Zohreh Khayam
None
Dear Ms. Davis,
I am writing in a state of shock as I just found your signature in a letter drafted by the lobby of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
I read the text and was shocked that you, a symbol of political consciousness, a scholar in feminism, a vanguard of progressive ideas and an advocate for equal human rights, and believer in equality of
human kind, and a symbol of liberty and social justice, would support the criminal atrocities of the Islamic Republic against the desperate and deprived youth of Iran who are fighting hunger, homelessness, and disease, along with the deprivation of decent education and other justifiable needs. Since its inception, the Islamic Republic functionaries in Iran have executed thousands of their opponents, to include writers, poets, and opposing civil servants.
They have also stolen funds from services that should have been used to help the Iranian people. Women’s rights have been reduced to the most minimum standards; over the years they have suffered from stoning, forced marriage (including child marriage legalized at age 9), exposure to constant domestic and sexual violence, and have been the subject of financial transactions. Corruption is rampant amongst the political rulers and government functionaries.
Three generations of youth have suffered from the lack of opportunities for employment even though they have graduated with outstanding academic credentials. The opportunities for the youth, unless there are ties to the ruling party, is non-existent.
As a feminist woman of your era, I have always admired your consistent struggle for the rights of all the deprived. I, too, have been a fighter for the rights of all humans deprived form their rights and
basic needs and their rights to protest when their voice is faced with the deaf ears of the elements in power.
In my own capacity, I have struggled for women’s equality, fought for racial justice and for the rights of the poor and the deprived. I am just shocked by your muddled understanding of the condition of the poor and deprived people in a country like Iran, in which the forces of reaction and brutality have
murdered thousands of Iranian young men and women in the Iranian streets in recent weeks.
The just struggle of the “have nots” are fighting against a corrupt and antiquated system of governance that
has taken over the lives of the Iranian people who are genuinely suffering from hunger and the social diseases caused by absolute poverty. They are fighting against the corrupt system that prefers to create instability in the entire geographic region instead of feeding the hungry in their country.
They are fighting against the corrupt governmental mafia that has not only stolen the wealth of the country, but refers to the mass of unemployed, hungry, and impoverished as “insurgents,” and people with bad genes.
It is reported that in the course of past ten days, the mass of peaceful protesters in small and large cities of Iran have encountered the most vicious, murderous blowback from the reactionary guards, who have been recruited by the fascistic religious officials. The world is witnessing yet another
example of the inhumane and abusive treatment of Iran’s citizenry.
To add salt to the wound, finding your name amongst the signatories of the so-called anti-imperialist letter makes me cringe. I am not an advocate for sanctions imposed by the United States, nor a supporter of the current American president, however, I ask you to find out what happened to the funds that were released [during Obama Administration]ay to the Iranian government and whether the sizable funds were used to make a difference in the lives of the ordinary and needy citizens of Iran. I can tell you that they were not.
I certainly hope you, as a distinguished professor in an academic institution who teaches the essence of the equality of human beings, would familiarize yourself with the suffering of the people of Iran in
general and the recent loss of lives, especially of the Iranian youth.
And when you do that, acknowledge your misreading of the situation and make people like me continue to believe in people who differentiate right from wrong and stand by the principle of standing by the voiceless. Make us proud again.
Sincerely,
Zohreh Khayam