Iranian official uses racial slur in reference to Obama

[thewiseguy]

Mohammad Javad Larijani criticized the policies adopted by U.S. President Barack Obama and referred to him using a racial epithet.

"When Barack Obama was sworn into office he talked of verbally engaging Iran," the U.C. Berkeley graduate was quoted as saying. "What has changed is that today this 'the equivalent of the N-word in Farsi' talks of regime change in Iran."

In a Saturday meeting at the Islamic Engineers Society, Larijani said, "I am not a racist, but I must respond to this man in some way."

Larijani's brother, Ali, is the speaker of Majles (Parliament). Another brother, Sadegh, is head of the judiciary.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tehranbureau/2010/01/weekend-headlines-1.html

"I am not a racist but I must respond to this man in some way" :wtf:

[RaleighNCDUer]

1. "I am not a racist but..." = "I am a racist." nt

[ShortnFiery]

2. I'll believe it if it's reported in EuroNews or France24. PBS? ... not so credible. eom

[Odin2005]

5. PBS isn't credible?

You are being REALLY paranoid today...

[ShortnFiery]

11. Oh, you don't remember our main stream media, to include PBS LYING us into

an illegal and immoral invasion of Iraq?

You don't think that PsyOps exists within our government?

All governments lie. If you don't believe the forgoing, then you are naive.

[Odin2005]

30. Get help.

[ShortnFiery]

34. I'd suggest you follow your own advice.

You treasure POWER and AUTHORITARIANISM as much as I nurture my SPICY TEMPERAMENT.

We're equally damaged. :hi:

[SKKY]

3. My sense on things like this is and has always been that...

...if you have to say you are not something, you probably are.

[invictus]

4. Sounds like bullshit. I doubt Farsi has an equivalent to the n word.

This is another pathetic attempt by neo-cons to stir up shit between the US and Iran to justify a military strike.

[ShortnFiery]

7. Yes, this story doesn't pass the sniff test. But watch FOX run with it and the other whores in the

M$M pick up on it just to keep-up with the popular "fair and balanced" network? :crazy:

Mainstream USA news management is seemingly run no better than cliques in our local Junior High School.

[thewiseguy]

31. I am from Iran, and I can tell you that Farsi does have an equivalent to the n word

He called Obama a "Kaka Siah" in Farsi which is an offensive slang used towards blacks.

And you must be very paranoid if you think an Iranian official calling Obama the N word is a justification for a military strike.

[BennyD]

6. Are people in middle eastern countries more or less likely to hold racist views?

Unfortunately, it has been my personal experience that most MEN from the middle east generally have prejudice, bigoted, and/or sometimes racist views about black people.

For those who don't read well, notice I said "most" and not "all" when I referred to "Men from the middle east." I also said it was "my personal experience."

[ShortnFiery]

8. As a woman BORN in the Middle East, I say "Bunk." Stereotyping an entire culture

is, on it's very surface, irresponsible.

My personal experience: people who have never LIVED in the Middle East, are often the first people to claim irresponsible and inflammatory KNOWLEDGE of both it's people and culture.

With basic respect, I don't think you know squat about either men or women who hail from the Middle East. Why? We are not a COLLECTIVE one dimensional entity. Some of us are even Patriotic United States Citizens who have served in the military.

[invictus]

9. +1

[Rebubula]

13. LOLZ

Yet...if this were a story about a man in Omaha saying this - there would be broad brush attacks against the 'racist' people in fly over country.

Having worked in Qatar for many years, I can tell you that the people there have the same bias' and prejudices as anywhere else in the world. Ask any Pakistani\Sri Lankan worker in Doha if they think the locals are prejudiced.

Racism occurs on every corner of the planet with people in all walks of life.

[ShortnFiery]

14. Yes it does, but that doesn't excuse people "over here" making assumptions about another

culture.

But you already knew that, didn't you?

[Rebubula]

15. Of course...

...I understood what you are saying. All cultures are biased against other cultures. It is what it is.

However, many times on this very board, people will make broad assumptions about other groups (mostly rural or Southern people) as to their racism and no one will counter them. As someone that has lived in the ME, I CAN attest that there are many bigoted people there. Just like anywhere else.

That is all that I am saying. I am not excusing anyone for anything.

[ShortnFiery]

17. Point Taken and fully accepted.

Since I was born in the Middle East, I take personal umbrage when others claim to know "those people" over there in neat little boxes such as the entire population of Middle Eastern Men. It's impossible to stereotype such a large subset.

Thanks for your explanation ... I now better understand your perspective.

[BennyD]

19. Why are you still touting a lie? Who in this thread referred to "entire population?" Read #16 n/t

[ShortnFiery]

21. I'm not touting a lie, you made, IMO, an irresponsible generalization about ME men.

I called you out on it. You can continue to believe that I over-reacted but I disagree.

Generalizing to "ME men" is inappropriate IMO, no less than making glaring generalizations about "USA men."

It's my opinion, you're entitled to disagree but you can't accuse me of being illiterate because that is clearly "false." :shrug:

[BennyD]

16. You are an example of the type of people who DON'T READ!!!!

You wrote: "Stereotyping an entire culture is,on it's very surface, irresponsible."

WHERE IN MY POST DID I SAY "EVERYONE" or "ALL.?" I specifically wrote "For those who don't read well, notice I said "most" and not "all" when I referred to "Men from the middle east."

I also said it was "my personal experience." I never once said this applied to all nor did I claim to be an "expert." Yet you let your emotions overtake your intellect and decided to go off on me.

I don't have time to converse with someone who can't even F-ing READ!!!!!

[ShortnFiery]

18. Yes, I can F-ing read and still claim your statement is irresponsible. You are not a scientist

and can not claim to have "a representative sample" of people.

Let me put it in a way that others can relate: "My personal experience only, mind you, but men from the United States of America dislike African Americans. Now! This is only MY EXPERIENCE."

How do you think the forgoing statement would be accepted POINT BLANK here at DU?

Correct, it would, like your statement above, be called out as irresponsible.

Yes, I can read and I can SENSE an air of bigotry too. I'm getting "a whiff" of it now from you.

But NO MATTER, it's just MY EXPERIENCE typing. :(

[BennyD]

20. Pleeeeeeze. I'm done with you. You don't meet the standards of conversing with me. n/t

[ShortnFiery]

23. I'm sorry that I don't meet your standards. I'm only trying to convey the inappropriateness

of generalization, especially where it concerns a large subset of people within another culture. :shrug:

[timeforpeace]

25. Methinks you protest too much. Would you defend an American with such stridency?

[ShortnFiery]

26. I am an American. No, but if we accused MOST American men of being bigoted/racist

I don't think that would go over well? Do you?

I don't need to defend the USA ... WE RULE due to our mighty Military Machine. Nobody dare take us on lest we invade their country or send in our drone planes out to kill "suspected al Qaeda." :wow:

[quantass]

10. It's a man desparate for attention -- this is Expected (doubt he's racist)

I highly doubt he is racist it sounds more like a person who is desperate to get the spotlight on their situation and for him he feels using such a slur could get the press to take notice. It's cheap and effective because as expected the press comes a runnin' when it smells any controversy.

[ShortnFiery]

12. If true, it's a poor way to glean attention as the sympathy will not turn to your

point of view. I hope not.

[Rebubula]

22. I guess....

...that his hatred of the Jewish people does not count??

Just saying....

[ShortnFiery]

24. Oh WOW! Let's blow up the entire thread?

Really, I'm sorry that I came down on you so hard. I know you meant well. All I can say is that you need to socialize with a larger sample of ME men.

I'm NOT calling you any names. I know you are trying to convey information ... it's just, IMO, not helpful if it justifies people believing that most ME men are racist.

We really have to be careful about generalizing ... any negative information if we wish to exist peacefully on this earth.

I am truly sorry to have been so blunt with you ... I could have conveyed my points better. :hi:

[Rebubula]

28. Are you replying to me?

I am not sure to what you are going on about here. I was responding to another person who said they are certain that Ahmedenijhad is NOT a racist.

The President of Iran is WELL KNOWN for his anti-Jewish screeds and accusations.

Again....I know quite a few ME men (and women) from various social levels and I like most of them. My favorite evenings are enjoying a shisha with my friends in Doha. Some hold bigoted views, some do not. Much like in the States, UK, Oz, Cuba etc.

Lastly, many people are MORE THAN HAPPY to imply that most white Americans are racist.....but turn that accusation somewhere else and everyone gets all defensive. Sorry...being from Georgia - I tire of the constant charge of racism applied to a whole group.

[ShortnFiery]

32. Yes, I don't think most people are willing to say most American Men are racist.

Yes, I'm replying to you because you amped up the derogatory "meme" that Middle Eastern men are racist against JEWISH as well as BLACK people.

Can you see how hypocritical these view are when used against people who we are "supposedly" at war with?

The stereotyping of "the typical Middle Eastern MAN" is all I can envision ... it's just VILE albeit I don't even think you realize what *PICTURE* you are drawing for the American populace.

WTH, you're hopeless if you can't understand the ramifications of degrading Middle Eastern men with horrid STEREOTYPES.

We are all HUMAN BEINGS and as such, it's natural to stereotype and hold prejudices. However, it doesn't mean that we OPENLY brag and accuse OTHERS before checking ourselves?

At least we can try to see "the good" in "the other" before stereotypic accusations of bigotry and/or racism.

There is NO master race. We all are precious in the eyes of our higher power.

[invictus]

27. More stereoptyping ...

Do you have evidence that this specific person hates Jewish people or are you stereotyping all Middle Eastern people as anti-Jewish?

[Rebubula]

29. Please reread

I mentioned a specific person that has made many outrageous comments concerning the Jews and their right to exist.

I spend a lot of time in the Middle East and socialize with many people from that region. They have the same fears, desires and dreams as the rest of us.

[ShortnFiery]

33. But your IMPLIED message was that we can feel free to generalize it to all ME men.

That notion, in and of itself, would serve the neo-conservatives proud.

Really, we need to settle differences in this war torn region. We must stop the HATE.

Let it begin by not ramping up the rhetoric? :(