This Iranian American Life

I can smell you still Daddy, feel your warm embrace, and recall listening to you telling me stories of honorable men–with such glimmer and excitement in your eyes. The same excitement you must have had in your eyes when you first imagined an Islamic Republic. The have both the imagination and the freedom to exercise one’s curiosity and to watch it manifest! What a joyous expression that is. Yes, you supported the 1979 Islamic Revolution, and you wanted it, you and millions of others. But then what happened? Why did you leave Iran?

Daddy you told me you left Iran because your life was in danger. But I thought you were the revolutionary? Yes, but many of the revolutionaries who supported the 1979 Islamic Revolution were killed and detained as well.  Both sides–Shah’s supporters and revolutionaries–were killed. People shot bullets at your house. You knew you needed to leave Iran because your life was at risk; your family was at risk. You left the dream of the Islamic Republic behind and took your family into the mystery of the Rest of the World.

Iranians wanted free speech, liberty, freedom. What happened to those dreams?  You told me about the Iran-Iraq war that happened immediately after the revolution. A war and a revolution happening in parallel. Why, how could a revolution take place when people were afraid to light a match or say a word that the enemy may find out?

Well dad, let me tell you! Your fight is still on. The revolution you fought for is gaining momentum! Thousands of people are protesting in Iran, even after the supreme leader told the people to be quiet or face the consequences. They are fighting for the same thing you were fighting for.

I think of freedom. The freedom of speech, freedom of the press…the ability to enjoy the fruits of freedom, like the personal liberation to manifest the fruits of freedom. Why even people living in a free country sometimes feel they must free themselves of depression and loneliness!

And what about creative freedom? To have the clarity of bright ideas, trust in oneself, and the momentum to create… To dance, paint, draw, write, sketch, doodle, or bring to existence through any medium imaginable. To exercise your curiosity, and to share what you learn with others. To have your creative momentum resonate so deeply that it passes on to others because it is like a ripple of water…ooh! It got you too. An ocean! Waves.

I know in Iran the police are also hugging people. People hugging the police. There are people on each “side”, who desire freedom, reformers and conservatives alike…

Dad, the Iranians have changed their image in the world by demonstrating to the world their love of freedom…In their demonstrations for freedom they remind the world of their humanity and their hope.

But the world also sees Neda. The girl who lost her life only moments after being shot, her soul leaving her body as the blood oozed out of her head. Hearing her loved ones screaming off the top of their lungs, “Don’t die! Don’t die! Don’t die!”

What are these people dying for? And who wants to give their mother’s such terrible news!? “Oh I am sorry but your child is dead, because the world just wasn’t good enough!” Please tell me how do we make the world good enough?

People all over the world are dying for their love of freedom. Oh how much I wanted the people of the world to dance! All of them, like in the photos I saw today.

H.G. Wells once said: “Our true nationality is Mankind.” Once we unite as a human race, we can collectively tackle great problems. War, destruction, and poverty will become things of the past. Our collective intelligence will be used towards discovering life on other planets, seeking the meaning of life, and what lies in the story of the stars. Like you always said dad, shoot for the stars! Ask for the big things, aim high! Give back to the world! Give Back!

Gandhi served the world. He was aware of how united we all are. How intimately connected, what intricate connections! Why a text message takes only seconds between thinking, writing, sending, receiving! Why someone thinks a thought and I get it telepathically at times! Like when you think of someone and they call you right away!

I know you are still here, beyond your body. I know I am in this body, but beyond this body too, just as your spirit writes this prayer with me, and the spirit much greater than us, that moves us all along…

Though I cannot embrace you, dad, I pray for the world to share the embrace of our prayer.

Let’s pray for strength in the hearts of those who have lost their sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, teachers, lovers, and best friends.

Let’s pray that the men and women fighting for freedom will embrace their sons and daughters and watch them grow in the land of freedom they always imagined.

Let us pray for the revolution your generation started, and let us harvest and share the fruits of freedom.

Tehran Bureau - An independent source of news on Iran and the Iranian Diaspora.

National Iranian American Council - Includes liveblogging updates from Iran.

Daylife/Iran Election - Good source for finding photos/video on the Iranian elections and demonstrations.

 A cyberwar guide  - What to keep in mind as you spread the word (i.e. do not share proxies on twitter–they will get blocked!)

NYT Blog Updates on Iran’s Election- Pulls together resources and opinions from all over the web.

Please remember, this is huge, Iranians are protesting rather than giving up.

I pray for a peaceful protest, and pray for the families who are suffering great loss.

Civil disobedience has historically been a catalyst for positive change.

Let us stand in solidarity with the Iranian voices crying for freedom.

Here are the locations and a Google map showing you where to go vote in the US if you have an Iranian passport OR Iranian birth certificate.

Some photos from Big Picture, more photos from the elections and articles here and here

LETS VOTE TODAY!

Today it became crystal clear to me that the direction of this particular blog is moving from being all about my Iranian American Life to that of Iranian Americans–the people, culture, artists, and great content I learn about and need to share :). No wonder I spent so much time not writing! What was I going to write about?!

This blog and the previous one on Blogspot have both been used in the past as a way to share my own personal experience of life in Iran. This blog now evolves to encompass perspectives from many people, with the intent of creating greater understanding, communication, and insight between Iranian and American people. This blog will include, for example:

Social and Cultural Perspectives

I will use this space to share information regarding the themes and concepts behind the work of Iranian artists, such as the ones who will be showing at the Iran Inside Out exhibition taking place at the Chelsea Art Museum in New York (from June 26-Sept 5). I may share specific details of a Persian Poetry night, as organized by the Persian Arts Festival. Other posts might be similar to this one about Life Goes on in Tehran , promoting the work of artists who share a personal perspective of Iranian life and culture. I may also want to share an interview like Roxana Saberi’s interview on NPR where she speaks of how inspired she was by the women she met in prison, or something by Rick Steves and his time as a journalist in Iran.

People and Organizations

This Iranian American Life will begin to feature exciting news from organizations such as the National Iranian American Council and their efforts in creating peace and stronger communication between Iran and the US. Here we will also include information from the Tehran Bureau (a unique collection of articles from the Harvard Review) and other such resources.

Current Events

I will share articles regarding the upcoming elections such as this article by Nahid Siamdoust, and provide information on where to vote for the upcoming Iranian elections in the US. From what I hear from family and friends in Iran, this is one of the most exciting elections they have seen yet.

Please let me know your thoughts and feedback. If you are interested in writing please let me know. The concept of this blog was founded on promoting cross cultural exchange through education and through the use of technology. The project started with these posts. My intention is to continue to facilitate this type of communication, but on a much larger scale, since this story is much bigger than me, but is one of many, and one that we all share.

No Starbucks in Iran (not yet anyways), but there is a Starcups. and a Star burger. Also, there is not a single mcdonalds in the country.

This is the new site for This Iranian American Life. Here is the previous site on blogger, with older videos. The footage I am posting now will be from August 2006, until I work out financing another project and trip to Iran. Thanks for visiting, and please let me know what you think!