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Discrimination
Wishes:
Rayn, I'll have to disagree. I'm listening to KGO Newstalk in San Francisco right now and they are saying that any negative publicity this guy is getting here in the U.S. is actually uniting Iranians in his favor at this point. Eventhough he is considered rather unstable even in Iran.
The reputation of the U.S. is rather pathetic around the world. It would take quite a lot to change that.
There are two immigrants in my family. My brother actually had a hard time getting his wife here. And this guy floats in. I know he was just here for a "visit" but I don't like it.
Anyway, I don't get much interaction on this board and I don't want any to just be negative so I'll stop with this subject right here.
Rayn:
--- Quote from: Wishes on September 26, 2007, 12:47:40 pm ---Rayn, I'll have to disagree. I'm listening to KGO Newstalk in San Francisco right now and they are saying that any negative publicity this guy is getting here in the U.S. is actually uniting Iranians in his favor at this point. Eventhough he is considered rather unstable even in Iran. The reputation of the U.S. is rather pathetic around the world. It would take quite a lot to change that. There are two immigrants in my family. My brother actually had a hard time getting his wife here. And this guy floats in. I know he was just here for a "visit" but I don't like it. Anyway, I don't get much interaction on this board and I don't want any to just be negative so I'll stop with this subject right here.
--- End quote ---
Perhaps it's best, as you say, to end it here, unless there is someone else who would like to say something about it, but if it ends here we could end it noting what we have and need to continue in the United States of America and that is, FREEDOM of SPEECH.
The man was invited to the US by Americans to speak.
It would be against the constitution and everything that is truly American if he were silenced because some people didn't like what he was saying and anyone who doesn't like what he's saying can exercise his or her right, as you did Wishes, to turn the TV or Radio to a different channel, there are however, as evidenced by the many who listened to him at Columbia University, many people who want to talk to him and hear what he has to say. Dialogue, change happens when there is dialogue, a very American activity, isn't it?
What I'm also getting at here, Wishes, is that in your one entry about him, you insult the President of Iran and then say how against discrimination and slurs you are! What's going on with that picture? You may not agree with him, you may dislike him, you may even think it's an insult to Americans that he was invited to speak in America, but the President of Iran is deserving of respect just as all human beings are deserving of respect. He is like me and you and everyone else. He just wants to be happy in his life and be free to speak the truth as he sees it. As an American, I believe he is entitled to do that and so when I read your slur against him "the so called president of Iran", I felt the need to respond to that.
And in parting, the negative publicity he's getting is helping his ratings in Iran, you say? Again, that proves the point I am making. Insults and mean spirited slurs against the President of Iran while he is a guest in our country will work against the United States and make its reputation even worse than it is. When a leader is attacked by strangers in an unpopular country, it usually increases the support of his own people for him out of sympathy. Surely that is something, Wishes, you can understand.
Honest dialogue doesn't have to be filled with insults and negative energy. It can be respectful even while it is truthful.
Kelda:
I don't think Wishes was insulting him or being discriminatory - just stating an opinion - as you both say, its lucky we have a freedom of speech iin our countries. Each day we should be thankful for the lives we have - I often forget how lucky I am and moan about my day. It pales into insignificance compared to others.
Rayn:
--- Quote from: Kelda on September 28, 2007, 11:27:57 am ---I don't think Wishes was insulting him or being discriminatory -
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Kelda.... Let's look at language noting that when a person calls the legitimate postion of a president of any nation into question by calling him "the so called president" of Iran, that is an insult, plain and simple. She might as well have called him "a fake". That's not an opinion.
The President of Iran was elected by his own people. He isn't the "so called president"; he's the duly elected president of Iran. That Wishes dislikes the man is clear in her insult.
And why not allow Wishes to answer for her own statement? Perhaps if there were some reflection on language used there might also be some learning about how to write about someone she dislikes in a more respectful manner.
Learning respect for people we don't like ... hmmmm... now that is something that could help us all!
Rayn:
--- Quote from: Kerry on September 26, 2007, 09:04:47 am ---I couldn't believe it when he said there were no homosexuals in Iran.
The audience openly laughed in his face for making that ludicrous observation. He deserves to be laughed at for making such a fallaciously vacuous remark.
--- End quote ---
Of course they laughed, because they reacted instead of giving it some thought first.
He didn't say there were NO Homosexuals in Iran, He said there were no homosexuals in Iran LIKE THERE ARE IN AMERICA....That is what I heard the translator say. And if that's what he said, then he's right. Iran is a completely different culture , not like American culture at all.
There are several ways to understand the man if you can look and hear him from an unbiased point of view. Also, was anything lost in translation? Think about it.
And perhaps ask why we are whipping up so much hatred of this guest that we invited to visit with us and speak to us.
DA
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