tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84565599615857243992024-02-18T21:50:52.336-08:00Iran WatchingUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger58125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8456559961585724399.post-76782125169633343802015-03-21T15:33:00.000-07:002015-03-22T13:59:47.549-07:00Happy Norooz, or something to that effect. <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<i>Author’s
Note: This piece is dedicated to <a href="https://twitter.com/ali_gharib" target="_blank">Ali Gharib</a>’s beard. Do not ask me why. I don’t
know why either. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
I have to do a google search to
learn that this Persian New Year is the 1394<sup>th</sup> year. That makes it
the 10<sup>th</sup> Persian New Year that I have not been in Iran. It is approximately
a third of my lifetime, in earthly years, that I have not celebrated the Persian
New Year (Norooz) in Tehran, with my family, witnessing in amazement how
beautiful, charming and clean my hometown, Tehran, that crowded Persian
bathhouse of a city, can be. About the same time that I have not seen the
majestic peaks of Alborz mountain chain separating Tehran from the Caspian
sea. Those wonderful blossoms on the trees in the streets, those excited smiles
of the entire families on the streets. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
I no longer care about Norooz. These
days, I am afraid, I get more excited about Christmas. I blame it on my eyes.
On my surroundings. I blame it on Obama. (Joking!! Also, Bill O’Reilly, love u!)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
But, really, I have to work on my
emotions, and try hard to get excited about the coming of the Persian New Year.
But, what’s the point? Yesterday was the first day of the Spring in the
south central region of the US, and I was in a coffee shop – during the
commencement of the Spring – talking to a guy I had just met, Charles, about
the Persian New Year. Charles was from Birmingham, Alabama. He seemed like a
gay person, or maybe he was not, but talking to him was pleasant. I had asked
my Iranian friends in Baton Rouge, if they wanted to get together to celebrate
the moment the Spring commenced: One response was that the tradition was to
celebrate the coming of the new year in your own home with your own family.
Well, this responder, was a married one, and she was right as far as I my
memories of Norooz helped. The other two responses were
“We are going to a dinner party.” Needless to say I was not invited to either
of the two parties. What I did was going to a fundraiser of a college radio station
and listening to grunge and rap
performances of the young and enthusiastic artists. It was fun. But, it did not
feel right. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
I no longer care about the Persian
New Year. Its comings. Its goings. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
Oh, I also did something else.
Before ending up in that coffee shop, I went to a nearby restaurant called
Al-Maza (Flavor in English) owned by an Iranian guy, Hamid, who is originally
from Isfahan. He has lived in the US since the early 80s. He has always been friendly
to me. Talking to him reminds me of all the warm-hearted, nice Iranian men who
were my dad’s friends. Talking to him is reassuring. (Let me wipe my tears and then I will get
back to writing again. Just a minute please.)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
Hamid’s father, aged 94, had died
three months ago --<span style="text-indent: 0in;"> and, I was not up-to-date on this sad news. I don’t go to
Hamid’s restaurant often. This time Hamid told me about this tragedy. I
became speechless. When my own dad died a couple of year ago, Hamid had called me
about it as soon as he'd learned about it. I was ashamed that I had not done the
same for him. But, what I could do was to listen to him telling me memories of his
father. Of his life. Of his own relationship with his dad. And how his mother
and brother and sister had asked him to not come to Iran, for everything was ok
– and he had a business to run, a family to take care of. Hamid can go to Iran.
He has no political or social problem with the Islamic Republic. But, his job
has prevented him from going to Iran and visiting his father’s grave. I told him
that I yearned to see a picture of my dad’s grave. He told me his family had sent
him a video of the body of his father getting washed according to the Islamic code,
a stage before the burial in the ground.</span><br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
Anyhow, after a few hours of
chatting, the customers started to come into the shop, and I took my leave. I
wished him a happy new year. Whatever that means. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
Funny was that Hamid also told me he no longer cared about the coming of the Persian New Year.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
Happy New Year, guys.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8456559961585724399.post-55274011485894805702014-11-05T13:48:00.000-08:002014-11-05T13:48:43.736-08:00B'day rant -- 2014 edition.<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
It seems favorite part of my birth days are no longer the festivities,
for such actions are not really called for, but my motivation to rant, aka,
blog.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
Here we go, for this year: <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
My mom just called, and wished me a
happy B’day, I answered, “I congratulate you too” (in Persian, the word
congratulate is used when wishing someone a happy b’day). My mom and I always
banter, sometimes they end up in shit, sometimes they end up in laughter,
sometimes in a serious goodbye. Usually, I criticize, analyze and try to subtly
offend my mom when bantering. At this moment in time, after 8 years of not
having seen her, I am used to being away from her, and usually thinking about
her, I can only remember all the shitty stuff of her personality, history and
such the quickest. Basically, I am trapped with my shitty memories of her, and
there is no way in sight of making new memories with her. Obviously, if anyone
is about to initiate a new memory-making phase, it would be me, for she is not
only old, but she is too IRANIAN. I am not too IRANIAN at this moment, but I am
getting old. And, I can’t see how I will ever initiate anything positive with
her, talking to her, or, more accurately, not being able to talk to her without
hurting her in one way or another is simply impossible. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
What I know is the slightest direct criticism
offends her severely. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
I have already started to prepare
myself for another shitty chain of events in future.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
My dad had cancer and we had stopped
communicating a year or so before his imminent death, but with my mom, we have
this shallow, misleading veneer of communication (once every 7-8 weeks or so), which
makes it all the more difficult. For example, today I knew one way or another I
am going to receive a call from her. I could either ignore the call, or answers
it. And, I answered it. And, now, I am feeling sorry for myself. I mean today
is my B’day, and I have always been depressed on this special day since years
ago, but to feel sorry for oneself and be depressed is a shitty combination, I
tell you.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
(When I am depressed, I do not feel
sorry for myself usually, I am usually angry and sad. Sorrow is neither sadness
nor anger.)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
Not that I want to make you feel
shitty too, but I don’t care actually.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
My mom asked me what’s new, I said
hichi (means nothing in Persian). I cannot talk to my mom about shit actually.
Whatever I say, she will comment or say something which I would fine either
stupid, offensive or judgmental. It is “safer” not to talk about anything but “her”
relatives. I mean really HER relatives not mine, for example: Mom said today
that Aunt S. has called home in Tehran and has congratulated “my” B’day. I
replied why didn’t she call the house of Mamad Agha (a typical nobody in
Persian) to congratulate MY B’day! She should do it next time. What I mean is
why should an AUNT of mine call my MOM to talk about MY B’day. I mean it is my
B’day, I think, not my mom’s. And, this aunt has my number, I did give it to
her a few years ago, but she does not call me. Whatever.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
The other day I was thinking I
should start making my own family, but I am too scared of any and all
relationships, I highly doubt I will manage to find and maintain myself a
regular fuck buddy let alone a romantic, committed relationship.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
I guess rant is done. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8456559961585724399.post-67629989824142251862014-09-22T09:58:00.000-07:002014-09-22T10:14:51.120-07:00IranWire's blogger perpetuates false notions of homosexuality & gay asylum seekers among Iranians <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">A so-called <a href="http://iranwire.com/blogs/8356/6242/">satirical
piece</a> in Persian
published Saturday, September 20, 2014, on the <a href="http://iranwire.com/blogs/8356/6242/">IranWire</a> website -- a
news and commentary website in both English and Persian languages run by the
prominent Iranian journalist <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maziar_Bahari">Maziar Bahari</a>, which some
of its English articles are also featured on <a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/contributors/iranwire.html">The Daily Beast</a> website – as part of an ongoing <i>satirical</i> series on the issue of seeking asylum by Iranians in
Turkey is the reason for this outburst. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFHTDxk7MwyZy6JX8wJDp20Uno44duYt9olSj0k19hFbl_eZKPCbKgnQh6L4zOZ4VWfix2YcLSlhFSF0mhn9WCv2G5iWWYzS74Y5oL-vV07ll41fscW7tmnDVlGtyuid6lk84XWV6ATik/s1600/IranWire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFHTDxk7MwyZy6JX8wJDp20Uno44duYt9olSj0k19hFbl_eZKPCbKgnQh6L4zOZ4VWfix2YcLSlhFSF0mhn9WCv2G5iWWYzS74Y5oL-vV07ll41fscW7tmnDVlGtyuid6lk84XWV6ATik/s1600/IranWire.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Homepage of the English version of IranWire.com. Picture of Maziar Bahari is between pictures of Iran's FM Javad Zarif and Iran's President Hassan Rouhani. </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The latest installment
of this series tries to poke fun at those asylum-seeking Iranians, who fake
homosexual tendencies as the primary reason for asking to be granted asylum by
the United Nations. The author, Sharagim Zand – who happens to be currently
residing in Turkey seeking asylum at this moment, probably, on the basis of his
work as a journalist in Iran – opens this piece promising he is as ignorant
about the Iranian lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans* (LGBT) refugees as the
society he is trying too hard to criticize:</span></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="text-indent: 0in;">[Claiming] homosexuality
is the most convenient, most straightforward and the quickest method of
achieving the asylum status in Turkey [granted by </span><span style="background: white; text-indent: 0in;">the United
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)</span><span style="text-indent: 0in;">]. It is
the proverbial piece of cake. Convenient and direct as it does not require
attending any church [service] or getting baptized and receiving a letter of
recommendation [from pastors – basically, things that those claiming to be Christian
converts need to provide as evidence of their convictions].Similarly, it also
needs no standing </span><span style="text-indent: 0in;">warrant [issued by the Islamic Republic of Iran], a past stint
in jail, traces of lashes [on your body], and torture and political activity. These
types of cases are quick and homosexual people, in case of passing the
interview, will be heading to European and North American countries ahead of other
asylum applicants. The reason for this matter per the UN is that homosexuality
is not a choice but an immutable birth trait, also, homosexual people have
already experienced oppression in Iran and the Turkish society is not fully
accepting of them, therefore, they [homosexuals] are given special passage to
the West sans any waiting period and [any regard] for the queue [of other
applicants waiting to be processed.]</span></span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; text-indent: 0in;">With the above alarming, misleading
and entirely unfunny opening, even in Persian, out of the way, the author goes on to refer to gay asylum
cases as "The Golden Case" in the lingo of the asylum seekers --
meaning, these types of cases are sure to be successful<i>. </i></span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 0in;">Subsequently, Mr.Zand tries to shed some
light that the UN does not ask people who claim t</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 0in;">o be homosexual to perform any
same-sex sexual act. Afterwards, Mr.Zand goes on to write a more disturbing passage, which can be
considered humorous if you are into gross generalization of the patriarchal
mind</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 0in;">: </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The num</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">ber of [asylum request]
cases [involving fake claims of] homosexuality [is so much that makes] it
the 2nd most popular form of fake asylum cases after the cases of [fraudulent]
apostasy [claims]...</span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">[Translators's note: Both apostasy and homosexuality in Iran have a documented
history of death punishments.] </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The only reason fake homosexual
[asylum] cases are not ranked number one yet is because homosexuality is not
acceptable in the [Iranian] society and, in particular, in male groups -- a
surely undeserving status, but due to reasons, which are not fully clear to the
author, this type of fake cases is becoming more and more popular among the
ladies, and it can be predicted [with a fair amount of certainty] that in the
near future a new wave of lesbian refugees will head to the UN offices, and,
consequently, elevate this [type of fraudulent] case to its deserved
standing [of number one] among the various fake cases [and asylum claims].</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Fortunately, since a few years
ago, homosexuality has been considered a classy and stylish deed among the
ladies, indicative of their special social, and even artistic, persona ...</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">
</span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 0in;">Regardless of the telltale signs that the author, Mr.Sharagim Zand
–– is into lesbian porn flicks,</span><a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=RNprMCakFf8C&pg=PA157&lpg=PA157&dq=is+lesbian+porn+popular+among+straight+males&source=bl&ots=SSN0uVsKrk&sig=Vlm1K75HDwxUvc4nJXGOMuy9ZFk&hl=en&sa=X&ei=7ZYfVP6sA4SqogSHxIIg&ved=0CFEQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=is%20lesbian%20porn%20popular%20among%20straight%20males&f=false" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 0in;"> a common trait of porn-watching heterosexual male species</a><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 0in;"> of our times</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 0in;">, it is Mr.Zand's casual repetition of an unfortunately popular,
but deeply flawed thought among the Iranians – on-line or off-line, old or
young – that homosexual behavior is of people who seek undeserved
attention or that it is a proclamation of one's intellectual, contrarian
standing, which makes this passage to stand out. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 0in;">(How is this repetition is funny is beyond my comprehension. Please let me know why it is funny if you can laugh at it.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Mr.Zand's mindless
regurgitation of a foul cliché of the Iranian mind, which has been ceaselessly causing pain and hardship for the Iranian LGBT for decades, undermines the
preemptive, introductory note of his post. He writes:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Comment: Oppression of the
homosexual people in Iran is an undeniable fact. The [asylum seeking] cases of
many homosexual refugees in real. This satirical piece is only about those who
abuse the hardship of the homosexual, Iranian refugees to achieve asylum status
[via the UN] in Turkey. </span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">A second comment, explaining the
already clear: With apologies to the majority of the good readers of the
website, let me repeat for the minority who are not aware: These pieces
are satire [Mr. Zand has written so far 13 satirical pieces for IranWire on the
subject of asylum seeking in Turkey], and are not ho-to manuals [of asylum
seeking]. IranWire has no responsibility in the case of [those] following this
series [to attain asylum status], let us repeat again, this series is written
in the form of satire and are not manuals [to achieve asylum]. We hope that we
have stressed enough on the word satire! </span></blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Obviously, Mr. Sharagim Zand is fully aware that writing about Iranian LGBT issues is touching a controversial subject for the Iranian audience. Obviously, he has a good sense of the his audience. But, does he think that writing in ignorance is going to be funny? Is satire that which is perpetuating the widely-held flawed notions of sexuality? Is satire supposed to maintain glorifying the male gaze? Is satire supposed to be about a subject the author is seemingly as ignorant about it as the society he tries to criticize?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Furthermore, why is
IranWire, a promising young publication, giving voice to this rubbish? Is this what
passes as satire these days among news and commentary outlets based out of
Iran? (Another case is what I wrote about Iranian satirist <a href="http://iranwatching.blogspot.com/2013/04/mahmud-farjami-iranian-satirist-needs.html">Mahmud Farjami</a> in 2013.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Mr.Zand further goes on to provide advice to the male Iranian applicants of the fake homosexuality claim on the difference between trans and
gay. Needless to say I have no idea what Mr.Zand means when he writes Trans,
does he mean transgender, transvestite, transsexual or transqueer or any other
derivative?! or, does he mean <a href="http://itspronouncedmetrosexual.com/2012/05/what-does-the-asterisk-in-trans-stand-for/">trans*</a>? For the sake of this post,
I am assuming he means transgender. He writes:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: justify;">My advice to the brothers who are
to submit a gay claim is to be as normal as possible on the day of the
interview [with the UN case office for refugees] and be themselves. Most of the
times, a homosexual person is no different than a normal person. Combing your
hair like a doll, tattoing the eyebrows, applying eyeliner, and wearing a
earrings and wearing tight leather pants, spike-stud, fishnet clothing and high-heels,
are common behavior among trans people. Swearing on God, trans</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: justify;">is different from homosexual. Why are you
doing this??</span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Even more frightening than the prospect of Mr.Sharagim Zand’s
future efforts to write about trans* people is his casual use of homophobic rhetoric and sheer ignorance regarding transgender people. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">
</div>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 0in;">Example 1: Mr.Sharagim Zand does not know, or
ignores that transgender people can in fact be homosexual. There are
differences between gender and sexual orientation which need to be explained to
Mr.Sharagim Zand before he goes on to provide funny advice to others. </span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 0in;">Example 2: “Most of the times, a homosexual person is no different than a </span><b style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 0in;">normal </b><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 0in;">[emphasis added] person.” </span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; text-indent: 0in;">Per IranWire's blogger, homosexual people are not normal, but most often they act like
normal people, who are probably Mr.Zand, his readers and editors at IranWire.
We -- </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 0in;">the gays --</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 0in;"> should be probably thanking Mr.Zand for his wisdom in
understanding that most of us, most of the times, act normal. </span><b style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 0in;">Thank you, Mr.Zand. </b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I know you will find it disappointing, but I am not going to translate
any more passage of this rubbish that IranWire has published claiming it is
satire. Instead I want to draw your attention to the aftermath of publishing
this garbage which is unfolding in the social network website Facebook, the
most popular social network tool among Iranians. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I start by Mr.Zand’s comment on his Facebook page after it is
published and shared on the IranWire Facebook page. </span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9MjQcOr9s1y2y4WJaYhQp5ytcaOddjy1IMurGD0wHFgA5y7Zzbk3HZOrFTXnwsQOSprbvmhGKcQo_qDW7vlZlPuepgbNwAtgb21W_mrMRkLAf2cMazcYxmOIBuqkaW3hZIvocMalsc-A/s1600/sheragim_zand_5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9MjQcOr9s1y2y4WJaYhQp5ytcaOddjy1IMurGD0wHFgA5y7Zzbk3HZOrFTXnwsQOSprbvmhGKcQo_qDW7vlZlPuepgbNwAtgb21W_mrMRkLAf2cMazcYxmOIBuqkaW3hZIvocMalsc-A/s1600/sheragim_zand_5.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Screenshot of the Sharagim Zand's Facebook page and the status in question. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 0in;">He writes:</span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 0in;">The comments left in IranWire
Facebook page under my article are full of insulting and humiliating comments toward
the homosexuals. This is really shameful. Some internet users and reader of
IranWire hold a deeply inhumane and primitive view of homosexuality that I am
sorry I referred to fake cases in satire in my writing!</span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I, on behalf of myself, apologize
from all the people who are homosexual and are being insulted in the comment
section of Facebook by some idiot fellow citizens of mine. </span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 0in;">What is sad is Mr.Zand's lack of comprehension that his writing is homophobic, transphobic and idiotic. I can try to appreciate that Mr.Zand is
not trying to hurt homosexual people or queer people in general, but what makes
it difficult is his willful negligence of his own problematic language and
message.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Did anyone force Mr.Zand to perpetuate false notions held widely
in Iran regarding homosexual people, homosexuality and trans* people? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Did Mr.Zand, as a blogger, who is published on IranWire try to
reach out to any Iranian gay, lesbian, bisexual or trans* before publishing this
garbage? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Or, maybe, because Mr.Zand has a couple of very good gay friends,
he’s an all-knowing entity on the gays? And, we have to submit to his eminence?
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I am speaking as an Iranian queer human here: Mr. Sharagim Zand, your
recent writing is deeply offensive, disturbing and perpetuates dangerous false
notions. You and IranWire need to acknowledge this matter and fix it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 0in;">Here hoping IranWire reaches out to me, or published my post on
their website. I give IranWire full permission to do what it likes with my response.
So, maybe some of their readers get to see another slice of the Iranian society
which is not into perpetuating false notions of homosexuality and gender.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 0in;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>NOTE: Yesterday, I reached out to IranWire's Maziar Bahari and Azadeh Moaveni on twitter, radio silence is what I got so far. </i></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8456559961585724399.post-92059469001859413222014-06-28T15:32:00.000-07:002014-06-28T15:32:59.014-07:00Watching World Cup As a Coping Mechanism. <div style="text-align: justify;">
If you ask me to name a football match which I really tried to find the time to watch during the 24 years I lived in Iran, I can only name one game: <a href="http://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/matches/qualifiers/match=8705/index.html">Iran vs Australia matches to qualify for the 1998 France World Cup.</a> </div>
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I never cared about football in my life. However, my father was a big fan of football. He would watch anything. From third-rate European club games to Serie A of Italy and Iran's Azadegan League. In other words, whatever football match the Iranian State TV deemed ok to broadcast, my father would have liked to watch. Seriously. </div>
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Many times, when I was a kid, I wanted my dad to play with me or hang out and such, but, many times he chose watching football over me. I actually used to think of football as my rival. So, many times, when a football match was on one of the few TV channels, I would not inform my dad that a football match was happening even if no other interesting program was on. Imagine this: my dad and I were in the living room, and of the then-four channels, three of them had clerics talking about Islam and such, except for one channel showing a football match. And, I knew it was happening. But, I'd rather have the TV show a cleric babble than my dad's watching <i>another</i> football match.</div>
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Every minute he would watch football was a minute he was away from my mother, and siblings and me. </div>
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My dad usually left home at 7:00 AM for work and returned about 5-6 PM nearly everyday. He and my mother were never on friendly terms (whenever they talked, it ended up in arguments and shit) as far as I remember. I also blamed this on football. "Football is the reason my dad never bothers to take the time to talk to my mom and hash things out." "Football distracts my dad from everything including his family." I was a kid, you know. </div>
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(I think the other reason I did not like football was I was queer and I did not know it. But, whatever.)</div>
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Now, months after my father's death (<a href="http://iranwatching.blogspot.com/2013/06/bunch-of-songs-my-father-1945-2013.html">last year about these days</a>), I am finding out that I love, love to watch every single game of World Cup. This can mean either of the followings: (1) I am getting old and boring. (2) I am looking for the entertainment my dad was so addicted to. </div>
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If (1) is true, well, any conclusion will be as boring as fuck, so, I skip it. But , if (2) be the case, then it is my unconscious mind finding ever weird ways to cope with the unfading pain of loss.</div>
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And, I am grateful for it. When I am watching matches of this World Cup, I am remembering my dad: his excited, and funny half-jumps from his chair when a goal was in the making, his shouts, his Ahhhhhs, his triumphant grin when his favorite team was scoring, his frowned look when the "damned referee" was ignoring fouls, and his cheerful demeanor when Iran's National Football Team was recognized as the winner at the end of any match. He would stand up, and slowly, excitedly spin around with a smile and kiss anyone who was close on their cheeks. Even my mom did not object to those kisses. </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8456559961585724399.post-41987126791839879422014-04-20T11:44:00.000-07:002014-04-20T11:44:29.847-07:00PhD in assholery. <div style="text-align: justify;">
So, finally, after wasting years in the grad school, I defended my thesis "successfully."</div>
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It feels good. Very good, actually.</div>
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Here is me trying to jot down stuff I do not want to forget a year from now:</div>
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<b>Thursday, April 3, 2013:</b></div>
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I was driving home when I started crying waiting behind a red light. Thoughts of my father, his smile, his voice -- his warm, and kind voice, his eyes when he heard some good news, and such came to me all at once. Knowing he is in the ground, his cancer-stricken corpse decaying away, becoming one with the fucking nature, was too overwhelming that only tears could be uttered in response. What is there to do?</div>
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<b>Friday, April 4, 2013:</b></div>
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Defense commenced at 1 PM. It ended at 3 PM. I passed.</div>
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Went to Chimes and started calling people to come in and drink! It was fun, fun, fun.</div>
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Most of the people I called were not my friends, but I was friendly with. I have very few friends in this town. Another reason to celebrate the successful defense. </div>
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<b>Sunday, April 6, 2013:</b></div>
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Talked to my mom in Tehran. I had called her on Saturday but nobody answered the phone. Anyways, I talked to her for more than an hour at least -- probably two hours. I asked her if she had visited Dad's grave in Behesht-e Zahra graveyard, or not. Of course, I knew she had visited the grave. It's the tradition for Iranians to visit the grave of the deceased dears and commemorate their memories on the joyous occasion of a new Persian year (Nowruz). She said she had visited the grave. And, I asked her how she commuted to the grave and back. I do not remember in all my life seeing my mom in person driving. There are pics of her driving some C<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 15.600000381469727px;">itroën </span>my parents had before the revolution, but they are just pics. She said she hires a cab. My family's house in Tehran is near Seyyed Khandan bridge, which is one of the hubs of transportation in Tehran. So, I know there is always some cabs waiting for customers there. My mom further added my father is known among the drivers for the many trips he and my mom took the chemotherapy clinic. My mom said some of the drivers even get out of their cars when they give a ride to my mom to Behesht-e Zahra and wash my dad's tombstone. Washing the tombstone by some water (or, rose water) is another tradition of Iranians. Hearing my mom telling me of cab drivers paying respect to my dad, visiting his grave, and washing the tombstone, I could not do anything but burst into crying. This is the first time I cried on the phone with my mother on the other end since my dad died in the Summer of 2013.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8456559961585724399.post-40586977797374088062014-01-13T01:26:00.004-08:002014-01-13T06:28:07.001-08:00"Sharon was better than Assad or Khomeini, U know!" --- Meir Javedanfar The Fatuous <div style="text-align: justify;">
Ariel Sharon, the butcher of Sabra & Shatila finally died --<a href="http://gawker.com/breaking-ariel-sharon-still-dead-1499253311"> after 8 years of dying</a>, you know. Sharon's death was naturally an occasion for all the Zionists and co. to express how sad they are that a certified murderer is dead. I am sure someone is keeping track of all such reactions, but, my focus here is Iran, so, unfortunately, the so-called expert of Iran-Israel, Meir Javedanfar, is usually on my radar. He who gallantly claims on his twitter bio:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQKayyJH5x0jefFHKy29z7Aa4n4hjORZYwom_V86oFF9OnIHuV7rWO9fheG6J6dglgYxJ7kFXYovIJmZwCEzBb-Y_-z_2Jrdk85aMOef-czmQ-OGrNCEfyE-dlF5XlJD8zk169F0oOaj0/s1600/Untitled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQKayyJH5x0jefFHKy29z7Aa4n4hjORZYwom_V86oFF9OnIHuV7rWO9fheG6J6dglgYxJ7kFXYovIJmZwCEzBb-Y_-z_2Jrdk85aMOef-czmQ-OGrNCEfyE-dlF5XlJD8zk169F0oOaj0/s640/Untitled.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Now, Meir Javednafar is <a href="http://iranwatching.blogspot.com/2013/09/ever-wondered-how-phony-iran-expert.html">not a stranger to this blog</a>. We need to cover him because he, due to his knowledge of Farsi language, gets to be the face of the Israel and Zionism that the Persian Media deems fit to present to their oppressed Iranian audience -- who will watch anything that is not turban-oriented, mind you.<br />
As expected, after Sharon's death, he was invited to go on BBC Persian to talk about it -- probably because he's an authority on murderous Israelis, I assume.<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
Going live on <a href="https://twitter.com/bbcpersian">@bbcpersian</a> to discuss the passing of Ariel Sharon. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Israel&src=hash">#Israel</a><br />
— Meir Javedanfar (@MeirJa) <a href="https://twitter.com/MeirJa/statuses/421997365298339840">January 11, 2014</a></blockquote>
In a series of Tweets, Meir Javedanfar expressed how Shaoron is unfairly "abused" on twitter while Assad is The murderous one --- this specious, misleading, shallow reasoning is not just a staple of Javedanfar's commentary on all issues Iran and Arab World, but seems to be an integral part of the greater Hasbara campaign run by the Zionists. After all, it seems, Mr. Javedanfar can't believe an Israeli butcher killing non-Jews can be as bad as an Arab dictator killing Arab people. I guess only a racist can think like that: Life of humans is decided by the fact of what race they are from!<br />
Anyways, see for yourself:<br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
In his entire life Ariel Sharon did not kill as many Arabs & Muslims as Bashar Al Assad, yet now he is getting more abuse by some on twitter<br />
— Meir Javedanfar (@MeirJa) <a href="https://twitter.com/MeirJa/statuses/422019556010237952">January 11, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
Now, genius of Javedanfar is to compare the butchery of Sharon to that of Iranian modern dictators, and citing an anonymous Iranian friend,who could be his ass or the infamous warmonger Sohrab Ahmari for all we know, he opines:
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
An Iranian friend on Ariel Sharon: at least he did not kill his own people, he killed for them. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Israel&src=hash">#Israel</a><br />
— Meir Javedanfar (@MeirJa) <a href="https://twitter.com/MeirJa/statuses/422104866199060481">January 11, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
Furthermore, Javedanfar reveals what credential he expects of self-proclaimed Experts on Iran. His bar is so high, mind you: A trip to Iran and a quick chat with some friendly Bazaari people in the Grand Bazaar of Tehran.<br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
Ariel Sharon belonged to a shrinking group of Israel's leaders who have been to <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Iran&src=hash">#Iran</a> (in 1966) & knew the country firsthand<br />
— Meir Javedanfar (@MeirJa) <a href="https://twitter.com/MeirJa/statuses/422017775377190912">January 11, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
As you notice above, Sharon knew Iran "firsthand" -- whatever that means. Going on a limb,I would say Sharon probably knew Iran more than Mr.Javedanfar.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
In his book Ariel Sharon talks about visiting <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Iran&src=hash">#Iran</a> as a tourist & being blessed by Jewish traders in Tehran Bazaar "on a pile of carpets"<br />
— Meir Javedanfar (@MeirJa) <a href="https://twitter.com/MeirJa/statuses/422022438835089409">January 11, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
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Some more of the graceful and enlightening comments by Javedanfar follows:<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
Sharon's biggest contribution were Yom Kippur war & Gaza withdrawal, his biggest failure was <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Lebanon&src=hash">#Lebanon</a> war which lasted 18 yrs. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Israel&src=hash">#Israel</a><br />
— Meir Javedanfar (@MeirJa) <a href="https://twitter.com/MeirJa/statuses/422000293522337794">January 11, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
As noted above, Javedanfar does not seem inclined to mention Sharon's butchery -- probably, for very good reasons.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
what finally endeared Ariel Sharon to left wingers in <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Israel&src=hash">#Israel</a> was not only Gaza withdrawal,also the fact that he couldn't stand Netanyahu<br />
— Meir Javedanfar (@MeirJa) <a href="https://twitter.com/MeirJa/statuses/422028613320318976">January 11, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8456559961585724399.post-23026689472396115042013-12-21T21:28:00.004-08:002013-12-21T21:28:46.851-08:00Why I am not giving a shit about Night of Yalda (Winter Solstice)Well, the answer in short is, I can. Anyways, the following is a longer answer.<br />
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I have reached that point in my adult life (fucking hate this <i>adult life</i>) that I can no longer give a shit about any Persian holiday. I lied. I still give a shit about Ashura. And it is funny for if you ask me, I will tell you I am an Atheist. Let's talk about it some other time.<br />
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(Ashura is certainly not 100% Persian, but like any other thing <i>Arab occupiers</i> shoved down the throat of the Persians, it is now 120% Persionaized.)<br />
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Well, 7 years of being away from Iran, stranded in a backward corner of America, has made me forget having any excitement over any Persian Holiday: Norooz (Persian New Year), Shab-e Yalda, Chahar Shnabeh Soori (Last Wednesday of the Persian Year), 22 Bahman (commemoration of 1979 Revolution), etc.<br />
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And I am in that state. I do not experience any excitement over any holiday, therefore, I find it hypocritical, fake and outright pathetic of myself to pretend I am excited about it when talking to other Iranians be it on twitter or in real life. If they are excited, good for them. <br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8456559961585724399.post-81649567373780491502013-09-22T14:14:00.000-07:002013-09-22T14:55:27.732-07:00Ever Wondered What Phony Iran Expert @MeirJa Says to an Israeli Audience?!<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Meir Javedanfar has a long history of pretending to be a Moderate Zionist (whatever that means!) and to care about Iranian people, but his true thoughts are visible when he talks to his Israeli compatriots. He was quoted in a <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/21/world/middleeast/prime-minister-netanyahu-on-iranian-president-rouhani.html?pagewanted=all">recent article</a> in the New York Times by <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span itemid="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/l/mark_landler/index.html" itemprop="author creator" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person" style="background-color: white; line-height: 12px; text-align: left;"><span itemprop="name">MARK LANDLER</span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 12px; text-align: left;"> and </span><span itemid="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/r/jodi_rudoren/index.html" itemprop="author creator" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person" style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span itemprop="name"><span style="line-height: 12px;">JODI RUDOREN on September 20, 2013</span></span></span>:</span></div>
</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But Meir Javedanfar, an Iranian-Israeli lecturer at the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya who wrote a book on Iran's nuclear program, said Friday that Rouhani could be promising real change and that a meeting between him and Obama would be positive for Israel.</div>
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"As a result of the sanctions, the regime in Iran is under real pressure, and Rouhani comes to save the regime," Javedanfar told Israel Radio.<b> "If Rouhani does the work, this is good for Israel. If the Iranians do the job, our pilots and soldiers don't have to."</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.twincities.com/national/ci_24144207/netanyahu-scoffs-at-iranian-overtures?source=rss">Source</a></div>
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This direct quote, which I have boldened, was later removed from the piece in the New York Times without any correction notice. But, thanks to <a href="https://twitter.com/richards1052">Tikun Olam</a> I received the original format.</div>
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It's obvious when Meir Javedanfar talks to an Israeli outlet he has less restrictions and can reveal his true thinking with no equivocation or hypocrisy -- methods that have become a centerpiece of his campaign to show a peaceful face of the Zionist regime to the Iranian people. He is regularly invited to Voice of America and BBC Persian, and issues sympathetic tweets in Farsi for his Iranian followers: congratulating the release of 11 political prisoners in Iran, a deadly bus accident, victories of Iranian football team, etc.</div>
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به کبوتران زیبای ازاد شده از قفس خوش امد و به هم وطنانم تبریک عرض میکنم. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Iran&src=hash">#Iran</a></div>
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— Meir Javedanfar (@MeirJa) <a href="https://twitter.com/MeirJa/statuses/380377312643911680">September 18, 2013</a></div>
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<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
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He can tweet any and all corny messages he wants in Farsi to fool Iranians, but, his quote in the New York Times clearly indicates what he considers as the true solution for the Israeli government in regards to Iran's nuclear program: Bombing Iran.<br />
In that regard, Meir Javedanfar is no different than any other Israeli analyst (or, Hasbara tool) working for the government of Netanyahu. He is a paranoid hawk who never criticizes torturing Palestinians and stealing lands from anywhere possible in the Middle East by any means. Is he the best Israeli propaganda machine can give Iranians? </div>
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What a nice Iranian Meir Javedanfar is!!! #Sarcasm</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8456559961585724399.post-23636365568323548882013-09-20T13:53:00.001-07:002013-09-20T13:54:54.058-07:00Would be nice if Karim Sadjadpour Answers Teymoor Nabili's simple question! So, here is an interesting twitter exchange that happened yesterday between Karim Sadjadpour and Teymoor Nabili.<br />
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Mr.Sadjadpour is of Carnegie Endowment for International Peace -- he also happens to be the favorite Iran Expert of <a href="http://irantweets.blogspot.com/2012/10/twitter-responds-to-blake-hounshells.html">Blake Hounshell </a>.They wrote that AWESOME War Porn Fan Fiction for WaPo exactly a year ago,<a href="http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2012-09-21/opinions/35494400_1_panetta-orders-israeli-fighter-jets-iranian-retaliation"> remember</a>?!<br />
Mr.Nabili is a former senior anchor of Al Jazeera English, who is a brilliant interviewer in my opinion.<br />
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Here it is:<br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Rouhani's oped almost makes one forget that Iran has bankrolled a man willing to gas children rather than compromise. <a href="http://t.co/ZKTF1L9Ny0">http://t.co/ZKTF1L9Ny0</a><br />
— Karim Sadjadpour (@ksadjadpour) <a href="https://twitter.com/ksadjadpour/statuses/380826773090738176">September 19, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/ksadjadpour">@ksadjadpour</a> hmm. Remind me who bankrolled Saddam's chemical arsenal? <a href="http://t.co/89zFw2wdfp">http://t.co/89zFw2wdfp</a><br />
— Teymoor Nabili (@teymoornabili) <a href="https://twitter.com/teymoornabili/statuses/380873731611959297">September 20, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/teymoornabili">@teymoornabili</a> that will forever be a stain in US history. Does it justify Assad's use of CW in Syria?<br />
— Karim Sadjadpour (@ksadjadpour) <a href="https://twitter.com/ksadjadpour/statuses/380881948375535616">September 20, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/ksadjadpour">@ksadjadpour</a> Of course not. But then, that's not what I said, is it?
Are you saying that Iran has been directing Assad to use chem. weapons?<br />
— Teymoor Nabili (@teymoornabili) <a href="https://twitter.com/teymoornabili/statuses/380894136959631360">September 20, 2013</a></blockquote>
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As far as I know, untill this moment, Mr.Sadjadpour has not responded to this simple question of Mr.Nabili. I highly doubt he will reply. But, if he does, I will be sure to include it in this post.<br />
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<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8456559961585724399.post-22820982428630862532013-09-18T16:11:00.000-07:002013-09-18T16:18:48.054-07:00What I want re: Iran-USA negotiations? [Queer Edition]<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Note: <i>I decided instead of tweeting incessantly all my conflicting views and emotions re: the inevitable diplomatic negotiations of the governments of Iran and USA, I should write a brief post. Almost all I say in here are wishful thinking of a desperate mind, but, well, as an Iranian queer (who is quite chatty), I need to express myself. Cheers. -- <a href="https://twitter.com/IranLGBT">Queer Iranian </a> </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Here is what I want to happen: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I want Obama's administration to publicly, explicitly ask the Iranian government to stop and prevent harassment of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans (LGBT) community of Iran. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Trans(s)exuality is not considered illegal in Iran, but, its religio-legal framework has not resulted in an informed society in Iran when it comes to Transgender people. While Iran is a global leader in sex re-assignment surgery (SRS) in the World*, there are still many transgender Iranians who flee to Turkey to seek asylum from the United Nations Refugee office in in Turkey on the basis that they have been mistreated by their family members and savagely harassed by the Iranian society at large. This is not acceptable. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Most recently, Iranian government made the remarkable announcement* that the cost of the SRS procedure will be covered by the Iranian insurance companies in near future (Iran is way ahead of US government in terms of facilitating SRS), but the Iranian government has failed miserably in educating the masses and campaigning to de-stigmatize trans(s)exuality in Iran. Moreover, the Iranian government's definition of trans(s)exuality is extremely narrow and applies to heterosexual people. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Furthermore, the Iranian government continues to mistreat and harass non-heterosexual Iranians by denying them rights to express themselves and preventing them the right to gather and organize without fear of persecution. The suffocating atmosphere the Iranian government has created for non-heterosexual Iranians is preventing health activists to inform the community of health risks than can be mental and physical. All branches of the government in Iran are extremely homophobic and have endorsed the inhumane, savage punishments of homosexuality in Iran. This is simply outrageous. The government of Islamic Republic must not be allowed to continue to maintain this atmosphere of fear to further oppress Iranians who identify as gay, lesbian or queer. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">In light of the significant progress made in recent months in the United States of America (End of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, The Heart-Warming Defeat of Defense of Marriage Act and The Joyous Renewal of Same-Sex Marriages in the State of California), and President.Obama's explicit endorsement of the universal human rights of Gay and Lesbian people, I humbly expect the government of the United States to pressure the Iranian government to protect the rights of LGBT Iranians. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Specifically, I want the American diplomats to strongly voice the concerns of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human rights in Iran, Mr. Ahmed Shaheed, regarding the LGBT community of Iran. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Ultimately, as a first step, President Rouhani could instruct the Health Minister of Iran to take urgent steps to stop considering homosexuality as a "curable illness." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">[I guess I should be reaching out to American LGBT right groups to ask them to ask the Obama's government to pressure the Iranian government re: LGBT rights in Iran. I may do so.]</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> *: For references for the facts and claims I have made in this short post, comment here, and I'll provide you with references. However, most of the references related to facts about Iran are mentioned in this <a href="http://muftah.org/media-the-lgbt-community-in-iran/">article.</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Final Note:<i> I am well-aware my wishes expressed above are not going to be realized, but, there is no law preventing queer people to wish. So.</i> </span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8456559961585724399.post-73347850646295697122013-09-14T19:29:00.000-07:002013-09-14T22:39:55.623-07:00Facebook Page of Iran's FM Got Hacked [+ English Translation of the Hacker(s)' Message]<div style="text-align: justify;">
Javad Zarif's Facebook page which has been making <a href="http://world.time.com/2013/09/09/iranian-cabinet-joins-facebook-en-masse-despite-ban/">news</a> since he became the Foreign Minister of Iran's new government <a href="http://bigstory.ap.org/article/report-iran-fms-facebook-page-hacked">apparently got hacked today</a>,and whoever hacked it posted:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3-oKr2MrMgyIptRMGdR4Bld1_Dp8unbroiPZtw-uPapODSZGnzIQowJFjUdZl3x2_4OlpLldQIHgGc1iPWuEL2xzADwf-QranwlKI9z2cWxHJD1-V-Mkz13RcenVLwkI0RNPv01NNcGs/s1600/Screen-Shot-2013-09-14-at-3.45.28-PM.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3-oKr2MrMgyIptRMGdR4Bld1_Dp8unbroiPZtw-uPapODSZGnzIQowJFjUdZl3x2_4OlpLldQIHgGc1iPWuEL2xzADwf-QranwlKI9z2cWxHJD1-V-Mkz13RcenVLwkI0RNPv01NNcGs/s640/Screen-Shot-2013-09-14-at-3.45.28-PM.jpeg" width="504" /></a></div>
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I am not on facebook, but I got the above screenshot from the Google+ page of a hugely popular Persian facebook page called <a class="Sg Ob Tc" href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/105650530461478243624" oid="105650530461478243624" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.218s; color: #262626; cursor: pointer; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; transition: color 0.218s;"><span dir="rtl">مملکته؟.</span></a></div>
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English Translation of the hacked status message:</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
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Quotes from a friend:</div>
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One has to tell Mr.Rouhani [Iran's new President and Mr.Zarif's boss] that the grievances surrounding the [Presidential] election of 88 [<a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105394802">the rigged election of 2009</a>] were not assuaged by Murdering the young [protesters:<a href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tehranbureau/deathintehran/"> Neda</a>, <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2009/jul/14/world/fg-iran-sohrab14">Sohrab</a>, etc.], <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RefpPo0EIeo">Verbal Assault</a>s,[<a href="http://www.cpj.org/reports/2011/12/journalist-imprisonments-jump-worldwide-and-iran-i.php">long sentences of] prison</a>, <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/aug/25/iran-doctor-murder-kahrizak-rapes">Kahrizak</a> [the notorious detention camp where rape and murder of protesters happened in Summer of '09], [vicious attack on the] dormitory of university [of Tehran], Arrest [of leaders of the protests: MirHossein Moussavi, Zahra Rahnavard, and Mehdi Karroubi], ... . How dare [Mr.Rouhani] claim our votes [in the presidential election of 2013 in favor of him] assuaged the grievances of the '09 election?</div>
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Tell [Mr.Rouhani] that we [the people who voted for him in 2013] did not vote for him to assuage the grievances of the '09. Tell him the person who must assuage these grievances, and has failed to do so, is the [all powerful ruling] system [of the Islamic Republic of Iran, meaning Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei], not the people who voted for you [Mr.Rouhani].</div>
</blockquote>
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Many Iranians on Facebook commented that the above comment by Javad Zarif was the result of his account being hacked. However, many Iranians also expressed their approval that finally some official of the Islamic Republic was publicly acknowledging the horrible injustice happened to millions of Iranians since 2009. </div>
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At the end of the day, it was a spokesperson of the Iran's Foreign Minster who broke the news per Fars News Agency that Javad Zarif Facebook page been hacked. Mr.Zarif's Facebook page also posted the following:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7shXfKlfdJnKtcmHBBmsjpenIplr08rF4Alkh9nDex10Pvv2ZFyr28rE3MwroITWgkscLMxu8Sp2KwrFPJDD2xzEYmEh-K2m0qXTqi8qmxjNCoKuX3FRURNGCKyI3lc-VPHDyKG4TCSA/s1600/Screen-Shot-2013-09-14-at-4.10.37-PM.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7shXfKlfdJnKtcmHBBmsjpenIplr08rF4Alkh9nDex10Pvv2ZFyr28rE3MwroITWgkscLMxu8Sp2KwrFPJDD2xzEYmEh-K2m0qXTqi8qmxjNCoKuX3FRURNGCKyI3lc-VPHDyKG4TCSA/s640/Screen-Shot-2013-09-14-at-4.10.37-PM.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
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English Translation: </div>
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Greetings Friends, </div>
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Regrettably my page wa sabused by illegal intruders. If this state persists, I will have to, against my wishes, to discontinue this venue of communications. </div>
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Thanks for your attention, friends.</div>
</blockquote>
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Facebook and Twitter are both filtered in Iran and considered illegal. So, Mr.Zarif's venture into the "illegal" waters of Facebook and <a href="http://gulfnews.com/news/region/iran/twitter-verifies-account-of-iran-s-top-diplomat-mohammad-javad-zarif-1.1230745">twitter</a> has been highly remarkable not just for the Western media, but also for the oppressed Iranian users of Internet living in Iran. And, I am sure Mr.Zarif is very well-aware of the perils of the social networking. That said, why does he threaten thousands of Iranian users who have "liked" his Facebook page and use it as <a href="http://www.rferl.org/content/iran-minister-facebook-syria/25091547.html">a place to debate with him</a> and each other re: Foreign Policy of Iran, Crisis in Syria, Nuclear Issue and such? </div>
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Why should Mr.Zarif threaten 1000s of Iranian users of Facebook who want to communicate with him for the action of a few who hacked his page apparently? Is that collateral punishment? Is it fair? </div>
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Even if Mr.Zarif stops using Facebook, for fears of getting hacked again, no harm will happen to 1000s of Iranians who "like" his page, I hope. But, I would like to ask again: Why should Mr.Zarif punishes many Iranian for the actions of a few?<br />
I am not trying to be facetious, but, aren't US sanctions on Iranian government hurting all Iranians including Women, Lesbian, Gay, Biseuxal, and Trans people, Children, Elderly, .... who are living in Iran and have no control over the actions and policies of the government of Iran?</div>
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American sanctions hurt ALL Iranians, especially those who are living inside Iran. If Mr.Zarif stops communicating with Iranians via Facebook for actions of a few, then, his thinking resembles those of the mindless policy makers of United States of America, but of a much, much, much lesser consequence. </div>
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Funny is how Mr.Zarif criticizes US policy makers whenever he has the chance. </div>
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Whatever. I hate Facebook. </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8456559961585724399.post-79377599752875627032013-08-20T09:06:00.002-07:002013-08-20T09:06:52.995-07:00Let's talk about "Shame," female journalists and Why-Do-They-Hate-Us(Iran Edition)!<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">So, this happened in Iran. But, why "Shameful"?</span><br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Shameful: women journalists sitting on the floor while the men are seated in the new <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Iran&src=hash">#Iran</a> FM inauguration <a href="http://t.co/Sszi2nA67r">pic.twitter.com/Sszi2nA67r</a><br />
— RezaAsadi (@RezaAsadi) <a href="https://twitter.com/RezaAsadi/statuses/368897335935258624">August 18, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My question: Why is "shameful," with a capital S, the best descriptor of the above situation which is quite common in busy, disorganized, state-sponsored ceremonies of Iran?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Aren't professional journalists supposed to improvise and such to do their news gathering. Professional journalists are indeed stubborn creatures who venture to flooded regions, quake scenes, war zones and even more dangerous places to cover news and basically do their job. So, someone tells me why and how when a group of female journalists improvise to sit on the floor instead of standing in the back of the hall or next to the walls this becomes shameful and an embarrassment for the shameless government of Iran? (Maybe there was no vacant space in either back or next to the walls!)</span></div>
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Above tweet is from an Iranian journalist who has worked with BBC, and has been included in my list of tweeps who tweet about Iran and are not asshole. This other tweet is from another featured Iranian member of my list of non-assholes, and somebody I consider a friend on twitter:</div>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Did none of these men offer these female reporters their seat at introduction of Iran's new FM? <a href="http://t.co/UKtRxAwuE7">pic.twitter.com/UKtRxAwuE7</a><br />
— Arash Karami (@thekarami) <a href="https://twitter.com/thekarami/statuses/368788312925802496">August 17, 2013</a></blockquote>
Another one from a journalist (he's Afghan as far as I know), who writes passionately about human rights, in particular, women's rights:<br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
No respect. RT <a href="https://twitter.com/thekarami">@thekarami</a> Did none of these men offer these female reporters their seat at intro of Iran's new FM? <a href="http://t.co/TPutMFLDRL">pic.twitter.com/TPutMFLDRL</a><br />
— Josh Shahryar شهريار (@JShahryar) <a href="https://twitter.com/JShahryar/statuses/368788519960846336">August 17, 2013</a></blockquote>
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The amazing part is when Arash Karami tweets in reply to Josh Shahryar:
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<a href="https://twitter.com/JShahryar">@JShahryar</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Peymasad">@Peymasad</a> plenty of secular men are chauvinists in Iran, it's a cultural issue<br />
— Arash Karami (@thekarami) <a href="https://twitter.com/thekarami/statuses/368789660081741824">August 17, 2013</a></blockquote>
If anything, what Arash Karami tweets in his reply to Josh Shahryar is totally accurate in my opinion, but how is that comment of any relevance to a bunch of journalist who are seated on the floor for lack of space. Let's see other pictures of this ceremony:<br />
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Does it seem to you there was enough space in that hall?!<br />
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<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8456559961585724399.post-396239846259398242013-08-07T17:50:00.000-07:002013-08-07T17:50:09.056-07:00My Asylum Story: To Write or Not to Write It has occurred to me that the more I procrastinate organizing my write-ups on my asylum case, the more likely I will be to forget the important details. And, if that happens, I will be quite sad.<br />
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I will be sad if the World does not learn about the LGBT asylum process: The depression, agitation and the excruciating waiting period of the asylum seeking process; Certain good Samaritans [lawyers in this case] who help the poor, the queer, and the vulnerable ; The horrible, never-ending struggle of coming out; The false, troubling notions regarding LGBT, the Middle East, and the West held by many in our modern World.<br />
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Well, I think I should do something about it. I mean I should write my story. If I don't, who will?<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8456559961585724399.post-39857793053142939352013-08-06T20:23:00.001-07:002013-08-06T20:29:32.750-07:00The story of "America's youth" is strikingly similar to "Iran's youth." Shall we negotiate?!<iframe frameborder="0" height="338" scrolling="no" src="http://www.npr.org/templates/event/embeddedVideo.php?storyId=205534455&mediaId=205535507" width="600"></iframe>
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So, on the surface this post has nothing to do with Iran. But, as an astute observer -- let me humor myself for Pete's sake -- I am always looking for things that remind me of Iran or its shadow. <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/allsongs/2013/07/25/205534455/first-watch-the-orwells-who-needs-you" target="_blank">This post </a>on NPR music section about an infectious garage rock band, The Orwells, consisted of a bunch of teenagers from Chicago reminded me of Iranian youth.<br />
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NPR is showcasing a music video of a song on their upcoming album. In the news segment, one of the band members tries to explain what the song is about and why it matters. Keep in mind that the song is about American history:<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Speaking of the history shown in the historic images flashing behind the band in the "Who Needs You" video, guitarist Matt O'Keefe admits that his education on the subject matter is limited: "Our political knowledge ranges from what we were taught in junior-year U.S. history class — meaning that all we are really sure of is that Abraham Lincoln was a good guy, and that Bill Clinton got head in the Oval Office."</i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>But he also says the song captures a much more innate feeling, and that it doesn't take history books to understand what "Who Needs You" is about: "The millions of people who had their history written for them, and how they felt they couldn't escape it. It's about being told what to do, about being told what to believe in — which is, in a nutshell, the story of America's youth."</i></span></blockquote>
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Gotta say most of the the Iranian youth learn history also that way. While baseless rumors, conspiracy theories and whatnot are in abundance in the Iranian society, and unfortunately many Iranian youth "learn" about Iran that way, in America, there is freedom of expression and there is high-speed internet in most public libraries and schools. That makes a huge difference, but apparently this Chicago band does not think American kids know their history either.<br />
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At any rate, what this well-crafted music video and hear its joyous tunes.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8456559961585724399.post-6922637771181265422013-07-31T14:34:00.001-07:002013-07-31T14:34:04.918-07:00I miss twitter. I miss twitter.<br />
I miss twitter.<br />
I miss twitter.<br />
I miss twitter.<br />
I miss twitter.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8456559961585724399.post-4232444242993450352013-07-30T23:57:00.003-07:002013-07-30T23:57:47.248-07:00"It's a theocracy. It's quite dangerous. We don't want to turn Georgia into next Iran." -- Georgian LGBT Rights activist<br />
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<a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2013/07/30/204511294/GEORGIA-CHURCH-ANTI-GAY-RIOT" target="_blank">NPR:</a><br />
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Vacharadze is the executive director of an LGBT organization called Identova, or "Identity," and he was at the May 17 demonstration. He says that key members of Georgia's parliament, including the head of the Committee on Human Rights, have declared themselves subservient to the patriarch of the Orthodox Church.<br />"What does it mean," Vacharadze asks, "when the chair of the human rights committee says that 'our statement on the human rights violations will not go over what the patriarch has said'? It's a theocracy. It's quite dangerous. We don't want to turn Georgia into next Iran."</blockquote>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8456559961585724399.post-42398060843642841742013-07-30T12:08:00.000-07:002013-07-30T12:08:01.229-07:00American Ayatollah Pat Robertson Channels Iranian Ayatollah Khomeini Regarding Transgender Communitty<div class="separator tr_bq" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is the story according to <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/29/pat-robertson-transgender_n_3672244.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular" target="_blank">HuffPo</a>:</div>
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A viewer named David wrote in asking <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWkMFDFMF2A&feature=youtu.be" style="border: 0px; color: #771c85; cursor: pointer; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_hplink">how he should refer to two transgender females</a>who work in his office and have legally changed their genders. Instead of criticizing the trans individuals, Robertson approached the situation in a seemingly level-headed manner.<br />"I think there are men who are in a woman's body," he said. "It's very rare. But it's true -- or women that are in men's bodies -- and that they want a sex change. That is a very permanent thing, believe me, when you have certain body parts amputated and when you have shot up with various kinds of hormones. It's a radical procedure. I don't think there's any sin associated with that. I don't condemn somebody for doing that."<br />He went on to say he would "question the validity" of someone who just says, "Well I'm really a woman" because you "don't count somebody as female unless they really are, or male unless they really are."<br />When his co-host said the viewer doesn't know the intentions or medical history of his co-workers, Robertson rebutted, "It's not for you to decide or to judge."</blockquote>
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Years ago, Ayatollah Khomeini, first Supreme Leader of Iran issued a fatwa allowing Sex Reassignment Surgery for Transsexual Persons. <br />
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According to <a href="http://muftah.org/media-the-lgbt-community-in-iran/" target="_blank">Muftah</a>:<br />
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Iran’s penal code does not, however, directly target the transgender community. In Iran, transsexuality is officially recognized and is not considered criminal by the state. In 1985, the first Supreme Leader of Iran, Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, reissued his 1967 fatwa “sanctioning sex-change,” in Persian (originally, it was in Arabic).<br />Khomeini’s fatwa, which is not supported by all Shi’ite clerics, paved the way for Iran to become a <b style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/04/iran-sex-change-operation_n_1568604.html" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; color: #62beff; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">global leader in sex reassignment surgery (SRS)</a></b> and a destination for many individuals from Eastern Europe and the Middle East looking to have these procedures.<br />In fact, in April 2013, an official of the Iranian Ministry of Cooperative, Labor, and Social Welfare announced that <a href="http://www.baharnewspaper.com/News/92/01/18/8247.html" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; color: #62beff; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><b style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">SRS will no longer be considered a cosmetic surgery</b></a>. Accordingly, insurance companies in Iran are now required to extend their coverage to include SRS for transsexual individuals.<br />This remarkable development—which would considerably reduce the often-frightening financial burden for transsexual Iranians transitioning genders—has the support of both Iran’s legislature and executive branches.</blockquote>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8456559961585724399.post-12235059163239856232013-07-30T11:43:00.003-07:002013-07-30T11:43:56.619-07:00Mourning: Day 51st (A Spooky but Mournful Song)<iframe width="480" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/ZaWeCNBaDlc?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8456559961585724399.post-44761118307045129862013-07-12T14:43:00.002-07:002013-07-12T14:43:40.351-07:00Mourning: 33rd DayVerbally, loudly confronted an asshole Iranian last night in a coffee shop of all places. There is a history of misunderstanding and disrespect and semi-friendship between us, but, 5-6 weeks ago, he took it to a new height after a long period of mutual respect and calm. Usually, I let it go because we both are grad students and stress is rampant. However, this time, a combination of frustration, hopelessness, and stress because of both school and work and mourning agony made me confront him in the most vociferous manners in public as he tried to approach me and say hi with a stupid smile on his stupid face.<br />
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Fucking hate people who think they can offend you whenever and as soon as they have forgotten about it, the victim of their offence will also forget. This asshole, let's call him Hessam, got what he had to be given last night finally.<br />
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Also, before my encounter with that asshole, I met two Iranian-Americans in the coffee shop. One of them works in a grocery store near my apartment, and the other one is apparently a taxi driver. I had seen the grocery shop worker, Mohammad, several times. We usually talk about our shared memories of streets of Tehran and our family and such. I only know him by his first name. As for the taxi-driver, last night was the second time I saw him in person. His name is Ali. Anyways, I told Mohammad that my father had died. He and Ali stopped and we talked for at least an hour or two about death, their experience when their fathers,, siblings does in Iran and such. Mohammad is in his 50s. Ali is in his 60s.<br />
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Well, meeting those two gentlemen was nice. Meeting Hessam was crappy. And now as I am typing these words, I am having a mild fever, but a wonderful barista has made me a fantastic tea which is a combination of 4 fantastic teas. She is very nice and kind and young. Seeing young people makes me happy. Young Americans in this place all look happy all the time. I don't understand it, but I do envy them.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8456559961585724399.post-40089026783448016902013-07-11T12:43:00.001-07:002013-07-11T12:43:25.666-07:00The Angry Arab News Service/وكالة أنباء العربي الغاضب: Finally<a href="http://angryarab.blogspot.com/2013/07/finally.html?spref=bl">The Angry Arab News Service/وكالة أنباء العربي الغاضب: Finally</a>: The Lebanese psychiatric association has declared that homosexuality is not an aberration or a disorder and that no treatment should be sou...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8456559961585724399.post-86719067606554428432013-07-09T07:23:00.000-07:002013-07-12T14:23:03.781-07:00Mourning: 29th Day <iframe src="https://embed.spotify.com/?uri=spotify:track:7pURimNFeEJJk601ulwD2E" width="300" height="380" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true"></iframe>
<iframe width="480" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Fr9_3vHuoBA?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8456559961585724399.post-52022513813787657352013-07-08T08:11:00.000-07:002013-07-08T08:11:01.408-07:00This is not a bad video, NIAC! But its soundtrack sucks. <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/4qakOKNvKtY?rel=0" width="640"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8456559961585724399.post-88922841854996651582013-07-07T15:19:00.001-07:002013-07-07T15:57:41.245-07:00Calling More RelativesJust got off the phone talking to a cousin of my father and her husband. They were coming back from a 4th of July vacation in Detroit and were on the road to their home. I think I talked about 30 minutes with them. Her husband had somewhat a similar experience to me. His father died while he was in US. It was years ago. I remember him coming back to Iran a few weeks later. He could not come in time for the burial and such.<br />
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I thanked him for sharing his painful experience with me in the voice messages he left about 20 days ago. Today I returned his calls after more than 20 days, but he was ok with it. He said I did a good thing not taking calls when I could not talk. He is such a gentle soul. His wife also. She is my father's first cousin. My father loved her dad, who passes away years ago in a car accident in Iran. Actually, we were neighbors with her dad in Iran for more than 10 years -- living in the same apartment complex. </div>
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The familial and emotional ties between me and these two are so strong that I broke into tears talking to them and remembering my father and her dad and other departed relatives. I wish I was in Iran. </div>
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Nobody understands what goes on with an Iranian when they lose their dad and can't be in Iran except for other Iranians who have been in this position before. That is too patriotic, I guess. Let's say: other nationalities for that matter too. U get my point. </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8456559961585724399.post-26672030292353827072013-07-06T23:41:00.002-07:002013-07-12T14:23:23.211-07:00Mourning: 27th Day <iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/0CY9zlefdFU?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8456559961585724399.post-88224961838486123782013-07-03T20:18:00.004-07:002013-07-03T21:39:55.103-07:00When violent, homophobic people use "Iran" in their verbal assaults, what can u do?<h1 class="title-news" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 32px; line-height: 36px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;">
Two Men Allegedly Verbally, Physically Harass LGBT Subway Passengers After NYC Pride (VIDEO) </h1>
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And this happened: "[The older man] started to say things like, if you were in Iran you would be killed," Koirala said. Koirala is the one who made this video: </div>
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Read the rest of it on <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/03/men-harass-lgbt-passengers-new-york-pride_n_3541432.html" target="_blank">huffington post.</a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0