

Reader1 in part says:

“I have not been home for over 32 years.”

Perhaps if you had first hand experience of what kind of hell IRR has made out of Iran for Iranians, you  could if not agree with my point of view, at least understand where it is stemming from.

Stoli and shpell would be great.

Is this really you Fred?

Passerby

If it is you, I owe you a big apology for my past misjudgment. This is the
first time I have managed to read your blog from start to finish
without being irked. In fact, I found it quite touching and moving. I
have not been home for over 32 years. Despite our difference, when
the time comes, I would love to take you out for a few glasses of
vodka in a café on the beautiful green hills of Gilan.

Ze most beautiful place

Iran

Some one needs to pay a visit to Vatican.

Hidden "realities"

Mien Führer in part says:

"I hope it truly opens your eyes to the realities of today's Iran"

What are those "realities" which I apparently don't know about?

I've (we've) been to the Mountain Top!

I share the Dream

Thanx Fred it was beautiful

Tahgord

The reason why your aunt enjoyed Iran had nothing to do with the anti-Iran IRI terrorists.  She experienced what travelers have experienced with Iran for millinea: the hospitality of the Iranian people.  And that means REAL Iranians.  Not the ones who were rasied and bred in South Lebanon and Najaf.

Now if your aunt wanted to experience the "Islamic Republic"--which you are so fond of--she should have walked over to her neighborhood baisji and taken her headscarf off for a five minutes.  She would have then learnt the hospitality of said thug in the form of a club over her head or in the form of being insulted, humiliated and being dragged into a police car.

Now if you were Iranian, or if had EVER been to Iran, you would understand the difference.  

Baloney, Farah. That's just

Baloney, Farah. That's just a big cop out.

No one could be more the archetype exile than my aunt. She really thought the experience of returning was going to be a miserable one. All her exile friends admonished her not to go. But there was business to take care of, so off she went.

She ended up enjoying herself so much, she extended her stay. It was totally unexpected for her. While it didn't change her political orientation, it did change her social perceptions in a big way. That is to say, the country and people were very much different than she had imagined.

Fred's the most outspoken anti-Iran person here at IC. (Sometimes I tease him by calling him the Ted Kaczynski of IC) I think it's a great idea for him to make a return trip to the Islamic Republic of Iran. Most of us that return once, actually end up returning multiple times.

Why I do not go back to Iran

I am only speaking for myself and do not advise others. The reason I cannot see myself returning to Iran is best said in the words of a Christian saint, Pope Gregory VII:

 "Amavi iustiam et odivi iniquitatem; propterea, morior in exilio"

"I have loved justice and hated iniquity; therefore, I die in exile."

FR

Good luck with that.

I really mean it. If you really are going I hope it truly opens your eyes to the realities of today's Iran.

Sargord

Beyond north Tehran, is a totally new city, now.

No wonder, your aunt did fit in Shahr-e-noe.

If my body dies, let my body die, but do not let my country die.

So you're going back to

So you're going back to Iran? Hallelujah.

I suggest you suspend blog posting until your return (no need for any additions to the long list of "foot in mouth" comments you've been making for many, many months now).

Be sure to expand your trip beyond north Tehran, too. 

It should be a positive experience. My aunt thought she was going to have a dreadful time upon returning after 30 years, and much to her amazement she had a wonderful stay. Here's hoping the same for you, Fred. 

fred

i think this is the first time that i'm commenting to your piece.  well done.  it's good to read blogs that are positive and meant to unite iranians of all background.

Great read before heading out ...

Beautiful dream, and it will come true...I'm leaving home with a smile on my face, and more hopeful about better and bright future of my beloved land.Thank you Fred.

Regards,Mona :)

"Her darksome soil will become luminous and her land will shine resplendent"

Fred, Great Piece

Thanks 

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IRAN FIRST

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Khodemooneem,

It's the first time I enjoyed reading your blog!

Dast Mareezad.

This is most meaningful of all your blog!

Fred:  it is great blog.  Thanks