New Iranian American member says Hi

[sasss31]

Hi all! I just wanted to say a big hello to everyone on here. I am actually Iranian-American (non-Jewish) "technically" born Muslim but atheist; and in fact, support Israel's sovereignty and rights and wanted to join on board on here to discuss some of the issues on here. I completely understand the threats Israel faces and I think that history has taught us to take the threats of radical madmen seriously. In addition, Iran is the only country in the entire region that once liberated will truly become democratic and secular. Let's not forget we have ties going back over 2500-years.

Since I am a new member it wouldn't let me start a threat on any of the forums so I thought I would say a hello here.

[Reffo]

Hi all! I just wanted to say a big hello to everyone on here. I am actually Iranian-American (non-Jewish) "technically" born Muslim but atheist; and in fact, support Israel's sovereignty and rights and wanted to join on board on here to discuss some of the issues on here. I completely understand the threats Israel faces and I think that history has taught us to take the threats of radical madmen seriously. In addition, Iran is the only country in the entire region that once liberated will truly become democratic and secular. Let's not forget we have ties going back over 2500-years.

Since I am a new member it wouldn't let me start a threat on any of the forums so I thought I would say a hello here.

Hi
Let me be the first to say welcome.

About the Iranian people, I would like to ask you the question: what do you think, how successful were the religious fanatics in brainwashing the general population to hate Israel? Or are the people in general discerning enough to remember the friendly relations that the two countries enjoyed before the Ayatolahs took power? Also, do they resent Israel because Israel had friendly relations with Iran during the rule of the Shah?

[sasss31]

About the Iranian people, I would like to ask you the question: what do you think, how successful were the religious fanatics in brainwashing the general population to hate Israel? Or are the people in general discerning enough to remember the friendly relations that the two countries enjoyed before the Ayatolahs took power? Also, do they resent Israel because Israel had friendly relations with Iran during the rule of the Shah?

Thanks for inquiring. First off, let me tell you a little about myself and my experience. While I was born in Iran, I left when I was 3. BUT, I have been back several times and have spent significant amounts of time in Iran including spending over 8-months in Iran just a year and a half ago when my grandfather had a heart attack. SO, unlike most people and even most Iranians - I feel that I have a taste of the Iranian sentiment based out of my own direct experience.

As for the Iranian population, most Iranians no longer have a problem with Israel. Why? Because the regime tells them to hate them. Anything the regime says is bad, must be the opposite. That is how the majority of the Iranian populace look at things. When Iranians are suffering back at home, why should the money of Iranians go to support Palestinians and particularly that of Islamic militants? In fact, we share a common apathy - Islamic fascism.

The majority of Iranians are what I term fake Muslims. They are not religious, but have a vague belief in a god like most American Christians. And it is not the youth who tends to be atheist. While the youth are irreligious - it is the 50-year old male who has lived life under the Shah and life under this regime that has come to understand the true nature of religion. I reckon based on my experience that there are more non-believers in Iran (behind closed doors of course) than in the United States.

So - this is not to say that Iranians are pro-Israeli. It is simply to say that "why should the Israeli-Palestinian issue concern us?" That is the sentiment I think of the majority of the populace.

BTW, there was a recent documentary on BBC Persian that I uploaded to youtube and made subtitles of which deals directly with the Israel-Iran issue. It is quite interesting and is entitled, "From Cyrus to Ahmadinejad". If you'd like to view it, here is the link: http://youtu.be/V6aBnpSxZkA

[sasss31]

BTW I love your John Galsworthy quote! I posted it on my facebook! So true, so true..

[dayag]

Hi Sasss31,
Welcome to the forum. I moved your post into its own thread.
I am grateful for your insights on Iranian attitudes. I have known several Iranian Bahai'is and have fond memories of their hospitality (and cooking).
Dayag

[sasss31]

Thx dayag .

Here is a very interesting and intriguing new research study conducted by Yuval Porat and his staff..: www.iranresearch.org

[Ziggy]

Welcome Sasss31! I, like others, appreciate you joining the forum. I look forward to reading your posts while sharing your knowledge and insight of the Iranian people and the internal religious, political bent within Iran's political infrastructure. Thanks for the links; once again, welcome.

[sasss31]

thx

[Reffo]

Hi Sasss31,
Welcome to the forum. I moved your post into its own thread.
I am grateful for your insights on Iranian attitudes. I have known several Iranian Bahai'is and have fond memories of their hospitality (and cooking).
Dayag

I nearly missed sasss31's response to my questions because I was looking for it on the original thread. However, I do understand why you did it and I agree with you.

Sasss31
Thanks for your response I am heartened by what you say and it makes sense too. At the end of the day, people are the same everywhere and we react the same way to the same stimuli. I hope the Iranian people will be able to get rid of the theocracy that has been ruining their lives and which has been doing it's level best to spread hatred between people who don't really have reasons to hate each other.

The sooner that real democracy is implemented in Iran, the sooner we will all be better off.

[sasss31]

Thanks for your response I am heartened by what you say and it makes sense too. At the end of the day, people are the same everywhere and we react the same way to the same stimuli. I hope the Iranian people will be able to get rid of the theocracy that has been ruining their lives and which has been doing it's level best to spread hatred between people who don't really have reasons to hate each other.

I agree to an extent. I think a lot of it has to do with culture and the fact that our culture is pre-Islamic (i.e. Persian New Years). In addition, we lived in a secular society pre-1979' and can compare the two based on life experiences. Remember Iran pre-1979', Iranians inside of Iran dressed and had acted as they wished with all the social freedoms in the world. So therefore - I think culture plays a HUGE difference. This regime has done one thing effective that the Shah would not have been able to do; and that is to drive out religiosity out of the hearts and minds of the majority of the people. Therefore - I think there are societies in which their people are very much fundamentalist and pose grave threats to civilization. For example in Saudi Arabia, I don't think the Saudi Royal Family is so much fundamentalist themselves but they must appease the fundamentalist society of theirs and allow their religious scholars to have such a sway within their society. As another example, Pakistanis are generally quite fundamentalist in nature. Therefore, I think culture plays a fundamental role here. Remember, the revolution in 1979' was not simply an Islamic one. Khomeini came in with lies in promising not to interfere in politics. There are many complexities to that revolution; and the Iranian people have surely suffered greatly the last 30+ years - but a future Iran will indeed be one in which we will have learned from our grave mistakes and consequences that this regime has brought upon our homeland.

[sasss31]

Thx again for all the kind words. Glad to be on here.

[Reffo]

BTW I love your John Galsworthy quote! I posted it on my facebook! So true, so true..

Thanks. I like it too because it is so true. In fact, that sentiment alone caused me to become active on the Internet. When I started posting, I was so frustrated with the chattering class who incessantly preached to Israel by writing letters to newspaper editors and on the internet from the comfort of their arm chairs and comfortable western homes. Some of them were well meaning idealists others then as now are clearly haters. That signature was not and still isn't directed at the haters. It is directed at the good souls who mean well but are highly critical of Israel. Of course no one claims that Israel, like any other country, should be beyond criticism. Constructive criticism I don't mind and sometimes even agree with. But too many of the critics tend to ignore the history and the realities of the Middle East.

Anyway, I was actually looking for such a saying when I was looking for a signature and was very happy to come across that quote from John Galsworthy.