I'm at work today, reading the NYT [and working - seriously. I was. Stop judging.] and my coworker asked me about this article about Iran's surging importance in the Middle East during everything that's going on. I hadn't read it yet, but said it was interesting that Iran was moving into a position where it would be a major player in the area.
This guy who also works with us came up behind us and started talking about Iran and blah blah blah and while I had to give him credit for being somewhat more well-informed than most people [he knew that there were 2 different types of Islam in the region, but couldn't identify either one], I wanted to punch him because he was just spewing some bullshit racist stereotyping. [They all hate us unless we prop up their dictators kind of bullshit.]
The thing that made me most crazy, and I'm not sure why, was when he said, "Well, people in Iran don't consider themselves Arabs. They think they're Persians."
And I just wanted to punch him because THEY ARE FUCKING PERSIANS. Jesus, dummy, get a map. You know who are Arabs? SAUDI ARABIANS. Everyone else has their own identity. Just because they are most all Muslim doesn't mean they are the same. Does the fact that most North Americans are Christian mean I can start calling you Canadian or Mexican and scoff at your attempt to identify as American?
Gah. People.
Yes, I know.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I wonder if people just repeat what they heard elsewhere, without ever really finding out for themselves, you know??
This post here? Even more reason why one of us has to move here, or there.
i actually visited iran in 1995 (long story), but one day there was a big parade and i asked what they were celebrating. everyone stayed quiet and when we got back to the house my ex told me they were having an Anti-American celebration. :)
ReplyDeleteUm. Persians are hot. If, from that statement, you infer that I am woefully underinformed, you are correct. But the Persians I have met? They were all hot. I'm sorry I can't add any more to the conversation. You outclassed me:-)
ReplyDeletewant me to punch the honky son of a bitch? just remember when stupid people drive you nuts that there are those of us who care to be informed, who care to know history and geography, who know there is a difference between Sunni and Shiite, who understand the difference between religion and theocracy, who want to punch the hypocritical sons of bitches who want Christian theocratic dictatorships right here in the US but are raging Islamaphobes. I'm pretty sure the difference is (I'm told) that it's okay if white people do it.
ReplyDelete*sigh*