From: me12@prism.gatech.EDU (Reza Ebrahimpour 32199)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.iranian
Subject: Re: Jokes, Ramin S.
Date: 3 Sep 92 17:45:31 GMT
Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology

This is the revised version of a letter that I recently sent to Ramin S.
I don't wish to start flames, nor I have anything against Ramin.
I usually enjoy reading his articles. The letter only represents my 
feelings about the jokes we make about OTHER cultures and people.
The opinions represented here are only mine, and since I have no
skills in convincing people, they may remain only mine.

I appreciate if the other readers post their feelings and opinions regarding
this subject, without getting too persoanl and emotional.
After all we have had enough share of cursing and all forms of language abuse
during the past few months.


WARNING: This letter is somehow long. If you don't care about the way
we treat other cultures, you may ignore it.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salam rAmin jAn,

I just read your jokes (involving arabs and  rashties).

Well, I am both amused an sad. The jokes are funny, the only problem is that
they are insulting  a lot of people. Well, we might say these are only jokes,
but the problem is that they are more than that. They separate us as human
beings. I was happier with these jokes when I was living in Iran. But 
I think one has a better chance to look at things from a different perspective,
when living here.

Let me tell you about two cases.

1) I usually watch Saturday Nigt Live on NBC. It is usually a funny
show with a lot of jokes about everybody. One set of episodes that particularly
involves us as Iranians, 
is the ones about the Iranian courts, our parliment, etc. I have to admit
that those episodes are really funny. But what do they reflect?
Is it not that they show Iranians as a male-dominated society where only
sword talks? I do not agree with a lot of our policies. I do not support many
decisions by our justice system ( a lot of injustice has happened due to the
lack of a working appeal system, no right to attorneys , etc.).
Nevertheless, it is not as bad as they show us.

WE ARE NOT A GROUP OF MEN WITH BEARD, USING SWORD WHEN WE CANNOT WIN
AN ARGUMENT NOR  A GROUP OF SILENT OBEDIENT WOMEN. 
There is much more in our culture. 
WE DO NOT LIVE IN TENTS. WE DO NOT RIDE CAMELS.
WE DO NOT KILL EACH OTHER IN STREETS.
....
....

We are just normal human beings, with all the goods and ills of any other
society.

2) I am from Mashad. Here, I have a friend from Tehran, who once in the
middle of a discussion said IRAN would be much better off if Mashad and
Azerbaijan were separated from Iran. I asked for a reason and the response
was that these people have always brought trouble for Iran.

My understanding of history is that people of Azerbaijan are a brave people
who do fight any aggressor with all their power.
 I have nothing to say in defense  of Mashad, except that I don't see what
 wrong we have done historically to bring so much hatred to my friend.

As far as I know my friend has not lived in any of these regions. I don't think
that there is any Mashhadi or Azeri in his family, so why does he hate us
( I am not talking about me, he hates the people of that region as a whole)?

I think it is because of all the streotyping that we do in our tales and jokes.
We consider
Azeris:  stupid, overreacting, primitive
Rashtis: simpltons, bastards, bi-Gheirat( don't care if their wives sleep with
         others)
Kashanis: cowards
Isfahanis: too smart to be trusted
Tehranis: smartest
Kurds: ignorant, know nothing about modern life
Lors:  the same as above
Arabs: Stupid, obsessed with sex

and the list goes on and on. 
Don't you think that my friend's knowledge of
Mashhadis and Azeris comes mainly from all jokes and tales that he has heard
through years.

I remind you that my friend is not ignorant. He is a PhD. student,
a very bright and knowledgable person who is one of the best in his field.
The only problem is that his source of social information is the kind of jokes 
that you and I like to tell, and hear.

Isn't it the time to stop strerotyping people?

I am sure your jokes will be as funny, if you change all your references
from "An Arab" and " A Rashti" to just "A Guy".

I promise that I will laugh as much, without any second thought
about insulting a fellow human being.

Thanks.

Reza Ebrahimpour.

P.S. I have to admit that your jokes are much more moderate than what 
you might hear in a party or in a friendly conversation. The only reason I am
writing to you is that I trust your understanding and am sure you will not 
start a flame.

-- 
EBRAHIMPOUR,MOHAMMAD REZA
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta Georgia, 30332
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