Kamangir (Archer)

Spitting on the Cat

Kamangir | July 20, 2006 | Category Iran

I think an important aspect of the Iranian life style is having a strong sense of humor. Some researchers say as Iranians have long been under oppression they have adopted ways to carry the meaning but not to be specific, and so face prosecution. I do not have any theory for this but I know that sometimes jokes get a bit confusing.

This picture shows a protest in the Iranian Vatican, Qom. The banner reads “Bush, Mush”. In Persian Mush means mouse. The title on the cat reads Israel and the funny mouse reads America. The way Bush is written probably implies that he is afraid of something. So, I infer that the lady means “Bush is afraid of Israel [and has to approve their actions]“. The second picture shows an American flag pulled on the ground by a truck. The problem is that if America and Bush are terrified mouses why should anyone really hate them? The yellow banner reads “if Muslims were united and each one of them poured a bucket of water Israel would be flooded away”. I have heard a less polite version which suggests Muslim spit to wash off Israel into the sea. We Iranians are funny, aren’t we?