The Iranian Regime Kills, Tortures, and Imprisons Everybody EQUALLY!

Today's LA Times had an article in the editorials section that was authored by Edward N. Luttwak. The work was entitled "Would Iranians rally 'round the flag?" and it was an attempt at showing that Iranians would react favourably to an attack on their nuclear facilities by the West. Aside from his assertions about a military option being wrong, the article suffered from an even greater flaw. Mr. Luttwak's argument rested on the separation of the cultural people in Iran claiming that the ethnic minorities would, at the very least, be apathetic to a military strike. Specifically, Mr. Luttwak claimed that the ethnic minorities were disillusioned by the "Persian" federal government that openly discriminated against them. Furthermore, he claimed that, unlike other countries, Iran was not a "nation," but an "empire."

First, Iran is no more an empire then the United States is 13 British colonies. Nobody claims that the annexing of California or the Louisiana Purchase has made the United States any less of a country. Iran WAS an empire; however, the different cultural people in Iran have lived peacefully together for centuries without any conflict. It angers me that at such a crucial period in our country's history - a period where we, as a nation, are at our weakest - some people are willing to spread lies and misinformation in order to harm us further. At no time in our country's long history was race ever an issue; why is it now?

Iran is a country that is not made up of any one culture. We are a mix of people not unlike the western countries who have, only recently, seen an influx of immigration. For centuries, Iran has welcomed many different cultures who now reside within its borders. We are represented by Balochs, Azeries, Iranian-Arabs, Hindus, Kurds, Armenians, and many other people. All of us, regardless of our background, recognize ourselves as Iranian. I myself am a product of a Turkish-Iranian father and a mother who is Rashti. Neither my father, nor my mother distinguish themselves from anybody else in Iran - we are all Iranian.

Those who play the race card in their observations of Iran fail to realize that the Regime is not represented by Persians. The regime is represented by fundamentalist Muslims that discriminate against everybody in Iran regardless of race. Persians are jailed and killed everyday because they speak out against the regime. Thus, the Persians are treated no differently then anybody else. The Iranian people have been held hostage by a regime that seeks only its betterment.

People like Mr. Luttwak who are quick to make uneducated and trigger happy assertions only further the stereotypes of Americans around the world and ultimately harm their own and their country's reputation. It is wise for Mr. Luttwack to be a friend to the Iranian people at a time when they are in need of help.

Marg Bar Jumhurieh Elsami!

Ruzbeh Hosseini