Kamangir (Archer)

Sense of Humor

Kamangir | February 16, 2006 | Category Iran

Iranian embassy in Denmark was attacked a few days ago when some people threw stones to it. Now, Iran is demanding an official apology (see).

You know, Iranians have always had a strong sense of humor.

Elham Afrootan (الهام افروتن)

Kamangir | February 15, 2006 | Category Iran

A few weeks ago, a local magazine in a southern province of Iran published an article mocking Khomeini (see). The article resembled Khomeini to a very serious disease that has no cure and affects everybody. The editor of the magazine, which was run by a member of parliament close to Ahmadinejad’s tribe, was a girl called Elham Afrootan. It is believed that she did not compose the article, because later a famous blog managed by an anonymous guy accepted the responsibility (see). The poor girl was sent to jail. Now, the news is saying that she has committed suicide in the prison (see). Before that, she has confessed that she has intentionally included the article in the layout without letting the owner know. She also seems to confess that there has been a conspiracy invloved. She is believed to be tortured severely because the Islamic Republic regime frequently treats people acting against them likewise.

The story that people commit suicide in prisons in Iran is a very repeated one. When Saeed Emami, the member of the Iranian secret service who was charged with killing opposition figures a few years ago, strangely committed suicide in prison, there were lots of rumors that he is killed to stop talking the truth. The truth that would have shown that the heads of the Islamic regime were involved in, and had ordered, the assignations. Akbar Ganji is still behind the bars because he was one of the reporters who made the story public. He was kind of genius, though. In a letter from the prison, he told “I am not going to commit suicide and if I get killed, Khameneii, the leader, is directly responsible.”

In another news, the brother of Arash Sigarchi, a boy arrested because of his blog and sentenced to three years behind the bars, was killed in an accident (see). Arash was threatened before by the judge that his family members may have accidents if he does not cooperate.

I am desperately thinking, what time Iranians will open their minds? Regretfully, I think, not in a very close future.

Visiting Nukes

Kamangir | February 15, 2006 | Category Iran

Ahmadinejad visits the nuclear facilities in Natanz, Iran.

Attacking UK for Danish Cartoons

Kamangir | February 14, 2006 | Category Iran

To oppose the cartoons published by some European countries, the UK embassy in Tehran was attacked today.

Happy Valentine!

Kamangir | February 14, 2006 | Category Iran

The picture if from here (see).

Card Assist

Kamangir | February 14, 2006 | Category Iran

Card Assist (see) is a company which gives services to credit card holders. If you try the webpage you will see how slow it works. They called me on phone a few weeks ago and invited me to use their service. They charge you 60$ for one year and then you won’t be worried about any fraud with your credit card. They also give other services for the case when you loose your wallet. A lady called to me over the phone and told me that I can use the service with no charge for two months. Also, she told me that I can cancel the service at any time and nobody will ask for a reason. Though, she told me that if I do not cancel it, the service will continue for one year and the money will be paid from my credit card. That’s how they work.

Then, today, I called the company and almost fighted with the operator to cancel my subscription. Ugly guys!

Bad Muslim/ Good Muslim

Kamangir | February 14, 2006 | Category Iran

After the attacks to the Denmark embassy and according to the hostile situation between the Islamic Republic and the Israel, one might think that the Iranian head of the state is made up of serious Muslims that can not tolerate followers of other religions or infidels. Unfortunately, the story is a bit different.

Mullas in Iran follow an inclusive model of the world in which everything is evil unless they approve of it. Obviously, they approve of everything which helps them to remain in power. Hence, nobody says that all Jewish people are bad, because there are Jewish people who condemn Israel and admire the Islamic Republic (IR) regime. The IR regime has the same attitude towards Muslims, too.

You see “good” Muslims around the world who demonstrate when somebody “insults” Islam. Also, there are many shows in the IRIB (Iranian official television network) showing Muslims who love Iran and Christians and Jewish people who become Muslims. On the other hand, the Islamic Republic has certain problems with Muslims inside Iran, those who are “bad” Muslims.

You may know that Islam separates into two categories, Sunnis (see) and Shias (see). Shias are the minority and mostly live in Iran, Iraq, Indonesia, and a few more countries. Basically, the IR regime is not very friends with Sunnis. But, at the same time, it is not very friends with all Shia groups, too.
There is a category of Muslim people called Suffi (see), sometimes also called Darvish (see). This is how wikipedia defines this category: “Sufism … is a mystic tradition of Islam based on the pursuit of spiritual truth as it is gradually revealed to the heart and mind of the Sufi (one who practices Sufism). It might also be referred to as Islamic mysticism. While other branches of Islam generally focus on exoteric aspects of religion, Sufism is mainly focused on the direct perception of Truth or God through mystic practices based on divine love. Sufism embodies a number of cultures, philosophies, central teachings and bodies of esoteric knowledge. Sufis are active in a diverse range of brotherhoods and sisterhoods, with a wide diversity of thought. Sufi orders (”tariqas”) can be Shi’a Islam, Sunni Islam, both or neither.”
How does the IR regime treat Suffis? Not much better than how they treated Danish people. There was a building in Qom, the holy city of Shias in Iran and a center of power in the IR regime, where Suffis were doing their rituals. Then, the IR guards and the militia attacked it and arrested numerous people. The attack took a couple of hours and is reported to be a serious war between ordinary people with no weapon and the militia gunmen (see see ).

Pictures are from here (see).

Solution to A Dumb Problem

Kamangir | February 14, 2006 | Category Iran

Frankly speaking, I was never really convinced that there are places on the earth where there are six-month days and nights. I was told about that in the science school and then I watched Insomnia, but I remember Azadeh and I talking about it a few months ago. None of us was really understanding it. Now, thanks to Hoda, I found a webpage to me which helps understanding this problem.

A homepage dedicated to the earth and moon seen from the above helps dumb guys like me. You can watch earth from any satellite there (see), though it is not very helpful for our problem. However, there is another tool there (see), called home planet, which enables you to “watch” the earth and how night and day evolve on it (download). There are a bunch of more stuff there, like some fancy screen savers (download, download, download).

The Dilemma About Iran

Kamangir | February 13, 2006 | Category Iran

I had always told Mike how tender Iranians are. Also, I had tried to show him examples of Iranian traditions, life style, even nice aspects of Islam and Quran. And I was totally sincere with him in that. Then, after the attacks to the Denmark embassy in Tehran, I could clearly see that he is looking at me in doubt. The question was obviously clear “if Iranians are like what you say, then what is this?” I think that’s an important question many other people would ask, too. Even, Azadeh was once asking, “is this the real Iran?”

I think this picture is showing the whole situations. One man throws stones to the Denmark embassy. Police does not intervene and five journalists take pictures to show the world how violent Iranians are.

For The Record

Kamangir | February 13, 2006 | Category Iran

I saved this post as a draft and did not publish it. Now, with Azadeh’s approval, I think it is not that bad.

It is not only others insluting Muslims, sometimes Muslims inslut others. This cartoon was published in the Syrian newspaper Tishreen, April 30, 2000.

Just for the record, see the original page of Jyllans-Post (see). Also, a webpage devoted to the cartoons (see). Hey! the cartoons have got a page in wikipedia (see). Did you think that the cartoons were just published in European countries? See this for one of them on the cover of an Egyptian newspaper (see).

Another Cartoon on Iran

Kamangir | February 13, 2006 | Category Iran

After German Minister of Defense Franz Josef Jung announced that the German army will guard the stadiums where the World Cup is to be held, a German cartoonist drew a picture showing Iran’s team with suicide belts playing against the German army. This event seems to make some people upset (see). The editor of Tagesspiegel, the journal which published the cartoons, apologized for any misunderstanding saying that the aim of the cartoon is to mock the general’s idea not to show that Iranians are terrorists. He expresses “everybody knows that the Iranian team won’t enter the stadium equipped with suicide belts”. He concludes by saying “It is definitely not in the tradition of the Tagesspiegel to engage in any kind of discrimination, be it based on gender, religion, ethnicity or nationality” (see).

It seems that hopefully there will be no demonstrations in Tehran on this subject.

p.s. Iran demanded apology (see).

Another petition by CNN

Kamangir | February 13, 2006 | Category Iran

Another petition on Iran by CNN: “Was the IAEA right to refer Iran to the U.N. Security Council over its nuclear program?” (see). Sorry dudes, I think yes.

Iranian Militia and Hotel Rwanda

Kamangir | February 12, 2006 | Category Iran

He is 22 years old and if there was not the help of some nice teachers he could barely have his diploma. Then, he started a bachelor in a university in his hometown. Although, universities are overloaded nowadays in Iran and students fight over few percents in the national exam to enter them, he won the seat with no major effort. After a few terms, he got expelled from the school because the teachers were not that nice to accept his level of illiteracy. Was it a total ruin for him? Obviously not, he found a good job, well very good for his expertise, in a government ruled agency which works for increasing Iranians awareness to Islamic thoughts. Then, he got married and managed a nice life. I had a meal at his home, where his wife, all covered, treated us kindly. Thanks to the Islamic Republic, my friend, Ali, has got a good life.
When he boarded the Air France plane to return from exile, Iranians were day dreaming about their prestigious future. They had a list of complaints from the Shah. Though, with a rapid look you would realize that all problems related to one single topic, they needed freedom. When the Shah, in his best days, wanted to impress the world watching Iran for the Asian soccer games, he built a huge monument a few kilometers away from the stadium were the event was held. He called the tower, king’s memory. The people who were shouting “down with Shah” called the same building the freedom tower, when they ended the Pahlavi dynasty. Iran watched Khomeini stepping down from the plane as the one who they assumed is coming to make them free.
The first days and months after Shah’s regime was rolled over, Iran was on total chaos. Hence, probably nobody may have really asked Khomeini about his promises. However, after a while people were unable to talk to Khomeini very freely. Claimed to be because of the bombings and assassinations, he went to hidings guarded by armed men. Though, who may have gone to Khomeini asking him about his promise to not only to give the people a good life in the heaven but a precious one on the earth, back then? You had to be very brave to talk to the man whose tribes were doing a real massacre in the prisons.
The Islamic Republic soon realized that they need people like Ali. They needed sincere militia to take care of situations when the “nation” should have come out and shout in the streets. And what is the best way to make people very friends with you? Buy them. So, there is a so called army of volunteers who are not “paid” for what they do. However, as a member of Basij, the voluntary army, you would officially have a priority to be accepted to any university nationwide. Also, there are certain financial supports for the members of Basij and they are off six months of the army service. So, it really is worth to be a Basij guy.
Do I think members of Basij are betrayers to the nation? Will I go chase them the very moment Islamic Republic collapses? Do I think they all should be executed immediately? No, I think they show the parasitic side of a human being. Is there one single man who thinks he objects being paid for something that he could easily be convinced is not bad? They tell you that you are defending your country. Also, you are told to be opposing people who offend the Islamic values. Which 18-year-old boy would hesitate to go stop that handsome fashionable boy who is strolling in the streets with a sexy girl? What tastes better than stopping the couple and asking if they are married, while you are sure they just met a few blocks away. And then the actual joy begins. They are put in custody. Their parents, who are maybe other handsome guys, are called for intervention. Look how their faces turn red and how they can not say a word. How they beg for their children. That’s fun! At least that’s kind of fun Ali could not afford if not being a member of Basij. Basically, I think members of Basij are magnified caricatures of all of us, the human beings.
I have to mention that there are many other Iranians who do not think likewise. A poor youngster living in a desperate situation in a suburb has a very different idea about a member of Basij than me. He would call Ali with names which are seriously impolite and adult-rated. Basically, the typical Iranians that I know see Basij members in two very different ways. They look at Basij as a legitimate group of innocent brave youngsters that also benefit a reasonable living, if they have a close family member in Basij. In contrary, others see Basij members as a bunch of mean people who are ready to sell everybody down the river.
I was watching Hotel Rwanda last night. It’s a movie about a native westernized man who manages a Hotel owned by Belgium chiefs in Rwanda. The story is about his and his family’s fate when the genocide begins. Through the breathtaking scenes which show people butchering people, I was seeing Iran’s past and future. The story is about Rwanda genocide which was inspired by Hutus murdering Tutsis. The reason was that when Belgium occupied Rwanda, they used taller people with larger noses, called Tutsis, whom they assumed to be more delegate. When the occupation was over, the power was given to Hutus. The massacre followed when Hutus started to revenge for their desperate past.
I see the same creature, when I look at a member of Basij or a Tutsi. Likewise, members of Savak, the Shah’s security agency, managed good lives before the revolution, when they were mostly killed or forced to leave the country. So, it seems that not everybody agrees with these people who take the advantage which is given to them, something they have no serious reason for benefiting from it. The moral conclusion is that there are always consequences. These consequences are exactly what I am afraid of. When people start to kill people, there is always revenge which is always followed by more blood.
At the end of the movie we understand that the main role and his family move to Belgium. They also have their niece and nephew, who have lost their parents, with them. I was thinking, is the ultimate answer for escaping the circle of revenges, to abandon your country? To my understanding, yes it is. Azadeh seems to be in the same boat.

War of Petitions

Kamangir | February 11, 2006 | Category Iran

Except for the first petition in petitiononline (see) which is about a Liberal member of parliment somewhere in Canada (see) having 12827 signatures, the four next most active ones relate to the crisis about the cartoons of the prophet.

The first of these petitions is titled “stop the campaign of defamation and distortion against Islam” (see) and demands for an apology. Having 109,574 signatures, it claims that people who insult Muslims are responsible for the violence. Then, a more moderate petition titled “stop that stereotypical actions”(see) gathers 51,955 signatures asking everybody to not to mock any great man, like Ghandi. The undersigned people also procalim that Muslims will never counter-act. This petition is claimed to show Arab Muslims view plus other Arab religious groups’. then, an Iranian composes a three-lingual petition (advertised for later in this blog) (see). Titled “respect international law & stop supporting Danish newspaper” the petition comes in English, Persian, and Arabic and demands for an apology. The 6,724 people signing this petition also denounce the violence. Then, it comes Dane people’s turn to show their ambitions in a bilingual petition titled “support Jyliands Posten”(see). The 293,30 people signing this petition condemn Muslims for their aggressive attitude towards freedom of the press. The petition also advocates for a multi-lingual webpage which is devoted to supporting Denmark in this crisis (see) (the webpage also comes in Persian, advertising for the logo shown here. See more banners supporting Danish here (see)).

p.s. All figures are measured 11th Feb. 2006, 2:36PM.

Shoe Advertisement

Kamangir | February 11, 2006 | Category Iran

Cruch Danes When You Walk!

No Comment

Kamangir | February 11, 2006 | Category Iran

Multilingual Demonstration

Kamangir | February 11, 2006 | Category Iran

I remember that when I was a child, the slogans in demonstrations were only in Persian and English. Sometimes they also included Arabic ones. You know, it depended on the nations with which we had problems. Now, they are carrying German text, too.

Politics of Fun

Kamangir | February 11, 2006 | Category Iran

I assure you that Iranians are not a bunch internet-addicted people. They are not having fun here either. You know, they were just chatting last night and one of them found the great idea to use these emoticons here.

p.s.2. What is that skeleton face doing there? Does it mean Danes should be terrified of Iranians? Or, it means Dane people are a bunch of horribe guys? Would you please add a comment in these sophisticated situations? How am I supposed to describe these strange Iranian habits to the infidels that read my posts?

Misleading Photo

Kamangir | February 11, 2006 | Category Iran

Look how a picture may be misleading. This picture shows the celebrations of the victory of the revolution in Tehran, freedom square. At the first sight, I would say these guys are Danes and Iranians who think “using atomic energy is our certain right”. Though, I am not very satisfied with this sentence; it does not seem very much to be like a slogan. By the way, that Denmark flag is there just because they thought they would need it later. So, they gave the flag to a boy and asked him to take care of it because they want to set it on fire a few hours later. And the lazy boy got excited.

Politics of Photoshop

Kamangir | February 11, 2006 | Category Iran

This photo is from the celeberations of the revolution in Tehran. It seems that somebody has learnt how to work with Photoshop. And also, he is a fan of movies.

Racist Iranians

Kamangir | February 11, 2006 | Category Iran

Yesterday, Azadeh and I were talking with Mark about the recent events and the cartoons of the prophet. We talked about the valences in Iran and how shameful we think people acted there. Then, I went, “they are doing a good move, which is obviously very late and overshadowed by the violence”. “An Iranian newspaper has announced a competition about drawing cartoons of holocaust.” Mark is a real Christian, though, I saw his face turned red. He started very slowly, and we could easily see that he is trying to not to speak very harsh. “Do you think insulting a man, how important he is, is equivalent to making jokes about the murdering of six million people?” We apologized him. After that, Azadeh and I were talking about it. I have read articles that try to prove that it was not six million but one million or a hundred thousand. Still, is it equivalent to one man, even the prophet?

Our Bomb

Kamangir | February 11, 2006 | Category Iran

New Salman Rushdis

Kamangir | February 11, 2006 | Category Iran

Ink, Not a Very Safe Thing.

Kamangir | February 11, 2006 | Category Iran

Insulting Atheists!

Kamangir | February 11, 2006 | Category Iran

That’s fantastic!