Atheist Girl

I don't think it's unfair to say that Iranians on thwe whole consider themselves Iranian and Muslim. Much the way American Christian fundamentalists consider themselves both American and Christian. Islam does not forbid regionalism - it just gives it a pernicious edge.

 

Tens of millions of Americans who are scraping by might also ask the question about Bush spending hundreds of billions on the occupation of Iraq, not to mention the 6 billion per year, at least, that the U.S. government subsidizes Israel with.

Whatever Iran might give to Hezbollah, it is peanuts compared to what the U.S. gives to Israel. Unfortunately, there is not any such American "chauvinism" that questions U.S. aid to Israel. Americans should be protesting Israel's war on Lebanon.

Far be it for the Bush Junta to pander to the Israel-First lobby which creates public opinion in the U.S. concerning the MidEast.

 

Gee bernarda, I am not sure you fully understand the nature of the situation.

You see, the 40% poverty rate and 20% inflation in Iran is slightly different than the situation in America. In Iran, when you are poor you sell your daughters to Saudi Arabia, you live in shacks without water or electricy, and you go without medicare, nutrician, or hope. (lots of opium though) Poverty in Iran means poverty... there is no welfare security blanket.

Now I know you are motorfied about the $6 billion a year or so (half spent domestically) that is given to Israel ("little Satan") to fight noble Jihadist, but considering America is a $10 trillian a year economy, that adds up to about 0.05% of America's GDP. Not to mention Israel provides America with Pentium Chips, Windows NT, Cell Phones, and more biotech startups and women enterpeneurs per capita than any other country in the world.

Lets compare this Iran. Unlike Katrina, the earthquake regions are never rebuilt. There are no jobs or clamp down on inflation that makes their paychecks worthless. So when Iranians see Hezbollah supporters recieve $10,000 cash each ($2000 more than they themselves make per year), how do you think that makes them feel? Apparently, their government puts more monetary value behind killing jews than helping its own citizens.

Iran is easily spending 5% of its pitiful oil economy on killing Jews (probably much more). Unfortinately for Persians bernarda, they do not share your list of priorities. They rather see their children not have to become prostitutes to men twice their age to feed themselves... even if it means those damn zionists live another day.

 

Central Content Publisher said...
"I don't think it's unfair to say that Iranians on thwe whole consider themselves Iranian and Muslim."

No CCP. You cannot compare Iranians with Fundamental Chistians in America. They see themselves as Iranians who happened to be muslim. They are nationalist not islamist.

Berbarda, you did not mention the bush admin spending on faith based organizations which is the real problem when it comes to keeping America secular. In fact the Jews are not the main lobbygroup in America. It is the Evangelical Christrians.

Also Iran is not America. A huge number of Iranians wake up in the morning not sure if they are going to have enough food for that day. So imagine how they would feel when their government is spending so much on terrorists, when their own people are in extreme poverty.

Iranians changed with the Iraq-Iran war. They no longer buy into the "war on one is war on all". They no longer feel part of the all. THEY DON'T LIKE WAR. Many even hate Arabs for invading them and making them muslims.

 

roya, its funny you mention that. The Iranian community is often labelled "more American than Americans" (its supposed to be an insult).

And from personal experience, I have never witnessed people so openly anti-Arab in my life... they are not exactly subtle. A friend of my gf once came up to me and said "you know why I like Jews, because they can tell the difference between Arabs and Persians" (I didn't have the heart to tell him I really couldn't... at least not in terms of language and accents)

Persians in Italy and California are the first to march with Jews on various issues, and have a good relationship. Your also right about the resentment of the Islamic invasion and clinging to ancient Persian culture as the chief source of pride. Its no suprise that their "Persian Day" (sic) festival is the most important holiday including two-weeks off and a temporary relax on Islamic conformaty.

The Iran/Iraq war was one of the worst under-reported conflicts ever. Iranians would use their own children to clear land mines (who does that?!) and Iraq would use chemical weapons. Its a horrible memory on both sides and rarely discussed I am told.

 

We desperately need HUMANS in power. Not Republicans, Democrats, Christians, Jews, Islamists...

We need PEOPLE who see there is hatred and violence who will protect us BUT who KNOW that most people are people FIRST, and their tag-de-jour second.

I can't even imagine how different the world would be today if the US had one-man-one-vote and Dole, the guy with the most votes, had become President.

I could cry. We should all cry.