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Trita P. and the "name" business!

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rasheed p irani

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Sep 10, 1996, 3:00:00 AM9/10/96
to

1. Up until now I thought Trita was a lady. But, in one of the articles
he/she mentioned that Trita was the old version of fereidun. Now, I'm
confused! Please pardon my ignorance. And I hope I didn't offend Trita.
But, Trita jAn, could you please clarify the matter for me? I'm only
curious.

2. Regarding "Iranians who change their names," I brought the issue up at
my work place. I wanted to know the reaction of some other people other
than Iranians. Here is my unofficial! conclusion:

70% of my American co-workers said that they would change their names if
they lived in another country where their original names were difficult to
pronounce. They felt that it would be easier. I also explained to them
that if their name was "Ann" and livewd in Iran, what the consequences
would be! The other 30% were too stuburn for me! They were telling me
that they would NOT live other countries!!! But if they did, and if their
names weren't "Ann" they would stick with their American names.

100% of my Chinese friends (a small sample 3!) said that they would change,
and they thought I was stupid for asking them this question since I already
knew that thier real names were not Wesley, Alan, and Chuck!!!

This only showed me that we're all humans, and despite our nationality,
religion, color, ... there are are different opinions within every society.
Be it Iranian, American, Chinese, or Swedish. (I _DO_ know some Chinese
people with their original Chinese names!) Everyone is who he/she is (EK!)
regardless of his/her superficial name.

xiAr canbar,
Rasheed

rasheed p irani

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Sep 11, 1996, 3:00:00 AM9/11/96
to

Trita P. wrote, in response to Rasheed's statistics:

Interesting result, but not surprising. My comments: In the americans case,
it is
very understanding since they do not have a culture to cling on to. In the
chinese
case, I think that they jsut have given up. The chinese language has been
so ridiculed so I think this is natural for them.


Now, I write:

I'm sorry Trita jAn! I'll have to stop discussing this issue with you. I
don't think that Americans have no culture, and that the chinese have been
so rediculed that they've given up. I don't think that WE are better than
everyone else. I think that every culture (nationality, etc.) has its good
and bad. And I try to learn the good ones from anywhere.

I think the discussion has no point any longer since your views are
extremely biased.

You mentioned before that you had lived in the US. Then you must have
noticed the array of all kinds of cultures in this melting pot. Someone
mentioned, under your thread, that in the US foreigners are accepted as
they are not in Europe. I think that the major contributor to this fact is
that cultures in the US respect other cultures. You don't seem to respect
any culture but your own. And I think that is dangerous because in a
global aspect you think that Iranians are better, for example. And in a
smaller scope you may go as far as saying that you, yourself, are better
than any other Iranian.

marze,
Rasheed

P.S. Why did I get in to this?!!! I haven't changed my name! Oh yeah,
the principle!

Trita Parsi

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Sep 11, 1996, 3:00:00 AM9/11/96
to rasheed p irani

My dera brother Rasheed,

rasheed p irani wrote:
>
> 1. Up until now I thought Trita was a lady. But, in one of the articles
> he/she mentioned that Trita was the old version of fereidun. Now, I'm
> confused! Please pardon my ignorance. And I hope I didn't offend Trita.
> But, Trita jAn, could you please clarify the matter for me? I'm only
> curious.
>

Yes, my friend I guess you are confused. No just kidding. I am very much used to
this. I have actually explained this about three to four times only on the SCi these
last three months. I am a HE, and very much so if I do may say so myself.

> 2. Regarding "Iranians who change their names," I brought the issue up at
> my work place. I wanted to know the reaction of some other people other
> than Iranians. Here is my unofficial! conclusion:
>
> 70% of my American co-workers said that they would change their names if
> they lived in another country where their original names were difficult to
> pronounce. They felt that it would be easier. I also explained to them
> that if their name was "Ann" and livewd in Iran, what the consequences
> would be! The other 30% were too stuburn for me! They were telling me
> that they would NOT live other countries!!! But if they did, and if their
> names weren't "Ann" they would stick with their American names.
>
> 100% of my Chinese friends (a small sample 3!) said that they would change,
> and they thought I was stupid for asking them this question since I already
> knew that thier real names were not Wesley, Alan, and Chuck!!!
>
> This only showed me that we're all humans, and despite our nationality,
> religion, color, ... there are are different opinions within every society.
> Be it Iranian, American, Chinese, or Swedish. (I _DO_ know some Chinese
> people with their original Chinese names!) Everyone is who he/she is (EK!)
> regardless of his/her superficial name.
>
> xiAr canbar,
> Rasheed

Interesting result, but not surprising. My comments: In the americans case, it is

very understanding since they do not have a culture to cling on to. In the chineese

case, I think that they jsut have given up. The chinese language has been so
ridiculed so I think this is natural for them.

However, we should not do something JUST because others do so. Others can be wrong,
and in this case I am sure they are.
--
Trita (Terita) Parsi
Zende bAd IrAn

Trita Parsi

unread,
Sep 14, 1996, 3:00:00 AM9/14/96
to rasheed p irani

rasheed p irani wrote:

> Now, I write:
>
> I'm sorry Trita jAn! I'll have to stop discussing this issue with you. I
> don't think that Americans have no culture, and that the chinese have been
> so rediculed that they've given up. I don't think that WE are better than
> everyone else.

I am not claiming us to be better than anyone else. We are unique, but so are the
chineese and the Greeks etc etc. The chineese have just been in the US longer than
the Iranians, and we will end up like them if we do not change our behaviour.

< I think that every culture (nationality, etc.) has its good
> and bad. And I try to learn the good ones from anywhere.
>

Good for you. I do the same, but I do not forget who I am and what my culture is
just because I interact with other cultures.

> I think the discussion has no point any longer since your views are
> extremely biased.
>

In what sence are my views extremely biased? Am I too iranian? Am i too
unwesternized? Am I too unaccepting of the claims that ordering pizza in the US is
VERY difficult and stressful for a person with a noneuropean name?

> You mentioned before that you had lived in the US. Then you must have
> noticed the array of all kinds of cultures in this melting pot. Someone
> mentioned, under your thread, that in the US foreigners are accepted as
> they are not in Europe. I think that the major contributor to this fact is
> that cultures in the US respect other cultures.

No I do not agree with you on this point. How can they be respecting you if they
demand assimilation? What type of respect is that? (Oh yeah, AMERICAN TYPE)
In a country where everyone with noneuropean names are changing their names to
make life easier- then life cant be so easy with a noneuropean name! So if
cultures in the US respect other cultures- why are so many changing their names
and having such problems?
I am not saying that noneuropean cultures are very respected in Europe- but the
Europeans are normally more frank than the Americans. They dont bullshit.
Americans claim to respect other cultures but are de facto not respecting them
since they demand assimilation.

< You don't seem to respect
> any culture but your own.

Personal attacks! Why not just be adults and stick to the real issues?

And I think that is dangerous because in a
> global aspect you think that Iranians are better, for example.

No I dont. But many iranians in the US seem to think that Westerners are better
than Iranians! I am reacting against that type of negative selfimage!

And in a
> smaller scope you may go as far as saying that you, yourself, are better
> than any other Iranian.
>

WOW! That is a really strong personal attack. I thought more of you, Rasheed. Even
when you were upset because I misspelled your name.

> marze,
> Rasheed
>
> P.S. Why did I get in to this?!!! I haven't changed my name! Oh yeah,
> the principle!

Dear Rasheed,
You got in to this with some amount of selfrespect. If you intend to get out of
it, please do your self a favour and keep your selfrespect. Accusing me of all
these different things only makes you look bad, and makes you loose the
selfrespect. Dont go out this way.

Ba eteram
--
Trita Parsi
Zende bAd IrAn

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