Paraziting My Letter From NIAC

Continuing on with my ongoing "encouragement" of NIAC to switch gears and for a change focus on the other side, namely the government of Iran, instead of just hammering at the US (and apparently Israel's lobby in DC)… Yesterday, I received a letter from NIAC. Like all of their letters, I usually look at the end to see if it is a letter, or a pitch for money. This was a pitch, so I looked around to gather up my pennies. I like donating to NIAC, because it makes me feel like Anousheh Ansari>>>

Just Like Us

Ahmed Ahmed is an internationally known Egyptian-American comedian who has directed the new documentary Just Like Us. The film features thirteen international comedians performing during a recent tour of the Middle East. Iranian standup comedians, Maz Jobrabi and Omid Djalili are among the artists featured in this film. Other performers have backgrounds such as Greek-Canadian, African-American, Italian-American, German-American, and Egyptian-Saudi.Mr. Ahmed was kind enough to give a telephone interview for IC readers:>>>

بازگشت

پاهایم بیحس شده بودند و قدرت تحمل وزنم را نداشتند. خواستم که در ماشین را باز کنم وخودم را روی صندلی پرت کنم ولی دستم میلرزید و قادر به جایگزین کردن سویچ ماشین در قفل نبود. به ناچار دقایقی روی کاپوت ماشین تکیه کردم. قلبم به شدت میتپید و دهانم کاملاً خشک شده بود. درونم آتشی بود زیر خاکستر که در آنی گُر گرفته بود، سوزش شعله اش را تا اعماق وجودم حس میکردم>>>

فردای سبز

دیگر بهار
در راه نیست
حتا انگار.
سوختنی تمام شد آیا
كه آتش‌ فرو نشست؟ >>>

مسئول جنایت فجیع خمینی‌شهر کیست؟

در جمهوری اسلامی تنها افرادی که شبانه به یک مهمانی خصوصی در خمینی‌شهر ریخته و جنایات فجیع جنسی را مرتکب شده‌اند مقصر نبوده‌اند. تقصیر عمده را باید متوجه فرهنگ و قوانینی دانست که سنگ‌های دفاع و دادخواهی زنان ستم‌دیده را بسته‌اند و سگ‌های شهوت و تجاوز و سرکوب جنسی و حلال کردن جان و مال و بدن دگرباشان را رها کرده‌اند. فرهنگ مردسالار جامعه ما سابقه‌ای ریشه‌دارتر از جمهوری اسلامی دارد، ولی این نظام با قوانین زن‌ستیز و ظالمانه خود به تقویت منحط‌ترین و خشن‌ترین عناصر این فرهنگ دست زده و به شدت از آن‌ها حراست می‌کند>>>

Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Chez Nous

Yesterday my mom invited me to see a film in French that she’d heard good things about. Little did I know as I settled into my seat I was facing, not a screen, but a mirror. It’s one thing to watch a mother-child film with your mother. But it takes it to another level to watch the tale of a Middle Eastern mother’s experience with your mother -- who happens to be an immigrant from said region herself. Specifically, Incendies is about a woman whose death prompts her children to realize that maybe they didn’t know her at all>>>

You’ll be fine

The day began like any other day. I woke to the voice of the muezzin calling people to prayers, Allah o Akbar. After Maryam finished praying we had our usual breakfast-- sangag bread still warm from the stone oven it was baked in, jam that Maryam made herself with pears and plums, mint-scented tea. On the way to Tehrani Elementary School I stopped at my friend Batul’s house, at the mouth of the alley, to pick her up. We passed the public baths and the mosques, sights visible on practically every street in the Khanat Abad neighborhood>>>

Bread

Loghman-e-Adham
was newly paved, I suspect,
for its American class.
Running to get our bread,
I would see blonde heads
under concave glass
>>>

Paris Flashmob

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Our Goals Are Within Reach

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Unintended Consequences

The civil rights organization Asian Law Caucus has released its latest guide, The Impact of U.S. Sanctions Against Iran on You, which lays out some of the effects of sanctions on ordinary Iranian Americans and provides guidance for how to navigate the maze of new and existing restrictions. Last year, when Iranian-American Mahmoud Reza Banki was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for facilitating remittances between families in the U.S. and Iran, shockwaves rippled through the Iranian-American community>>>

Time for Truth

The passing of Ezatollah Sahabi and the tragic killing of his daughter Haleh sparked a new wave of bewilderment and anger among most Iranians. Ezatollah Sahabi died of old age after much suffering at the hands of the Shah’s regime and the Islamic Republic. Those who watched or heard of the killing of Haleh at the funeral of her father were shocked, heartbroken and angry at the circumstances that led to her death. There was no reason—as if any reason can justify this heinous act>>>

The Jewish MP

Upon the request of many citizens and his passion for assisting public, Dr. Manoochehr Nikrooz further decided to get involved in socio politics. In 1984, he was therefore chosen as the Jewish lawmaker of Iranian parliament (Majlis) with 99% of the elected votes at the age of 35. He was also relected for a second term as this made him the only Jewish lawmaker ever being elected to Iranian parliament post revolution for total of 8 years with consecutive approval rate of above 95%>>>