LETTER

"ramming and jamming"

I am so thankful that the health bill was introduced in order for us to learn couple of talking points. Otherwise how would have we been able to come up with such eloquent and decisive self destructive phrase as "ramming and jamming"????

Thanks heaven for RePUGs talking point Ram 'em in Like the Iraq War and Jam them in like historical Bushie deficit and economic meltdown.

God bless Rush , Glen, Sean, Michell, and Sara for teaching these boys how to be Rammers and Jammers.

-YT 

MM jaan, I neither dislike NIAC nor condone it's policies

But, I honestly believe that NIAC on the advice of some of its well meaning members such as our own co-bloggers on this site have chosen this recent "Iranian kiaani heritage" topic for grandstanding purposes. How do I know it?, well since almost from the beginning  most of the  vicious personal attacks, demeaning insults, contemptible remarks to my heritage blogs & to our kiaani legacy & icons have come from self-disclosed paying members of NIAC on this site.

 Get it?, I know em all & you know some but For the sake of  privacy & decency I wont name names unless they come forward. My friend, you have nooooo idea what a hell on earth it was here on this site for the first year or two for some fringe loner like me to write a blog about a topic of our kiaani past without being attacked & lynched by the same NIAC/ommatie members who now have apparently on the surface pay lip service to our Medeo-Persian heritage.

These are the same visible members who use to be cheerleaders of any & all anti kiaani blogs in which Areynum icons were ridiculed demeaned & degraded. These are the same group who called Cyrus our sacred icon a blood thirsty dog, a jew boy, drag queen and much worse, the same crowd who called my blog on tragedy of Qadesiyeh as zionist ploy and Arab bashing.....you catch the drift... Hence this is where my skepticism comes into play.

Cheers pal!!!

& btw* I merely agreed with one sentence of  Jamshid's comment which does not imply that I disapprove of their Noerooz achievment vis-a-vis US congress bill. just thought to mention that too.

Path of Kiaan Resurrection of True Iran Hoisting Drafshe Kaviaan //iranianidentity.blogspot.com //www.youtube.com/user/samsamsia

Correction

What i meant to say was that they need to help Pres. Obama and democracts to continue doing the ramming and jamming.

Sure

NIAC and Other Organizations need to continue the pattern of "ramming and jamming" things down the nation's throat and sticking while it is red red hot. People seem to be getting used to the idea LOL

OK KouroshS

NIAC/Trita are probably monitoring the site once in a while, but I will email regardless.  As you said, other Iranian-American organizations need to put some weight behind this issue as well.

We all have some problems with immigration whether it is regarding the visit of a relative or a change of status.

MM: Let's do it

But in the meantime, I think that all iranians and the organizations representing their interests, should put their weight behind an issue that is extremely vital to many foreigners Today. It is not that the US Gov Owes any of the minorities anything( In certain sitaution of course that is not the case) But what makes it urgent is that so many lives depend on such reform and As we've all been informed, It won't happen if it does not have as much backing as it can get.

NIAC Can move this issue further down the list and worry about it later since it would not directly impact our status, While recognzing that Giving its support to more vital issues, not only makes a difference in The lives of many iranians, it can go a long way in giving it the recognition it really deserves. 

KouroshS - Let's take care of Barretts, Millers & Poseys, then..

A couple of months ago, Congressman Barrett introduced a legislation to bar all Iranians from visiting US, deport all Iranian students and prevent all persons of Iranian origin from emigrating to the US.  NIAC broke the story to its members, started a mail-in campaign to write Barrett as well as our own congressman and finally presented a stack of ca. 4500 hard copies of complaints from Iranian-Americans opposing the bill to Barrett's office.  The bill never got off the ground.

Iranian-Americans have a long way to go, thanks to the presence of an Islamist regime in Iran.  Let's confront the Barretts, Millers & Poseys in this congress, distinguish ourselves from the Islamists and then we can talk about more reforms in the congress.  I am with you on that point.

Q

I am sorry, I certainly did not mean to make you Jump up and down like popcorn in these first few days of Norouz. But If that is what it made you do, then Oh well. We will just look at it as one step forward in moving  this nation toward meeting its fitness goals. With you riding Shotgun, as The honorary, Educating, Thank-me Later, Leader. Sounds good?

Something "good" was already done for this community and it was made official with 384 votes. What is the point of putting on more pressure and stepping on it? What difference does it make whether 2 more or 2 less representative back this bill up? Granted that Mr. Parsi is so busy trying to lobby congress and the administration hard in trying to prevent a possible future invasion on iran. I guess A congratulations is in order for him and his team. We owe him One big one. Does that make the next big issue on The list getting down with the nitty gritty of Nouroz resolution? Are there not any more Important issues They can focus on?

How about the Immigration Issue for instance? You don't think we have a big community of Immigrants in this country who need to unite their voices with The rest of immigrants from other countries and Call for an Immediate reform? Why doesn't The  NIAC  join voices with LULAC and La ra za to make this happen? would that not be Advocay on behalf of Iranian-American Community? Is that not at least one of the issues that deserves being exposed to sunlight? Is that Not Political enough for you? I don't need to be lectured On lobbying and How things work with The congress, All i am saying is that Time and precious energy and effort would be better spent advocating for Issues that matter to the day to day lives of Iranians, IN THIS COUNTRY.

گر تو بهتر میزنی بستان بزن

I am not a member of NIAC, but I do support many things they have accomplished for Iranians abroad. But those who constantly criticize these people I have one word.

گر تو بهتر میزنی بستان بزن

-YT 

Thank you Trita

Thanks to NIAC and PAAIA and other organizations, Iranian-Americans are gaining respect and influence. We owe Trita and all others in this effort a big thank you. Dametoon Garm.

seannewyork

Which Iranians?

Iranians Hate NIAC

So trita stop your slimy ways of acting like your group cares.  you just write these letters to act like you support Iranian people to divert attention from your support for the regime in iran. 

we are not dumb to fall for the trick that we are trying to get Iranians to be involved with the political process in the US.

Also, you say sanctions hurt the ordianry Iranian, so where were you the past 31 yrs when the islamic republic was hurting the iranian people.

And dont act like a human rights advocate because your engagement stance failed.

Boy - this is a first - I agree with Q's reasoning

There is something wrong here.  I am standing alongside Q while my friends DK and Samsam are gathered next to Persian_yingyang.  I hope that is not because of a common dislike of NIAC!

During the 8 years of Bush, there was not a single person in the US who said they would not celebrate Thanksgiving because they hated Bush.  I have said it before that Nowruz, celebrated by 300 million in the world,  has been here for more than 3000 years and will be here for millennia to come, long after the likes of AN.  The two congressmen could have abstained from voting, but voted no to either delight their constituents or did not know any better, and Trita called them on it.

The last battle of the historic battleship Missouri was in the Gulf war and she has been preserved as such after retirement.  We visited the battleship Missouri and next to the captain's chair, there was a big map of the middle east with the words Arabian Gulf instead of Persian Gulf, either to please the Sheikhs who came on board or they did not know any better??  So, there is a chance that various lobbies may push for a change of name!  Now, the same people who say they do not care what the US congress does, I hope will change their minds and write to their congressperson expressing their views.  

Excellent Trita

Although, I don't agree with everything NIAC represents, I believe NIAC has an excellent leader in Trita and does a great job representing the I-A community.   In this particular case, his approach and letter to these two dimwits is spot on both strategically and tactically.  This is well understood by those who comprehend the machinations of Washington.

Good work Trita-jan. 

Javedan Iran!

It's Called Democracy ...Unless NIAC differs ...

If Trita's conception of a Democratic Vote is one like those held in the Islamic Republic or anyother Totalitarian Regime with a 99.99999 % victory for the Pre Selected Candidate.

Then indeed I suppose that to see 2 Congressment oppose the Resolution passed in front of a Democratically Elected Congress is indeed Frustrating ...

Now here in a perfectly democratic vote that got a majority in favor of the resolution but 2 Bad Bad Republicans refused to vote in it's favor and that is a BAD BAD thing to do. 

And How Convenient that these BAD BAD Boys are Republican. Oh Smucks ! Another Neo Con Pro War Mongering congressmen no doubt.

No need to remind either that President Nixon was Not just responsible for the Watergate Scandal but is credited for Opening Talks with China of Mao ( which Trita Would love to see happend between the US Government and the IRI Government) or that he initiated long before Obama the idea of a a health reform that never saw fruitition:

//www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Stories/2009/September/03/nixon-proposal.aspx

No need to Remind people either that America is a Republic and that there is no shame to belong to a  political Party which refers to it by name as some kind of banned Neo Nazi party. Another typical diabolical attempt to portray Republicanism in a negative light which is often the product of the imagination of mainly die hard liberals on Capital Hill.

I Say this all the more comfortably that I voted Democrat !

Happy Nowrooz Trita !

DK

An IRANICAN Expat From France

PS: Oh and have you successfully applied for the US Citizenship or are content with your "Green" Card ?

Oh Thank You Jamshid!

Thanks again for the hearty laugh, I get depressed without having it once in a while.

Speaking of "half truths", you said:

No, they didn't say this alone.

Did I make such a claim? You are too funny! Talk about "half truths"!

You said it, stand by it like a man. You said some other things, like we all do, but you did make this statement. NIAC is an Iranian-American organization that works in Washington DC, it has no control over Iranian government.

Thanks for at least proving the "blinded" part of my phrase "blinded by hate".

For instance, any hint that your kind supports NIAC is extremely damaging to this organization's reputation and efforts.

Yes, Jamshid! Nevermind what you think you understand about me, it's obvious that it's "your kind" that always wants to help NIAC! Through relentless personal attacks, slander and gross accusations, "your kind" is not "damaging" anything at all!!! LOL

You have been hardly supportive of anything NIAC has ever done! Now you're pretending to dispense expert advice for it? What kind of elementary school kids do you think you're dealing with? Monarchists?

Q, and his typical half truths

"They say no one should care what US Congress thinks, but this is just an excuse."

No, they didn't say this alone. They said this AND that the US congress's view about Norouz becomes so much less important WHILE our own government is openly against our anciant traditions, and therefore, our focus and action, our limited resources, should be concentrated on our own governemt, not the US's.

The victory and the priority lay in changing the IRI's views on Iran's pre-Islamic traditions, not changing the US's.

Despite this Q, I'll give you full credit, hands down, for being a master of half truths.

Also, note that it pays off to keep quite sometimes. For instance, any hint that your kind supports NIAC is extremely damaging to this organization's reputation and efforts. Can't you do NIAC a favor and understand this simple fact?

KouroshS, "typical Iranian trait" indeed

someone does something good on behalf of the community, something that everyone agrees with and this BS is how Iranians like yourself (and a handful of others in this thread) treat them. VERY typical, I should say. It's good that you made yourself the non-exception that proves the rule!

The fact is "private" letters won't do anything. They won't even be read, given straight to the shredder. In politics its all about leverage. If you want to do something, anything, in US Congress you need pressure. You can sometimes substitute money for this, the way real lobbies work in Washington, but it can also be done by exposing the issue to sunlight.

As a matter of fact, Norooz should not and does not make a distinction between anybody, just like Thanksgiving in the US is perfectly valid even if war criminals are running the country. It's obvious, these congressmen in their ignorance are afraid of being branded "terrorists" or some such label by their even more braindead voter base.

They need to learn that Iran and Norooz are not scary words. No amount of bigotry and misinformation will change this.

We thank you for your service for that lesson alone.

Note what I wrote to you and your colleagues for years now. There are some people who are so blinded by hatred that they can't stand anything you do, not one thing is appreciated. It doesn't matter the merrits of it. They say "no one should care what US Congress thinks", but this is just an excuse.

If it wasn't because of this extremist minority's well-known vendetta against your organization, they would argue that Congress should care. Of course they should! You don't believe me?

Let some anti-Iran Republican, -- probably the kind of ignorant person who would vote against a Norooz bill -- introduce a resolution to call Persian Gulf "Arabian Gulf" in US Congress. (It will probably happen, just like "freedom fries").

Then just sit back and watch these same armchair "political strategists" shower you with fohsh-khahar-madar for NOT caring enough what the Congress thinks!!!

Keep on doing what you're doing and don't apologize to any angry fossils!

Dr. Trita Parsi’s Diversionary Tactic

The House Resolution 267 on “Recognizing the cultural and historical significance of Nowruz, expressing appreciation to Iranian-Americans for their contributions to society, and wishing Iranian-Americans and the people of Iran a prosperous new year” passed by an overwhelming majority vote of 384 to 2. Why write this embarrassing letter with obtuse and irrelevant reasoning to the two congressmen with opposing votes, which serves no constructive purpose at all?

Congressman Bill Posey has explained his opposition very well that "The resolution does not make the distinction between peace-loving Iranians, including many Americans of Iranian descent and, Ahmadinejad. Ahmadinejad has no respect for the basic human rights of Iranians or anyone else and I do not wish him a prosperous new year." Congressman Jeff Miller has added that "the language fails to exclude terrorists and dictators like Mahmoud Ahmadinejad."

I would add that the whole IRI leadership, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and Basiji paramilitary group who rule by terror are antagonistic and strangers to our pre-Islamic culture symbolized by Nowruz and should not be wished a prosperous new year. The two congressmen have got it right. You should work on drafting an open letter to his Excellency Ayatollah Ali Khamenie to pardon the political prisoners and stop hanging the freedom seeking youths from cranes!

P.S. If you were looking for a unanimous 435 to 0 vote, why did you not contact the other 49 Congressmen who did not vote at all?

Trista should not have written the letter

It's like having a Republican group write a letter to Kucinich asking him why he voted this or that way.  No, they wouldn't want to give Kucinich that "importance"

So If it passed, Trista should have just let it go.  Instead, he stooped low to beg them to reconsider.

They won't reconsider. Period. And they won't be more polite towards you or Iranians, because you sought to see what bothers the ones "left out."

this was unnecessary

Jamshid

Who cares about the US congress's feelings about Norouz, while our own government talks negative about our ancient traditions ...

Well said & priceless advice to closet ommaties & status quo cheer leaders of Qadess.

Path of Kiaan Resurrection of True Iran Hoisting Drafshe Kaviaan //iranianidentity.blogspot.com //www.youtube.com/user/samsamsia

خود گویم و خود خندم، عجب مرد هنرمندم

While you & NIAC are at it why don't you take the credit for UN recognition of Norouz as well.

good job following up on your work to pass this resolution,Trita

Hey!

384! 384! You've got the supre duper majority sending out a solid and hard signal that we do make that recognition, what more do you want? I think eacn and every representative is entitled to their opinions, regardless of how pissed off the "constituents" would be out there. 

 You have 50,000 people marching outside the Capitol, screaming for Immigration reform, while the house is debating the health care, take your turn and go to the back of the line. Geee... 

Typical Iranian Trait. Even when they have got what they wanted, They have to dig deep and find something so insignificant and try hard to spoil it all way. Let's not try to make an issue outa this. Let them Focus. They have got FAR FAR more important things to consider and vote on.

Trita Parsi

If I were you, I would have spent the energy and the time it took to write this open letter, to write one to the Iranian officials who are openly against Norouz. Who cares about the US congress's feelings about Norouz, while our own government talks negative about our ancient traditions.

Your priorities have always been wrong. I know that now you are going to hurrily write up a quick letter to the said Iranian officials to claim that, oh, we have already done that.

But for once, be original to begin with.

Should One Care?

I suppose its one of the least pleasant duties of the president of any outfit to do what Mr. Parsi has done, but who really gives a monkey's a..e for what two- or any number of the of US  Congressmen/women views are regarding Norouz or Iran in general?

Also, I'd like to take issue with one aspect of Mr. Pasi's open letter, which, in my view, undermines the premise of his argument. If, as he seems to believe, Norooze is a universal celebration by the people for the people and totally apolitical, then why turn the open letter into a political statement by passing judgment on events or individuals?

I confess not knowing anything about the National Iranian American Council, its manifesto, how it is funded or what its daily activites consist of, but if it has anything to do with furthuring the understanding between the two countries, this doesn't seem to be a very promissing way to go about it!

Happy Norouz 

Well, it sounds like they just don't know any foreign policy

I wouldn't be too surprised at these idiots, Parsi, it's just ignorance and there's no shortage of it in the US Congress.

Actually, Marge, the 384 means that even AIPAC realized it would be stupid to politicize this gesture. I can't say the same thing for Fred, however.... sigh... Sounds like he hasn't checked his mail for the latest talking points yet.

Congratulations on the vote, NIAC!

Is Israel writing Iran platforms for them or are they creative?

What a stupid answer. It's amazing to me how cowardly these pro-war and sanctions fools are. They can't sit at a table with an IRI official and look them in the eye and say "screw you," but they hide behind Lockeed Martin to do it for them. 

The American Congress are nothing but a bunch of Israeli lap dogs. American sovereignty and independence was lost a long time ago. Israel is the real capital of the USA. Forget about free thinking American Congress!!!

Except for Alan Grayson and Ron Paul, forget it! Don't vote for people who take money from Israel. 

Abusing the spirit of Norooz

Is it in the spirit of Norooz that the NIAC lobby and its conjoined twin the CASMII lobby work day in and day out to bestow legitimacy on  Islamist Rapist Republic through unfettered commercial and diplomatic relationship with U.S.?