This comment is for the person who wrote the article on Mr. Tehran and the agenda behind having him on satellite television.
I am an Iranian American of 25 years of age living in diasphora since a very young age and have had numerous encounters with a variety of peoples and more so, a numerous class of Iranians and have reached some interesting conclusions.
First of all, I would like to clarify that despite all of the assertions made by Iranian nationalists that Iranians are the direct descendents of the noble Aryan race that consisted of fair skinned, tall, blue eyed peoples, I beg to differ on this point upon being a visitor to Iran for six months in just the city of Tehran itself. Secondly, I would like to make it clear that there is no standard way for anyone to behave "Persian" versus "African American" or "American" or "Arab" or otherwise.
Aside from whatever agenda Hollywood has for us, and I will not get into that because I personally have nothing to do with Hollywood here, but prefer to address the individual Iranians who read this comment,when are we, Iranians, going to accept the fact that we are not a pure race of people and we are in fact a mixture of neighboring groups, sure we do have our Indo European ancestry which is evident among our fair skinned, light haired, and blue/green eyed peoples, but we also have a mixture of medium olive, brownish, and other skin tones and hair types. Quite evidently, we have people in our country who have African ancestry towards the south who are just as much a part of our well respected population as the fair skinned blue eyed people in our country. Iranian is no longer a race if one simply takes it as just a nationality. Most of Iran no longer consists of pure Persians and interestingly, the fair skinned, light eyed Kurds and Azaris are not considered Persians. Those who are considered Persian or Fars in Iran are mainly olive skinned to light skinned peoples with dark hair and brown eyes. So, why bring up the issue of race so much in explaining who Iranians are, especially in today's world. It is no better than doing what Holly wood is trying to do.
Secondly, as I said there is no uniform way to act Persian or like you are Iranian. Forgive me, sir, but Mr. Tehran speaks Farsi impressively well, aside from his African American mannerisms and I was quite impressed to see his range of vocabulary and his honesty, sincerity, and willingness to engage Iranians, young and old, into serious discussions in a diplomatic and respectful manner which is more than I can say for the older generation of Iranians who yell at each other when the question of who is pro-Shah and who is pro-the current government arises on other channels on satellite. Compared to many young Iranians, Mr. Tehran's Farsi is impressively good and for you to say that they simply taught him a few words in Farsi is seriously an underestimation of what it takes to learn a new language. Clearly, he knows more Farsi than some of your closest relatives who have grown up abroad. Furthermore, if you think that Iranians necessarily have a more appropriate and dignified manner of speaking and communicating, I am afraid to say that you are not acquianted with every segment of Iran's population. In Tehran, simply, you have the well-known "laats" who engage in foul language and chase girls on the streets and have very crude mannerisms and of course are known for luring girls into prostitution and drug abuse in Iran today. Clearly, we do not need African Americans, Arabs, or Americans to bring us down. We bring each other down more than anyone else does and sadly, we always blame it on people who have nothing to do with us. It is sad to see a nation of people who are always in denial of the sad fact that their womenfolk are not perfect creatures by nature and are the ones responsible for their own problems. What have African Americans, Arabs, or Americans to gain from "bringing us down?" and do they need us to bring themselves up???? Do you really think that they see themselves in the same light that you see them???? You are very ethnocentric sir and your racist rhetoric is the kind that shames me. Instead of bragging about how the original Iranians looked before they were attacked by Arabs and Mongols and such, we better come up with better reasons as to why we are a better group of people because right now, I see almost no respect on the part of Iranians for themselves or for each other. All I see is rivalry, jealousy, callousness, rudeness, and deceitfulness. VAghean liaghatemon bishtar az in nist agar enghadr pastim.
Also, you bring up the issue of how foreigners have an agenda for Iranians in the eyes of the public. Why don't Iranians get themselves involved in the media to erode the distortion.
With respect to African American men wanting to bring Iranian girls down to a debase level, all I have to say is look at Iranian girls in Iran who are on an even more debase level. Since satellite and internet made it into Iran, so much of Tehran's female population began impersonating the looks, appearances, and mannerisms of pop stars like Brittany Spears and singers like Jennifer Lopez. How fast did they forget that they are the descendents of a noble, dignified Aryan race and that they are supposed to be virtuous, drug free, and gentle. If they are being lured into drugs and criminal and other undignified behaviour abroad, then it is of their own choosing. Sadly, I wish that the new generation of Iranian ladies would collectively use their new freedoms to become better, more accomplished people, but they bastardize their freedoms in large numbers. Its quite disheartening. They have nothing to look up to either and all you see in Iranian TV are Iranian music videos like Shahram K and other pop singers who feature females, Iranian and non Iranian, dancing seductively and showing no signs of virtue.
Please people, have hearts, don't always be so quick to blame others for your mistakes. TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT IS HAPPENING TO YOUR COMMUNITY AND TO YOUR NATION, IT IS OF YOUR OWN DOING. BLAMING OTHERS WILL NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. FURHTERMORE, BELITTLING OTHER ETHNIC GROUPS WILL NOT ELEVATE YOUR STATUS.
Oslonor Comments:
I Just make a few points. Under Saffavids in 15 century many persians were murdered and replaced by Azeri Turrks. That is true both in Isfahan and Shiraz. So the city or language does not determine the ethnicity. Or in other words anybody who comes from Shiraz is not Persian. Secondly Persians are not restriced to one province. That is Pars or Fars province in South West. Persians live both in South West Iran and in Khorasan. Persians do not live in North West as Azeri Turks claim they have Persian ancestors. Secondly why Azeri Turks constantly associate themselves with Kurds when Kurds have nothing to do with Azeri Turks. Thirdly if you have any pictures of blond and blue eyes Azeri Turks, we like to see them. Fourthly Persians have never claimed they look like scandinavians as you claim here.