- sha b
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What are your thoughts and questions on Iran?
Disclaimer : I am not a historian, humanitarian, politician, any group's representative, or good at English. Just an individual that lives here.
If you are Iranian, or curious about life in Iran, feel free to join the conversation.
Topics:
Iran
Debra Smith 200+
Lindsay Newland Bowker 50+
Debra Smith 200+
http://youtu.be/e7Z-4oFVCR8
If the conversation closes and If you do get a chance to see it and if it is interesting to you, please feel free to email me through TED.
sha b
Debra Smith 200+
Debra Smith 200+
sha b
Noam Chomsky: WikiLeaks Cables Reveal “Profound Hatred for Democracy on the Part of Our Political Leadership” In a national broadcast exclusive interview, we speak with world-renowned political dissident and linguist Noam Chomsky about the release of more than 250000 secret US State Department cables by WikiLeaks. In 1971, Chomsky helped government whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg release the Pentagon Papers, a top-secret internal US account of the Vietnam War. Commenting on the revelations that several Arab leaders are urging the United States to attack Iran, Chomsky says, “latest polls show] Arab opinion holds that the major threat in the region is Israel, that’s 80 percent; the second threat is the United States, that’s 77 percent. Iran is listed as a threat by 10 percent,” Chomsky says. “This may not be reported in the newspapers, but it’s certainly familiar to the Israeli and US governments and the ambassadors. What this reveals is the profound hatred for democracy on the part of our political leadership.”
sha b
I don't quite get it. There is a poll, And Arab's express they feel safe with Iran. So, profound hatred for "democracy "? what does he mean by that? he means Arabs should be the ones that get to decide for us? If Arabs have said Iran *is *a thread 100% what might have we done? Would then it be democratical?
Debra Smith 200+
sha b
My point was where is the democracy of "US" asking "Arabs" about what should "Iran" do?It would had made more sense if it was a poll of who is more hated by "their own nation"?
Debra Smith 200+
Now that my kids are grown and now that I have lifted my head to 'smell the coffee' as the saying goes- I am royally pissed off at what they've done to my world- and the world my kids will inherit.
Now that they have helped to sharpen my brain with a first class education- I plan to sing loud and proud about what I am learning and talk to as many regular people around the world as possible and NEVER SHUT UP!
So you are way ahead of me my sister and I have much to learn from you but I am very willing to learn!
sha b
Tim Colgan 50+
| http://justjuiced.wordpress.com/2011/05/12/noam-chomsky-the-u-s-and-its-allies-will-do-anything-to-prevent-democracy-in-the-arab-world/
it's a transcript of a recent Chomsky talk which may cover some of the same material.
Tim Colgan 50+
| http://www.alternet.org/rights/149032/noam_chomsky:_wikileaks_cables_reveal_%22profound_hatred_for_democracy_on_the_part_of_our_political_leadership%22?page=entire
sha b
Salim Solaiman 50+
Lack of fresh air, choking environment, humanity breathless every moment .
My question
According to you ,am I wrong or right with my above expression ? What so ever you can say but would be happy to hear the reasons behind.
sha b
Tehran is a very crowded city, With a population of over 15 million. I can't come up for with a reason for the lack of fresh air, You even sugar coated it . It's worse that that.The authorities don't care and to be honest neither do most people. Obviously as long as people don't do anything about it, it won't get any better.
Salim Solaiman 50+
Sorry I couldn't communicate right.
I wanted to mean freedom of speech , freedom of expression of individual human being regardles of gender, race or religion.
sha b
No Iran is no utopia of freedom of speech.
And why? That's a hard one. Because we are afraid.
Salim Solaiman 50+
So can I take as my expression to be right as expressed in my first post here ?
sha b
Yes, it was very true.
Salim Solaiman 50+
Wishing all the best for you though I am undone to do anything for you in your time of need except just wishing best.
sha b
Ed Schulte 50+
I seem to recall the name of the region differently but no matter ....I was just keeping the questions general until I see/hear/feel the level of content you are comfortable with. You don't seem worried that you could be monitored in anyway.(yes/no?)
Here in western Canada , Edmonton, Calgary, vancouver the Iranian diasporas are not seeing that this so-called "Arab Spring" (Apologies here But it western habit of grouping different cultures under one name, adding their mis-identification) is going to change the situation in Iran .......is this the same among the people around you? ....There are general elections next march ....do you see any shift in the positions within the power group ..and do you expect people will conduct demonstrations ?? A Canadian-Iranian reporter was detained in Syria ...sent to Iran ...BUT then released and is now back in Canada safe...I point this out as an example of unexpected behaviour when viewed from outside/west.
Unfortunate that is thread is short in time ..back if I don't return before closing ...I wish you and yours "Joyful Life." and "True Peace in your Being"
sha b
Yes to your question, That's why I didn't give off any personal details. I haven't heard of anyone getting arrested by being monitored as you call it, There are thousands of anonymous people on the internet, They can't just break into all our houses and arrest all of us. And why should they pick me of all people for monitoring ?
I don't see the Arab Spring having much of a direct impact on us either, People around me? are getting depressed, and frustrated more and more, All they ever do is cursing the authorities. We have no logic left to make decisions with. Did you hear about Hale Sahabi and his dad? That was the last straw. Maybe we are all too emotional to any outsider's eyes, But there is only much one can take.
The big power group is breaking up into smaller power groups, That's for sure. I could say I wish they all turn against each other and fight till at least one outruns the other, But I know that's not going to happen, So I don't even wish.
I predict a demonstration some time soon, But I can't say how it would turn out. (One might question what we ever gain out of demonstrations?)
You mean that Al Jazeera reporter? That wasn't unexpected for me, Al Jazeera is pro-Palestine. Like they would pass an opportunity to make a good impression on Al Jazeera network and it's viewrs.
Sorry, The short time was unintentional. And I wish you a joyful life too.
Julie Ann 10+
sha b
I meant as an Iranian woman there is a chance that you are born into a kind of family that decides for you to stop your education and marry someone they choose, I am not going to label them a traditional or religious family. Because there are many religious families that wouldn't do that. And also being wealthy or poor doesn't make a difference.
I'll try to clarify more :nobody I know have had two wives, But there are people that live like that. I can't say in Iran women live with a possibility that their husbands might remarry, Because for me or and anyone I personally know that possibility doesn't exist, But I know there are Iranian women who live with that fear. We live in an small town and she may live in Iran's most modern city Tehran. So I don't really know how should I classifying them accurately, That's why I call them different kinds. One just can't tell from the labels.
Julie Ann 10+
sha b
This was a good experience for me too, I used to think of non-Iranians as prejudiced toward us. I am glad that I turn out to be wrong.
Julie Ann 10+
Tim Colgan 50+
What do you think is required to improve the relations between Iran and the west?
sha b
My new friends here asked me to start a conversation about Iran and since this was my first time I just choose 1 day out of blue. Now it seems I can't change that. Me and other Iranians here would be around somewhere anyway.
Between Iran's government and governments of the west? I have no hope of that
Between people of Iran and people of the West : By communicating more.
Debra Smith 200+
Amily shaw 10+
here are something i would like to ask
1 whats like to be a non-Muslism in Iran?
2 how woman in Iran think of their own conditions?can woman choose their own way of living?what are the things that you think most of the woman want to change in terms of their rights?
sha b
2- We don't all think alike, But I can only say we all deserve more than this. / It depends on the kind of family she has and what she wants to go after. / Family laws.
Amily shaw 10+
whats family laws about ?
sha b
The standards change during time, Like wearing boots during winter and sandals during summer.
Family laws that comes to my mind :Children's custody, the women's right to get a divorce, men can marry again without their first wife's consent, girls inherit 1/3 each and boys 2/3. Wives need the husbands consent to work, study or leave the country. Fathers have the right to marry of their under aged daughters.
Muhammad Aizat Zainal Alam 30+
sha b
Shias and Sunnis in Sistan Baloochistan providence just plain hate each other, And they are constantly showing this to each other, Also consider that their authorities are all Shias. Another province with Sunni majority is Kurdistan, which is another story, in Kurdistan , The crisis is not between Shia and Sunni people, It's between Sunni people and Shia authorities.
Muhammad Aizat Zainal Alam 30+
sha b
There are plenty of awesome people here and we are all in this(whatever it is) together.
Muhammad Aizat Zainal Alam 30+
S.R. Ahmadi 20+
can you say some examples?
do you know Iran is one of the Regions with significant populations (3th after Israel and US)
they are living in Iran in peace.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persian_Jews
what you mean clearly?
sha b
Like in high school there was praying time in which all students had to go to praying room, and pray . Even students that never learned how to pray would go and pretend that they are praying, I used to scape by staying in classrooms among girls that couldn't pray because they had their period. One day the dean confronted me about being there all the time. And from that day on I had to join to those who pretend.
But most of the time nobody knows what your believes are So as long as don't give yourself off, it's ok. They sometimes ask you if you pray in job interviews for companies that are controlled by Sepah, (which the most important ones are)And I say yes.
A somehow related fact : in 1988 thousands of political prisoners were hanged-their crime was being apostates of Islam.
Edit:I can't speak on behalf of religious minorities, You should ask themselves. Especially Bahais.
Debra Smith 200+
sha b
Just kidding. Thanks for your concern but It's not that scary. There are plenty of Iranian and non-Iranian forums full of anonymous people, actually I am very moderate compared to them. We can't all be jailed. Can we?
Muhammad Aizat Zainal Alam 30+
"There is not much difference between being a non-Muslim man or woman. Other than being forced to wear hijab. "-sha b
A non-muslim being forced to follow Islamic rules? explain
S.R. Ahmadi 20+
the shias always consider sunny as brothers and respect them.
the shia/sunny originally is about understanding and extraction of detail specific every day and new happening sharia (religion) laws from Koran and Sunna (behaviors of prophet) and hadith (sayings of prophet and Imams)(from peripherals). and based on understandings of sharia laws Muslims are in different branches ( prophet said after me my people will become 72 branch) that mainly are to branch of shia and sunny.
but the problem is this differences always has been used for making conflict between them. the people of two group respect each other.
the sunny countries are not the same in the level of conflict with shia. for example Egypt is sunny but moderate sunny and they all know and respect and follow Ah al-Bayt and government and religious leaders have no strict problem that people follow of even convert to shia. but the shia should not be officially advertised in Egypt while in real life shia and sunny are near to each other and recognize and use each other scientific resources.
but in some sunny countries specially saudi arabia the situation for any branch of non-sunny is very sever. in saudi arabia the power is by saudi family and the Wahhabi branch are very powerfull there. the wahabi beliefs says that killing shais is free and has reward by God. shia people are minority in saudi arabia and have very very hard situation in there. if a shia leader advertise there immediately will go to prison. or even any other Islamic branch.
mostly the level of problems with shia in sunny countries depend on the goverment of each country and not all are the same. people of most sunny countries like egypt like Iranians and shia's and few like saudi arabia (Wahhabi branch of sunny) have very sever problem with Iran even wish to kill all shia.
saudi family has power has very strong tie with U.S.
Tim Colgan 50+
S.R. Ahmadi 20+
not AMERICAN ISLAM or Islam of US friends.
by US I not people US peoples. I mean the lobbies controlling US at background.
in that case people will be happy and satisfied with government.
this not mean Iran has true Islam completely. Iran has many problems.
near 15% of all Muslims are shia and near 10% of Iran are sunny.
Kurdistan is a large area that is in 3 country: Iraq, Iran, Turkey.
Imperialism is a law for pleading:
"make dispersion and get the power"
shia/sunny is religious rather than political and muslims themselves had not much problem by shia/sunny and were and now mostly not have. but Imperialism use this for making dispersion.
for example in a shia country terrors a famous religious leader and advertises that the sunny muslims has killed him. and do the same in sunny countries and try to make dispersion in muslims.
the shia/sunny conflict is not as big as you hear in media. and shia and sunny Muslims are friend inside themselves. for example one shia said one time he went to saudi arabia and the people invited him to their home for dinner. after dinner they started to reading poems about Ahl al-Bayt (highly respected and followed by shia). he sais i thought they are doing this for respecting me but then I said all people in that meeting were reading that poem from their memory together. such examples shows shia/sunny people themselves have no conflict and all is some peaceful conflict within the religious experts. but at political level and media story changes.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imam_Ali_Mosque_bombing
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohammad_Baqir_al-Hakim
shia/sunny history is full of such examples.
Muhammad Aizat Zainal Alam 30+
Tim Colgan 50+
S.R. Ahmadi 20+
this is what shia leaders (also me) feel about sunny brothers:
http://www.al-islam.org/index.php?sid=232484598&t=74&cat=74
but this mean sunny Muslims have no problem in Iran. some ignorant people from both groups make conflicts.
the most important is about Kurdistan sunny Muslims that is has some political aspects out of religion.
Kurd people in Kurdistan of Iran and Kurdistan of turkey and Kurdistan of Iran some times say some things that we want to make an independent country and this make some problems.
but from religious only view there is no problem between shia and most sunny branches. shia only has sever problem with some few cults like Wahhabi (in saudi arabia) and Bahai.
Debra Smith 200+
what is life for women like in Iran?
Is Shirin Neshat a name you would have recognized before the talk and can you identify with her story?
Thanks in advance. This is a fantastic opportunity for us!
sha b
But in the case of government and rules, Yes, There is all kinds of injustice toward women.
I knew her as the director of her film. Yes.
Ed Schulte 50+
One of the Culture who's past teachers contains the key /essential / pointers to the continuing transitions of consciousness. WRT... influence on the the west ...Henry Corbin’s outstanding collection on Persian Sufism - ( See 'Man of Light') - this had influence on Jungians through the Eranos Lectures (eg James Hillman/ Archetypal Psychology ).
I Said that to point to the Outside (Unconsciousness ) influences which want to keep Iran from revitalizing it potential. This has all ready been said else where so I will just name drop ...Ibn Sina's....., and continue on to say …
Best / Healthiest food / Cultural diet habits I know of in one culture ….and now if will just please point me to where that region is which grows 6 different types of pomegranates, .....I will be on my way.
sha b
Tim Colgan 50+
sha b
S.R. Ahmadi 20+
but Indeed they not want any secular state.
the Love of Ah al-Bayt and Imam Husayn ibn Ali is in blood of Iranian. in any form of state people do have relation with them.