Working for you

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Jahanshah Javid
by Jahanshah Javid
10-Jan-2010
 

Dear friends,

When you visit iranian.com on Monday, you will see a page asking for your financial support.

Iranain.com is now in its 15th year. Since its launch, it has relied entirely on the support of its readers. Well, my late mother, a couple of sisters, a few cousins, and a handful of  friends have been extremely generous too.

I am proud to say that I have not taken a dime from any government or any government-funded organization. If I had applied for some of those millions of dollars handed out by the U.S. State Department, my bank account would not have been more than $500 in the red at the end of last month.

Last year I remember having dinner with two people in Washington. I casually joked that I was going to apply for some government grants.

-- "You should! Why don't you?"

-- "The most important thing that distinguishes iranian.com from others is its reputation for independence. If I start getting money from the U.S. or any government-backed agency, everything will change."

-- "You're wrong. How will it change? You can go on doing all that you are doing now, but with some money in your pocket. You're making yourself suffer for no reason."

-- "That's not true. It makes a big difference to people who is backing you. Some people will never forgive me for working for the Islamic Republic News Agency or Aftab TV. It doesn't matter if I tried hard to report the truth or do something interesting. What mattered was that my salary came from a tainted source. I have tried very hard to redeem myself with iranian.com and all of it would be destroyed in an instant if I accepted money from some government again. And remember, governments don't give out money for no reason. They have their own expectations. In effect, you would be working for them."

So in short, it feels good to be working for you, the reader, and fulfilling my passion for publishing. I am grateful for your support during all these years. Can't do it without you.

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more from Jahanshah Javid
 
anglophile

Can one pay anonymously?

by anglophile on

Dear Mr Javid

 

Is there a method of payment  using which one can make an anonymous donation? 

 


Bijan A M

Thanks JJ

by Bijan A M on

With all sorts of fraud that's going on in cyber space, it is nice if you send an automatic confirmation to those who donated. We want to make sure you are not robbed off what good inetioned people have contributed.

I admire you for what you're doing and I think you are under-estimating the power of your site in the political arena.

 

Best of luck and thanks again. 


sima

So this is it, my friends?

by sima on

An initial burst of support from the usual suspects and then back to business as usual...? Where is everybody else?

Please, folks, try to understand that it is not fair for Jahanshah to be forever contributing to the quality of our lives and we not give a damn whether he has rent money or not. Please come through. And be prepared to keep coming through. Either we do this or we lose what we have in IC.


Kourosh Aryamanesh

آقای جاويد

Kourosh Aryamanesh


اين تارنمای شما خاصيت افيونی داره. چون ترک کردنش سخته. برای افراد ناواردی مثل ما لطف بفرماييد آدرسی يا صندوق پستی اعلام کنيد . ما هيچوقت اين مبادلات ارزی را روی خط ياد نگرفتيم. تازه اگر شما را پشتيبانی نکنيم اين همه هوادار و بلاگ نويس بلا تکليف ميشن. ... موفق باشيد. 


Sahameddin Ghiassi

Be connected with each other

by Sahameddin Ghiassi on

Dear Jahanshah

 I have a boarding school in Orlando, Florida. I have a lot of possibilities for the students, they can work here, live and study. I have eight acres land with irrigation and fence and a lot of cages for growing animals and pond for fish. I need motivated people to save this little Iran in Orlando. If we can be connected to each other and help the Iranians together; I can also support your Iranian.com as I am also Iranian Neda School...so both of us should come under an umberalla. I need students, partners and motivated people. Ghiassi

 


Pejman7

Let's Donate Right Now!

by Pejman7 on

Let's donate right now! It's very easy.


MM

PayPal worked well. Thanks.

by MM on

PayPal worked well for contributions to Itanian.com.  Thanks.


Maryam Baaji

To Monda

by Maryam Baaji on

Thank you for your kind words about the best of Iranian.com project. What I did was to "edit" the archive from the beginning to 2006. Many of our present good writers were not around then.

I did break down the selection in themes, the great majority of which are not even yet published. It was such a lot of time and work to comb the archive and would have been so much more work presenting them in proper format that I ran out of steam. Especially since the project was not that well received.

I still believe in archives. IC has a really impressive one. But instead of appreciating what we've got -- and the work of people who try to revive it, though it necessarily involves some subjectivity -- we sling mud and shoot down people's efforts. Now, ain't that all too Iranian?!


ramintork

JJ Jaan

by ramintork on

Thanks for your honest response.

You are absolutely right in your explanation, and you have my support.

I am aware of united4iran.org and I will try to coordinate efforts with bigger organization that have the same purpose as our newly formed IIC group.

It is just that in many ways, despite all the noise that we make, I can see that we could be heading towards the same mistakes as our fathers, lives could be lost and the thought is absolutely killing me!

And I guess with my sensitivity every life that is lost that I could had saved just tears a part of my liver as we would say in persian.

I meant it when I said I apologize for cornering you.

For ever your friend,

Ramin.


Anonymouse

Doubling the contribution would be this eStupid cash VISA!

by Anonymouse on

Everything is sacred.


Anahid Hojjati

Potato, potatoe, anonymous, anonymouse :)

by Anahid Hojjati on

 

Dear mouse, now you see what you have done to the word. It is all your fault that I misspelled.  Mouse jan, please double whatever contribution you were planning to make since you have caused this mistake in me and possibly other people.


Monda

Aha! Good thing I caught you here, Maryam Baaji joon!

by Monda on

This is a good time for our literature savvy little rat to review the archives and bring some most excellent pieces to see the light of day, Again! One of which being Princess's Kabul Dairies.  Surely you've read those?!

I'd donate something extra for your reviews (plus for Erotica, as Setareh suggested).  I just cracked up again at a few of your "funniest" choices. Ok I have got to go to work Now!  Love you!


sima

I agree with JJ

by sima on

Advocacy and activism need their own infrastructure, if you will. Certainly any media outlet can accomplish more with raising consciousness than raising a few dollars.

But IC does even more than raise consciousness. It creates a community of producers and consumers of information. It is one of the very few sites -- believe it or not -- that does that in a truly independent way. It is the future of mass media, that's for sure. The problem is that it is suffering because the monetization of user-generated media has not yet been worked out. Or to be precise, the monetization of user-generated media has not been worked out as far as its benefit to the producers and curators of content is concerned. Everyone else is benefiting from the content -- communication companies, service providers, corporate media, and even the consumers of free content!

I hope JJ -- and IC -- survive until content producers and curators figure out a wayy to get a slice of the pie.


Anonymouse

Anahid jaan I don't know why people want to be me.

by Anonymouse on

The estupid cash VISA didn't even work!  I just wasted $5 down the drain!  JJJ in che vaziyeh?!

I'll try this estupid card later or tomorrow, if it still didn't work, dog ate it, I'll just use my regular paypal account.

So much for paying for anonymity! 

Everything is sacred.


Souri

LOL, Jahanshah, I love you

by Souri on

...iranian.com makes a lot of noise about politics and we certainly express lots of colorful views, but it would be over optimistic to think that I or a large group on iranian.com can muster a mass movement to help the innocent in Iran or gather large amounts of money for a great cause.....

So true!

Let not take ourselves too seriously! As J says we are just " a lot of noise"...nothing more.Take it easy baba :)


Jahanshah Javid

Knowing my limits

by Jahanshah Javid on

Dear Ramin, I completely understand your frustration. I did not follow up on your idea about setting up a "mohareb" PayPal account because I know my own limits and that of iranian.com.

This site is not the type of political vehicle that would be able to inspire a large number of people to take this sort of action. iranian.com makes a lot of noise about politics and we certainly express lots of colorful views, but it would be over optimistic to think that I or a large group on iranian.com can muster a mass movement to help the innocent in Iran or gather large amounts of money for a great cause.

For instance, putting large ads on iranian.com to collect money for a worthy political cause would not generate more than a few hundred dollars. I know that because I know the vast majority of iranian.com visitors only come to read a few blogs, watch a few interesting videos and maybe leave a comment or two.

What I can do -- and what iranian.com often does -- is to raise awareness about issues by highlighting events in Iran and discussing them. Anything beyond that would be the responsibility of advocacy groups whose mission is to do exactly what you are seeking. For instance see united4iran.org. They have built a very effective organization based on hundreds of volunteers in order to get meaningful political results.

So if I don't show enthusiasm for direct involvement in big causes, it's because I know my strengths and limitations. I would rather do something I know I am good at: publishing.

Love you lots and hope to see you in London again soon :)


Maryam Hojjat

I agree with Sima too

by Maryam Hojjat on

Thanks JJ for being open with us. 


I Have a Crush on Alex Trebek

Thank you for iranian.com; I will gladly donate

by I Have a Crush on Alex Trebek on


Just the way it is, without the interference or "taint." I know it must be difficult, but we are all so grateful. I will gladly donate! This is a great community, even when it is dysfunctional. We all enjoy this site a lot, so we should give back if we are able to. You have brought us together. Thank you for never giving up or leaving this site.


Anahid Hojjati

Souri jan, by no means I meant you

by Anahid Hojjati on

 

Dear Souri, By no means I meant you.  As I mentioned I had not read all comments so if you also asked for being anonymouse, I had not even read it.  Any way you have your picture on the site and that is not being anonymouse.  Also when you discuss politics, you don't write as if you are the bravest and most Iranian of all.  In any case, what is important for this thread is the IC readers and writers, anonymouse or not, should contribute to IC.


Maryam Baaji

Homage to Iranian.com

by Maryam Baaji on

Here is a humble contribution to why Iranian.com is so important to us all. Do especially read the part about community and citizenship.

"Being Iranian.com":

 //iranian.com/main/2007/being-iranian-com

 

 


Souri

Agreed, Sima jan!

by Souri on

A monthly draft is also a very good option! That works well for me.


Anahid jan: mine is only a technical matter, nothing to do with staying anonymous. I have never been anonymous.....sure not for JJ :)


Flying Solo

About time

by Flying Solo on

Let me dig into the penny jar! Aha - there is a dime in here, I shall send your way.

If I were to pay a dime for every time I read something on this site of yours and laughed, cried, wondered, learnt, got mad, got sad, got happy and felt really good, you'd be a millionaire.  If I were to pay you a penny for every word you gave me courage to put to paper - well - then you'd be a billionaire.

So for all that you do and are - thank you. 

You don't need no government money guv'nor. You've got US!  


Anahid Hojjati

I contributed. what is this concern about being anonymous

by Anahid Hojjati on

Dear IC friends, I have not read alll the comments in this thread but it appears some are concerned about being anonymous.  I don't get it.  What is the big deal if someone gives $100.0 to Iranian.com so they can read Farsi stories and poems or whatever.  Please let me know what the big deal is about being anonymous. 

The interesting point is that people who want to be anonymous, they talk so big always and act in certain way that you assume that they have a back bone but then you see that they are afraid of even this.  Am i missing something?  Our hamvatans in Iran are willing to die for freedom and here we are so tarso that not only most of us don't use our real names to write articles but now we even want to be anonymous when we contribute to IC. 


sima

Monthly automatic deducation from credit cards please!

by sima on

JJ jan you are a wonderful and rare inidividual and I am very thankful to you and Iranian.com. I would love to see the community you have created recognize your efforts and indeed sacrifices.

Either we support independent media/publishers or we shut up and baa baa behind Murdoch and friends.

I will make a donation right now but it would be great if you give us an option to make automatic monthly contributions via credit card. I know I can make more contributions that way.

And I truly appreciate your resisting government/foundation grants. I have experience with "independent" grant-making insitutions but I will shut my mouth to not sound like a manfi-baaf...


Abarmard

Iranian.com deserves millions

by Abarmard on

Iranian.com is the best website that allows virtual (and at times physical) social gatherings, political view-sharing, news and entertainment and much more. I just wish that I could donate what I think this site is worth: millions.

Thanks Jahanshah for all your hard work and I hope that those who can help, understand the importance of their financial support and show their generosity.


masoudA

How about a P.O.Box

by masoudA on

or a mailing address - I want to send in a money order.     Many people do not wish to be identified - yet want to help.  


Anonymous Observer

As you know JJ

by Anonymous Observer on

I still haven't been able to repay the money that you loaned me last year to buy my 7 series BMW...however, I did try to make a donation and my credit card was declined, so I may have to use Jaleho's American Express, a copy of which I always maintain in my wallet for emergencies.

Seriously, thanks for the hard work.  Samsam's suggestion of prepaid credit cards for anonymity is excellent.  I will certainly use one to make a [small] contribution.  Nothing that will pay for anything important, but just to show my support (times are tough these days).  :-)


yolanda

..........

by yolanda on

Thank you for setting up Paypal so quickly, it worked perfectly! Everything got thru smoothly in less than 2 minutes! I hope you leave the donation button there, when we hear the "calling", we will donate again and again! I prefer paperless, stampless, and addressless donations. I agree with Benross:

It is so true. But I'm delightful that JJ mentioned that. Not because he is guilty of anything, but it is very important to acknowledge a sense of guilt... by all of us. This is a collective guilt we are dealing with which should be resolved collectively.

Sorry to hear you were more than $500 in the red last month.....hopefully you will never be in the red again.

Thank you so much for IC, it has news, videos, music, blogs, pictures, poems, and articles, very cool!!! It is like one-stop shopping!

Thank you and God bless you! 


Souri

?

by Souri on

If we want to send a check, what's your address? Check is the best way for me. Any idea?


Anonymouse

Natalie cash paid VISA, MC cards = mailed donations

by Anonymouse on

Someone mentioned earlier, you can pay cash and buy the VISA, MC cards and pay a charge.  I think on a $100 (One Hundred Billion Dollars ;-) there is a $6 charge and less for $25 or $50.  Money order is about $1 charge plus $0.42 stamp.  So dog ate the money, pay few dollars more, donate online and make JJJ happy!

Although, it'd be nice to have a mailing address.  Why limit the way people can donate.

PS JJJ I think this is the first time I've seen you write in Farsi.  Hope to see more of it, sometimes you just can't tell it in English like it is! 

PPS JJJ maybe next step for i.com would be a satellite or internet TV.  You can put a webcam on you and we can watch you sit on your couch and work on i.com and every now and then have a variety show or interview or something!

Everything is sacred.