White Balloon

Daily Journal of Mahaan, an Iranian-American student residing in USA.

Tuesday, March 23, 2004

Category: Politics of USA and Middle East

I'm personally suspicious about extreme organizations such as Hamas in middle east, but no matter what I believe assassination of Hamas leader will only push towards more extremism in the region and actually I think that's what Sharon's government has been pursuing since the start. Who knows how long it will take that things get back towards a peaceful negotiation!

While 300,000 of Palestinian in Gaza took part in the funeral of the Hamas leader (this is a quarter of the population of Gaza), it's good to read quotes by US politicians about assassination of Sheikh Yassin the leader of Palestinian group Hamas:

President Bush: "I worry about terrorist groups targeting America, Whether it be a Hamas threat or an al-Qaida threat, we take them very seriously."

Collin Powell: "Israel, has a right to defend itself against threats from terrorists, like Hamas."

John Kerry's spokeman: "It's important to remember that Sheik Yassin was responsible for organizing dozens of deadly terror attacks in Israel,"

Sen. Hilary Clinton: "Americans should stand up for Israel's right to defend itself, ``including going after those who direct" terrorism."

Democratic Reps. Eliot Engel and Anthony Weiner of New York, and Shelley Berkley of Nevada, issued statements supporting the strike on Yassin.

Bottom Line Message to Palestinians: democrats or Republicans, it doesn't matter!

Monday, March 22, 2004

Category: Personal, Iran

It's Norouz 1383 and in some way the first anniversary of my weblog. Still I'm far from maintaining a serious blog. I have been struggling to define the border between a private journal and weblog and in some way the fact that weblog is readable and archivable stops me to use it as a daily journal. But I should also admit that I don't even keep a private journal.

When I start to look back into Iran in the past year, there is nothing bright in my memory. It's been a mixture of disappointment, frustrations and a fuzzy and some how dark outlook. The single positive event for Iranians was the Noble Peace Prize of Shirin Ebadi which gave an encouragement to the Women movement. On the dark side, Iran had the terrible earthquake in Bam and series of disappointing political developments which have faded most of the hope for a real change in the near future.

Let's hope a better time for Iranians in 1383.

Thursday, March 04, 2004

Category: Politics of USA

Reuthers reports: Sept. 11 Families Disgusted by Bush Campaign Ads.
It looks Mr. Bush is in big trouble. Sep 11 victims' families are not going to give him a free ride for his campaign.
Bush - Sep 11 = The most looser American Politician!
Category: Media

I recently have lost most of my respect for Charlie Rose show. In some ways he has been distancing himself from a devile's advocate journalist who challeges his interviewee and has become another main stream speaker. Tonite, Bill Gates was his guest and the level of superficiallity of discussions was truely disgusting. The whole show lieterally became a marketing tribune for microsoft. Charlie's questions were stupid after stupid questions without any little mentions to real concerns about Microsoft.
Couple of months ago, Noam Chomsky was Charlie's guest. I personally have a lot of respect for Chomsky, not only for his political beliefs, but also for genuin understanding about science, life and human being. And it was a shame to see how aggresive and kidish Charlie Rose was behaving to a guy who is with no doubt one of most influential people of our time. And the most sad part was that whenever Charlie was going to ask a seriously embaracing question, he quouted some anonymous friend who wanted to ask Chomsky .... The guy even doesn't dare to stand for his mainstream right wing way of thinking.
 
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