Letters
May 1-5, 2000 / Ordibehesht 12-16, 1379
Today
* Press:
- Free expression, without getting beaten
* Celebriry:
- Filmmakers as role models
Previous
* Jews:
- Coordinated Zionist plot?
* Reform:
- Giving reformists a boost, from abroad
* Press:
- Ban on discussion
- Newspaper ban is right
- Helllllo freedom!
* Drunk driving:
- Lucky dog
- Drunk down under
* Islam in America:
- Noble Drew Ali
* Berkeley:
- Huh?
* Amanpour:
- Keep personal life out of reporting
* April Fools:
- Albright in Tehran!
email us
Friday,
May 5, 2000
* Free expression, without getting beaten
In response to Murtaza
Sarwary:
It is so easy for you, living in Canada, halfway around the world from
Iran, to tell Iranians in Iran and worldwide that a bunch of insolent students
are trying to destroy all of what Khomeini and his regime fought for in
the Iran/Iraq war and in the struggle to put Islam in government. Maybe
it's because you never had a bit of exposure with the war and what went
on that you see things the way you do.
First of all, besides the fact that most Iranians only consider themselves
Muslims and don't really practice that much and that many Iranians are
also of different faiths, which makes a single-religion government totally
unrepresentative of the people, you forget that these newspapers are not
trying to destroy Islam; they focus instead on gaining the right to speak
out without getting beaten, being able to express ourselves freely in any
form, as our poets continued to do even after Islam >>>
FULL TEXT
Maziar Shirazi
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* Filmmakers as role models
In response to Banafsheh
Zand:
Thank you for your response and your respect to an Iranian artist which
was my general idea too. But needless to say, I have to diagree...
When somone rights a book or makes a movie, we are dealing with direct
ideas presented by the composer. How can the artist be exempt from ideas
that he himself is more or less presenting?
To make my point clearer, let's forget about Mehrjoui, whom I still
respect a lot, and consider another example. Let's consider a teacher who
is telling children in school to be honest, peaceful and not to be jealous.
Do you expect that teacher to follow his own words or not? Is this too
much ask? I don't think so >>>
FULL TEXT
Faramarz Kaviani
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Thursday
May 4, 2000
* Coordinated Zionist plot?
I am really saddened by all this barrage of very divisive articles and
propaganda by our fellow Iranian jewish so-called vocal groups.
I am confused as to what their ulterior motives are. Is it truly coming
from them or is it another cohesive and coordinated plot by their international
Zionist handlers? ...
Historically, Iran/Persia has been a safe haven for Jews for centuries
and centuries. It was the Persians who freed the Jewish slaves from Babylon.
It was the Ashkanians of northern Iran who helped the Jews and their leader
Antagon to defeat the Romans hence the creation of Israel first time or
second time around. I believethe present Israel is the third time...
Granted all's not well in Iran today but it's not just the Jews who
are having problems exclusively. I understand that you are all sympathetic
to Israel but you don't have to over do it at the expense of the rest of
us. Iran has some serious issues with Israel, mostly justified. As citizens
of Iran, you need to take under consideration all angles at this time.
PLEASE STOP ALL THIS DEMAGOGUERY >>>
FULL TEXT
Saaviz Afshar
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* Giving reformists a boost, from abroad
Rasool Nafisi's article ["Reform
in retreat"]is well written and comprehensive. But ... It is about
time that [the U.S. and Europe] abandon their naive policies and look at
Iran realistically, and there are many among the expatriate Iranian community
that can help... On the part of Iranian people and the reformists, PURE
reliance on internal factors and the law results in the advantage of the
conservatives >>>
FULL TEXT
Mohammad Azadpur
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Wednesday
May 3, 2000
* Ban on discussion
In response to your letter's section "Newspaper ban
is right" by Mr. Murtaza Sarwary, I would kindly disagree.
What the newspapers did was a service to the people and helps educate
everybody and find religious solutions to problems and changes in a modern
world. religious beliefs have always been questioned and adapted over time
to comply with new necessities. That has been the streangth of Shia Islam.
What is happening now in Iran is not only trying to ban ordinary people
and journalists from discussing religion, but also closing the tradition
of "Ijtehad" among our religious scholars >>>
FULL TEXT
Mamad Rastgoo
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* Lucky dog
I held my breath while reading your piece. ["Beh
salaamati"] Thank God you got away with it. You don't even know
how badly they treat you if you are over the limit. Suffice to say that
they will not let you even pee or burp before being tested again in the
station. They treat like a criminal, and it is very costly too. The reason
you were below the limit is the duration of time in which you had your
beers. Lucky lucky dog!
RR
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* Drunk down under
Here in Australia, police just stop you, givesyou a breath test, and
fine you if you have exceeded the limit ["Beh
salaamati"] . The limit here is actually 0.5. None of this bull
crap talk ("Why did you lie?"), physical tests, or intimidating
behavior will occur.
Yazdaneh Amiryazdani
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* Noble Drew Ali
Your comment about Moorish Science ["Islam
in America"] being a "combination on eastern philosophies
and religions, Christianity, anti-white racism, and metaphysics,"
is incorrect, what I do suggest is that you actually read the Holy Koran
of the Moorish Science Temple of America >>>
FULL TEXT
C.E. Lewis
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Tuesday
May 2, 2000
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* Helllllo freedom!
Mummy Joon told me: Whoever you call or write to, you should start and
end by saying: SALAAM BAR AAZAADI, DOROOD BAR MATBOOAAT!!! ["Three steps
back"]
So, this is an order from your 92 (or may be 93) year old grandma. SALAAM
BAR AAZAADI, DOROOD BAR MATBOOAAT...
B. J.
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* Huh?
Excuse me, what was that? ["Sunny
day in Berkeley"]
Arya Namdar
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Monday
May 1, 2000
* Keep personal life out of reporting
I am an Iranian businessman living in Europe and USA and I am ashamed
of Ms. Christian Amanpour for the pictures
of Iran that she showed the world.
After 20 years of being closed to the world she takes the CNN cameras
to the ugliest parts of Tehran and shows crumbled houses with domesticated
animals in the yard.
The least she could have done was to show a balanced picture of Tehran
with some of the nicer and cleaner neighborhoods in north Tehran. I don't
give a damn about the home she grew up in and her personal memory.
She should keep her personal life out of her reporting. I am ashamed
of Amanpour and don't think she is anything special at all. she is a shame
to Iranians, just like the mollas.
M. Sarafraz
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* Albright in Tehran!
Today, I had a two-hour show on Radio Sedaye Iran (KRSI), and performed
a Persian version of Mrs. Albright's April Fools interview ["Albright
in Tehran"] along with my friend and colleague, Ziba. She played
the role of Albright, and me the interviewer.
It was fantastic, and at least three times, we gave full credit to
The Iranian with mentions of the Web site and everything. It was really
fun reading it, and we received quite a few compliments from listeners.
And you know something? At the time, one of our anchormen had really
believed the story and mentioned it quite seriously as a first hand report
in his radio talk show!
Farrokh Javid
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