From the Editor’s Desk – Shahrokh Ahkami-Persian Heritage 69, Spring 2013
The arrival of NoRooz is an opportunity for my staff and me to congratulate our readers and wish them a happy, prosperous and healthy new year. NoRooz coincides with the birth of Persian Heritage magazine. It has been 18 years since its inception. Despite financial and other obstacles we still publish the magazine. Our goal is to continue to deliver information of Persian history and culture, information about our past and present achievements and to introduce to the world the bright stars of our future. We hope our magazine will remain a vehicle to keep our culture alive for future generations; a way to educate them on the roots of their parents and grandparents.
This year was filled with adventures, anxieties, laughter and tears. It was a year in which we saw the wonderful accomplishments of our children here and abroad in politics, arts, science and industry. One of these proud moments was this January at the State of the Union Address. Americans and the world anxiously waited in front of their televisions to hear what the President would say. What was the state of this Union and what was the state of the world? Prior to that evening the Persian community was excited sending emails and making phone calls informing each other of a very important guest who would be in the audience on that night. The First Lady invited Boback Ferdowsi (the young man with the MOHAWK hair-cut, who was part of the Jet Propulsion team who placed the Rover on Mars.) On that evening he was there in his new MOHAWK, on one side it said USA and the other side MARS. That night the President made reference to Mr. Ferdowsi honoring him as a representative of the talented youth in America, for his achievements and for his support of community. There was no mention of his parent’s origin or of his religion.
This in my opinion, was the proper way to introduce an individual. It DOES NOT matter if they were citizens by birth or naturalized, they are Americans, and their accomplishments are individual accomplishments by an American citizen. Likewise on another occasion, in December, a horrid event occurred at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut. A terrorist, with an unthinkable amount of ammunition, murdered 20 children and 7 adults, including his own mother. The country was shocked by the event. The next day at the office I asked my co-workers the following questions: What was the terrorist’s religion? What was the terrorists color? What was the terrorist’s origin? There was no response. I stated, that by his name he could be European or perhaps Italian. They had no response. I stated, that because he may be Italian he may be Christian. Again no response. I then responded by stating, that it seems like none of you care about his ethnic background, his religion, his color. PERHAPS it is because it wasn’t his race, country, religion or ethnicity who murdered these innocent victims, it was ONE INDIVIDUAL, ONE KILLER, ONE TERRORIST. Yes he was American, yes he was white, yes he was Christian BUT DID ANY OF THESE ADJECTIVES MURDER THOSE INNOCENT VICTIMS? NO!!!!!
I reflected for a moment back to 9/11,when a group of terrorists from Yemen, Syria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and other Arab nations murdered thousands of innocent Americans. Their act not only destroyed the Twin Towers, the Pentagon and crashed a plane in a field in Pennsylvania, it devestated the economy and pride of Americans. There were also other innocent victims that day, whose lives changed drastically, 1.6 billion peaceful Muslims. From that day forward they would have had to defend themselves against being called a terrorist by virtue of their religion. You may be asking me right now, “What do you mean by this?” It is a simple answer. If asked today, 98% of the people in the US and around the world would not remember the origin of these terrorists, but all would be able to tell you they were Muslim. It was how we were intended to remember these criminals, not by the origin of their country. Why? Because the countries of their origin were considered “friends” to America and therefore no anger or aggression should have been felt towards them. The only thing we heard over and over again was they were Muslim and Islam was behind this attack. BUT WHY DID WE HAVE TO KNOW THEIR ORIGIN, THEIR RELIGION, THEIR RACE? They were individuals, who as a group did this horrific deed! Their action in the name of religion was theirs and NOT THE 1.6 billion Muslims! And while the countries of the terrorists origin were Arab, now all Muslims regardless, of what country they were born or now call home, are looked upon as terrorists. Now, Iranians who have representation from all religions including Jewish, Christian, Bahia, Zoroastrians etc. are looked upon as terrorists because they came from the Middle East and were Muslim. Iranians were lumped into one group the minute they landed in America. And, because they came from Iran, whose government was and remains in conflict with America, they are considered representatives of Iran. This left them with two battles to fight one against the BRUTAL government in Iran from which they escaped and the other fighting for their identity as individuals.
Recovery from the emotional and financial damages suffered as a result of this classification will take a long time. That is why I believe in the importance of how one is referred to whether for a crime or achievement. That is why I believe that at the State of the Union address Mr. Ferdowsi was Mr. Ferdowsi, a young American who is a representative of our talented and prosperous American youth. Likewise the terrorist at Sandy Hook is remembered only as a TERRORIST and MURDERER and nothing else. We have no need to know their race, religion, origin etc. Constantly referring to these adjectives perpetuates hatred and bias, bias causes division and division is something we as a nation and community cannot afford.
I hope in the future the media will stay on this course and not be bias in their reporting. I hope that they realize that an act by an individual, whether a crime or glorious achievement, is done so by one individual, not by his country of origin, his religion, his ethnicity, his color, his profession etc.
My dear readers the world is rapidly changing and growing smaller (global village). Most of us have reached a comfortable life in our new homes and have provided well for our children. For this we should be grateful. We have watched them grow and set and reach their goals, goals we never could dream. Their success is because of our sacrifices and their ability and these sacrifices have made Iranians one of the most educated and prosperous immigrant groups in the US and the world. We need to continue to work together to ensure that we only go FORWARD. We must work together to eliminate in its entirety “RACIAL PROFILING, PROFILING IN ANY WAY”, and eliminate negative publicity against Iranians.
Each of us is a link in a universal chain. Together we can continue to recover from damages caused throughout the years. With this strength we will be able to continue to make great strides in our adoptive countries and protect the people of Iran and Iran’s integrity as a nation. I look forward to the time when we will see better days for Iran.
I wish you all a very happy and healthy New Year.