We- Iranians

A jewish friend has written this to me:

"My point is, I believe the majority of the Iranian people, no matter their religion, yearn to be free of their governing theocracy... they yearn to have free access to cup-of-coffee jokes, including ones from all points of view... in my inner heart, I even think most, or at least many, could learn to accept Jews in their midst, as they did once, and would grasp a live-and-let-live philosophy if it meant peace for themselves and their unborn children.Am I right?".

Well, I can't say that's all true or wrong for all Iranian population; consider that we are speaking about 70 millions.

Iranians are mostly religious. It means that they believe in some kind of faith. Atheists like me or the people who for some reason don't feel any relationships with the heavens are a small minority. In this regard, we resemble Americans rather than Europeans. But something is for sure; as the society goes on and the development pushes forward, the depth of it and the vastness of it is reducing. At the same time we are not like Arab countries, religion although being so important in life is not interwoven in all parts of our being. I mean, we have nationality which is different from religion. Despite Arab fellows, our most important national feast is just national. All the attempts done by Iranian regime to bind it in a way to Islam have doomed.

The feeling about the regime: well, that's not easy to answer too. The people are so dissatisfied with it but it doesn't mean that they are just on the verge of a revolution against it. As you see, most of Iranians have picked a peaceful way for changes. Yes, it is partly because they are fed with bloodshed and harshness, but it is also because the people find the peaceful way, a far more feasible way for change. And of course one reason for doing so is lack of organizations. The people don't know how to get to their objectives. There is no leader, no union, no syndicate. So, the scattered people just try to survive in a way that they find applicable.

Relationship with others: Ah, that's such a sophisticated thing to discuss about. This friend of us writes about Jewish people and Iranians' feelings about them. Hey my friend, we have no problem with Jewish people. At least not more than what we have among ourselves. Iran is a multi-ethnic country. Inside the country and among ourselves, you should see how we are proud of what we are (in a stupid way), assume ourselves better and superior than others (again in a very stupid manner) and make jokes about others. We have jokes about a part of the nation to be always 'stupid', another part to be 'homo', another part to be loose when it comes to consider sex ( these men are said to be always easy when their wives goes with other men), another part to be stingy and etc. So, if there is any mockery, it is not because of hatred or something; may be it's because our life is so tough and we are sick of being always serious. It's may be because we need fun.

Conclusion:
Making a CNN type picture about Iran is totally wrong. It takes you nowhere. This country is so big, has a huge population and has deep roots in history. The people are different in many ways. They are similar in other ways. They are changing at the same time. They can be classified in some categories when at the same time, it is so naïve if we do that. We are learning. We are changing. I don't mean in a good way, sometimes we are losing good characteristics. Well, anyway, we need to be studied and looked upon carefully. Don't try to simplify us.