bahmani

The usual thing to do in a Ghaari is to walk off and never talk to your brother for 20 years, then when the argument is forgotten, still hold on to ill feelings even if no one knows who started it.

Certainly we are not at that phase and I do not want anyone to think that I am upset at JJ, far from it, this discussion has been about trying to find a way to make this new world we are in better. Not that it's bad now.

OK now it sounds like I'm really backpedaling! But to heed JJ's voice of calm in the storm, maybe we ought to not take things so personally and work them out in the very forum that created the phenomenon. So I'll try;

I had the misfortune to be repeatedly harassed by a certain "Goozidam Beh Rishet" one of the many brat anonymous commentors who have recently and gleefully made Iranian.com their home. Not surprisingly, out of the more than 80 comments posted on my "last post" none of them were by GBR. So confronting him/her with a post dedicated to him/her has possibly worked. Cowardice is after all predictable. GBR never made pointed comments about any piece I wrote or tried to argue a position, but instead did nothing but proclaim a virulent hatred for me, my family, my background and anything he/she could dig up from my bio. Worse, that I was contemptuous. The threats, accusations, name calling, all done with such extreme negative passion, that after a couple of these in a row, I challenge anyone to be cold enough to be able to laugh it off. It is one thing for 2 anonymous people to go at it, but entirely unnerving when you are exposed with your real name and don't know who could possibly hate you so much. But the hardest fact for me to try to deal with, was that I would create such hate in someone, by my writing. I NEVER have enemies like this, and 99.99% of people who meet me like me. Mostly because like most people, I like being liked. So much so I work hard at being fair, honest, humorous, and getting along. Ask anyone who knows me and they will confirm this. So to be hated so much, is not something that I can easily let go of. Attack my piece and I'll take it, but attack me personally and I hurt. Sorry I'm that sensitive. Sniff!

But, after a couple of days (mostly cooling off!) and discussing this issue online and off with my fellow writers, I have come to the following conclusion:

We cannot shut ANYONE up, as much as we may want to. The line of censorship once crossed is too slippery for that. Assholes have the right to scream. Especially Iranian Assholes like Goozidam Beh Rishet.

We cannot shut ANYONE up, because frankly if you know anything about the day to day running of Iranian.com and that the staff is primarily one man called JJ, you would know that the largest online Iranian publication in history (embarrassingly) does not have the staff necessary to selectively find and remove ALL of the rude comments. In my posts alone! Never mind the rest of you!

We CAN defend ourselves, using our pens (OK keyboards), even against anonymous ASSHOLE cowards like Goozidam Beh Rishet.

I also know in my heart (and GBR if you would like to put this to the test, I am ready to prove it), that I can easily take GBR in a back alley fight. And while that may seem uncivilized, macho, and lowbrow, it just made me feel real good to say that!

That and, Sticks and stones may break my bones, but Goozidam Beh Rishet is a real ASSHOLE!

As the famous poet, Omid Djalili said (with a Harlem accent), "Bring it on Motherfucker, Bring it ON!!!"

See you next week!