From the Editor’s Desk – Shahrokh Ahkami – PH, 67, Fall 2012
Over the past few weeks many glorious things have happened to Iranians, the winning of 12 Olympics medals, the Mars Curiosity Landing, which introduced the world to a new shining star of the NASA family, Bobak Ferdowsi and Nima Arkani-Hamed one of the winners of a 27 million dollar prize awarded to scientific researchers, by Harvard University. Yuri Milner donated the 27 million dollars. Their faces and the faces of Iranians, all over the world, were filled with smiles as we reveled in the accomplishments.
For the first time, in a very long time, I thought my editorial would be completely joyous. That all changed when our smiles ended and tears flowed, over the news of the earthquake in Azerbaijan. In a matter of a seconds a 6.2 earthquake erased our joy and over 300 Iranian lives. The dreams of the children, young adults and their parents were forever extinguished. They were stunned as they walked through the town that just moments before was home. Anger was the next emotion we felt. We were angry because, as we watched the recovery mission, we could not understand how a country so rich in natural resources did not invest money into building structures that would not be destroyed in a 6.2 earthquake, for their citizens. After all in the richer parts of the world a 6.2 magnitude earthquake does not result in this kind of loss of lives and destruction. We were angered by the government delay in alerting the world to this disaster. If it weren’t for the western news and the media venues of twitter, facebook etc., I am not sure if we would have ever known about this earthquake.
Can someone please tell me how a government can turn a blind eye to its people who are being crunched by sanctions, a rise in prices and a shortage of food, give its full attention and support to the leader of Syria. Can someone also tell me how a government who knew immediately of the earthquake, hold this information back from the news media therefore denying these victims, its citizens of immediate help? I can tell you with a great amount of certainty that if Assad needed help from the present government of Iran their response to his needs would have been quicker than for their own citizens.
“When it is today, we regret about yesterday” (a Persian expression)
It has been 33 years since the revolution in Iran. Iranians continue to be oppressed and conditions for women are becoming intolerable. Fifty-one percent of the student population at the universities was once women. Now the doors are being slammed in their faces and they are scurrying around trying to find an alternative means to receive a higher education. The wealth of Iran has fallen comfortably into the pockets of thieves. While the government knows the identity of these thieves they refuse to prosecute them. What is worse is the government believes that by keeping its citizens occupied with other social and economic problems they can freely allow the thieves to continue to rape the country of its wealth. But, I know Iranians are smarter than that!
The world is against this regime, yet cannot come up with a proper solution to end it. They believe harsher sanctions will put pressure on the regime and cause the people to rise up against it. How long will the world believe in these ridiculous endeavors. John W. Limbert, Ambassador and former hostage, in his interview with Persian Heritage, addresses these sanctions. “Economic pressure and sanctions, instead of mobilization will result in the citizens feeling more pressure to find food and provide for their families. Sanctions do not break down a regime but strengthens it and causes more oppression on the people”
Let us not forget the eight-year war with Iraq. One million Iranian’s died, yet the regime lived on and the opponent was never eliminated. The point I am trying to make is that the West must realize that more sanctions is not the direction to take with Iran.
At the beginning of my editorial I mentioned the joy we all shared in the victories of the Iranian Olympians, The Mars Project and the scientific researchers. Despite bad calls by referees, the Iranian athletes remained true sportsmen. The team took what was dished out and continued to prosper. In the end out of 204 plus countries represented in the Olympics, Iran’s athletes placed Iran in the 17th position of total medals.
One of the most overwhelming emotional pictures I saw during the Olympics was after a wrestling match. Two young men one Iranian, the winner of the Silver and the other American, the winner of the Gold, walked arm in arm towards the podium to receive their medals. They were not enemies they were people who respected one another and understood the dedication each other had to their sport, themselves and to their country. This picture spoke a thousand words. It is my hope that those who saw this photograph understood the message it projects. Simply put it stated that Iranians and Americans are not enemies. Iranians love Americans as evidenced in their actions after 9/11. They were the first country to call for a candlelight vigil in honor of those who lost their lives on that dreadful day. It is my hope that this simple picture will weaken the possibility of one of the most destructive wars on the horizon, the bombing of Iran. It is my belief that if the bombing occurs we will lose the purity and friendship that exists between Iranians and Americans and that friendship love and respect will change to hatred. We all know that hatred breed’s destruction.
I must raise another issue, one that I believe the media needs to address. To make the point I must give an example. When the Mars Curiosity Project had a successful landing the face of Mr. Boback Ferdowsi (an Iranian American) was all over the news. His name was given as playing a leading role in the project and the camera captured his excitement. There was no mention of his ethnicity, religion or origin. He was just Boback Ferdowsi, the guy with the crazy haircut, who worked on the project. I believe this is the way it should be, REGARDLESS of your ethnicity, religion or origin, if you are a citizen of the United States, YOU are American. HOWEVER, had that same person, Mr.Boback Ferdowsi been part of a robbery, shooting or other infamous event his ethnicity, religion and origin would be at the center of the news broadcast. Journalists who are writing for the GENERAL MEDIA venues need to cease from this type of labeling under any circumstance good or bad. KEEP IT NEUTRAL. We all know who we are and while we should be proud of our heritage, our religion and our origin it is personal in nature. And yes we should also be disappointed if and when someone does something to tarnish that ethnicity, religion and origin. Labeling is the most successful elements for dividing and division will bring our demise.
There is nothing wrong for ethnic publications to report on their communities’ achievements. On that note I am proud to say that this issue is full of wonderful achievements by Iranians around the world. Persian Heritage is proud to share the success of our accomplishments. We hope that the youth of the world will understand the importance of roots. There is no better example of this then as stated by Mr. Siamak Farah Bakhshian, a successful CEO, in his interview in this issue. Despite his professional achievements he has pride and love for his past and present homes.
This editorial has mixed my joy and sadness together. In the future I hope our joy trumps our sadness. Let us all continue to strive for better relations between Iran and the United States. Let us hope that eventually our relationship will return to friendship and true ally.