video

Dear Paykar:

I do share some of your sentiments, specially regarding the lobbying group in Washington, but unfortunately that is the name of the game here and we can not change it. So, in order not to stay at the disadvantage position, it is best to have our own lobbying group.

As for the accusations about NIAC, I have heard much of hearsay including some from MK but my conversation was sadly met with a rather condescending response, so I have ceased my interaction with him. I have tried and will engage with all who are willing to carry a civil and based on logic & reasoning in this regard. Again, if I am shown that there is a better alternative to NIAC, I will join. Meanwhile I try to improve its goal by my participation.

Regards

Mehrdad

P.S. I agree that it does not need to 'innocent until proven guilty' but also it can not be merely based on one or two e-mail exchange that does not contain any information.

*

جناب شراب جان عزیز مرسی از معرفی آهنگ

بسیار زیبا بود

...

If you or any one can show me, reasonably, a systematic contact with
"agents of IRI" and that contact was/is solely or primary to
benefit/pursue/strengthen IRI oppressive regime against Iranians, not
only I will discontinue my membership at NIAC, I will join you in your
opposition to them.

Dear Mehrdad-

Obviously what I know is what MK has put out a couple of times. As to the nature of the contacts, I do not know, neither do you. I would make this proposition though: NIAC must come out and explain what they were doing when they met with IRI agent(s) Please do not say, innocent until proven guilty, this is not a legal matter. It is in essence a matter of trust and ethics.

I leave the inner workings or establishment of new lobbying organization to those who believe in such a thing, I despise Washington and do not wish for  American companies to enter Iranian market , unless it is a fair  and equitable activity with a democratic regime; not this one. Of course creating an organization that looks after Iranian's day to day issues in this country is not only desirable but a necessity. In my opinion NIAC's work in this regard, although benefiting Iranians, is done with an ulterior motive. Get rid of Parsi and that other media whore Aslan, have a transparent non -political charter and an open book, then I will join you.

John Lennon (Ferdowsi and Hafez) and Anger

I enjoyed the "Koorosh o Chelokabab" -- ie. empty pride, and not-so-empty stomachs.

He's an artist, I found it very artistic - the music and the rythm and rhyme of the lyrics - but not so much the lyris themselves: "shashidan" etc. - Even John Lennon, in his angriest of songs - "Gimme Some Truth" - also aspires to something positive - wanting "the truth." As Iranians, we're good at drowning ourselves in the negative.

John Lennon, lists all he hates in this song - but what makes him ultimately sing his song - is the one positive thing he's after: "All I want is some truth!": Amazing song, by the way:

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlzrNKN3rZI

It's not healthy to be cynical to the point of no return. Ferdowsi wasn't. Hafez wasn't. And Ferdowsi and Hafez lived, and were witness to, the direst of times.  Still, I think this is a talented artist. Wish him well.

Afsaneh

Goft NIAC?! Vay khoda margam! ALMOST Nothing is Sacred.

Bad az HezbOllahia o ShahOllahia o RajavOllahia o SabzOllahia cheshmemoom roshan be tireye jadid: NIACollahia! Mesle inke JJ jan to ham peyvasti beheshoon! Politically, NIAC does not represent all of us, does it? I for one don't agree with many of their political views. I appreciate their efforts. I even support some of their efforts. But I don't agree with their political view. Now, having that said, I don't see why Shahin Najafi's mention of NIAC in his song is controversial or considered negative (as JJ puts it!).

I thought Nothing is Sacred means nothing is sacred! Apparently, JJ you should change it to (Almost) Nothing is Sacres. 

Mehrdad

Many of these folks had a chance to come to my blog, deny NIAC's accomplishments and/or suggest an Iranian-American organization with 1/10 of NIAC's accomplishments.  As you noted, the ney-sayers silent was deafening.  Now, they are back and thinking that by saying something over and over again, it becomes a fact 

Dear Paykar:

My analogy is not meant as an insult, but to draw a comparison between two groups who I see strongly oppose an entity without any apparent logic. Some thing more like, they have made up their mind and nothing is going to change it.

Not all those who oppose Obama are Birthers, nor all those who oppose NIAC are NIACers. But there are certainly few who seem just obsess with NIAC and to attach it.

Going back to "apparent logic"

If you or any one can show me, reasonably, a systematic contact with "agents of IRI" and that contact was/is solely or primary to benefit/pursue/strengthen IRI oppressive regime against Iranians, not only I will discontinue my membership at NIAC, I will join you in your opposition to them.

Here are my thoughts:

- Having an organization that can give us Iranian-American a voice in Washington is a good thing

- If NIAC is not doing it right, we ought to join and try to steer it in the correct direction

- if we are not able to steer it in the correct direction, we ought to create an alternative to NIAC to give us that voice

- we ought to accept that no one group can and will leave up to every one expectation and wishes but it needs to have the democratic setup so it can leave to the majority's expectation while keep in mind the wishes of the minority.

Mehrdad

...

جیم دال جان ... سلام به روی ماهت بالام جان،خوشحالم که باز شما را رویت می‌کنیم...

ما از دوستانی که زیر ۳۰ سال هستند هیچ گله و شکوه نداریم،اینها هیچ خبری از فرهنگ و رسم و رسوماتِ ما ایرانیان ندارند ،طرفِ شکایت به آنانی است که بیش از ۳۵ سال دارند و اندک ادبیاتِ پارسی را محترم میدانند،متأسفانه بعضی‌ از دوستان تا خرخره فرنگی‌ تباه شدند و مقلد ! به ما چه ! آنقدر تقلید کنند تا تقلد دانشان پاره شود !

و اما من و شما ... آقا فرامرز خان، م پ د عزیز و مش قاسم خان . . . ما از دورانِ دیگری هستیم که با هیچ چیزی آن را عوض نخواهیم کرد...

در این ایاّم سیاهپوش ناصر خان هستیم اما این آهنگ را که از روحپرور است،به شما دوستان تقدیم می‌کنیم... یاد آن زمان به خیر و یاد ایرانیان واقعی‌ به خیر .

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kC7nMeHtTQ

عزت زیاد .

وای اگر ابولی حکم جهادم دهد

شاعران دنیا نتوانند که جوابم دهند!

Kermanzadeh

Thanks for posting that letter once again which proves unequivocally Parsi is the IR lapdog. Parsi is like the Salmane Fars of the 21st century - a Zoroastrian who sold out to the Tazi Arabs big time.

NIAK got mentioned!? How Dare?? >:(

I for one don't understand why NIAK gets mentioned? (regardless of all their sacrifices for the Regime in Iran & Against the people of Iran). He should stop writing about our people's struggles and make more Daambooli-Khoshak. Once againe Shahin Najafi talked some truth and our (pseudo reformists) brethren got their under-garments in a baunch. did you notice i used under-garments instead of under-wear, so your virgin ears wouldnt bleed. it's ironic that this foot soldiers pretend to be offended. also I would like to take this opportunity to apolojize, I apolo-jize to vali-faghih, I apolo-jize to all loyal supporters of the regime, specially the ones outside of Iran. I Apolo-jize for all my "ZOLM) to all of you. yaahagh.

p.s. "Doktor shoma sheesh-o-hashteto goosh kon."

Of Lobbyists, Capitalism, and Birthers

Does AIPAC lobby against anything Israel does? Does the meat lobby
campaign against hamburgers? Does the solar power lobby support nuclear
energy? Then I guess NIAC supports IRI policies too :)

I suppose you have no problem with paid lobbyists , I do. I find them to be nothing more than  propaganda agents. I suppose if you think corporate state equals democracy and lobbying equals educating the public and the policy makers, then we have a vastly different points of view. 

I pointed out to the fact that NIAC has to appear legitimate among the Iranian public in the U.S., MK has put out a document that supports my belief. NIAC is different from those lobbying organization that you noted in your example, because of the diversity of the population it aims to influence for support. 

Mehrdad-

I find your birther analogy insulting and distasteful. Those of us who oppose NIAC because of their dealings with agents of IRI are not idiots.

JJ on NIAC

JJ jaan,

You asked a good question.  You asked: "NIAC is accused of lobbying for the IRI. But why would it lobby for a regime and condemn its human rights abuses?"

Perhaps, the following document (Trita Parsi's own words) would answer your question. 

The following is a quote from a letter written by Trita Parsi to Roy Coffee.

=======================================

Trita Parsi's letter:

POSITIONING

Although the mission of the proposed lobby should be to improve relations between the US and Iran and open up opportunities for trade, the initial targets should be less controversial issues such as visas and racial profiling/discrimination. Since the lobby will be spared from creating a grassroots network of its own, the initial focus on non-controversial issues will only serve to establish credibility within the community, and not massive support (which would necessitate the complete avoidance of issues such as US-Iran relations).

Furthermore, it would bea wise strategy to mainly target Iranian-American businessmen for financial support. This group has both a higher propensity to support the lobby’s mission and it is also in a better position to underwrite the expenses of the lobby. Nonetheless, despite its predominantly business oriented constituency, it isessential that the lobby creates a "human face" for its aims and goals. AIPAC successfully painted the opponents of the Iran Libya Sanctions Act as "greedy businessmen who had no scruples when it came to doing business with terroristregimes." The oil companies failed to characterize their campaign with "human concern for the well-being of innocent Iranians stuck with a dictatorial regime" or "support for the poor mid-Western family father who lost his job due the sanctions." The human element is essential both when it comes to attracting support among Iranian-Americans and when it comes to winning the debate and the votes on the Hill. "

==================================

Best regards,

Masoud 

"وقتی که من بچه بودم"

غم بود ، ولی کم بود - اسماعیل خویی

------------------------

چهار دقیقه اش بحر طویل اضافه است ، دو دقیقه یا کمتر ، بدون داد زدن، کافیست.

----------------------

"وای اگر ابولی حکم جهادم دهد ، شاعران دنیا نتوانند که جوابم دهند!"

Red Wine :)

وقتی که "وختی که" و "شاشیدن" زیاد تکرار میشه،،،

وقتی که "وختی که" و "شاشیدن" زیاد تکرار میشه آواز یک حالت نواره پیدا میکنه.  بهتر بود از "وختی که" بعنوانِ برگردان استفاده میشد و بند شعرهای مختلف‌تری اضافه میشد، ولی بطور کلی خوشم اومد.

it reminds of

Mohsen Namjoo's song Daheye Shast.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=5n8Hkahf_G4

وقتی که آژان دستش تو دماغ بود!

وقتی که الاغ کور من اسب سفید دربار شد

وقتی که ته دیگ زرشک پلو تو مهمونی کمیاب بود

وقتی که نون زیر کباب من برهنه و عریان شد

وقتی که پیاز در کنار گوشت کوبیده خندان بود

وقتی که  اسپانج باب با پاتریک گریان شد

وقتی که دوست دختر سابقم رفیق قارداشیان بود

وقتی که دوست تحصیل کرده من با سه مدرک حمال شد

وقتی که سیمپسون بجای یک شنبه شب سر صبح بود

وقتی که جفنگیات و چرت و پرت شعر و هنر عالی شد

...

الحمد الله از صدقه سرِ این انقلاب (مرده شورش را ببرند که نخواستیم !) شاهد تراوش همه جور هنرمند بوده ایم،بیراه نمی‌‌گوییم،خود توجه فرمایید..ایشان به سبک دیترویت نشینان حنجره پاره می‌کند و این موسیقی‌ اعتراضی رنگین پوستانِ آمریکایی است.

این خودش هنری است که ناراحتی‌ خاطر را به نحوی نشان دهی‌ و مثل ایشان به جان زبان شیرین پارسی (وای اگر فردوسی حکم جهادم دهد !) بیفتی و به سبک آقا نصرت و رضا پونصد،با چاقو ضامن دار ادبیات شیرین پارسیان را دباغی کنی‌.

ما چکاره باشیم که در کار این فعالان سیاسی دخالت کنیم و فینگلیش بلغور کنیم.خودمان کردیم که لعنت بر خودمان باد.

خدایا،خداوندا،تو خود دل‌ بسوزان بر این مملکت ایران زمین و رحمی بنما بر ما کوتاه فکران،حال ما را از دست این دژخیمان بد صفت نجات ده و سرزمینهمان را از یوغ استبدادی اسلامیون رهایی ده....آمین .

JJ: مرغ یه پا داره

"And no amount of reasoning is going to change one side or the other"

I call them NIACers much the same as Birthers

And logic or reason has nothing to do with it

Mehrdad

Jahanshah

Yes, I am all for Trita Parsi to contact the IR representatives  if only he raised the issue of human rights violations which he says most of his members are unanimously concerned about. 

Why does the NIAC lobby so hard on issues to lifting sanctions but does not once confront the IR ambassador about torture, rape and execution of minors? Please read the emails between Trita Parsi and Mohammad Zarin. He ducks the issue completely! Also, have you asked yourself why the NIAC started to campaign on human rights only after 2009 and not prior to it? 

NIAC is a lobbying organisation but Parsi calls it an  "educational organization representing Americans of Iranian descent. It engages in educational, advocacy and limited lobbying activities in accordance with U.S. laws and regulations"

You know NIAC is a lobbying organisation and so do I. It does nothing but LOBBY.  If you pay your taxes and so should NIAC unless you believe that tax avoudance should be encouraged amongst Iranians.  

Shahin Najafi is an Artist, Philosopher, Sociologist, Historian

Shahin Najafi is an Artist, Philosopher, Sociologist, Historian and a Great Rapper all in one ..... 

Politics 101

What do you think politicians do? They contact each other! Trita Parsi also has meeting with US State Department officials. Does that make him an American agent? He also meets Israelis and AIPAC members. Is he an Israeli agent?

In the real world politicians of all kinds (even enemies) meet, establish contacts and discuss issues.

And it's interesting that the FBI and other American agencies are unaware of NIAC lying about taxes, but NIAC's enemies are sure of it :)

Go ahead... think what you want. It's a free country.

Jahanshah

You surprise me. As administrator you did see the links I put up showing Trita Parsi in contact with Terror Ambassador Mohammad Javad Zarin and LOBBYING for IR interests? No! Not about Human Rights! Not about stopping rape and torture! But to get Zarin connections with congreesmen to stop sanctions. 

They are also liers who try to dodge paying tax by calling themselves an educational  501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. 

They lie  about their membership. They only had 1,300 members and not 20,000 as their chief treassurer said in public. 

NIAC embodies the worst qualities of the Iranian community and if you believe they are a 'great' organisation then you are delusional. 

Undercover lobbyists

Does AIPAC lobby against anything Israel does? Does the meat lobby campaign against hamburgers? Does the solar power lobby support nuclear energy? Then I guess NIAC supports IRI policies too :)

Lobbying

I do not believe they are pro Velayat, the leadership is in it for the money.  K street lobbysts are not known for their strict adherence to honesty. NIAC has to appear desirable and legitimate in the eyes of hundred  of thousands of Iranians.

Awesome voice, great lyrics and very talented.

His voice/style reminds me of Namjoo's

Mehrdad

regime?

Paykar... that's the whole issue. NIAC is accused of lobbying for the IRI. But why would it lobby for a regime and condemn its human rights abuses?

This has been discussed many times. There are just some people who like NIAC and some who don't. And no amount of reasoning is going to change one side or the other.

NIAC is a great organization as far as I'm concerned. Can it be even better? Yes!

NIAC

Deserve nothing but derision. Good one, Shahin. 

You do not know why JJ ?

I give you one solid reason and the other just a hunch.

1. NIAC's main goal is to lobby for the regime.

2. you gave his E-mail address to NIAC.