Friday, May 18, 2007

Iranian Experience (Anna's)

A couple of days ago, I was telling one of my colleagues how I didn't dare sending him to Iran alone, fearing he would be traumatized.
"Why", he asked?

"First, since, unlike its neighbors, Iran has never been colonized, Iranians do not have a second language and thus you will have difficulty getting by", I said; "and secondly because you won't find beer!"

He laughed. "The secnd will traimatize me", he joked.

I am always fascinated by how the others see Iran. My flight to Iran was half full of British citizens. I wondered what they were going to Iran for. They looked so helpless trying to fix their gigantic scarves on their heads. And they seemed nervous. Entring Iran is nerve wrecking even for me; there is always the anticipation of something unexpected.

Anna is one of the visitors of this blog. She is a German Swiss (a little shy to write in English). Practically, that is all I know about Anna. She told me that she was in Iran at the same time that I was; late April. And she kindly allowed me to share her experience in Iran with the blogsphere. Here it goes, unedited (but I endulged in color coding the parts of her letter that struck me emotionally)

As somebody who kept for herself a mostly contemplative, psychologic and philosophic look "at the world“ and apparently being ab ovo just suspicious about any kind of cultural arrogancy, propagandistic, cynic endeavourings to create all over again „concepts of enemies“ with all this arrogant, despicable looking down at others as a method to to elevate oneself. I always considered it to be important to keep for oneself something just called openness, interest, love and looking at things and people without indoctrinated, „useful“ prejudicies. But sometimes it just makes me sad to recognize, that we never get to see something "new under the sun“ ... just the protagonists and ruling moron’s names are changing.

I had the chance to feel me with this attitude of modesty (not to be confused with clueless simple-mindedness) to be "on the right side" during my yearlong and repeated stays in the former Sovjetunion aka and thanks to Reagan „The realm of evil“ whose people according to the useful prejudicies were just seen as heartless roboters or at least pitiful slaves, condemmned to live in chaines and without any freedoms. While I with exactly such people there have all over again spent unforgettable times. Liberty indeed is one of the greatest things mankind is capable to imagine and of course one all over again has to fight for it because it’s not falling from heaven like manna. But I am convinced, that it is so great – and not as paradoxon or contradiction in itself! - that it also can be lived in a nutshell-size ... just out of the hearts, the mindset and the spirit of people and all the ways they find to show, practice and live it. Something and its possibilities which especially in the spoiled West seems to be beyond imagination, where liberty just too often gets confused with "anything goes“ and paradoxically or nevertheless and often just is resulting in an unstillable hunger and endless search for somehow never to be reached what’s called "sense of life“.

And now the same happened to me in the downright heart of "the axis of evil.“ ... something that hasn’t really surprised me though but nevertheless touched my heart and soul. And the very best I could wish all those who use to call me 'terrorist-sympathisant and islamofascist’just because I’m not singing in their chorus of hateful ignorant chlichées, suspicion and arrogancy is „go to Iran and meet with its impressing and overwhelming beauties and richness in culture and landscapes and the openhearted friendlyness of people ... perceptable literally wherever one goes. And regarding the women: Yes, they are under the chador or with headscarf unless not at home, but even „on the street“ you’d be just surprised about their very self confident behavior. And see all the obviously loving fathers with the baby on their arms or holding by his hand if it’s capable to walk on own legs ... men you just use to call rapers. Get the honor to be invited into rooms of privacy and instead of feeling just nothing but ashamed about your world of nothing but prejudice and arrogancy, see and learn and finally just stop humiliating and hating the people because of their problematic rulers or maybe their religion. For YOUR rulers, having sworn by the Almighty and the Bible are problematic too!“

My trip led me from Tehran to Kashan, Abanyeh, Nain, Yazd, Zeyn-o-Din > an old (from time of Safavid-Dynasty), at the edge of Dasht-e Kavir singly standing caravansery where we stayed over night and felt like in an almost unrealistically beautiful oasis out of every time. Some tryed to verify its reality by talking a lot, two others just standing silently embraced on the roof and looking into the „talking“ endlessness of heaven and its stars. Then Shiraz, Persepolis, Esfahan and back to Tehran ... and of course these two weeks just passed by all too quickly. I was trying to catch the impressions with my camera too and also did ... but it has come true once again: I seem to be a bad photographer, or in other words: MY best and most reliable camera always turns out to be that of my very heart :-).

How could photos ever include or reproduce what you really see and feel, all your perceptions by all senses, all these „picture accompagnying“ fragrances and sounds: This exemplaric (!) man in Abanyeh for example talking with his Beo-bird and the Beo-bird with almost everybody. Schoolclasses who had their drawing-lessons somewhere outside and proudly whould show their works and wanting to know what we think about, do we like it, and for goodbye laying a flower in one’s hand and saying with a smile „come back to Iran again!“.

The overwhelming persian music we were invited to enjoy in an appartment in Shiraz, where the 80 years old, now practically blind and deaf violinist Ali Jabarian with 20 pretty sexy and elegantly dressed young ladies (all students in any kind of disciplines) played and sang for us. But not just for us, for themselves too! It’s all together about 60 young women who – and who from them ever has the time to - at least once a week are meeting there and cultivating this wonderful „hobby“ on an absolute worldclass level, I shouldn’t miss to mention here. The fragrances in the bazars, not to speak of those of the orangeblossoms, levkoyas and roses hovering now over the most wonderful gardens and parks like tender veils and often even together with additionally gentle sounds. And all the people, children and families enjoying these atmospheres. The four men sitting in a corner of the Esfahanian Si-o-se Pol, chanting Qu’ran-verses ... no-no ... not those about defending religion by the sword!!! I just remembered Khalil Gibran having answered somebody at the question „What’s for you the most important in the Qu’ran?“ „The most important for me is a flower I years ago have laid between its pages“, he answered. What a wonderful answer!

And so on and on. And no! I do not deny or dispel all the obvious and lurking problems and complications, also deficits in what is called freedom and equal justice for everybody, men AND women, and so on. Just I’m not willing to stare just and exclusively at them and overlook everything else existing as well! These are processual developments and they must go on and be intensified from inside Iran and its people! (and it’s a fact, that the manyfold forms of subverting Iran by foreign interests and intelligence, are a not to be underestimated factor in paralysing exactly such inner-iranian progresses and ressources). They can not be imported, or exported to Iran from those who think they are obliged and justified to do so!

And as for the very private impressions: I finally also „physically“ met a friend of mine, who over and above turned out to be the iranian tour-guide for this small group ... there somehow simply are no haphazards, it’s all just fate and time arriving to see and recognize. And to understand its „language“. Let us call, with the words of my friend, such a meeting and its circumstances kind of possibly everybody’s special version of „Rang-e khoda.“ (The colors of the divine). I can’t but agree. Never in my life – and as an agnostic – I remember having had so essential and deep going, mutually enriching talks with a person who does believe in God, but often just can’t help badly missing him and to whom belief is not just a source of answers, but much more a source of questions. All these eternal convictions, dimensions and questions about heaven and hell, devils and angels and sense of life, hope and desperation, feeling oneself found or lost ... but in fact conditions all over again just created by people, not by what’s called God. It’s all just left up to mankind (!) and every one of us to represent or contribute to the one or the other.

There ain’t no other choice left: I must and will go back to Iran again, to this country having become for me all-in-all kind of a love-story beyond all naiv romanticism though, but a place to be and nevermore to forget or to be indifferent about. Including everything that’s worth at all to be called love: Suffering, compassion, happyness, darkness, light and hope. And respect, something that never will blossom on ignorance, prejudicies and arrogancy.

Yesss, I have seen the Khomeinis and Khatamis and the Martyrs portraying paintings or posters looking down from walls and bridges. I even have got an impression about the activities of the guardians of public morals. I have heard from Ahmadinejads idiotic playing down the drastic inflation telling the people on TV to be a bit flexible and to buy their tomatoes or whatever down in „his“ south of Tehran, where everything is cheeper. I know about all the corruption that he could not stop in contrast to another promise of his. I know that men from Yazd and Rafsanjan having been in school for just 6 years and except the Qu’ran not knowing very much, are called in high positions. I know about these 30% of workless people. I already thought quite a lot about what whould be if Iran tryed to lead all its energical ressources into other projects than “just” into its prestigeous nuclear projects ... while at the other hand even such thoughts of mine come only in full awareness, that I finally couldn’t call the western theater on Iran about this matter anything else but part of all these too well known hypocritical doublestandards! And so on and on. But all this simply just could not prevent me from writing and just having had to write kind of a declaration of love for this country and its people “like you and me”.

32 comments:

Zeinobia said...

I am not surprised about Anna's experience in Iran
by the way Naj can I know why you put Persian not Farsi banner pardon my ignorance ;)

Naj said...

Hi Zeinobia,

I hope you get a chance to visit Iran too and tell me about your impression as well :)

Good question re banner.

I got that from Dr Ehsan Yarshater's Encylopedia Iranica. He argues that "farsi" is a newly introdced word in English that is divorcing the Iranian language from its historical representation in older English texts (before Iran became the con of fundamentalism, if you know what I mean ;) )

He argues, something along the line that, just as Italians speak "italiano", when we write about their language we write they speak "italian"; or french (not francais); and thus the word "persian" must be pre served in refering to the language spoken by Iranians, to keep connected to the better known heritage of the Persians.

This argument is not an old one. In fact the Pahlavis who aimed at bringing "persia" to Modern century, argues similarly that Iran "will" divorce Iran from its ancient past, and thus open a new chapter into mdernity.

So anyways, for now, I am stcking to Yar Shater's suggestion.

Anonymous said...

Naj:

I do not care what others think of us any more; I cared a lot when I was young. My view now is very simple - accept us the way we are or leave us alone.

zeinobia:

"Persian" is the name of the name of the language in English language - in German it is "Persisch" etc..

Using "Farsi" when referring to the official language of Iran is akin to saying that Italtians speak "Italiano" and Germans speak "Deutsch".

"Farsi-y-e Dari" (Court Persian) is the name of the language in Persian language.

pen Name

Naj said...

Pen Name,

I do care how people think about me; because I am curious; not because their judgments makes my identity.

In fact as I am growing older, I am beginning to care. Before I didn't.

But my caring is also because I am interested in the way humans communicate across the barriers of language and culture; it's maybe an ethnographic interest.

Funny we both gave the same example about Farsi :)

Anonymous said...

naj:

Every country has strengths and weaknesses. So does every human being.

When we go to another country, we are not going there to judge them or to caress our own ego how much better we are than them. Likewise, when we meet and communicate with other human beings we are normally refraining from being judgemental.

I am tired of all these foreigners who come to Iran and are critical of us for not being like them. Almost all of these foreigners are Europeans or North Americans.

Now, admittedly we in Iran have been trying to emulate them for 150 years, why isn't this enough for them (immitation being the highest form of flattery!)

Indians, Chinese, South Americans, and others accept us the way we are - warts and all.

I am surprised that the older you get the more you care about what other think of you - why does it matter?

Naj said...

Pen Name,

Again, you didn't read all I said, carefully enough and JUMPED to conclusions! ;)

I am not tired of people who come visit Iran and express their opinions. I do not find their statements judgmental at all. To compare and contrast with respect to "self" is a very normal way of gaining consciousness about both the "self" and the "other." Then can express what they feel and I may choose to weigh in on their (perhaps wrong impression) with my insight. What's tring about that?

The Chinese and Indians do not compare and contrast our societiies? I don't know about that. I feel the language and the cultural barrier between myself and the Asians to be far thicker, BECAUSE the Asian politeness (or sometimes shyness) prevents them from speaking their opinion. This doesn't mean they do not have an opinion. If you push them far enough, they will express it.

They also do not find the need to express their impression of our "difeences" because we have MCH in common, with the Chinese and Indians. So what's the point of stating the obvious?

I was recently speaking to an Indian scholar who found everything I said about the Iranian cinema and feminism so fascinating thathe was practically taking notes (on a piece of paper) as we were having a coctail.

Also, I think it is normal that as humans who are forced to live on earth, and who NEED to communicate with eachother, we try to find common denominators that bring us together.

Iran is not an isolated bubble in an isolated universe, although ufortunately some Iranians like yourself may think/wish so.

The older I get, the more I care about HOW people think about EACHOTHER; because the older I get I realize we do not live in a bubble, in our own isolated worlds, as we may think/wish so.

To speak to people is to respect them. And until someone has broken that line of trust and respect, I will continue to listen and to CARE for what people tell me. It's perhaps a bit Lacanian, but through the mirror I come to becoming.

Anonymous said...

naj:

Thank you for your reply.

I am not grasping all of the nuances of your statements - I will have to think about them.

pen Name

G.Gar said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Naj said...

Amro,
next time you wish for nuclear explosion in Tehran and write hate messages such as: "Hiroshima Nakazaki Tehran, inshallah" think twice so you won't have to come back and delete them after!!

Seek psychological help son; you are too young to be this ill for the rest of your life.

nunya said...

Iran sounds beautiful.

Anonymous said...

It’s good for some have his visit to any country and get his thoughts that enrich human friendship.

But unfortunately ME include Iran have a along way to be more open and more accepting others as in western world.

In same taken, sadly some bright Iranian has left their loved country for good for different reasons.

In today new just came that:
Iran denies access to US scholar
By Pam O'Toole
BBC News

Leading Iranian-American academic Haleh Esfandiari
Haleh Esfandiari is one of the leading US experts on Iran
Iranian Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi has said Iran's judiciary is preventing her from representing a US-Iranian academic detained in Tehran last week.


So sad and ironic for this bright woman.

David said...

Anna seems very pleasantly surprised by her experiences in Iran (I like her descriptions of strong assertive women and gentle caring fathers). I felt similarly when I visited South Korea. Fortunately, I went there with a good friend who was a native. I met a few people there who spoke excellent English. However, for the most part, I would have been lost without the translating of my friend.

Somehow, I had gotten it into my head that young Iranians were required to take a few years of English in their schools. From what you said, it seems that this is not true? Most Americans certainly do not learn a second language. However, I think it would be beneficial if a second language was mandatory in public schools here. My High School offered several languages. As I recall, Spanish, French, and Latin were offered for up to three years. I studied Latin for three years, however, I didn't learn to speak it. In fact, I had difficulty just learning how to read it! For most people, High School age (say 15 to 18) is just too old to begin. By that age, the brain has matured to the point that it is very difficult to learn a second language. Kids really need to start a second language in the first grade (say age six) or even earlier to become really proficient speakers. Of course, there are a few exceptional language learners who can do very well later in life. For example, one of my friends in college became quite fluent in Japanese starting at age 20!

Anonymous said...

Persian or Farsi?
This attempt to replace the word "Persian" with "Farsi" is not only incongruous with the history of the language but also creates confusion and misunderstanding. While the use of the word "Farsi" is a political statement for some Iranian authorities, for others it may indicate a lack of knowledge about the history of this language. It indicates that those who carelessly promote the use of the word Farsi are indeed engaging in an equivocal representation of this language and may not, by any means, be promoting Iranian culture.

Naj said...

David,

You are absolutely right about need for learning other languages at early age.

20 years ago, we started at age 11 in Iran.

These days, kids start at age 4! There are more classes and tutors and English teaching has become a lucrative business.

That said, for a language to be spoken well, one needs constant exposure. Also a need to communicate in a foreign language to get by in daily activities.

The next generation of Iranians will be more language savvy, because they are growing in an age of communication. I hope that new generation will produce a foreign minister who wouldn't need a translator while having Rice pudding ;)

Anonymous said...

Anonymous:

You cannot keep on threatening a sovereign state with death and destruction, with economic warfare, and terrorist campaign of destablization and not to expect the conditions inside the country to become very very seriously security dominated.

Historically, Iran has changed for the better in benign security environments and not the situations like today.

I do agree with you that Iran, like most other countris of th world, has got a long way to go on the path of developing respect for th Rule of Law.

3000 years of lawlessness cannot be ameliorated in 30 years.

pen Name

Anonymous said...

David:

We teach both English & Arabic in Iranian schools. While the quality of instruction and its length are varied; I do not think that is athose are great impediments. More of an impediment is the fact that the knowledge of English & Arabic languages is not useful to most people in their daily lives so it tends to atrophy and disappear over time.

pen Name

Anonymous said...

Anonymous (Persian or Farsi)

In addition to your observations there is also this:

The historical name of the language was "Farsi-ye Dari", i.e. Court Persian. And in fact, at times, the words "Farsi" and "Dari" where used interchangeably.

After WWII, Afghans started to refer to the Persian language in Afghanistan as "Dari". The Soviets, since 1920s, were using the word "Tadjiki" to refer to the Persian language spoken in the Tadjik Soviet Socialist Republic. In Iran, we had been using the word "Farsi" for centuries - having dropped "Dari" from it long time before.

So, all of a sudden, in the 20-th century, we were faced with 3 languages, "Farsi", "Dari", and "Tadjiki"! Which, of course, was just a political lie serving certain interests such as those of the Russian communists and the misguided Afghan nationalists!

pen Name

Anonymous said...

I said; "and secondly because you won't find beer!"

"In 2000, BBCNews did a series of news stories about the rampant social problems in Iran:

"A new report, from Mohammad Ali Zam, the head of Tehran's cultural and artistic affairs, acknowledged for the first time that
1) There are up to two-million drug addicts, some of them schoolchildren, with an estimated five tonnes of narcotics consumed every day in the capital, Tehran. The authorities in Iran have been unable to stem the flow of drugs across the border from Afghanistan, despite a desperate battle. But Mr Zam's report says that easy availability of opium is only part of the problem. He says the young are turning to drugs because of a lack of any other alternative entertainment.
2) The average age of prostitutes has dropped from 27 to 20 years over the past few years, with a growing but an unspecified number of women involved, which could be due to a kidnapping problem that is leading to poor village girls being kidnapped by pimps and then forced into prostitution. Also, nearly all the young girls who run away from home end up as prostitutes.
3) 12m people live below the poverty line, and huge numbers are flocking to cities from villages. The country has one of the world's youngest populations, with 35m people under the age of 20. Unemployment is rising as President Mohammed Khatami struggles to liberalize the economy."

No Comment......

Naj said...

Anonymous,

Your point is?

You know there are certain people who sit around the ring and just nag; there are others who are trying to bring their colleagues to Iran to actually do science to battle the addiction problem! So spare me your tears, and your comment dear! Aren't there enough "nanhe man gharibam" blogs for you to go feel bad about you and your country out there?

And you know, I don't expect every citizen of Great Britain to be traumatized by prostitution and addiction problem in Iran!

Naj said...

LOL!

Anonymous, "BBC report 2000" ... come on .. what are you one of "ashaab-e Kahf?"!

It INFURIATES me that journalists permit themselves to speak about a matter as culturally and socially and physiologically as intircate as addiction by DUMBLY SPECTULATING about lack of entertainments!

Sorry I am impatient when it comes to outright khale-zanaki comments!

Anonymous said...

naj:

His point is that the Islamic Repubic is a failure.

We only need to bring "democracy" for all our social ills to disppear - yes, and then Utopia is just around the corner too.

We used to have Shahr-e No (New City) in Tehran which was where the prostitutes were before the Islamic Revolution; now that Shah-re No is no more, those same women are spread all over Tehran. And in 1979, Tehran's population was 3 million, now it is more than 10 million and the population is more youthful.

And then there was the famous Abadan Whorehouse that the Revolution put an end to it; its replacement is now in Dubai.

I will be the first to admit our problems (social, economical, and political) but I have heard too many of these allegations and slanders to remain silent.

The same social problems, but on a much larger scale exist in Turkey, in Syria, in Israel, in Pakistan, and elsewhere.

We, in the Islamic Repubic, are doing what we can. In eternal words of Imam Hussein: "hal min nasrah yan sorni" - "Is there anyone among you to aide me?"

pen Name

pen Name

Naj said...

Well Pen Name,

I really don;'t care about Imam Hossein et al. But when there is a problem, I don't liek to sit around and just nag and become a part of the problem!

I just HATE it how all these apparently democracy-loving Iranians sit around and do NOTHING but complaining about the government!

Well the hell with government. today, Iran's greatest social reforms are brought about by NGOs!

Why don't these people write about the NGO boom in Iran?

The IRI is crap?! So be it! None of BBC's business!

BBC did a range of reports ... huh! since when is BBC Iranian's best friend?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

sorry ... I cannot take idiocy from Iranians. I have infinite patience for that Amro! But not for Iranians being so ... negative and lazy in argumentation!!

Anonymous said...

Some named her Blog IRANFACTS, when it's come to real life on the street of Islamic Republic of Iran (Khomeini kingdom) she denied it all! What should call her?

She live outside Iran she enjoying all the freedom in the West and she never changed herself a bit to specks the truth more over she bullied any one try to post in her web site views that different from what she marketing.

So what you did to solve Iran problem Madam? Advice us please?

Or you just posting some good things about Iran can fix other Iran's problems?


Its just HOT AIR madam

If Iran nice and beautifully can tell us why you left Iran then?

BTW, are you working? where you live in Britain or Germany or as usual you are on Social Welfare?

Overview on Social Problems of Iran

Naj said...

Well dear anonymous,

Here's my FIRST advice to you:

STOP OVERSIMPLIFICATIONS such as

"Are you on welfare, as usual?"

==============================

Yeah I am on welfare!

==============================
Lesson two" READ before commenting and judging!

Naj said...

Anonymous,

I have some reason to believe you are purposefully mangling your English.

As bad as Iranians are in English, they don't say things like:

"If Iran nice and beautifully can tell us why you left Iran then?"

I suggest you set up a blog and present your own IRANFACTS; and I hope each of us will help Iran in our own way.

With all due respect, my conversation with you has come to end.

Anonymous said...

Your right to block me but believe me Iran's problems will never be fix as simply as blocking posts and been deaf in this world?

The other point I would to say, I agree with you that BBC, WP, NYT are not friendly to your country but if you go back and read what I post, in facts the report came from Mohammad Ali Zam, the head of Tehran's cultural and artistic affairs, so its nothing to do with BBC as such.

But you went screaming, unbalanced by not reading my post and understand what in it; sadly that makes all your replies just meaningless, out of topic of the core of discussion here.

It's up to you, keep living in your "Green Zone" on your bed telling your dreams.

Wish you the best, and take care

God Bless

Anonymous said...

Anonymous:

I have viewed your clip. The clip touched on the following:

-beggars (mostly professional),
-homelessness (almost always men)
-drug addiction
-poverty as exemplified by trash sorters'
-control of women' clothing,
-cruel & unusual punishment for adultery (alleged)
-polygamy
-state control of the means of communication,
-poverty again.

I will respond below:

There are professional beggars in Iran, in Pakistan, in India, and elsewhere. This existed before Revolution in Iran and continues to this day.

There are truly needy people in Iran that the Islamic Republic has tried to reach through such organizations as Komite-ye Emded (e Imam Khomeini) etc.

Iran is not a rich country. It could be richer if the government liberalizes its economic policy. But such liberalization will result in immediate pain for many workers and their families who are employed by the inefficient and/or money-loosing state enterprises. In a way, in Iran, the government, by hiring and keeping employed, is acting like a charity. If you prefer the liberal economic approach, be ready to see more poverty and agony in the short turn.
Moreover, I would like to point out to you how spoiled Iranians are: from one side of their, mouth they bad-mouth the government, from the other side they want the same government to keep subsidize gasoline, cooking oil, sugar, bread, etc. Right now, natural gas is almost free in Iran; ergo Iranian people turn up the heat in the winter so that they could sit around their homes in shirt-sleeves!

I have absolutely no sympathy for the drug addicts - I pity them but they made a choice and they have to live with its consequences. There are many young men who fought in the War of Sacred Defense and died or became cripples - they did not become addicts.

Homelessness is certainly a problem in Teheran; many of them are mentally disturbed as well (mostly men - effect of testosterone no doubt). Again some things are being done but perhaps are not enough. And again, we have the same issue in Turkey, in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Iran, US, UK, France, Italy, Japan, etc. It is a world-wide problem regardless of the nature of the government structure.

I sympathize with the trash sorters, but then again, tell us what to do? They make a living going through the garbage of Tehran and they do perform an (undesirable) but useful work. How many families, out of the 10 million inhabitants of Iran are we talking about here? 1000 families perhaps? 10,000 families (rather doubtful). Please do not exaggerate the scale of the issue.

Personally, I do not have any issue with polygamy; some men would like to have more than one wife and some women are willing to enter such marriages. In fact, you would be surprised at the number of educated women over 30 who are willing to become a second wife to a man. I know since I have met such women.

And I do not have any issues with boys carrying guns; they used to do that in US where a generation before many families would by a 9-milimeter pistol or rifle for their 10 year old kid to shoot squirrels. Likewise, in Israel you see kids with guns. Get out of your shell and see the world.

Just about the only part of your propaganda clip that had made a valid points was the infringement on the personal liberty of Iranian people (both men & women) that is initiated by the state. There you have a case - controlling communication, women's clothing, arresting party-goers, etc. This lawlessness is what greatly disturbs me. Unfortunately, I will not live to see respect for Law in Iran, I hope that others will.

Most of your clip was really of a nagging nature; quite typical of a large number of Iranians. I tell you some of the social problem that I know of which you have left off:

-Child prostitution of the Afghan boys dressing like girls in Tehran parks for the benefit of perverts of Iran

-Belches selling genetically mutilated girls into servitude in UAE and Saudi Arabia

-Boys still being the great gift of God (do-dul tala - golden penis) for 90% of the population

-Absence of work ethic

-Absence of ability to work in groups

-Absence of Honesty; prevalence of a lie culture

Really, if you want to talk about Iranian sociology you best start where I left off.

Ya Imam Hussein

pen Name

Anonymous said...

naj:

You do not care about Imam Hussein but we do; he is the Master of those Who Bore Witness (with their Life) to God.

pen Name

Naj said...

Anonymous (1) [not PenName]

Glad to know you are not Iranian.

God bless you too.

Naj said...

Pen,


Re Imam Hussein, I meant I need no iconic figure of faith or history in order to do what I think is my human duty in the times I live in.

I'll come to you other comment later;haven't read it yet. But thank you for responding.

Naj said...

Pen Name, I read your response and I agree with many of its points.

I was discussing with my husband about the new restrictions in civil liberties; and we were wondering where this wave is heading to. I think beneath the surface of new crackdowns on bi-hejabi and etc is the battle of state-economy versus privatized economy.

A little battlefield between the Rafsanjani camp and the neo-revolutionary ones led by Ahmadinejad's "rhetoric"! I hope they won't soil that field by innocent people's blood.

Bu the bottomline is, a privatized economy cannot operate under state-control of social liberties. Privatized economy is built on the (verisimilitude) of "choice". And state-economy cannot operate under such logic. The point you bring about the inefficiency of the bureaucracy in Iran is a prime example.

I am in a wait and see state these days. There are simply too many variables interacting with each other in the current Iranian politics; and I am not seeing any recognizable pattern; exciting times indeed; I feel Iran's undergoing puberty and I am anxious to see what kind of an adult nation it will mature into!

Re poverty, addiction, homelessness, prostitution, scavenger economy:

I ask the (un)enlightened anonymous to utilize his/her googling abilities in reading about the:

-Aboriginals of North America
-Peasant migrants to China's big cities (currently the richest nation of the world)
-East Vancouver in Canada
-Sex trade in Europe (UK!)

... was it the same anonymous who was wishing Iran was UTOPIA? ...

Utopia existed when man was a pre-human primate! Utopia is unsustainable with a human who CAN alter the nature.

Naj said...

:)) .... okey this dude's flying off the handle!

Here! Honey, if it's therapeutic for you to vent off in my blog, be my guest!

I hope it makes you feel better so you can do something useful with your time other than reading blogs that aggrivate you ;)