The Lotus

I took my Valium, Niloufar…..

I just woke up after taking your advice and swallowing some of those pills….Now I am calm and composed. However, I still have hard time explaining your blog “ It just takes time. Could anything but prejudice and blind hatred for western culture explain the posting of your current blog?

That’s all I was trying to say before taking my Valiums…..   

Mehrnaz jan, thanks for your lovely encouragement

Did you ever see that Austin Powers movie when his father says something like: 'there are 2 kinds of peole i hate: those who are intolerant of other people's culture, and the Dutch'!

Our Kaveh here reminds me of that character :)

Kaveh Nouraee about Niloufar!

"This woman has proven utterly incapable of engaging in any form of civil behavior with those who disagree with her on any matter.

Welcome to the club!  :-)"

This does not surprise me, I must say!  Talking of civil behaviour in engaging,  In my last exchange with you, as in any other occasion, I addressed you politely and civilly, genuinely attempting to explain to you that opposition to Israeli atrocities is not anti-Semitism.  Your reponse, in the absence of rational truthful arguments, was to call me "low life" and other gutter language.  Not that it bothers me, that coming from you, but you hold your tongue when it comes to commenting on civil behaviour, Mr Nouranee.  

As for Niloufar Parsi, Thank you, Niloufar, I am very proud to see such an intelligent, well-informed, articulate and compassionate woman on Iranian.com

all it takes is a phrase

or just a word said a certain way...and it brings back memories.  our dear darius kadivar does a great job of posting old songs too.  it's so funny how our different generations relate to music.  my son is 23 and probably knows as much classic rock n' roll as i do (cause i played it incessantly..lol).  but i've forgotten so many oldies but goldies! 

thank god for youtube...lol

Fishi

Thanks for lovely song, I appreciate it.

Have a great day. ;-)

-YT

Ms. Parsi

May I claim ignorance?

In fact I had not seen that article and I am not going to white wash my stupidity. Allow me to respond to you and interject my opinion later on today since I am short on time at the moment.

Thanks to you and one who EMAILED me last nite about the article.

Regards

-YT

AF

What a great song! I don't think I've even heard that in 20 years, if not more :)

just for info

the 'eye' comment below is not mine! i have flagged it for removal.

Peace

I am extremely glad, and as

I am extremely glad, and as I anticipated, that Obama didn’t bow down to the Left wing of the Democratic Party and do the “changes” that they wanted! They wanted the following:

-         For U.S to abandon its leadership role in the world.

-         For Obama to abandon great American ideas of democracy, capitalism, free market, and promoting liberal values domestically and globally.

-         For U.S to engage in relationship with IRI in order for the regime to be recognized. which actually contradicts those people’s constant claim that U.S shouldnt’ve had relationships with right wing dictatorships during the cold war. So it’s not OK for U.S to have relationship with right wing dictatorships, but its OK to have them with left wing and Islamist dictatorships???!!!

-         For U.S to abandon its fight against Islamic fundamentalism.

-         For Obama to abandon previous U.S foreign policies, because the biggest loser of U.S foreign policy has always been the Left.

-         For Obama to absolutely cut ties with Bush foreign policy. (Boy I’m glad he has continued most of them, although I hope he does some of them smarter!!)

-         And more…

Bottom line is, these folks, yet again, were consumed by Leftist media. The same media that blindly bashed Bush for 8 years and promoted for a total overhaul of American society with Obama’s election. Both were wrong, misguided and unrealistic.

I’m glad that Obama has done only the right changes.

captain khan

thanks for your comments, and i certainly respect your position. there is a slight misunderstanding of my position here. but first, please note that the soldiers filmed had copies of the bible in both pashtu and dari for local distribution. their captain was telling them to go out and save people. and pls remember that it is being stopped now (as they claim) because Al Jazeera exposed it. the video is from a year ago, and no one was about to stop the practice until AJ came along last week.

now, in terms of what the army is doing, i was talking about the local reaction and perception. i for one have little respect or worry for these story books, theirs or ours or anyone else's.

far as i am concerned, people can and should be able to distribute their favourite books everywhere on almost (not quite) any topic.

in fact, the likely reaction to the book is way overboard and irrational. i just can't get superstition's hold on our region.

but why have the US military allowed soldiers to do this? regardless of the numbers allowed. why didn't they nip it in the bud as soon as they knew? i am sure you would agree that civilians 'saving souls' gives a very different impression from the same thing done by an invading army.

this region has had the most traumatizing experience with the Crusade and the scars are there still. now jewish people of the west with no ancestral links to the region have overrun the original jews out of palestine and are still bombarding those left behind every day and often others too, backed up by western christians. those original jews happen to be muslims now.

i know for a fact from my own brother's eyewitness account that evangelicals are being purposefully recruited and mobilised in the US for the wars in our region.

this is not tourism. this is war, and there hardly needs to be any more provocation.

this kind of insensitivity and callous willingness to seriously offend with no consideration for the obvious consequences is irrational and highly superstitious too. 

Thanks for your other great comments here also.

pls let me know what you think of the above.

dedicated to Cap'n

To take you and the sun to
Promised lands
To show you every one
It's the time of the season for loving

What's your name?
(What's your name?)
Who's your daddy?
(Who's your daddy? He rich?)
Is he rich like me?

Has he taken
(Has he taken)
Any time
(Any time to show)
To show you what you need to live?
Tell it to me slowly
Tell you what?
I really want to know
It's the time of the season for loving

What's your name?
(What's your name?)
Who's your daddy?
(Who's your daddy? He rich?)
Is he rich like me?

Has he taken
(Has he taken)
Any time
(Any time to show)
To show you what you need to live?
Tell it to me slowly
Tell you what?
I really want to know
It's the time of the season for loving

TO: Everyone here.......

Lately, every single thread, every single comment turns ugly in no time.

What is the purpose here, I mean in general, what is the goal? Is it just to log in, rid ourselves from daily pressures and frustrations, call each other every revolting name in the book without getting censored?

Why do we even come here? why do we even comment or blog? Are we here to learn? Are we here to make a difference, or are we here to jump at each others throat for merely having different view point?

I don't know, You may call me idealist or delusional, but these attitudes solve nothing. It turns us to what we claim not to be and that is HATERS.

Not that I am a saint myself but come on people show some dignity, show some respect for one another , show pride on each other rather than assassinating each others characters with words. How do you want us to beleive eachother when we start our comments by labeling each other?I have come ot a point that when I see any attempt in ones part to defame someone else, I do not even bother to read rest of the comment, and I am certain most everyone feels the same. 

TEACH ME, GUIDE ME, REASON WITH ME, SHOW ME YOU ARE BETTER THAN ME............. don't run me off.

Regards

-YT

It must be the season I supose !

and i tried so hard.... boo hoo

nah.  it's all good.  i understand where you're coming from.  sorry to hear it but it's pretty much the truth.  the common denominator among a particular group here IS to call americans such lovely names!  and those the ones who live here!!!!!   they know it pisses us off and they know we'll react to it.  so i'm trying not to react to it...lol.  what did forrest gump say?  stupid is as stupid does.  no place more so than here is that true.  but i do differentiate between those being "mean" and those i consider truly evil. 

you know the saying.... everyone has class, some peoples is just third.  :-)

forget moderation.  vulgar is clearly subjective here.  plus, it just adds to the viewing and clicking pleasure for the webmaster.  nothing really wrong with that, i guess.  it IS a business after all.

anyhoo.  watch your back dude.  :-)

AF

homie... without addressing the issues specifically, let me share
something with you.  while i personally think that YOU were addressed
rudely first, i'm hoping that we (americans) can make a little more
effort to rise above this attitude thing. 

It's far too late to offer me that advice, here. I used to make an effort to be diplomatic on this website, but I got called "redneck", "trailer trash", "zionist", "neocon", "right-wing" and other names a few times too often. I'm tired of the abuse. I just am. I know at least some Iranians who used to be regular contributers here who are also tired of the abusive tone as well, and no longer bother with contributing at all. I have no interest in trying to be diplomatic with hatemongers. That's Obama's job, right? I tell you true that if somebody used the kind of insults I've been subjected to here with me in person,I'd do worse than insult them back. I understand your son joined the marines, so maybe you know what I'm talking about.

The fact that the moderators seem to actively encourage the worst offenders only makes me more disinclined to try to be civil to people who behave as many of the people on this site do.

don't get me wrong, i feel
your pain... :-)  but.  BUT.  while i don't always agree with niloufar
(and virtually NEVER when it comes to slamming the US), please don't
lump her into the "evil" catagory. 

I'm not going to play that game, either. I've been active on Arab blogs for 5 years now, and I've seen her type before. She wants to sound like a western leftist and use the talking points of the western left, while at the same time she enthusiastically supports terrorism, and doesn't mind a bit (she probably smirks when she hears the news, is my guess) if people she doesn't like end up arrested, tortured and executed for their political activities.

That's evil.

pissed though i may be sometimes,
there is only one truly evil person on this website.  and i mean E V I
L.  but NP is not.  you're a gentlemen.  your mama learned you better. 
:-))

My mama has nothing to do with it, though. My mama was a hippie (so was my papa) and suffice it to say I didn't learn much about right and wrong from them growing up. I don't think many people of my generation did. I learned about right and wrong and taking honorable and just stands in the USMC. Things become very clear when lives are at stake, rather than mere political ideology.

how 'bout we make a pact to teach by example! 

I'm not a teacher, though. To hear some people tell it, I'm a killer.

i'll share a little
secret right about now.  my issues with you previously have been due
more to your tone than your words.  and i'll be the FIRST to admit that
i suffer from the same disease on occasion... foot-in-mouth...lol 

You know, I probably would have never met my closest friend (who is an Arab living in the ME) if I hadn't worked very hard at reaching out to people on Arab blogs in the past. But I also became friends with some people who turned out to be absolutely revolting human beings, and I got quite depressed when I was forced to come to that conclusion about them. On balance, I think I'd rather avoid that in the future. Life is much simpler when you don't try to be friends with people who aren't natural candidates for friendship. If there's nothing in a person that you admire and respect then in my opinion trying to be friends with them (or even to get along with them) is foolish.

the DI lives for hate and discontent.  please don't feed the
monster.  it will support someone JUST to get a rise out of someone
else.  don't fall for that trick!!!

So when Niloufar says I sound like a KKK zionist, I shouldn't point out how absurd it is to claim that the Ku Klux Klan supports zionism?

Do you think she was deliberately lying, or do you think she's just a retard?

Since I think she's evil, I'm going with the "deliberate lie" part :P

 ick... i sound like a schoolteacher.  but i'm asking this as a way
to strengthen our position and to incur some respect from those who
deserve it and not play into someone else's agenda.

Would your son agree? Would you want him to? He may be confronting people with this mindset at gunpoint someday... would you really want him to be wrestling with himself about how he should show them respect and friendship? Would you want that, knowing that they will take advantage of that to try to kill him?

feel free to tell me to buzz off... i would understand.  but a very
wise man gave me some similar advice recently and i thought i'd pass it
along.

No, that's fine. As you said, my mom would probably agree with you. But, I'm not my mom.

peace out!

If only! I think its been quite some time since I believed in peace. Or even peaceful intent, for that matter. 

Kaveh

Kind of off topic, but I thought you may be interested in reading the comments on this thread:

//iranian.com/main/news/2009/05/06/top-us-senator-us-no-longer-wants-iranian-regime-change

Captain

Taking sides against Niloufar will result in her banishing you to a an exclusive club. This woman has proven utterly incapable of engaging in any form of civil behavior with those who disagree with her on any matter.

Welcome to the club!  :-)

PC

homie... without addressing the issues specifically, let me share something with you.  while i personally think that YOU were addressed rudely first, i'm hoping that we (americans) can make a little more effort to rise above this attitude thing.  don't get me wrong, i feel your pain... :-)  but.  BUT.  while i don't always agree with niloufar (and virtually NEVER when it comes to slamming the US), please don't lump her into the "evil" catagory.  pissed though i may be sometimes, there is only one truly evil person on this website.  and i mean E V I L.  but NP is not.  you're a gentlemen.  your mama learned you better.  :-))

how 'bout we make a pact to teach by example!  i'll share a little secret right about now.  my issues with you previously have been due more to your tone than your words.  and i'll be the FIRST to admit that i suffer from the same disease on occasion... foot-in-mouth...lol

the DI lives for hate and discontent.  please don't feed the monster.  it will support someone JUST to get a rise out of someone else.  don't fall for that trick!!!

ick... i sound like a schoolteacher.  but i'm asking this as a way to strengthen our position and to incur some respect from those who deserve it and not play into someone else's agenda.

feel free to tell me to buzz off... i would understand.  but a very wise man gave me some similar advice recently and i thought i'd pass it along.

peace out!

Niloufar

I have to agree with el capitan.  I don't think it's US policy to push religion through its military.  This appears to be an isolated incident that is being blown out of proportion by those with a political agenda. 

Ms. Parsi

At the expense of being accused of taking sides with anyone I am inclined to agree with Programmer C. and Fishi in regards to the actions of Chaplains. Although I should say that I not agree with his tone.

I do not see how you would come to conclusion that US army is spreading religion, where there has been few incidents of so called Bible pushing[for lack of any other word]. Every army has their religious personnel whether at the time of peace or war. It is their job to help the moral of the army, and not to spread their religions. 

War it self in any shape or form is the ugliest nature of human being. No matter how you cut it it is bloody and it simply KILLS. As to US war with Iraq, it is proven fact that it was unjustified and with wrong intentions. Hopefully Mr. Obama will take proper steps in either bringing to justice the instigator[Chaney, Rumsfeld, and even Mr. Bush] or find a quick and just exit way, in a form that it restores lives of Iraqi's back to normal.

-YT

of course

and the US military did not torture or target civilians or commit war crimes or invade countries illegally. but it did. didn't it?

now, back to the question:

now, back to the question: you did not get what i was trying to say.
the US MILITARY being at war in a FOREGIN land and after having INVADED
it, is at the same time preaching Jesus. Soldiers at WAR are pushing
the bible.

Lol. Shoudl I be surprised that you posted an article that you didn't even read? This is a quote from your article:

It is not clear if the
presence of the Bibles and exhortations for soldiers to be "witnesses"
for Jesus continues, but they were filmed a year ago despite
regulations by the US military's Central Command that expressly forbid
"proselytising of any religion, faith or practice".

But in another piece of
footage taken by Hughes, the chaplains appear to have found a way
around the regulation known as General Order Number One.

"Do we know what it means to proselytise?" Captain Emmit Furner, a military chaplain, says to the gathering.

"It is General Order Number One," an unidentified soldier replies.

But Watt says "you can't proselytise but you can give gifts".

Chaplains are priests and pastors, if you didn't know. Your own article says that military priests and pastors have found a way to try to spread their religion (which is kinda their job, as religious clerics, eh?) despite being expressly forbidden from doing so by the US military command. In other wo0rds, not only are they doing that of their own accord they are doing it in violation of US military law.

Bow can you explain to me why somebody who pimps for Islamist terror groups on Iranian.com has a legitimate complaint to make about using religion as a weapon? Is there any reason why anyone would believe your concerns were sincere, and not just (more) blatant hypocrisy? I mean, your post was full of complaints about Obama not doing anything about torture at gitmo or some such, and yet in the same post you resoundingly endorsed Islamic torturers. Your writing is full of gems like that. You believe nobody can see it?

AF and KN, thanks for the kind words :)

AF, you're right I shouldn't be wasting my time in this thread. I have littel enough time as it is to try to stay current on this website. I didn't realize how bad this individual was until I read the post and then I was so upset I had to say something. Probably won't happen again :)

well i wouldn't normally

but given your vehement attacks from the word go, i can see what she means. you sound lie the KKK Craig. u really do. what's with the bullying attitude man? can't you tone it down a bit?

Manners?

Jaleh was right about you. 

He's the one who made ethnic slurs about American wife and I, right? Yes, I can see how you would consider that something that civilized and polite people do. In your world, it is. Right?

why don't you take a course on civilised
discourse and basic human manners and then come back.

Manners, like your friends in Hezbollah and HAMAS? Taking people hostage and torturing them to death is good manners? Blowing up school busses and suicide bombing restaurants is good manners? 

may be we can
then actually try and understand each other.

As if I have any interest in trying to relate to somebody like you? You and I are enemies, niloufar parsi. Not because you are Iranian, but because you are an irredeemably evil human being, as demonstarted by your own statements on the website.

what are you doing here

what are you doing here then?!

I'm making sure your disgusting propaganda doesn't go unchallenged. I just don't feel the need to respond when you decide not to try to defend indefensible behavior on the part of your crew, and instead go on the attack and try to claim it is the US that engages in hostage taking and terrorism. If I was you, I wouldn't want to acknowledge the hundreds of suicide bombings Hezbollah and HAMAS have perpetrated, either.

oh i know, to call me names. 'revolting', 'racist', 'disgusting'. and anyone who agrees with me must also be 'a racist'.

So you don't think calling somebody "white trash" is racist, eh? lol. Could there even be a more blatantly racist thing to say about white people? And yet, to the brilliant niloufar parsi, it's a perfectly harmless thing to say? :o

who is

that 'thing' btw?!

AF

I am cool with that. i think a while back we agreed to disagree in a civil manner. respect is the first step to reaching a better place :)

Peace

NP

yes, i saw the video.  and i'm still saying that "spreading the word" is a LONG distance from a holy war.  no one is forcing anything down their throat and you simply can't justify an extreme reaction based on an article by al jeezera.  sorry.  no can do.  i'm at the forefront of separation between church and state.  but it's for sure that i don't equate this article and video to people being FORCED into islam.  please don't equate the two. 

you simply keep insisting that all US invasion is evil.  please answer some questions for me now.

is afganistan where bin laden is holding out or not? 

is the US the only military presence in afganistan?

is (or was) afganistan supported by the taliban? and is the taliban a terrorist organization?

Afghanistan has made remarkable progress since the fall of the Taliban government in 2001. Schools opened for girls and boys, women started working outside their houses and started taking part in politics. Our various media have grown and improved. Many foreign companies have invested and created job opportunities for thousands of Afghan citizens.

So it is not surprising that around 85 percent of the Afghan people support the United States of America for overthrowing the Taliban regime, and of their continued presence here. They were tired of it and they wanted a change.

Most Afghans think that the U.S and coalition troops should be in Afghanistan until our own army and police force are able to handle security on their own. In my opinion that will take three more years. Recently the wages of our armed forces have been increased which is a good sign and more young men will be encouraged to join the army.

i'm trying to point out that your opinion is not necessarily an accurate OR a valid one.  do you live in afganistan?  do you know many there?  are you telling us all that you and you alone KNOW how afgans feel or what they want? 

the US isn't the only military presence.  why aren't you jumping on france's ass? 

i disagree that PC is filled with hate.  he is emotional.  as am i.  as are you.  he is a minority here, just like i am.  you and others post and post about racism and bias against yourselves AD NAUSEUM.  what about here?  on iranian.com.  you are clearly anti-american.  i don't care how many times you pretend or say you're not.  you post almost exclusively against the US.  you are supported by the most vicious "thing" i've ever had the misfortune to come across.  and this... person... lives in the US.  i hate that with all my being.  i hate that the FREEDOM that america stands for benefits the DI. 

and believe me... i AM differentiating between the majority of wonderful iranians i've had the pleasure of knowing and this creature.  i'm not racist against anyone.  i'm not biased against anyone... EXCEPT this creature.  please don't be lulled into that sick place yourself. 

i believe that PC had the same respect i do for deserving people.  not just iranians, not just americans.  but deserving human beings.  it is highly unfortunate that there exists the MOST UNDESERVING people on this website. 

i've had my run-ins with PC.  i don't agree with everything he says.  but i'll tell you this.  he is no more disrespectful than a whole hell of a lot of other people here.  fair is fair.

i'm sure i'll be back to read comments.  but i'm going to try and refrain from commenting again.  i've said what i want to say.  we've gone toe-to-toe ourselves a few times now and it's always about the same thing.

i'll simply have to avoid reading you since it seems that you are unnaturally obsessed with denigrating the US and americans.  however, as we both are aware and have agreed... it is the right of everyone to voice their opinion. 

and if i run into you in the chat room, i'd be pleased to buy you a drink.  :-)

life is simply too short.

AF

i should not have lumped my responses to PC and you together. i sent a rushed response coz time was short, and was hoping that you would not get too upset by it. i was being curt under pressure of time, but not hateful. the hate had come from PC.

now, back to the question: you did not get what i was trying to say. the US MILITARY being at war in a FOREGIN land and after having INVADED it, is at the same time preaching Jesus. Soldiers at WAR are pushing the bible. That is a modern Crusade. It will be seen that way in Afghanistan. Afghans will be running around saying it is a holy war (NOT ME).  How would YOU convince THEM that they are wrong?

you did not answer this question at all. Saying Al Jazeera this or that is not an answer. it has already happened. and the tape that has just been shown was from a year ago. it is not new. it's only just been exposed. Here is the video:

i don't know why

but i'm going to respond to your question NP.  consider it a show of respect in that you asked a question without using any of your usual hate-filled language.  i will let someone else address the hypocrisy under which you operate.

first of all.  al jazeera?  as in unbiased?  please.  that alone would justify ignoring this subject of a "holy war".  however <sigh> i will continue.  are you seriously suggesting that "spreading the word" is tatamount to a holy war?  really.  seriously.  is that your basis for your accusations?  so.  if muslims "spread the word" at gitmo and get a couple of wacko's to convert, that's... what?  is THAT a holy war?

Sayed Aalam Uddin Asser, of the Islamic Front for Peace and Understanding in Kabul, told Al Jazeera: "It's a national security issue ... our constitution says nothing can take place in Afghanistan against Islam.

i personally think it's a little more about the rigid islamist "thing" than anything else.  i don't remember anyone coming to america and being told their religion wasn't allowed.  :-)

i'm sorry NP but it's evident.  you spend an inordinately large amount of time finding the most obscure articles there are on the internet.  if it implies something negative about the US... you post it.  what IS this obsession of yours?  you and others... i just don't understand.  don't you have something better to do?  don't YOUR hamvatans need a little help in the "human rights" department?  are things going so swimmingly that you can take time off to negate everything americans do?

AF

what do you call a national army that invades a foreign land on the other side of the planet and pushes its holy book while conducting a war? pls tell me what the correct term is. i can tell you that this revelation will convince many afghans that the US is on a crusade. how would you convince them that they are wrong? pls tell me.