From: arash@sunee.waterloo.edu (Arash Jahangir)
Subject: Re: Farid on Azerbaijan
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Thu, 9 Apr 1992 21:49:05 GMT

In article <92100.001001FHM100F@ODUVM.BITNET> FHM100F@ODUVM.BITNET (FARID) writes:
>Dear Arash:
>
>Are you characterizing Azerbaijani as a dialect? Dialect of what language?
>Is this supposed to make it less important?

No.  I only wanted to point out there are many ways of speaking accross Iran,
None of which can be considered a better language than other.  I bet you 
anything that if you ever listen to Gee-lacky dialect, you won't be able to 
understand it at all no matter how much Farsi you have studied (I don't under-
stand it either).  The only reason that you can travel to GeelAn and have no
problems is that you and them can both speak a particular dialect of Farsi 
that is really a mix of dialects of very diverse parts of Iran.

>Why do you have to mention that you
>have 2 Azeri friends and a half Kurdish one? To make yourself a credible person
>before these two groups?

Not at all.  I have no doubt that the openions of whatever number of Azaris and
Kurds on this net is of me, it will not affect my life, my income, or the 
openions of people of those provinces in Iran.  The aim was to let you and 
others like you to know that I do not have any personal hatred or grudges 
against Azaries or Kurds and that whatever I say is not based on negative
emotions.  As it stands you have enough negative emotions in you that has 
blinded your judgement and has made you mis-interpret everything I said. As the
Lores say "keen be-del, jang Asoon".  And boy you have a lot of keeneh in you.

> What was the need for lecturing me on Iranian history?
>To prove that the Turkish rulers of Iran didn't pay attention to Azeri language
>? I never approved of the past Iranian rulers' conduct of government.

First get your terminology right.  Are you considering them Iranian ruleres or
Turkish rulers and if you are considering them Turkish, is that as from Turkieh
or from Turkamestan, or elsewhere.

Second there was a need to lecture you on Iranian history to remind you that
Azaris ARE Iranian not just because they happen to be within Iran's borders
but because they always acted as Iranians and have always been a very active
and positive part of Iran.  They have offered Iran many whom we are all proud
of.  You seem to be paying so much attention to yourself and your particular
province that you have completely forgotten the bigger picture that we are 
all Iranians.  If you don't want to be one, well that's your choice, but I
know of many Azaries who are proud to be Iranian.  So don't pose here as if
you represent every Azari in Iran.  Just who do you think you are to issue
statements on behalf of hearts and minds of all Azaries?

> I think
>you just want to put down my language by calling it a dialect and side track
>the the following issue that we Azerbaijanis have a right to have our language
>taught in schools in Azerbaijan. Just like you have your Farsi language taught
>to your children. Are you a better Iranian than an Azerbaijani? This is a very
>basic right. I hope you can comprehend this because whether you do or not we
>will see to it that it happens.    ...Farid
>

I've already answered your first statement.  As for if I am a better Iranian
than an Azarbaijani.  I am glad that you are refering to Azarbaijanies as
Iranians.  But really doubt your sincierety.  I think that your behaviour is
that of a sparatist and that you are just sugar coating your words so as to
get a foot in the door.  If you really are an Iranian, then you will consider
the best for the whole country and not just for one region.  It well may be
that autonomy and multi-language/dialect be the best thing for Iran.  If that
is the case and that is what you beleive in, then you will try just as hard
to see Baluchi, Ghashghai, Gilacky, Lori, Parsi (as that of province of Pars
and not the current official dialect), and every other dialect/language in 
Iran to be taught, not just Azari.  My family happens to have their roots in
many parts of south-west to central Iran.  As such part of me is Lor and I 
have relatives in Lorestan that I used to visit.  You don't see me complaining
about Lori not being taught in Iran. Of the two of us you are the one who is
asking for special considerations.  By the way it might interest you to know
that in Khozestan (where I was born) we don't have jokes for Azaries.  The
jokes are mostly about Lores.

>P.S. Learn some Azerbaijani from your friends it is good for your soul. It will
>     give you a better view of things. Maybe then you will not take our learnin
>     -g of Farsi forgranted!

Actually I already know some Azari, most of which is not really suited to go
on the net :-)  I am sure if I had lived in Azarbaijan I would have learned a
lot more Azari even though it is not officially taught in public schools.  But
your tone has so much hatred in it that makes me wonder how you really feel 
about Iran.  As for my soul, I like it as is.  Yours however needs to be 
cleansed of all that misplaced anger and hatred that you feel.  Tell me, if
you had not learned all that Farsi which you speak of with so much anger, how
would you communicate with the rest of Iranians.  Would you have the whole
country learn Azari as a mandetory language?  Or would rather have nothing to
do with us?  By the way, I see nothing wrong with teaching Azari in the rest
of Iran.  There are practical limitations however that make it very unfruitfull.

Arash