Nema, You have a very nice site. I've linked it from my own! I did a google search and your name came up via UCSD. Is that where you went to school? Kombiz
- By: Kombiz on July 17, 2003

Pedram, great piece by the way. But I thought I'd throw my $1.25 into this discussion. I'm not really sure that the monarchists outnumber the rest of Iranians in the US. I think they're more vocal, and certainly have the monetary and political backing but I actually think they're quite the minority...but thats up to debate. I would also have to agree, I think the monarchist are currently do busy manipulating people through satellite television or the discussion board at payvand.com (the allegations you see there are just ridiculous). With respect to teaching Americans about what Iranians are really alike, I think you might find some complications. To be honest, I don't think we're like anything. We have nutso's like Rajavi and her cult. We have our right-wing Machiavellian type figures like Reza Pahlavi, and then we have the average Joe, or what I like to call, "the average Ali." Maybe the message ought to be, "yo, we're human just like you, yo" (just to give it a Bronx effect).
- By: Nema Milaninia on July 16, 2003

webgard's freaking may be result of using some of the weed he speaks about :o) , but I can appreciate his request for wanting to be removed from your links. If his mother is reading this, I don't know your son! As for the Monarchist vs. rest of us argument, I can see why he may be concerned with getting a disproportionate number of blogs popping up promoting a certain line of thinking not necessary indicative of the opinions of a larger community of Iranians. I must admit that in some ways I too was a bit concerned at first but decided that I was perhaps being too unfair to most of us, particularly those of us living in the west. Looking at what is currently out there in articles, letters and comments left on various blogs and sites, I do not see this as an issue. Maybe the "monarchists" are too busy doing whatever it is they do best, or the rest of us are generally more active, but despite being outnumbered in places like California, it appears that opinions expressed regularly in various formats are not as one-sided as your concern indicates. However, if they DO choose to dominate the Iranian blogsphere with a narrow agenda, it will only leave more of a burden for the rest of us to offer a balancing viewpoint. Maybe then even webgard and others like him will choose to write more about their own political leanings. Maybe.
- By: Pedram M. on July 16, 2003

Hoder jan, I dont get it! (since you have no email link on this page... I'm assuming that you prefer comments. which is good since others came chime in if they like.) I dont understand you and Pedrams reasons for unleashing this campaign for more English blogs. 1- we all know that in north america the monarchists outnumber the rest of us. I'm not sure about Toronto, but this is certainly the case in the States. your reasons for this campaign do not make sense if you want the americans to "know the real" us, since North America does not represent the real Iran. 2- this morning I found out that you have linked to us english bloggers on your farsi page. And dont get me wrong, I like to be linked to as much as the next guy... but unlike you and pedram who like to write about politics and "pop culture", I write about myself in my blog... about the weed I smoked the night before or my therapist, to name a few. and it is scary to think that my mom, who can read and understand english can find my blog with a click through your Farsi page, which I know she reads. it may be inprobably for my friends and family to recognize me but it is possible... and this is making me super paranoid. I'd like you to please remove me from your Farsi blogroll. and if both pages are actually using the same blogroll code, so be it, remove me from them both. I'm sorry if I sound difficult or unpriciative but aside from the fact that this campaign makes no sense, I want you to understand that I almost had a double heartattack this morning from your farsi blog and the posibility of being linked through Iranian.com... thanx
- By: webgard on July 15, 2003