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How things have turned out for the US and Iran saddens me a bit. I knew many Iranians, was close to some in college when the Hostage crisis began. Before that, I encountered them in “A” school in Memphis in the USN, where they had a lot of them training.

I liked Iranians. They seemed far more Western than Arabic. (I know, they are Persians)

I had always thought the Iranians were a pretty good bunch from that part of the world. They seemed sharper, less Ideologic and seemed to generally possess a good sense of humor.

I had one punch a hole in my necktie...then he (with a big grin) handed me a ten dollar bill for the tie before I could even get my shocked face on. (we took a kind of standardized training where you had to take your work up, punch holes in it and give it to them to keep in a notebook for you...they had these big hole punchers that could punch through two inches of paper IIRC...as I prepared to punch my work, he just grabbed my tie, stuck it in and punched a hole in it.)

I knew an Iranian in college who when I asked, said his name was Brian. I eyed him curiously because he didn’t look like a Brian, so when I asked him what his real name was, he said “Homayun”...then grinned and said “But I like to be called “Brian”.

So yeah...I liked Iranians. Then came the Hostage Crisis. Some of the guys got really sullen and surly to us before they left to go back to Iran, they were assholes.

But there were many who were devastated...they didn’t want to go back to Iran, they liked western ways of life. I remember one guy saying “I don’t want to go back. I hate all that crap. But I have no choice. I have to go.”

And the actions of their country since then have made me an enemy of their state. I still think there are good people over there, but it is probably a lot, LOT worse over there now then it ever was under the Shah, and if you speak out or are unorthodox, it is your ass. If they are there, I know they have to fight for their own country, but it is hard for me to judge them, not being in their shoes.

I hope I do the right thing when it comes time to fight for our country, if that time comes.