Did The New York Times Really Print This?

I've tried to explain to people that the lives Jews lead in Iran aren't bad. They aren't persecuted. I've done what is humanly possible to educate people about Iran and the Jews that live there. And as a non-Jew I learned the hard way that there are things I am "not allowed" to say. Or, rather that there are things I cannot authoritatively discuss, even though I probably know more about the Jews living in Iran than most American Jews. How's that for democracy and freedom of speech?

But this? I'm really blown away the New York Times even had the balls to print this:

I’d visited the bright-eyed Sedighpoor, 61, the previous day at his dusty little shop. He’d sold me, with some reluctance, a bracelet of mother-of-pearl adorned with Persian miniatures. “The father buys, the son sells,” he muttered, before inviting me to the [synagogue] service.

Accepting, I inquired how he felt about the chants of “Death to Israel” — “Marg bar Esraeel” — that punctuate life in Iran.

“Let them say ‘Death to Israel,’ ” he said. “I’ve been in this store 43 years and never had a problem. I’ve visited my relatives in Israel, but when I see something like the attack on Gaza, I demonstrate, too, as an Iranian.”

Congratulations to Cohen for observing facts over mere words, indeed:

Still a mystery hovers over Iran’s Jews. It’s important to decide what’s more significant: the annihilationist anti-Israel ranting, the Holocaust denial and other Iranian provocations — or the fact of a Jewish community living, working and worshipping in relative tranquillity.

Perhaps I have a bias toward facts over words, but I say the reality of Iranian civility toward Jews tells us more about Iran — its sophistication and culture — than all the inflammatory rhetoric.

The bottom line is this: a non-Jew could never write something like this and get it published. And to think an American Jew had the courage to go to Iran and report on facts? Might my faith in the Times be resurrected?

Read the whole thing. It's that good.

Sean Paul Kelley February 23, 2009 - 8:10am

Sean Paul Kelley's diary | printer friendly version |

( categories: Iran )

Cohen appears that good

no time now, but someone might want to read his stuff, (scroll down, there's a lot of articles he's penned):
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/columns/rogercohen/index.html?offset=0&s=newest

dk February 23, 2009 - 8:32am

There is hope...

Hopefully people are waking up.

creativelcro February 23, 2009 - 9:42am

A good start

As a daily Times reader, I was glad to see that column, but I think the paper's editorial position will be better revealed by the balance of outraged letters printed tomorrow morning and also by future guest columns. I still remember that, despite getting burned by Judith Miller on Iraq, the Times continued to publish misleading reports about Iranian weapons feeding the Iraq insurgency and, after a brief acknowledgement, basically closed the door on Juan Cole's challenge to its translation of Ahmedinejad's statement about Israel being wiped off the map.

Aguilar February 23, 2009 - 1:05pm

Misunderstood strategy

"When in trouble at home (The Palestinians) go adventuring abroad."

Is a quote about political strategy. I believed it was Metternich (or maybe Palmerston), but I don't recall.

Which leads to another quote:

"Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most".

I completely forget who said that first.

Synoia February 23, 2009 - 1:35pm

The majority of humans are...

...intellectually lazy and, at their own peril, allow the media and governments to fool them with the Kansas City Shuffle. IMO.

www.iauthorbooks.com

Celsius 233 February 23, 2009 - 8:21pm

Ok. of course Sean Paul I

Ok. of course Sean Paul I know what you mean. Actually people like the Agonistas are the seed of the best in the US. My point is just that the blur between continental identity and US identity is a part of the problem. For example lets put it in another context. How would Germans like it if the French named themselves Europeans or yet again how would Indians react if China would become Asia... Only the US does that by the way! The problem is that the common name America just contributes to the self satisfied ubris that took us all "westerners" in the global war on terror. I just think that the USA would be a better and more credible force if it was to put itself into context. Listen and learn is a good way to stay ahead and remain the best... In fact its just being wise. I just find it sad that ubris is part of US's way of naming itself. I also think its a left over of an older time when this nation did not have so many responsibilities.

kschl February 23, 2009 - 9:31pm

In my experience most Americans

use the term United States or US to describe their own country. The Brits tend to prefer the "America" usage and we don't discourage them because is doesn't matter. I had a discussion about this with an American expat living in London last year who had adopted the usage as well as the one where Brits describe what we in the US would call the ocean as the sea. I wouldn't make too much of any of this. It is telling of nothing. Nous sommes Americains aussi.

“I despise ideologues masquerading as objective journalists.” - Bill O'Reilly, March 30, 2007

Mark February 23, 2009 - 10:18pm

Sorry

Sorry, double posting is a mistake.
By the way I am happy to see this in US Pravda. There is hope... (not kidding)

kschl February 23, 2009 - 9:38pm

Someday

Someday a Yanqui media will explain that most of Iran's oil is next to the Iraq border, underneath citizens of an ethnic minority called "Arabs".

To Iran it is as if Russia invaded Mexico and Fort Knox was 20 miles from the Rio Grande.

"Turning Japanese I think I'm Turning Japanese I really think so da-da-da det det det det" - The Vapors

Tonsure Wimple February 25, 2009 - 4:13am

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Did The New York Times Really Print This?

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