Voices for Peace & Promotion
Jun 19th, 2008 by pedestrian
By now I’m sure you’ve all seen Voices for Peace: Fifty Iranian-Americans Promoting Peace with Iran.
Perhaps the idea behind it was decent enough. And maybe, at the end of the day, having it is better than not.
And yet, as a fellow Iranian (ixnay the American), there were many things that made me uncomfortable.
I do not think it is prudent at the moment to promote the idea of: “don’t attack Iran”. While many of us are extremely worried, publicly, we should promote the idea of direct, unconditional requests for talk with Iran. Lest we forget, she too remains a sovereign nation and has the right to decide when and if she wants to open her doors.
I am scared shitless, but when you truly think about it, the mere idea, the mere threat is purely satanic and evil. And we should not give in to it by debating it publicly. The moment you start arguing an insane proposition you’ve given in to it entirely.
Instead of:
“We – the Iranian/American community – are of many religions and many beliefs but we believe America should not attack Iran.”
It should have been:
“We Iranians are of many religions, ethnicities and cultures and we all believe the two countries should talk.”
The idea behind this announcement should have been to promote the path of peace with Iran. I’m not sure where that was squeezed in because I must have missed it.
The announcement begins with:
Fifty people share a face of Iran that’s missing in the headlines, promoting peace.
Some of us were born here; some of us came from Iran.
Huh?
Was this actually planned or did people just blurt out anything they wanted? Is that really a point you need to stress? Aren’t all human beings born somewhere? Or were Iranians born in some sort of radioactive Klingon terror ship?
Maybe it is that the way Americans look at Iranians is so incredibly horrendous. But do we really need to spend the greatest proportion of the clip telling the world that Iranians are actually working and studying? That they are mothers and grandmothers? Why don’t we just show that they also pee and eat like the “rest of humanity”?
Hey Americans! We Iranian-Americans digest our food the same way you do! Please don’t nuke us!
We are not radical, fundamentalist, or extremists.
(Note: There’s no talk of Iranians as a whole, we only grasp that Iran-Americans are not any of those things. But moving on …)
Of course we are not! Who said we were? These words are far too apologetic and frankly, even offensive.
This was more a video to promote the status of Iranian-Americans than to promote peace; to better their hurt ego – not to raise questions about Iran. To reassure America that they are not fundamentalists and have achieved a great deal on her soil.
But so have the Indian, the Chinese and the Arab communities. So what? What does that have to do with promoting peace? So what that Iranian Americans are doctors and engineers? That has absolutely no link to current animosity between the two countries.
And at the end of the day, here’s the greatest fundamental flaw I see in the expat community:
They don’t want America to nuke Iran and its ruling establishment.
But they’d be quite happy to nuke it themselves.
I am not a supporter of the Iranian ruling system on many issues. But I am behind them 100% in the event of outside intervention of any kind.
Of course, that can be viewed as the same argument provided by the ruling establishment within Iran: do no criticize us because you are “helping the enemy”.
But it is not the same. For two reasons:
- Logical criticism and debating issues in their own context is far different than bad mouthing (of course, the government of the IRI does not see the difference – neither do Iranian satellite channels.)
- The way you criticize inside the country (when paradoxically, you are not allowed) should be different than what you say outside of it. And that is fundamental I think: if you believe that reform must come from inside Iran, you do not destabilize the government from outside.
But as a whole, the Iranian communities outside Iran spend a great deal of resources trying to oust or at least demonize the government within Iran. While those who threaten Iran with war also always conclude that they are only attempting to hurt the system – and not the people. These arguments share many similarities.
You do not have to be in agreement with the system – but to believe no one has the right to do her harm. That in itself implies that you are throwing your support behind them in some way. And that is completely at odds with barbarizing them out of humanity.
The route to civil society is a long, excruciating path that requires deep, thoughtful political/social criticism, reflection; bitter rivalry and struggle. But that is not the same as demonizing Iran’s leaders and declaring them dead.
Those “bearded rulers” are as “Iranian” as we are. We may hate, despise and ridicule them everyday, but it is our combined cultural, religious, historical, political and sociological calculations that brought us to this result. We often want to “separate” ourselves from their image, because weare at odds with their beliefs, with their actions and with their very humanity.
But looking back at our history as far as at least the last 200 years – this outcome was inevitable. And in this “our” we can not separate the bearded from the unbearded, the hot shot Iranian lawyer living with her boyfriend in L.A. and the mother of 10 living with her clergy husband in Qom. We can ridicule as much as we want, but this was a manifestation of our combined Iranian-ness. And today, we can separate ourselves and mock but the problem lies in that we seem to be more preoccupied with doing that than looking and finding real solutions. Those who live outside seem to believe that because they are not within the borders, they are somehow better or more separated.
We are constantly divided. As if the Iranian diaspora has difficulty believing, after 29 years, who is in charge. These are the rulers today and if we can at all, it is with them that we shall negotiate. Cyrus who wrote the first declaration of human rights is not going to rise from the grave and rule us – and even if he did, could you guarantee that he’d do any better?
Better the devil you know then the devil you don’t.
We Iranians however, seem to love experimenting.
I totally agree with you, and the video struck me in the same way it apparently struck you. However, who am I to say … ???
I understand where you’re coming from. Some people might say: “she’s not Iranian! How would she know?”
But this announcement was made exactly for non-Iranians. So it’s important what they draw from it …
have you noticed iranians inside iran also self-hate? Sometimes I feel we are Jewish
Thanks Pedestrian for another keen analysis. I hope you’ll email it to them.
Reading some of the commentaries on the net, I realize that some aren’t sure if “we digest our food the same way they do!”.
On a side note last night Leeden was invited to the Iranian Voice of America, I really wonder who is in charge of their programs!
That’s why having this clip is better than not – you’re absolutely right: some people do think we function differently as human beings.
No shit! I rarely listen to VOA but I did a double take when I read your words ………
The sad part? My grandfather (and many, many others like him!) listen in every night religiously – he refuses to go to dinner parties where the hosts do not provide a radio! – and actually agree with that stuff!
They are more hawkish than the hawks in America …
Naj, so many times in Tehran I sit down in taxis and have to spend the whole car ride listening to them go on and on about how great it would be if America nuked Iran … how the whole nation deserves to die … etc, etc, etc … This is certainly not a problem associated with any particular group of Iranians.
It plagues us all ……….
Naj! Thanks for the belly laugh!
Pedestrian, most excellent point! But, I think, the sad fact is that a great many Americans need to be shown that Iranians are not exotic tent people with grit in their pores and missing teeth. We have a hard enough time recognizing the common humanity of our countrymen… let alone wild ones in turbans and curly-toed shoes….
I wonder if you could convince someone at Voices for Peace to make sure they begin stressing this point?
It would be worth a try… no?
But 99, Iranians don’t wear curly-toed shoes
………. I just sent them an email via their contact’s page … We’ll have to see if anybody responds …
Stating the obvious, but even if a nation consisted of “exotic tent people with grit in their pores and missing teeth. ” … I would even feel more compassion toward their rights.
It is a pity that the great technological achievement of our era doesn’t serve diversity.
But Homeyra, … was it ever meant to?
Was our technological achievements intended to provide more understanding of diversity? To promote and celebrate diversity?
Or rather, in many ways, was it intended to create just the opposite?
Given that a natural byproduct of this gargantuan technological project does create some sort of understanding amongst people. But that is inevitable. It was never intentional.
Given the mass enterprise we have, given all the tools and software and programs, etc, etc … Shouldn’t the world have moved a great deal forward in trying to fathom its own inhabitants?
I don’t think it has; but I don’t think that was ever the plan.
I have knowledge of some projects during the 60’s and the 70’s by international organizations with a totally different approach. But their actions and philosophy were trumped by a sort of … paleo-neo-con! world view.
Again in Klein’s words “they weren’t outsmarted, they were crushed” and now it seems that this issue isn’t even “on the table”, at least I haven’t noticed it!
The video would be relevant only if those calling for an attack against Iran were doing so for racist reasons. There is no mention of the legitimate concern over the development of Iranian nuclear bombs, which would not only threaten Israel but would change the whole balance of power in the Middle East in favor of the extremists.
Exactly!
If they were going to bring up the threat of attacking Iran, there should have been a discussion about why this threat exists and why (as you mention) it should not be responded to in this way.
I think this goes back to the idea many Iranians share that they despise the system – but they do not want Iran to be nuked. So they will never debate why she has the right to nuclear power (or whatever!).
But then again, I think the whole purpose of this was to promote Iranian Americans as “moderates” (i.e., not aligned with the ruling system in Iran) … So our point is irrelevant!
Homeyra, I had no knowledge of such endeavors! I know that around that time, some Americans in Dezful did a great deal for Dezful’s agriculture – without simultaneously exploiting the region. They seemed to be there just for the adventure of it. I wonder what became of them (the programs you talk about). And where their voices went …
Of Course, Iran working towards Nuclear weapons.
Can you blame them for it? Two national governments on their borders have been overthrown. Israel has threatened them with air strikes…
A Nuclear Weapon is a defensive weapon.
Ever notice that North Korea and Pakistan can resist the United States,,, What do they have in common?
They are both Nuclear Powers.
It is simple bigotry that Iran is not being allowed to develop atomic weapons. Why shouldn’t an Islamic hereditary theocracy be allowed to build I.C.B.M.s?
A nuclear middle-east will be a peaceful middle-east because of Mutually assured destruction. Mutually assured destruction kept the peace between the United States and the Soviet Union for decades.
Atomic bombs are defensive weapons because they make victory impossible for anyone.
Nuclear proliferation is going to happen sooner or later any way.
Technology always spreads. Gunpowder was invented by the Chinese, but now everyone has it. Even the most isolated illiterate tribesman carrys an assualt rifle when he goes to war.
In the future, every Mullah, Generalismo, and Warlord will have the ability to hurl nuclear weapons at one another. But, they will also be threatened with the same thing coming back at them. War shall become obsolete and peace shall prevail.
Support Iran, Support Nuclear Proliferation, Support World Peace.
Thanks Thinking Dove! But I don’t think that’s the problem here: that Iran is working towards nuclear weapons.
It is the history of the nuclear program in Iran (when it started, how it stopped, how it began again, etc) that is the most haunting of narratives.