Kamangir (Archer)

We Are Loosing

Kamangir | July 4, 2006 | Category Iran

1- I had an email from an Iranian friend who is coming to Canada. I knew that he had applied for the visa two weeks ago. He was writing,

…I was rejected…They responded to my application by only writing “we are not satisfied that you will leave Canada after your studies”…I was not alone, everybody got the same response…

2- We had a fantastic weekend in a friend’s cabin an hour east of Winnipeg. Leaving more than two days with a Canadian family, whom committed almost every single sin according to the Islamic law, I was frequently finding myself looking at the river asking this stupid question over and over “what the Iranian way of living really has to offer?” I am aware of my Iranian heritage. I can not say I am proud of it because I can see myself being a Portuguese or an Indian as well. Every nation, even the young Canadian one, has its own culture and traditions, even if it means how they fillet fish. This is a horrible confession to make, but I do not know one single Iranian family whom do not have their share of family struggles. Does that mean Iranians are horrible people? I think no. My reason for this behavior is the huge stress in which we are living. Actually, it seems totally obvious in the Iranian way of living to judge people. Anything is either right or wrong, and most of the times it is wrong. When somebody does something wrong you should face them (that does not include what the government does, though). If a close friend or family member does something wrong you can do the “correction” much easier because you can talk to them with less barriers and be more frank. At the end of the day one of the pillars of the Iranian Islam is “pushing towards good and stopping from bad” (Persian: امر به معروف Ùˆ نهی از منکر).

1+2- No single Iranian is found involved in recent terrorist attacks, neither in 9/11 nor in the recent Ontario chamber. In contrary, Iranians are known for being intelligent charming people outside Iran. Yet, having the president that we Iranian shamefully have, we are going to be one of the ugly non-civilized massacre-pursuing group of people second to barbarians who enjoy slaughtering pregnant women. We were talking about the recent rule about Persepolis tablets. She was telling me that she feels very proud of herself when she thinks about the monument. Actually, I don’t. When I went there more than anything else I was frustrated by the scene; pieces of stone fantastically carved and shaped and yet left under the sun to decay. I do not think I can feel more than regret when I remember the glorious palace. Dear Iranian friends, we are loosing.