I have a problem with people who don't seem to know anything about Iran, but wish to make very opinionated statements about Iran-a country which I know a lot more about, since A: I did live there B: my parents made an effort to expose me to the Iranian Culture C: and that in most cases I know more about that region because of my interests toward that area.
So here is what I say to the people that seem to be very bias and judgemental about Iran.
If you want to argue with me or anyone else from that region about the government, religion, their policies etc...see if you can answer these very simple questions:
(a) what is the difference between Persian and Iranian?
(b) Are Iranians arabs?
(c) What language do the majority of Iranians speak?
(d) What does Shiite and Sunni Muslim mean?
(e) What does Persian Armenian mean?
(f) What continent does Iran belong to?
These questions are pretty simple and there are many more. If you know the answer to these questions right off the bat, then I believe you know something about the world. I don't expect you to know everything-just like I don't claim to either....In fact, if you ask me about areas like Zimbabwe, China, etc, my knowledge is quite limited-yet the difference is, I would never attempt to argue with someone from those countries about what is "right"....or what it should be...
Sadly enough, most people that can not answer these questions, in my dealings, tend to be hard core right winged republicans-very religous-and some of them have never left the state they live in...
If I sound condesending-I'm sorry-instead, look at it as constructive criticism-how about-the reality
comments??
So here is what I say to the people that seem to be very bias and judgemental about Iran.
If you want to argue with me or anyone else from that region about the government, religion, their policies etc...see if you can answer these very simple questions:
(a) what is the difference between Persian and Iranian?
(b) Are Iranians arabs?
(c) What language do the majority of Iranians speak?
(d) What does Shiite and Sunni Muslim mean?
(e) What does Persian Armenian mean?
(f) What continent does Iran belong to?
These questions are pretty simple and there are many more. If you know the answer to these questions right off the bat, then I believe you know something about the world. I don't expect you to know everything-just like I don't claim to either....In fact, if you ask me about areas like Zimbabwe, China, etc, my knowledge is quite limited-yet the difference is, I would never attempt to argue with someone from those countries about what is "right"....or what it should be...
Sadly enough, most people that can not answer these questions, in my dealings, tend to be hard core right winged republicans-very religous-and some of them have never left the state they live in...
If I sound condesending-I'm sorry-instead, look at it as constructive criticism-how about-the reality
comments??
Ok. You got me on question E. What is Persian Armenian? Are they Zoroastrians living in otherwise Orthodox Christian Armenia?
ReplyDeleteJames, I'm sorry if I offended you. You strike me as a very intelligent person-and actually, this is one of those questions that maybe I shouldn't expect everyone to know. Just like originally I'm Iranian, but now I'm American, hence Iranian American, Persian Armenians are orinally Armenian-from Armenia (which actually originally was part of the Persian empire) but their ansestors have been living in Iran for over 2500 years. So they call themselves Persian Armenian. My understanding is that Persian Armenians see themselves more Persian than say Lebanese Armenians see themselves as Lebanese, because those immigrants have been in Lebanon for mabye about 250 years as opposed to 2500 years.I hope that makes sense! lol..thanks for leaving a comment. Hope this all makes sense...in summary, Persian Armenians are Armenians whose ansestors have immigrated to Iran years ago.
ReplyDeleteHope to run into you soon!
Bahar