unvarnished truth: spoken, sung, or pictured
25 Sep 2007 10 Comments
in homosexuality, Islam, politics
We don’t have homosexuals like in your country. We don’t have that in our country. In Iran we do not have this phenomenon. I don’t know who has told you that we have it.
Iran’s President Ahmadinejad feigns innocence.
These two gay teenagers existed in Iran. But I must admit, they don’t exist in Iran now. For further horrific details, click on the photo.
 | I Evans on Beatles songs in chronological… |
 | Anonymous on Beatles songs in chronological… |
 | Michael on Beatles songs in chronological… |
| Nick on Beatles songs in chronological… |
| Anonymous on Beatles songs in chronological… |
| Anonymous on Beatles songs in chronological… |
all songs lead back t' the sea 
Sep 25, 2007 @ 18:47:12
Now THAT’s truly “homophobia”. And despicable, too.
Makes the run-of-the-mill [and generally pretty much ‘assumed’] western variety pretty tame, doesn’t it? The lesson here is “fear” does not equal “disagreement”, no matter how loudly an assumed injured party wishes to pontificate. I think someone who’s driving too fast and recklessly is foolish, too, but I don’t ‘hate’ them.
But I suppose the point is too fine for ‘enlightened’ ones to grasp. Back to Iran and it’s idiot president. The only thing I take seriously about him/them are his expressed threats to Israel and the west. So mark me in the unenlightened but concerned minority, I guess.
Cheers
Sep 25, 2007 @ 22:09:16
Wow, thanks for posting that photo. Working in a field that’s not only “gay friendly”, but pretty much “all gay most of the time” I get insulated in my cozy little world where we all co-exist.
Sep 26, 2007 @ 05:21:11
• 49er:
I don’t understand the point you’re trying to make. I think I get the gist of it, that the USA doesn’t treat homosexuals as badly as Iran does. But I don’t follow the links you’re making between fear, disagreement, and hate.
In many respects, the USA is not a such a bad place to be gay — I concede the point. But surely you will agree that you’re setting the bar pretty low here: “Well, we’re doing better than Iran, aren’t we?!”
• Carolyn:
It always brings me pleasure when you drop by and post a comment!
As I said to 49er, the USA is not such a bad place to be gay. It’s great that you’re part of a subcommunity where it’s “pretty much all gay most of the time”, and you can start to take that for granted as normal.
At least, I think it’s great. I suppose there are other people (and, to be clear, I don’t include 49er in this) who think the situation you describe is one of the things that’s seriously wrong with America.
Sep 26, 2007 @ 12:54:54
I have always believed President Ahmadinejad was a liar, take his stance on the Holocaust which he denies and his hatred of Isreal which he denies.
I am by no means surprised that he would deny that Iran has homosexuals.
Just because something is not allowed to be practiced does not mean it does not exist, either in practice or not. That said he may get around to making this point true as Hitler tried to.
I guess there are no Christians or Jews in Iran either.
Sep 26, 2007 @ 22:43:40
We all know what our general consensus upon this topic is. But how do the Iranian people feel about this in general? They may lie to save themselves, but I still think that this would be an interesting subject overall.
Sep 27, 2007 @ 06:47:43
• Bil:
The comparison with Hitler is apt in many ways. Fortunately, Ahmadinejad doesn’t represent the level of threat to the free world that Hitler represented.
• Not telling:
Your meaning isn’t quite clear to me. I’m not sure whether you mean, How do Iranians feel about homosexuality?; or How do Iranians feel about the death penalty for homosexuals?
Either way, I suspect the answer is the same. I doubt that the average Iranian sees this issue as a priority.
In the West, we see a flagrant abuse of human rights. In Iran, I’m guessing people think it’s of no consequence to them personally, and they have other concerns that take priority. Like the old Martin Niemoller saying:
“First they came for the Communists, but I was not a Communist so I did not speak out. Then they came for the Socialists and the Trade Unionists, but I was neither, so I did not speak out. Then they came for the Jews, but I was not a Jew so I did not speak out. And when they came for me, there was no one left to speak out for me.”
I’m speculating, obviously. And you’re right, it would be interesting to know what Iranians actually think.
But my point is this: these acts of “purifying the nation” always begin with marginalized populations, before they begin to move inward to capture more “mainstream” elements of the population. But it’s a terrible mistake to suppose that it doesn’t matter so long as it’s only happening to “them”.
Sep 28, 2007 @ 18:05:53
Stephen, in a clumsy way I was trying to say assumptions that those who don’t support “gay” agendas are “homophobic” probably issue from a bigoted – but not necessarily liberal – point of view. Just because one doesn’t agree with another’s POV or situation does not ipso facto turn that disagreement into either hatred or aversion – one of which should be evident in cases where the “phobic” tag is applied.
But I understand that applying labels to a broad range of folk is sometimes more convenient than discussion or reasoned thought. Present company obviously accepted. Your assumption that I was simply saying the US is better than Iran on this issue was not up to your usual stuff, but that’s OK. We’re still friends.
btw, I’m happy for Carolyn that she has a community to which she ‘belongs’.
Back to the photo issue. I’m not only shocked by the callous disregard shown by the Iranians involved, but in the mostly silent treatment afforded the issue by the free world. THAT’s whats truly sad.
Sep 29, 2007 @ 08:49:40
Thanks for clarifying, 49er. And actually I agree with you: to regard homosexuality as immoral does not make one homophobic.
Sep 29, 2007 @ 12:50:29
Stephen:
Sorry for not making myself clear. I really don’t care on what the Iranian people think about homosexuality (to me, that’s obvious). Rather, I am more interested in what the people think about their punishments.
Jan 11, 2012 @ 15:51:18
Noby deserves to dies because of who they like. The ones that kill people because of who they are should be the ones hanging on that rope. Anyone who disagree can go to HELL!!!!!!