I Know There Is A Big Iranian Community In The Chicagoland Area......

[global1]

I'm not sure what there numbers are here or elsewhere - but I know there are a great deal of Iranians living in the U.S.

Have any of them or their spokespeople come out against * and this insane rhetoric about nuking Iran.

Many of these American Iranians have family and friends living in Iran. Surely they must be beside themselves with worry as to what might happen.

Could they bring any pressure to bear on the *Co - or for that matter Congress to stop *Co from doing something stupid?

[Kutjara]

1. I have no evidence for this, but...

...I think that, in common with many muslims in America, they are probably keeping their heads down in case they become the target of "Christians" and "patriots."

I have several muslim friends and, let me assure you, they don't share the view of America as a tolerant, open country. They have too much personal experience of the opposite.

[sojourner]

2. i'd say that if they have their wits about them they are laying low...

lest they be the next targets. recall that during the run-up to war and the post-9/11 hysteria there were incidents of beatings and even killing of people who merely seemed like "arabs".......

[madeline_con]

5. Ditto that.

I wouldn't be too noisy about Iran right now, lest some idiot take aim. :(

[sojourner]

6. i'd be looking for hair dye (blonde) and contacts...

though i know people from that part of the world with the most gorgeous pale green eyes. and not all iranians or iraqis are muslim. a good many are Xtians. and most are proud of their national heritage even though they may dislike the things that are going on. hmm...
a little like us, eh?

[MADem]

3. Most of the assimilated Iranians here were pro-Shah

They ran like hell as the country started falling apart in the late 70s. Many were related to senior government officials, and got to jump the line due to the fact that they were rich as can be, and could claim persecution under Khomeini.

A lot of them would not mind at all if BushCo found a way to put Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi (who terms himself the Shahinshah in Exile) back on the throne...sorta like we did for his daddy, getting Mossadeq out of the way for him, years ago....

[coffeenap]

4. I have a friend who is a prominent professor from Iran. I spoke to

him three weeks ago about Bush for the first time. He told me there is a network of highly educated, progressive Muslims from Iran, Iraq, and other ME countries who tried for years to get to the admin before the invasion of Iraq. They offered hundreds of opportunties to enlighten them in countless ways. No one would meet with them. No one would read their papers, no one wanted to hear what they had to say. His conclusion, as you have already guessed, is that they had their plans made and any facts would have just complicated things.

So is there a chance now? I am afraid to ask.

[xxqqqzme]

7. I have an Iranian friend - DFA coordinator

HUGE Howard Dean person...She, her mother & sister were in Iran last fall taking care of family stuff - (she has a Downs syndrome cousin and the aunt is early dementia so they were trying 2 arrange care for the cousin). Anyway she is beside herself concerned - rightly so - about her family. The demographics for Iran reveal a young adult population. We don't need 2 B messin' w/ that.

Plus we all need 2 remind others - correct them if necessary - that Iranians are NOT Arab. They are Persian and very proud of there heritage.