October 21, 2020
Dear M. Zangiabadi,
This is an open letter to you in reaction to your letter on behalf of the ICC Board to Amazon regarding the offending T-Shirt,
THE PARADOX WITHIN AN ISLAMIC IRAN
Regardless of the content of your letter asking Amazon to ban a T-Shirt with the inscription of “F… Iran” on it, an initiative that is commendable, except that paradoxically it neglects the fact that Iran has been practically f… by the mullahs for over forty years and by imperialist Islamics in the past fourteen hundred years, I draw your attention on the following:
IRAN’S FLAG DESACRALIZED
Iran’s flag had been desacralized in 1979 by some wordings in Arabic written all over it. Much more insulting to Iranians than some stupid f-words written on a stupid T-shirt nobody has to buy.
THE PRESENT BOARD SHOULD KEEP A LOWER PROFILE
1) I have not given you authorization in any way, M. Younes Zangiabadi, to talk in my name, on this topic.
2) The present Board’s term came to an end months ago.
3) The present Board’s representativeness has been challenged through a judicial process, as well as by an impressive number of highly respected members of the Iranian-Canadian community. You cannot have missed something that is obvious everywhere on social media.
4) The Board should have honorably resigned many months ago when they announced there are only less than a hundred members left out of a thousand.
5) Unless the Board has decided to fight against the wishes of all those community members you pretend to represent, M. Younes Zangiabadi, decency would be for the Board to keep a low profile until the next elections.
A FREE IRAN VS ISLAMIC IRAN
M. Zangiabadi, wake up to reality and join us for real (not fake) support of Iran. Spend your energy and effort to serve a free, respectable, and dignified Iran, not in support of the present anachronistic, corrupt, and backward Islamic regime, a regime officially discriminatory towards women and non-Islamic citizens. Closing eyes on this essential problem will not make the problem disappear.
Let me be crystal clear about what I mean, and what I think we should be looking for.
A PEACEFUL TRANSITION
NOT LOOKING FOR:
Firstly, I am not a “barandâz”, not in favor of “overthrowing” the government of the IRI, or the whole Islamic State. Although I perfectly understand why others think they are left with no other choice.
Secondly, I am and have always been strongly against foreign interference in Iran, particularly against military interference. I do strongly condemn two decades of military occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq by the US-UK-NATO troops, including Canadian troops. I resigned serving as the Green Party of Canada Shadow Cabinet, Defense Critic, because I was opposed to Leader Elizabeth May on this point. I wish everyone who would understand the need for peace would take the same position as I do. The Islamic regime leaders who shout or encourage people to shout “Death to American”, never asked for US troops withdrawal, certainly not as strong as I wish they would. In fact, the US military presence in the region helps the Islamic rulers of Iran to keep mobilizing Iranians and to suppress opposition. All they want is for the US to end Sanctions and to get more money!
LOOKING FOR:
Instead, I am looking for a change of Constitution through a peaceful civilized referendum that would give Iranians the opportunity to choose the political regime of their choice. A referendum in due form supervised by all concerned Iranians. The 1979 so-called “referendum” wasn't a referendum, It was nothing but a semi-plebiscite implemented through bloody violence under the Islamic leadership of Ruhollah Khomeini supported by the mob.
IN WHAT SPIRIT SHOULD ICC BE ACTING?
I am not suggesting that ICC must be work on liberating Iran (members should decide what they want to do, and I suggest to find out through a true survey). What I am saying is for our actions to be taken within the framework of a prospective free and honorable Iran than within the framework of the present Islamic regime which is an oppressive, corrupt, feudal, backward regime, a regime unable to bringing social peace, and economic stability, prosperity and harmony to Iranians. A regime that pushes Iranians against each other, putting Islamic propaganda ahead of Iran’s and Iranians’ interests.
A STATISTICALLY SCIENTIFIC SURVEY OF IRANIAN-CANADIANS IS NEEDED
Yet, the above judgment about the Islamic regime reflects only my own position. I’d love to know yours and others’.
I did ask the present Board to allow me and help me conduct a “scientific” survey (made by a professional polling company) in order to understand what Iranian-Canadians have in mind as their ideal regime for Iran. And I will be asking the same from the candidates to the next Board, and the next elected Board.
Knowing what Iranians and Iranian-Canadians want is highly important in reducing the infighting amongst us.
The present Board gently ignored and rejected my demand. I wish and hope the next Board will respond positively.
Iranians need to know, once and for all, where and in what different proportions they stand on this fundamental issue (not everyone wants the same). Without this knowledge, it is not possible to move positively forward. Making the results of such an unbiased survey public will not only be a guide to any Iranian-Canadian association but could also help Iranians within Iran where any such survey seems hardly possible due to censorship. Under present circumstances, Iranian citizens do not have the opportunity to freely express their opinion on the matter.
