Iranian Beauty
By Dariush Sajjadi
(dariushsajjadi@yahoo.com)
Democrat Congressman Brad Sherman has in recent months
attacked Iran and Iranians. Direct quotes from his
speeches have been posted on http://www.payvand.com,
some of which are extracted from the congressional
record http://thomas.loc.gov.
Sherman has called Iran and its government "the most
evil nations or evil governments" (June 6, 2000) that
gain satisfaction by killing the Jews! To prove this
outrageous claim, he has alluded to the trial of 13
Jews in Shiraz who were accused of espionage and who
confessed to their charges. Despite their heavy
charges, nonetheless, the Iranian Judiciary handed
them light imprisonment sentences.
To back up his false claim, Sherman has striven to
picture the Iranian government and people as
anti-Semitic. This is indicative of the congressman's
unawareness of Iran's 3000 year-old recorded history
which chronicles the Jews' peaceful centuries-long
coexistence with fellow Iranians, their shared joys
and sorrows and mutual resolve to face all ups and
downs.
Sherman's attempt to call the Iranian government
"violent" or "anti-Semitic" solely for having
exercised its legitimate right to try 13 Iranian
citizens on spying charge speaks of the congressman's
phony sympathy and concern. Wouldn't any government -
even the most so-called democratic - in the world try
citizens charged with spying?
As such, the 13 Jews' trial is a completely domestic
issue which no Iranian - Jewish or other - would allow
other countries or foreign personalities - especially
Sherman - to meddle with.
The Iranian nation - be they Muslims, Jews,
Christians, or Zoroastrians - is not a desperate
nation to need the guardianship of frenzied American
congressmen. The Iranians can and will settle all
issues at home, as proven time and again.
Criticizing the US Administration's decision to allow
imports of Iranian caviar and carpets into the US,
Sherman has said, "..There is blood in the caviar,
bodies have been wrapped in the carpets, and it is
time for America to say no until the 13 Jews of Shiraz
are liberated and until the Iranian government takes
other important actions as well." (March 14, 2000)
Sherman's hysteric and hostile mud slinging against
Iran's noble and dignified people reflects his
unawareness of the Iranians' historical identity and
personality.
All through Iran's 3000-year history of civilization,
the Iranians have abstained from trading their dignity
and integrity for cheap gains.
The Iranians have not become so abject now to trade
their historical credibility and dignity for the petty
earnings that imports of several tons of Iranian
caviar and some hand-woven carpets might bring them.
Even when badly in need and desperate, the Iranians
abide by their principles. They would never bargain
their historical dignity and prestige.
If Sherman thinks that imports of Iranian caviar and
carpets to the US are favors for which the Iranians
will have to wag their tails like dogs, he is terribly
mistaken and is fully unaware of Iran's civilization
and identity.
Hussein ibn Ali is the greatest religious leader of
the Iranians. 14 centuries ago he taught the Iranians
that "neither death is so horrible nor life so sweet
to prompt a person to trade his/her dignity for either
of them."
Sherman should bear in mind that if "there is blood in
the Iranian caviar", it comes from the pains taken by
the Iranian fishermen to make a living for their
families by providing caviar which is eaten with
champagne by people such as Sherman during election
campaigns.
Pitifully Sherman has fallen short of realizing that
the jaws of Persian Gulf sharks, rather than the
Iranian caviar, smell of blood, as these sharks ripped
and gorged the bodies of innocent Iranian men, women,
and children who were aboard the civilian plane that
was downed by the USS Vincenness during the Iran-Iraq
war.
Young rural Iranian girls weave Iranian carpets and
often lose their sights to earn a living for their
hard-working families. They spend their budding youth
days weaving carpets that people such as Sherman would
tread on during diplomatic balls.
If a nation's legitimate defense of its independence
and freedom could be called "shameless", what would
the overt and brazen intervention of a government
claiming to be democratic be called when it
orchestrated the military coup against Dr. Mohammad
Mosaddeq's popular national government in the 1950s?
Sherman has unfortunately taken the modest silence of
the American Iranians, who are specialists and
well-heeled people selflessly serving the American
society, as a sign of their indifference and
carelessness.
In case Sherman has presented these insolent remarks
to curry favor with his financial supporters for his
re-election, he can avoid such an erroneous approach.
Instead of fabricating stories about Iran, he can
attempt to recognize the Iranian culture and
civilization so that American Iranians would do him a
favor and generously fund his election campaign.
Also if Sherman cannot respect Iran's ancient culture
and civilization, he could at least avoid insulting
it.
Iran's Arab neighbors believe that a hand that cannot
be bitten should be kissed. Sherman can go against
this Arab saying by not biting the hand that deserves
to be kissed.
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