Tell me how long (we have to ...

We'll live

I agree our popularity(!) dropped a little by the events of 911, but I don't think it is that bad, compared to many others. 

Pressure, as you put it, is not limited to us Iranians in the US. In fact, most people, in all countries, face discrimination, one way or another. I'm sure you have seen how we Iranians bash Afghans, Arabs,Pakistanis, Jews, Americans, Blacks, and others.

Here in the US, take a look at the whole US population, and the "undesired" or" discriminated against" groups( with different levels of 'undesirability'):

Blacks

Jews

Arabs

Gays

Iranians

Fat people

Southerners 

Atheists

Moslems

Hispanics

Swingers 

Old people

Indians

White superemasists

Pot smokers

Poor people

Eccentric people

Short people

Religeous Christians

Convicts

Smokers

Teenagers

Foreigners

New Yorkers

and the list goes on and on...

How many people do you know who do not belong to this list? I think the vast majority does. Most of us are  considered 'undesirable' by 'us'.

*                    *                    *

How do you think WE score on the 'undesirability' chart?

Some Tips

Iraj Khan, 

 I'll give you my way :

We are against of this governement and it is why we are abroad. There are some political issues between 2 government and media are pushing people against people to start a war !

Some facts:

- Arabie Saudia is more islamist than Iran (Women dont right to drive and to vote,..) and they have always backed ALQuida and Taliban (Ben Laden's familly is a one of richest familly of Arabi Saudi). Nobody care of them and don't treat them as terrorist country.

- Pakistan has Atomic Bombe, Didn't sign International agreement for Atomic usage. Every body know there are risks of war with India and their government is Instable. They are the back yard of Taliban and AlQuida : Nobody care of them.

- A foule (Conard in French ) named Ahmadi Nejad threat Israel without even the ressource to do it now. Israel has already the bomb and can attak  Iran when he wants. And Ahmadi Nejad is waiting even a small attak to announce a "Hekoomat Nezami" military dictatorship.

After this being said they undrestand that "Dava Sar Lahaf Molla Ast". The issue is that some people in the west (specialy US) and in Iran want to start a war for their own intreste.

Short Answers to your questions

It is a fact that US government is after Iran's natural resources (oil being the primary one -- not jsut for US but also for its "allies"). In fact they are very keen to see that all countires in the ME are somehow kept backward so that those people cannot have control of their own resources so that US (and its allies) can benefit from cheap oil and other natural resources in those countries. The scheme is similar to what has been done in Africa but to a lesser degree and a bit differently since the natural resources from Africa are not primarily Energy related, but in other ways important (gold, Aluminum, coper, etc.). Therefore, for Iran after its revolution to become independent the US government will do its best through psychological techniques and other ways (sanctions, etc.) to destory our independence. Therefore it takes effort and is not easy to get rid of that problem. All the points you have made are valid, but you need to keep those points in the light of the facts on the ground. Zionist regime which as President Ahmadinejad says is like a bad germ put on the body of ME is also a proxy for the US government to control those countries and their resources. I think you (and us all) should ignore the theatric, be familiar with the psychological techniques they are playing on us and just help iran and iranians in any ways we know how. Over time, given the smarts of Iranians we will prevail.

To answer your questions:

-Yes
-Never

We have come a long way here but still...

I agree.

we as Iranians living in the United Stated have come a long way since the hostage crisis.

During the hostage crisis, our American friends would advise us to hide our indentity! They would say "tell people you are a jew, Mexican, Lebonese or Greek". I was a student at the time working part time driving a taxi in a major city in United States. When they asked where I was from, I would tell them I was from Iran. They could not believe it. Their reaction was "but you are clean shaven and speak English!"

I suppose now our image as Iranians is supposed to be like Ahmadinejad. I feel sorry most for the new generation of Iranians who are born here and have to go through the same b.s. that we went through. 

much better in the US

Having spent many years in Europe I can tell you that chances of Americans talking behind your back are quite slim compared to Europe. Yes, Americans are much more used to diversity and therefore much less prone to generalizations. If they like you they do when you're absent or present. Also, unlike the common worldwide perception, Many Americans have a better and more realiastic understanding of our country and us as community, mainly because they use to have an intensive relationship with Iran...

In overall, Iran can be a wonderful country for all Iranians, once a much more civilized form of government is stablished. Then very few Iranians would trade Iran for anything else.

Kamangir

Door az Vatan

 I got here a few years after the hostage crisis, but did hear that, as you wrote, many Iranians hid their nationality, because of the tense atmoshphere of the time, and I certainly understand.

 I don't know if my experience is unique or not, but since my arrival in this country (USA), I have let everyone around me know that I am Iranian . Never once had to lie about it, and never once have had a problem; at least in my face. As to what they say behind my back (or our backs!), I couldn't tell you! :-)

 I think most people in this country have learned to distinguish a country's "people" from it's "government". We hang out with Chinese, Koreans, Serbs, Arabs, Jews and others, every day, without even discussing with them their respective government's policies., or holding it against them.

Not soon!

It won't end soon. Iran's situation may improve for Iranians once the IRI stablishment is toppled, however outside Iran and specially in North America the nagative perceptions will persist for many decades to come. The most important natural and vital  source of energy is running out and what we see in the middle east and the 'media' backed adervetising of bad muslims, bad middle easterns will continue as it's all about creating chaos in that region, on purpose. There's no doubt in my mind that 9/11 was an inside job carefully designed to emotionally touch Americans as well as others in order to justify the long term plans. I've been living outside Iran for decades mostly in Europe and now in north america and am also fed-up with the whole daily issues I've to deal with regarding being Iranian or middle eastern. I wish there's positive and radical change in Iran for Iranians to go back. Threre's nothing like living in your own country (only those having spent decades outside Iran can really understand this)

Kamangir