Open season for discrimination against Iranians!
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Open season for discrimination against Iranians!
20-Jan-2008
There has been a disturbing and increasing trend in employment discrimination against Iranians in US recently. Iranians have become prey of choice as of late and the predators usually get away with total impunity. Most of the victims of such discrimination remain silent and never file a complaint. However recently such incidents have become so rampant that few of the cases have been even reported in media with limited exposure. Just in past couple of weeks two cases of employment discrimination involving Iranian employees surfaced in the media:
//www.bizjournals.com/orlando/stories/2008/01/07/daily22.html
//www.timesleader.com/news/ap?articleID=340656
Another case involved Merill Lynch company that was caught firing two Iranian employees in two separate incidents for the sole reason that they were Persian.
//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merrill_Lynch#Violation_of_Civil_Rights_of_Iranian-Muslim_employees
//www.dealbreaker.com/2007/07/post_364.php
Merrill Lynch was forced to pay a penalty of $1.6 million in one case while the US Government file a law suit against the company
on behalf of the Iranian employee in the second case.
Despite of efforts by some Iranian organizations to address this disturbing trend Iranian-American society has remained oblivious to this issue for most part. While racial slurs and bigoted comments addressed toward other groups and minorities have been condemned and deemed inappropriate when it comes to Iranians it's still open season.
Iranian community has to confront this trend by educating the public, persuading the congress to pass legislation condemning bigotry toward Iranians and perhaps with other punitive measures like boycotting the companies that condone such practices.
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Published opinion regarding Iran in Columbus Dispatch
by Ali Kirk Mashayekhi (not verified) on Thu Feb 19, 2009 11:11 AM PSTGreetings. I am an Iranian-American Lawyer who has been subject to continuous discrimination because of my name in “Middle America” for over 15 years. I ran for the Florida House of Representatives in 2000 and 2002. Unfortunately, because of my name, during the 2000 campaign, I received death threats in several e-mails.
Below is the text and a link to an opinion that I wrote that was published in the Columbus Dispatch. Perhaps the piece is worthy of publication on your site.
Thank you.
__________________________________________________
Persistent threat of Iran needs attention
Thursday, February 19, 2009 3:10 AM
The Iranian Revolution commenced in February 1979. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returned to Iran after 15 years in exile. Since 1979, Iranian regimes have destabilized the region, advocated state-sponsored terrorism and engaged in consistent human-rights abuses inside Iran.
Thirty years later, Iran still dominates the headlines with its nuclear program and defiance of western and United Nations sanctions. It provides support to militants in Iraq, arms Hezbollah in Lebanon and, most recently, advances the causes of Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Yet despite all the tough talk and sanctions, five U.S. presidential administrations have failed to devise any tangible strategies to confront Iran's dangerous theocratic government.
Is a push for regime change the answer? Talks without preconditions? Any new course would be welcome because nothing has worked in the past.
An unfortunate byproduct of the Iranian Revolution has been continuous discrimination against Iranians and Iranian-Americans living in the United States.
But change has been a familiar theme in the Obama administration. Let's hope this sentiment includes seriously addressing issues with Iran and reducing the backlash against Iranians and Iranian-Americans.
ALI KIRK MASHAYEKHI
Westerville
__________________________________________________
LINK:
//www.columbusdispatch.com/live/content/edito...
...FYI
by ---Anonymous (not verified) on Mon Jan 21, 2008 04:48 PM PSTML CEO was fired 3 months ago after he led the company to $20 billion loss!!!! There is a law suit against company by EEOC for discriminating against that Iranian employee!
I agree with your good idea though as what to do...
Why not send Merrill Lynch an Email???
by Anonymous-Patriot (not verified) on Mon Jan 21, 2008 01:17 PM PSTAfter reading your blog, I got on the Merrill Lyuch website and sent their CEO an email. Try it yourself and let Merrill know how you feel about their discrimination against people of Iranian origins.
I am sick of being discriminated against by pink-while European Americans and Jewish-Americans who still think of us as sub-human. It is time to be heard.
Merril Lynch CEO: E. Stanley O'Neal
email address: Diversity_Inclusion@ml.com
Good luck!!!
There are many Iranian organizations....
by Nadias on Mon Jan 21, 2008 12:44 PM PSTin which there are many MLK type Iranians. Giving of their time, money and other resources. I find it hard to believe that there are no grassroots organizations in California and especially in San Diego that work together for Iranian causes.
If I were there, I can assure you that I would be an active volunteer and I am not even Iranian nor do I speak Farsi.
solh va doosti
Nadia
Who is the Iranian MLK?
by Unregistered hawk! (not verified) on Mon Jan 21, 2008 12:14 PM PSTEvery where I go I see plenty of an Iranains in this country specially on west coast. In San Diego 2 out of 3 were Iranains. But somehow for some people of ignorance we are all terrorists!!
The "Not my problem attitude" is gong to cacth up with all of us. we need a voice....
MLK .........I have a dream........
by Nadias on Mon Jan 21, 2008 09:45 AM PST"Now, I say to you today my friends, even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: - 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."
-Martin Luther King Jr.,
Pure Genius
by Anonymous78 (not verified) on Mon Jan 21, 2008 09:44 AM PSTOMG, I love the chicken picture on the unregistered comments!
A minority without VOICE!
by No bigtro! (not verified) on Mon Jan 21, 2008 09:32 AM PSTIranians have no voice in US that's why bigots/racists of this society discriminate against us with impunity. Case of Merrill Lynch company is a very telling example!
Merrill Lynch is so shameless that despite being caught and punished twice within a month by government and NASD for blatant violation of Iranian employees, offered no apology and no change in policy!!! Any other company treating any other minority like this would have faced boycott and public outrage.
It may be that our compatriots living in west cast are more immune to these kind of bigotry than those in east coast. But I can not stand some in our community being apologists (see commenst below) for bunch of bigots in corporae America. That is shameful. We need to speak out with one laud voice against violation of our civil rights. In case you did not know It's illegal in US! MLK started this movement and today we celebrate that.
I think mmm you are not
by Nadias on Mon Jan 21, 2008 08:06 AM PSTcompletely accurate. In the news article it clearly states that not only was he hired but that he had several promotions. He also obtained tenure at the catholic college.
The problems of promoting him further occurred after the 9/11 attacks. There was sufficient evidence found to bring about a lawsuit against the college on discrimination.
solh va doosti
Nadia
CATHOLIC
by mmmm (not verified) on Mon Jan 21, 2008 01:25 AM PSTThe first case didn't make much sense . This is a catholic college and he was a practicing Muslim wanting to go up the management ladder?!
HELLO!? They promote catholism not Islam there. Go to a secular or Muslim College dude!
Lets not generalize these specific cases to all Iranians!
It's a shame!
by ---Anonymous (not verified) on Sun Jan 20, 2008 10:59 PM PSTBoycutt is the way to go!