iran claims canada is dangerous [sorry...what?-r]
vintageinfants
4,537 Posts
"BRIAN LILLEY, Parliamentary Bureau
OTTAWA Iran is warning its citizens not to come to Canada out of fear of widespread Islamophobia sweeping the country.
A story posted on the website of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting news agency states the foreign ministry in Iran issued the warning earlier this week. The agency claims crime rates in Canada have soared recently and Iranian nationals may fall victim to this new crime spree.
The government of Iran is warning its citizens to take extra precautions if they visit Canada.
The Iranian government also claims Muslims in Canada are being denied "social and political rights" and police are not following up on complaints filed by Iranians in this country.
In addition to warning citizens to stay away from Canada, the government of Iran also recently warned its people to stay away from France, also citing Islamophobia there."
i would love to know what the opinion is on this. [bassie?]
OTTAWA Iran is warning its citizens not to come to Canada out of fear of widespread Islamophobia sweeping the country.
A story posted on the website of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting news agency states the foreign ministry in Iran issued the warning earlier this week. The agency claims crime rates in Canada have soared recently and Iranian nationals may fall victim to this new crime spree.
The government of Iran is warning its citizens to take extra precautions if they visit Canada.
The Iranian government also claims Muslims in Canada are being denied "social and political rights" and police are not following up on complaints filed by Iranians in this country.
In addition to warning citizens to stay away from Canada, the government of Iran also recently warned its people to stay away from France, also citing Islamophobia there."
i would love to know what the opinion is on this. [bassie?]
Comments
The currrent gov't in Iran seems to like this sort of thing, on some "I know you are but what am I?" infantile behavior. They take a negative perception of their country and try to flip it. Recall their despicable Holocaust cartoon contest. The genesis of that was the Mohammed cartoons. They were so outraged by the cartoons that they decided to "test" the limits of free expression in the West by satirizing a topic they perceived to be sancrosanct, on some "okay-well-let's-see-how-YOU-like-it."
The result was crickets of course.
What is this? Pick on bassie week?
They might be picking on Canada because there has been a lot of press lately highlighting the "queer underground railroad" from Iran to Toronto; providing safe transport for mostly gay men out of the country. And for anyone about to start their homophobia-in-Iran jumping jacks - look up the government's policy on sex changes - their stance on sexuality is a little more complex than it might seem.
About complaints made by Muslims not being followed up on - is the Iranian government referring to the fact that the Canadian government has done almost fuck all about following through on Zahra Kazemi or acting when Maziar Bahari was arrested? Yea, probably not.
Not sure what to say. Islamophobia is kinda old news at this point.
Iranians don't care, they're not coming here to attend masjid, they're coming here to send their kids to engineering/medical/business school, live in a three car garage home (eventually), go to expensive parties that start three hours late and to dye their hair blond.
Haha! Just kidding - some of the kids go to film school.
So the queer railroad is common knowledge in Iran? I thought homosexuality was officially non-existent, according to Ahmadinejad?
I don't know, being here in Toronto.
But given the government's paranoia and control tactics and citizens' hyper-blogging and interest in all things internet, my guess is those who didn't know before, probably do now.
EDIT - those who care to/need to know
An Iranian in Canada will almost always have the same viewpoint (this is obviously not directed at bassie - i dont know her stances):The revolution was all bad, Persian pre-Islamic culture was all-good, the Shah was a good man, and so on... An average Iranian-Canadian is to the Islamic Republic what Miami Cubans are to the Communist Party. I sympathise with the plight of many Iranians, but when I start hearing about the "justice" and "freedom" of the Shah or Khosroes, and the 'barbaric Arab foreigners", its not a good look...
you could make the exact same generalizations about LA Persians....
...and you'd be wrong.
I wouldn't, cause I do not know any.
And they're obviously generalizations - but my experience shows that the political stances of Persians in Toronto are pretty homogenized. In GENERAL. I also have studied with the most fervent supporters on Khomeini - who still make pilgrimages to Qom, who deny any wrongdoing by the regime, and especially the 'ulema. But they're a clear minority. Im saying most of the discourse is reactionary. It seems that the internal politics of the country are much more nuanced than portrayed by either side.
And what does that have to do with Iranians visiting canada? And Canadian-iranians' view on such?
Not that I know jack about Iran, or Canada for that matter. Though I did enjoy the press tour that guy bassie mentioned above Mazier Bahari when he was released from prison - he was interesting. He has a dark sense of humor about his whole ordeal and is a good storyteller.
Though I'm sure guests of the US in gitmo or abu gharib could tell equally darkly hilarious / tragic stories. Except their plight is a lot worse.
Speaking of which, I would think Iranians of most stripes (there and abroad, Islamists and non) would mostly blame the US for many of their woes over the past decades? Bassie? (Just kidding!)
Well originally i just wanted to chime in on the "just figured an iranian in canada might have a more salient view on the matter than others." statement. In retrospect I came of very un-nuanced indeed. I shouldve coupled it with my second post originally... Im definitely not a supporter of Iran's theocracy, nor am I Iranian for that matter.
Well, its about time I hit the old dusty trail...
lol - I'll answer anyway!
They would be half right (as would all the other countries whose pots the US government has insisted on sticking its grubby greedy paws into) given the US backed/staged coup in 1953 and the ensuing fuckery, not the least of which was the Shah's reign.
But to only look at the US for many of their woes would be too simplistic. Even if you were to add Britain to the mix, it still wouldn't tell the whole story.
Not trying to cop out, but that is as difficult to answer as it is where Iranians, at home and abroad, stand politically and religiously.
Iran is a beautiful mess.
EDIT - probably doesn't need saying, but I only speak for myself and can speak only about my own experiences and not those of any other Iranians.