Picture of the Day: Proud to be Offensive
By Kamangir • Feb 11th, 2008 • Category: Iran, Islamic Republic, Picture of the Day, US
For the celebration of the Islamic Revolution, the state asked the nation to pour into the streets. That, for some people, was a good chance to show off their genius.
Resemblance to animals is offensive in the Iranian culture. You will spend years behind the bars if you depict the Supreme Leader, for example, as a donkey.
Posted by Kamangir
Author's email address: arash@kamangir.net | All posts by Kamangir
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Hmm, I think there is freedom in Iran to be offensive………..to others, others being offensive to Iran are called by many Iranians Iranophobes.
BTW was this donkey paraded at Azadi square?
What’s to celebrate 25% unemployment (real number, not fake government stats - RNNFGS) another 10-15% underemployment (RNNFGS) this means only able to work a few days a week, meaning also you have to live with your parents till your 40
Inflation is as high as can be, I won’t go into #’s but when the price of tomatoes triples in a few months and you leader tells you to shop at his market, the prices are better. You may also speak with the Butcher, he is a wise man.
I heard getting a education almost guarantees you won’t be able to find work in your field, thats why there are 800,000 cab drivers.
Iranians are good people and most Americans, know that the people who scream death to this and death to death are paid. How will you ever break that regime, one thing for sure is they are scared
Ah, the joys of living in a free country! We can call our President an ass without fear of reprisals!
Thanks for the cultural tidbit. I’d like to understand it a bit better. Does this extend to using animal metaphors to describing personality or physical traits, and using an appropriate animal name as a nickname? I can see how some serious misunderstandings could arise from this.
Kamangir: Yes, using most animal metaphors can be seriously offensive. For example, if you call a person a “cow”, you are calling them an “idiot”. “Dog” is for “violent” and “vulture” is for “one who benefits from others’ losses”.
I suspect government of Iran is full of Democrats.
Cool,
Glad I found you. Interesting site. All of America should visit your site, maybe learn something. I enjoy learning about different cultures and trust me, I’m not young, I’ve been around a long time. Long enough to remember a different Iran. You may find it strange, but, I do not fear Iran or Iranians as most of my American friends do, don’t believe there will ever be a war with Iran and America. I do feel there are extremists in Iran (as in every country, including America) that are being financed and trained by the Iranian and other governments designed to kill us, but, not in a war setting. Iran has too much to lose starting an all out war with anyone! I have more respect for the Iranians than for the Iraqis or the Saudis. At least they will take a stand. I think the present President is almost comical in his dealings with America, oh, I know he can be dangerous, but, I also know he is smart and actually cares about his people and does not want a war on his turf. He will push enough to keep my government on the fringes, then back off. It’s good for both countries, his people feel he is slapping the US President and the American people feel Mr. Bush is keeping us safe from the “dreaded” Iranians. There’s money in it! Believe me, it’s about the money for all parties!
But again, I am glad I found your site and will visit it often.
Thanks,
Doc
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/7239826.stm
Doc
Your post is full of contradictions
There are extremists in Iran that are fincanced and trained by Iranians and other government [which governments???] designed to kill us but not in the war setting .
[Do you mean that killing not in the war setting is better?]
the.present President is almost comical in his dealings with America, oh, I know he can be dangerous, but, I also know he is smart and actually cares about his people
[You mean he is caring about his people by not improving economy, not dealing with inflation, by rationing gas, by spending money outside of Iran - that is his care for the people?
As for being smart - many fanatics are smart that does not make them less fanatical]
He will push enough to keep my government on the fringes, then back off.
[And how sure are you of this?]
It’s good for both countries, his people feel he is slapping the US President
[and what is so good about it? It feeds nationalism not patriotism]
the American people feel Mr. Bush is keeping us safe from the “dreaded†Iranians.
[no, they don't. US people do not dread Iranians, they dread fundamentalists]
There’s money in it! Believe me, it’s about the money for all parties!
[no, there are money for Pasdaran, for military, not for the people of Iran]
*******
And Arash site is great, people should visit his site……… the ones who fear Iran or Iranians as most of your friends do, and the ones who do not as majority of my friends do not.
Yes, I see about the negative animal comparisons. It’s hard to get my brain around the idea that these are not merely insulting, but downright obscene.
I was also wondering about neutral or positive animal traits. “Dogged” for persistant, “kitten” for a gentle person, “bull” for a big, strong fellow. Still obscene?
The politicians of Iran lie to the people just like politicians do in every other country. When will the citizens of the Middle East wake up and realize it’s their own governments that are causing the vast majority of their country’s problems, not the United States and Western civilization. The USA is a convenient scapegoat to distract people from the real problems facing their countries. Why not develop economies based on more than just oil. Why is all that oil revenue being kept at the top rather than distributed to the citizens? Surely the standard of living in the Middle East could be much better if the governments were more fair in the distribution of this enormous wealth. The people of these countries should feel insulted their governments are taking them for idiots. The USA donates more money around the world than any other country, yet they are the most reviled. It doesn’t make sense. Instead of pointing their fingers at other countries as the blame for their condition, these governments need to look themselves in the mirror and see if they are doing all they can to improve the lives they purport to represent. If they are not willing to do that, then the citizens of these countries need to revolt and put people in power who will represent them, not only their religious interests. Just my two cents…