Iran's National Pride

mensnewsdaily.com ^ | Potkin Azarmehr

[F14 Pilot]

Recent claims by Seymour Hersh that a team of US commandos have infiltrated Iran and are identifying Islamic Republic’s nuclear installations has started a series of articles in European newspapers. The basic gist of most of these articles by these so-called “Iran experts” is that the Iranian population see nuclear power as a matter of national pride, which unites the Islamic regime and the people.

These “Iran Experts” have in the past referred to Rafsnajani as a liberal democrat, and championed President Khatami as Iran’s Gorbachev for eight years. Even long after President Khatami’s closest aides admitted that there can be no reform within the framework of the Islamic Republic, the Western self proclaimed “Iran Experts” have continued to misinterpret the real feelings of the Iranian people. When Iranians voted for Khatami in a massive turnout, there was no mention that the Supreme Leader had advocated another candidate. Four pre-vetted candidates were imposed on Iranian voters, so may be the Iranian people by voting for another candidate other than the one specifically endorsed by the Suprem Leader, were actually expressing their disapproval of the Supreme Leader within the very narrow options they had.

Yet perhaps the "Iran Experts" have now reached a new plateau, where they can now claim on our behalf what a matter of national pride for us Iranians is. How they reach this conclusion that the Iranian masses see nuclear installations as a matter of national pride in an earthquake prone region by a bunch of corrupt, incompetent clerics who have never hidden their international agendas of spreading their version of Islam, is beyond me.

Perhaps, however as a humble Iranian, I can tell these “Iran Experts”, what national pride for me as an Iranian actually is and they can then advise me as what to my national pride should be in their usual patronizing ways!

National pride for me as an Iranian is having a flag which carries an Iranian symbol and not have non-Iranian writings and symbols on it. A flag which can represent all Iranians from all religions.

National pride for me as an Iranian is having annual holidays which mark the achievements and sacrifices of Iranian heroes and not some Arab figures who had nothing to do with Iran.

National pride for me as an Iranian is not having a government which mocks and belittles my national hero, Babak Khorramdin who valiantly resisted the Arab invaders and established an enclave of tolerance and equality for 22 years.

National pride for me is not having a mullah give orders to destroy the statue of Kaveh the Blacksmith, another icon of Iranian resistance to injustice and despotism.

National pride for me is to be able to prevent a small Sheikdom from bribing the National Geographic, to change the historic name of the Persian Gulf to Arabian Gulf.

National pride for me is having a government which protects my Persian mother tongue and does not dilute it with an influx of state sponsored Arabic words.

National pride for me is having a tolerant government, in the footsteps of Cyrus the Great, where all citizens are treated equally and are not discriminated against for their religious beliefs.

National pride for me is having a government where women are treated equal to men and are not put in a sack, buried up to their waist and stoned to death.

National pride for me is having a government where women can choose what they wear, and what career they have.

Natioanl pride for me is having a government which promotes peace throughout the world and not sponsor, harbour and train terrorists.

National pride for me is when the youth of my country are happy to live in Iran and not risk their lives, and their honour by crossing many perilous borders to become refugees.

National pride for me is having a government where there are no political prisoners.

To claim that it is a matter of national pride for Iranians to have nuclear weapons, to me is condescending political snobbery which assumes Iranians to be an empty shallow nation, unaware of greater environmental issues. For some Western intellectuals it seems being Politically Correct does not apply when they talk about the Iranian people.

Potkin Azarmehr

[F14 Pilot]

Potkin Azarmehr is a database consultant and an Iranian ex-patriot. He writes: "In my late teens when the mullahs came to power in Iran. Just a year later, the mullahs decided to have their own "cultural revolution", i.e. sack all the non-Islamic students and academics and create a new Islamic syllabus. Iran’s universities were closed and Iran did not produce any graduates for two years. During this time the mullahs gave three days warning for the non-Islamic elements to evacuate universities. I along with some of my friends went to defend the universities. During the three days warning there were minor clashes with the hired thugs, but on the final day, the onslaught was beyond all our expectations. Sixteen people died throughout Iran on that night. I managed to escape with just a few cuts and bruises, but one of my school friends, was amongst the thousands who were arrested that night. He was sentenced to 9 years in prison. In the 8th year of his sentence he was executed during the 1988 massacre of political prisoners. I ended up leaving Iran for England where I joined Dr. Shapur Bakhtiar’s organisation. Dr. Bakhtiar was an Iranian nationalist and a secular politician, who warned the Iranian people against the dictatorship of the mullahs during the mass frenzy of 1979. Dr. Bakhtiar was assassinated in Paris with the collusion of the Miterand Socialist government and the Islamic Republic’s death squads. Since then I have been active in the Iranian pro-democracy movement, supporting the cause of democracy, secularism and nationalism in Iran."

[F14 Pilot]

ping

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Fantastic post. Thank you.

[thoughtomator]

Great catch!

[F14 Pilot]

I liked the article... I believe the Iranians have many things to offer when they become free.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

One day soon, my friend.

[BIGLOOK]

Good post, Pilot! Iranians are not Arabs. Iranians were once Persians and have a national identity that spans 3 millennia. Rediscover that Persian soul and reclaim your destiny.

[SweetPilotofCanuckistan]

Excellent post...Thank you!

[F14 Pilot]

Papers on the campus board of the university of Tehran asking the students to sign the referrundum petition and protest the regime!

[Mr Ramsbotham]

... during the mass frenzy of 1979.

I'm reminded of a particular quote from Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland." In another moment down went Alice after it, never once considering how in the world she was to get out again.

I'm currently in the process of reading Solzhenitsyn's incredible series "The Red Wheel," which describes how Russians, in their impatience with the Tsar, imposed upon their country and the world a nightmare that is still not quite over. So, too, did the Iranians pass quite easily from the frying pan to the fire.

[Khashayar]

My national pride lost due to the evil revolution of 1979...

[crazycat]

Great post.

Let us hope these fine people, find Freedom soon.

[windchime]

"Perhaps, however as a humble Iranian, I can tell these “Iran Experts”, what national pride for me as an Iranian actually is and they can then advise me as what to my national pride should be in their usual patronizing ways!"

Great post, F14 Pilot!

[nuconvert]

Great Post!
Thanks!

[sionnsar]

[parisa]

I wonder how these European collaborators know that Iranian masses see nuclear power as a source of "national pride" which -- here comes the most outrageous assertion of all -- "unites the Islamic regime and the people." The turbaned fascists in control of Iranian country have outlawed any public polling which would put their trade partners and collaborators in an uncomfortable position. One needs to ask these sages of Europe by what measurement they proclaim that the Iranian people are united with their hijackers when it comes to nuclear arms for their persecutors?

[PhilDragoo]

Death to the mullahs; freedom for the Iranian people.

[potlatch]

Bump to your post!

[Smartass]

THANKS FOR THE PING