Kamangir (Archer)

On Discrimination in the US and in Iran

Kamangir | March 31, 2008 | Category Features, Human Rights, Iran, Lead Story, Video of the Day

The sign reads, “No service to people with loose veil, not even to our old customers”. This sign I wish was rare in Iran, but it isn’t. The fact is, there are stickers which carry the same message and are printed by the Police. These stickers are widely used all over Iran and their use has been mandated by the Police in many instances. You may also remember the hospital which mandated the veil as the condition for service to patients.

The following video is rather old. At the first sight, it might seem to be providing proof that discrimination does exist widely in the US. Watching the video till the end, however, my catch was that discrimination does exist over there, as it exists in every corner of the world, but with the heartwarming observation that ordinary people oppose to it and choose to boycott the offender. Whereas, in Iran, discrimination is a daily practice prescribed by the government and followed by the nation. At best, the Iranian nation is ignorant, and that’s when you do not take into consideration the fact that discriminatory judgments have become a part of the Iranian moral code: “women with loose veil are perverts”. Similar observation can be made regarding judgments against people with different sexual orientations, minority religious groups, etc.

My conclusion is, when left alone to decide for themselves, people everywhere in the world are for justice and peace. Propaganda and political agenda, however, agitate people and turn them into discriminators, for obvious goals of the leading gang.

(direct link to video)

I literally cried, wishing my country was like this.

Islam or Islamic Ideology, which one is the problem Mr. Wilders?

Kamangir | March 27, 2008 | Category Features, Human Rights, Islam, Lead Story, Video of the Day

Geert Wilders’s famous video finally found its way to the Internet. The much anticipated 15-minute video carries footage of Islamic leaders cursing the west and its values and advocating for Islam and its ways. The footage gives subtitles for the various languages spoken in it, the Persian parts of which are accurate. I wasn’t able to find any mistake in the Arabic part either.

I am not a Muslim. Having said that, this video is not about Islam. Islam, like Christianity, Judaism, and other schools of thought, does not kill. Nor does it stone, amputate, or circumcise women. All this is carried out by a beast named man, one of whose most developed talents is to find phony justifications for his/her horrible actions.

Mr. Wilders shows us pictures of crimes carried out by Muslims, from the infamous 9/11 attacks to London bombings and executions in Iran and Afghanistan. I do agree with him that not only many Muslims commit disgusting actions these days, but also that the mainstream Islamic world fails in condemning these atrocities. Even worse than that, the average Muslim seems to have sympathy for murderess, or at least they are fast in condemnation when a fellow Muslim is attacked, but seem to forget to be fair when Muslims kill others. Greet Wilders’ video might make this more clear, as if we had any doubt about it, but does not present a solution. At its core, it merely makes racist remarks about the rise of Muslim population in Europe.

It is a fact that the conventional interpretations of Quran and Islam do lead to issuing death Fatwas against non-Muslims. As rational human beings, this is what we need to talk about. Wilder’s presentation, however, mixes up the faith with the actions of human beings and fails in telling us what we don’t know. At the middle of the carnage, we need to sit together, Muslims and non-Muslims, and make it clear that discussion is the only way. This video, and works similar to it, only stir up the fight.

Ironically, the video contradicts itself when at the end it asks for the Islamic ideology to be defeated. If that’s what you are asking for, Mr. Wilders, which I totally agree with you in it, then why offend billions of Muslims? Really, what’s the point of agitating Muslims by that cheesy “tearing Quran apart, oops! no! it was a phone book” scene?

Happy Persian New Year from Kamangir

Kamangir | March 24, 2008 | Category Features, Lead Story, Personal

Given the number of posts I used to publish here, in the last couple of years, it just sounds too quiet in here now. I do know this and I do hope to have your support for the time when English Kamangir is going to become more active.

The fact is, I have to finish up my Ph.D. Furthermore, I am falling in love with blogging in Persian. Where else can you find such a vast population of youth looking for an alternative perspective, and a critical look at the state-run media? On top of these two, as if there would be any time left, I am pursuing my work on the statistics and the structure of the Persian blogosphere, which I am so willing to turn into a post-doc.

Oh, by the way, as you might know, the Persian year 1386 just ended, and, guess what, Persian Kamangir was chosen among the best Persian blogs in 1386, for “its use of multimedia“.

These days, Persian Kamangir seems to have no rival in the use of multimedia. From audio chats with people who have different views than him, to videos not seen by many, and of course with his many posts everyday, you can find all these in Kamangir. He has been recently gathering statistics of the Persian blogosphere, something which has attracted the attention of the Blogestan.

Well, that sort of makes me feel good. The only problem is, I am not just a blogger and my other involvements do demand a lot more time and attention. Wish me luck!

Enough with bragging. Happy new year, if you celebrate the Persian New Year, and thanks for reading this. A good friend of us took this picture yesterday, of me and Azadeh. I am the person standing, and sort of strangling the lady. She is alive, I assure you! :)

Video of the Day: Outrageous Police Violence in Iran

Kamangir | March 9, 2008 | Category Human Rights, Iran, Islamic Republic, Video of the Day

The boy is arrested for having long hair and is beaten by the Police. They then set his hair on fire, in order to humiliate him. Do spread the video (direct link to video).

Update: Some people claim that this video is fake. These people, however, do not manage to provide acceptable argument for their claim.

Donate Your Kidney, to fight Israel

Kamangir | March 8, 2008 | Category Iran, Islamic Republic, Israel

“The ceremony will focus on designating rewards for the assassination of three Israeli top officials”. This is how the close-to-state website Farda describes an event to be held in Tehran. The three officials are Ehud Barack, Meir Dagan, and Amos Yadlin. The amount will be awarded for the “revolutionary execution” of these three individuals. The executive committee, which calls itself the “justice-seeking movements of students”, also registers people who would donate their kidney to help increases the reward [Persian].

Ten Topmost Persian Blogs, and more

Kamangir | March 5, 2008 | Category Blogging, Features, KiBeKi, Lead Story

The first report of project KiBeKi (Generation 1) is available. According to this report, the ten most favorite websites in the Persian blogosphere are,

1. blogger.com: linked at 304 sites (visit).
2. feeds.feedburner.com: linked at 199 sites (visit).
3. radiozamaaneh.com: linked at 180 sites (visit).
4. isna.ir: linked at 168 sites (visit).
5. google.com: linked at 167 sites (visit).
6. balatarin.com: linked at 157 sites (visit).
7. s.wordpress.com: linked at 155 sites (visit).
8. persianblog.ir: linked at 154 sites (visit).
9. webstats4u.com: linked at 150 sites (visit).
10. fa.wordpress.com: linked at 146 sites (visit).

Similarly, the ten topmost Persian blogs are,

1. 1pezeshk.com: linked at 129 sites (visit).
2. khabgard.com: linked at 91 sites (visit).
3. nikahang.blogspot.com: linked at 88 sites (visit).
4. ahmadnia.net: linked at 81 sites (visit).
5. younesspace.blogspot.com: linked at 78 sites (visit).
6. persian.kamangir.net: linked at 73 sites (visit).
7. khorshidkhanoom.com: linked at 68 sites (visit).
8. mhmazidi.wordpress.com: linked at 68 sites (visit).
9. balootak.com: linked at 65 sites (visit).
10. hanouz.com: linked at 63 sites (visit).

The details of the procedure can be found here. The complete report, including charts and the connection graph, is here.

Video of the Day: Unrest in Shiraz University

Kamangir | March 5, 2008 | Category Human Rights, Iran, Islamic Republic, Video of the Day

 

Ardeshir Arian has done a fantastic roundup of the events: link (direct link to video).

Important Notice about Project Didish

Kamangir | March 4, 2008 | Category Didish

Before referring to the results of project Didish, the analysis of links shared by Persian bloggers, do make sure you have read this page. Please send me an email in case you have any question.

Picture of the Day: Worshiping Atoms

Kamangir | March 3, 2008 | Category Humour, Iran, Picture of the Day

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