What Yeggia Once Told Me About Iran

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rosie is roxy is roshan
by rosie is roxy is roshan
16-Aug-2009
 

I guess I'd heard the call several tmies before n my life, but it never came clear until the end of 2003, when Iran summoned me in all her splendor and despair. And I really hadn't known many Iranians in my life, but I knew I'd fallen in love. With Iran. 

And there was a colleague of mine at the college where I taught and he was Armenian. And so I figured since he was from that part of the world, he might be interested in Iran. And so I sat down with him one day in the cafeteria and I was like a blushing bride, and I raved about all these brand new things I'd just discovered, and how I'd fallen in love wih poets like Forough and Hafez, and he was very enthusiastic about the literature and how outstanding it was and he recommended some other things I should read. And I was surprised and confused and I said, oh, you know so much about Iran, and he said I was born and grew up in Tehran, and I said I thought you were Armenian and he said I'm Iranian Armenian. 

And well, I guess he must've been sixty something, and so then he said that he'd left Iran in the 60's and never looked back, and I said why, and he said that as far as he was concerned, as long as they saved the literature and music, the entire country could fall into the sea. And I was dumbstruck and felt like someone'd kicked me pregnant in the belly, and I could barely speak but I managed to say, what do you mean, why do you say that? And he said very emphatically, Because everything, everything there is ideological, and it's impossible to have a normal conversation, and all they do is polemicize and argue. And then he peered intently and with authority deep into my eyes  (as he was older than me and also tenured and I was only an adjunct), and said again, this time more firmly,  that as far as he was concerned, as long as they saved the literature and music, the entire country could fall into the sea. 

And well, I never actually told anyone that before but for some reason today I felt like telling you. And please don't try to  debate me about it. Because I didn't say it.

Yeggia did.

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more from rosie is roxy is roshan
 
rosie is roxy is roshan

David, Ari's point exactly.

by rosie is roxy is roshan on Mon Aug 17, 2009 09:51 AM PDT

It's too bad I hadn't realized it at the time, or when Yeggia told me that I would've told him, "Look who's talking."

I wonder if it would've strengthened or weakened his idea about the falling into the sea part. Or maybe he just would've decided he should fall in with it.

Alas, we shall never know.


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David ET

and "for some reason" this blog reminded me of the movie:

by David ET on Mon Aug 17, 2009 07:35 AM PDT

"Look who's talking?" 


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Ari Siletz

Yeggia didn't mean it

by Ari Siletz on Sun Aug 16, 2009 10:01 PM PDT

He was just polemicizing.

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Khar

So Rosie you believe...

by Khar on Sun Aug 16, 2009 06:01 PM PDT

after all these years knowing Iranians, as far as you are concerned, as long as they saved the literature and music, the entire country could fall into the sea!? Well, hey you may have something here.

...Just kidding, you know I am...... because "all they do is polemicize and argue" you know he is correct on this point. 


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javaneh29

Its not uncommon

by javaneh29 on Sun Aug 16, 2009 03:42 PM PDT

Have come across many Iranians who have cut themselves off from Iran and everything Iranian is out of their lives... even ghaza which is beyond comprehension for me at least.

Thanks for telling us.

Javaneh


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AK69

Dear Rosie,

by AK69 on Sun Aug 16, 2009 02:21 PM PDT

- At least you didn't say BITE ME!

LOLOLOL!
CHeers! 

AK69 

Bar Labe Goore Man, Avaz Bekhan


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rosie is roxy is roshan

Dear AK,

by rosie is roxy is roshan on Sun Aug 16, 2009 02:05 PM PDT

Beats me.


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AK69

Intellectual Hypocrisy or KMPAx2

by AK69 on Sun Aug 16, 2009 01:58 PM PDT

QUOTE: - “he said very emphatically, Because everything, everything there is ideological, and it's impossible to have a normal conversation, and all they do is polemicize and argue.” QUOTE: .“and I raved about all these brand new things I'd just discovered, and how I'd fallen in love wih poets like Forough and Hafez” . I SAY: Basically, the ArmenianYeti hates Iran because of what you love about Iran?I’m confused. If everything in Iran WAS NOT ideological, being concerned with ideas, and everyone there DID NOT engage in discussions expressing their opposing views (polemicize), and they DID NOT argue by giving reason for or against certain ideas, thereby contending and disagreeing in WORDS as opposed to FISTS, then HOW WOULD WE get the birth of the great ideas of Forough and Hafez and thousands of other great thinkers of our time?

 

AK69 

Bar Labe Goore Man, Avaz Bekhan


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fozolie

I am not surprised, lots of Iranains who think like that

by fozolie on Sun Aug 16, 2009 11:34 AM PDT

Moreover collectively we must seem as totally insane to outsiders.

 

Mr. Fozolie


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rosie is roxy is roshan

I totally agree.

by rosie is roxy is roshan on Sun Aug 16, 2009 10:13 AM PDT

Or certainly at least retired.

Far more productive to  argue with Neda about whether or not she should consider herself a martyr.


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Multiple Personality Disorder

I was going to argue about what he said

by Multiple Personality Disorder on Sun Aug 16, 2009 09:23 AM PDT

...but then I thought no way, he is too old or dead by now.


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