A History of Movement

There was a point at which you called yourself good at something and you were just being foolish. All that had happened was that you hadn't come across somebody really good. Bahman knew it. He knew all that as he walked home from the field. But there was a time when you weren't thinking it to make yourself feel good any more. You were thinking it to figure out what you were going to do with what you had. It was when you realized that you saw something different from other people when you looked at a football field. Bahman saw opportunities there>>>

نقره ای

چشم، بی جستجو
پیام، تکراری
همه سر بسته
انگار پرواز
تلاش اجباری >>>

Islam's Kettle Calling Christianity's Teapot Black

I recently watched a vlog by Reza Aslan on the intolerance of the west towards Islam. I hear Reza's point but have to beg to differ with him on the real issue as I see it. Also I find it hard to take him seriously on any of his well put arguments, while he hangs a painting of a woman wearing the most inarguably oppressive symbol of Islam, the chador, on his condo wall. Dude, I'm sorry, you're never going to sell Islam if you don't ditch the chador>>>

Yes We Should

When we first started the One Million Signatures Campaign, we realized that the effort was unique. We were intent on raising awareness about women’s rights and the impact of laws that discriminate against women at the grassroots level by engaging in face to face discussions with ordinary citizens. At the same time, we realized that the Campaign would serve as a valuable experience for activists as well, who would be afforded the opportunity to learn from citizens and especially from women>>>

Memories of Home

I went to Spain for a holiday. Nothing fancy, just a group of old friends sharing rooms, splitting the cost, reminiscing. It surprised me to find Spain so advanced. Their public transportation must be among Europe’s best. The museums and public places run most efficiently and their subway runs better than other European countries I’ve seen. Barcelona in particular impressed me with its cleanliness. The last thing I expected in such a modern place was to see Iran of decades ago>>>

پری پیراهن پوش

حالا که قرار است در پیراهن باد جایت بدهم و از همان هوای بالای سرم، به پایین ات بکشانم، با صدای نیمه کوتاه صدایت می کنم تا بیش از این ها در چنبره حسرت و لمس نمانم. حالا که قرار است پیراهن ارغوانی را از تنت بیرون کنم تا لخت و عور، در برابرم بایستی با صدای نرم تو، دلم می خواهد به جز سکوت، هیچ چیز دیگری در اتاق نباشد. >>>

The Family Koran

Every day, early in the morning
My father, who in his childhood
Had memorized all thirty parts of the Koran,
Would put the holy book on the reading cradle
And recite it with my mother
In their bedroom>>>

All the Shah's Men (part 4)

The story of CIA coup against Prime Minister Mosadegh, other than imaginative skills of Kermit Roosevelt and Don Wilber, apparently had some roots in realities of some events that probably were organized by these characters to take advantage of them in future and possibly making some fortune from the oil companies that would benefit from the change of direction regarding oil in Iranian government policies. Kermit Roosevelt's background in OSS (Office of Strategic Services) where he worked as an officer in Middle East during WW II had provided him with an opportunity to become familiar with the history and politics of the region>>>

Bomb First, Worry Later

Few of the major proponents of bombing Iran are arguing that it is necessary for US security -- let alone that a bloody blowback against Americans is a risk worth taking. No, at this point, the argument is all about Israel and the threat an Iranian nuclear weapon might pose to it. That is why virtually all the personalities and organizations agitating for war are strongly identified with the Israeli right. And that is ironic. Imagine the Republic of Georgia deciding that the best way to defend against Russia is by bombing Moscow and then seeing what happens next>>>

What would Cyrus do?

A Thai woman boarding a flight at Bangkok's airport is caught with a sedated tiger cub in her luggage. Stuffed in a bag with, er, cuddly tiger toys, this tiger was revealed by the X-ray machine to have a beating heart. The woman’s identity is not being revealed as police quiz her about her final destination which, of course, had to be Iran, the most bonkers country on earth. Why was a 31-year-old Thai woman smuggling a tiger into Iran?>>>

Sama’ (The Audition-1)

The desert Jinn were a nuisance. The big one I had just shooed was sulkily lumbering away over the horizon into the sun. Now a tiny inquisitive one scurried up the rocks to watch me tune my zehtar. Like a dog begging at the table, it waited attentively eager to gulp any discarded scraps of tone. Soon I felt two others sneak up to join it. Their polite stealth made no difference. Visible or not, their nosey presence distracted me from my daily practice>>>

در نشئه ی اینهمه غروب

می دیدم
چشمه سار، اقاقیای سرمست
کوچه های همهمه، شفاف، قرمز
بر روی پرهای بی شِکِوه
شُکوه شاخک ها
و تصویر زنی
بر برکه – آغشته به حس
>>>