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ActivistChat 2009 Pillars Of Wisdom, and Virtue Guideline

 
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cyrus
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 28, 2008 3:45 pm    Post subject: ActivistChat 2009 Pillars Of Wisdom, and Virtue Guideline Reply with quote

With your donation, support, we will have resources to fight better for FREE Iran based on the following guideline Draft 03. If you wish to Donate Please Click Here

Draft 03
ActivistChat 2009 Pillars Of Wisdom, and Virtue Guideline Framework And Vision Of Future Direction




1. Cyrus the Great (585-529 BC), is the founding father of Iran who was the pioneer in establishing the pillars of wisdom, justice and secularism in his realm and kingdom. Cyrus the Great was admired by all not as a conqueror, but as the greatest liberator of all times for defining the First Declaration of Human Rights over 2500 years ago and the humane treatment of his vast empire he ruled. Professor Richard Frye of Harvard University said: "Surely the concept of One World, the fusion of Peoples and Cultures into oneness was one of his important legacies". Cyrus the Great freed 100,000 Jews from captivity, and ruled over those he had defeated with respect and benevolence.


2. Ferdowsi is one of the greatest heroes of Iran and the father of Iranian Renaissance. He was also one of the Pillars of Wisdom, neo-Iranian cultural awareness and the “Book of Kings,” the Tales of Ancient Iran. It must be noted that during his era the Arabic was the language of science, yet, Ferdowsi, single-handedly revived the Old Persian language by creating Shah-Nameh or the “Book of Kings.” He is known in Iran as the father of Persian language. For more than thirty years Ferdowsi spent his valuable life to revive, not only Persian language, but a nation.


3. The Iranian righteousness is founded by Iranian Pillar of Wisdom, Zoroaster, in ancient Iran approximately 3500 years ago who guided us with 3 key simple principles: Good Thoughts, Good Words, Good Deeds (Humata, Hukhta, Huvarshta). The Prophet Zoroaster was also a messenger of peace, longevity, eternal love and wisdom. He was a messenger of “the living of a good life, of an exalted life, of long life.”


4. Khayyam (May 1050 - Dec 1122) was another Iranian Pillar of Wisdom, the most outstanding and greatest Iranian mathematicians, astronomers and poets. An English man of letters and scholar by the name of Edward Fitzgerald translated nearly 600 short four line poems of Khayyam called Rubaiyat and brought him fame and world recognition.


He was the father of Algebra. His work on algebra was known throughout Europe in the Middle Ages, and he also contributed to calendar reform. Khayyam measured the length of the year as 365.24219858156 days. Two comments on this result: Firstly it shows an incredible confidence to attempt to give the result to this degree of accuracy. We know now that the length of the years is changing in the sixth decimal place over a person's lifetime. Secondly it is incredibly accurate. For comparison the length of the year at the end of the 19th century was 365.242196 days, while today it is 365.242190 days.

Khayyam vision of physics, the structure of the universe, time and space and the world they make can be defined in the following poem:
Khayyam calls the Wheel of Time an Imaginary Lantern.

Methinks this Wheel at which we gape and stare,
Is Chinese lantern - like we buy at fair;
The lamp is Sun and paper shade the world,
And we the pictures whirling unaware.


Khayyam poems are targeting all forms of fanaticism and today we ought to nominate him as the pioneer against any kind of fanaticism. Khayyam is father of rationality and agnostic thought process of Persians.

Some in deep thought spirit seek
Some lost in awe, of doubt reek
I fear the voice, hidden but not weak
Cry out "awake! Both ways are oblique."




5. Why should we promote Dolphin Rights to the same level of Human Rights?
a) In the past 30 years, 6,000,000 dolphins have been killed by "fishing on dolphins" [2]
b) The research, conducted at the Duke University Marine Laboratory (US) and the University of St. Andrews in Scotland (UK) estimate that approximately 308,000 dolphins, whales, and porpoises killed in fishing gear annually [3]
c) To protect Dolphins from brutal slaughter it might be necessary to increase public awareness and ask for global actions and support by promoting Dolphin Rights to the same level of Human Rights...

d) The dolphin is one of the key ancient Iranian Mithraic Symbol .




6. Being Iranian is defined by the above key Pillars of Wisdom, Cyrus the Great, Ferdowsi, M Zoroaster, Khayyam and a state of mind, not by a place of residence. The barbaric Islamist mullahs and their Mafia mercenaries presently ruling Iran are not Iranians, they are Islamofascists. Iran is currently under the occupation of Islamofascists. Iranians are proud spiritual descendants of King Cyrus the Great, the author of the first charter of the human rights. Although majority of Cyrus's children live in the "Greater" Iranian land, they are a small member of free human family with human beliefs—living in every country, city, and village of the earth.

7. Today our unity, position and expectation from others are defined and evaluated with new set of rules and test cases as guidance in search of truth:
a- Have a secular democracy purpose
b- Have a Human Rights purpose
c- Have a Free Society purpose
d- Have a primary effect to increase freedom at global level.
e- Have the element of Exchange of Ideas to expand public awareness, education and expansion of truth.

8. What is our Cyrus The Great International Rainbow Coalition pattern, concept, movement and framework?

Cyrus The Great Democratic Rainbow Coalition pattern and concept is a movement for social justice among people in United States, Iran, Israel, Greater Middle East, and Europe who they describe themselves as a political, cultural, non-governmental, non-parliamentary social movement whose goal is to affect the current public agenda with the aim of bringing a change into the societies as a whole and to its institutions… to implement values of secular democracy, free society, human rights, social justice, protecting environment, rejection of any form of slavery, equality of races and genders in multiculturalism. This unwritten global distributed network and decentralized organizations, with vast Internet social networks and communities around the globe are describing themselves as universal in its beliefs and open to all those who identify with its values in mother earth planet. This global movement enjoys popularity in Internet in many forms. Evolution of Cyrus The Great Democratic Rainbow Coalition will create new Union, when the critical mass movement and integration of forces occur then our Union will push Democratic governments around the globe to incorporate these values into their government foreign and domestic policies independent of their short term business interests.


9. War on Barbarian and clear understanding of the root cause which is none but the Islamic Republic Invaders and Occupiers Of Iran:

The "War on Barbarian" which is a subset of "War on Taazi" UNWINNABLE and the world peace can not be achieved as long as the Unelected Taazi Islamists Terror and Torture Masters are in power in Iran. The TAAZI state of terror and fear society can not create peace and stability in Iran and the rigion.

10. Preventing possible military conflict due to nuclear ambitions:

To avoid War or Nuclear war or another disaster like Chernobyl nuclear disaster 20 years ago, we are following the strategy of increasing public awareness inside Iran for General Strike, demanding Security Forces (Police, Pasdaran and Military) act in the direction of regime change and replacing it with Free society and Secular Democracy. The Iranian people have already spoken by boycotting Elections. The Armed Forces must choose between defending and serving the people of Iran or serving the Mullahs. This is up to Armed and Security Forces to choose between SHAME and HONOR, serving Mullahs or their Sisters, Brothers, Fathers & Mothers who pay their salaries.

11. Iranian People Reliance on Their Own Power to Become Free and No Expectations for Outside Help..
Persian Expression: Kas nakharad poshte man joz nakhoone angoshte man (no-one will scratch my back except the nail of my finger) [5]:

Iranian people of all ages do not have any choice other than being prepared to fight to free their Motherland from the viruses of Iranian society whether or not the Armed Forces serve them or serve the enemy of freedom and free society. Iranian people should be prepared for a final battle for freeing their homeland from TAAZIS and must not forget that their inspirational leader Cyrus the Great died in battlefield in 530 BC at the age of 60 and not in bed. [5]

President JFK As a Senator wrote:

President JFK As a Senator in July 2, 1957 and The War Hero [29]:
"..the most powerful single force in the world today is neither communism nor capitalism,neither H-bomb nor the guided missile- it is man's eternal desire to be free and independent."


12. Iranian people will decide about Nuclear Energy and Nuclear Research after the regime change when they have established stable secular democracy and FREE society. Until then Iran should avoid any kind of nuclear programs that could result in military conflict or nuclear accidents.

13. Territorial integrity and national sovereignty of Iran shall be respected and maintained at all costs. The beauty of Iran is in it's diversity of religion and ethnicity under mutual respect and unity. We are all proud to be Iranians. It is the strength of Iran that has successfully blended many ethnic groups into one whole nation called Iran (meaning the land of Aryans) for thousands of years. We pride ourselves in being ethnically diverse, yet united in our love for Iran.

14. Complete separation of religion and State.

We believe in the concept of complete secularism in government, which generally means complete separation of the State from religion, or any ideology or philosophy which can be interpreted as religious (e. g. Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islamism, Judaism, etc., or extreme ideologies such as Fascism or Communism). Secularism can be considered as common sense versus Ideology.

Democracy without secularism and secular parties cannot survive and continue a tradition of freedom of choice when a non-secular regime comes to power, as demonstrated by the Nazi party in Germany, the Khomeinist regime in Iran, and more recently by the Hamas Party in Palestine. This principle has been proven historically many times and in many countries.

When there is religious intervention in the affairs of the public and the State, then it become necessary to make public the fact that a religion or its precepts have influenced governmental institutions. It becomes a duty of citizens, in the interests of freedom, to work to remove that religious influence, and restore secular governance.
According to the Iranian Great Hero Professor Kourosh Ariamanesh "No Iranian Is Muslim and No Muslim Is Iranian …" please see [6]

15. Acceptance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

16. Free, open and democratic referendum to elect the type of the new Government of Iran in the post-Islamic Republic era.

17. Work within high standard of code of ethics not to fight with other political groups or fellow FREE Iran Activists unless they are violating one of the key principles or moving against the concept of Free Society and secular democracy.

18. We are Free Iran Activists and Watch Group monitoring high government officials, Journalists, writers and scholars words and their actions based on the following direction from James Madison:

"If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men! Over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself. A dependence on the people is, no doubt, the primary control on the government; but experience has taught mankind the necessity of auxiliary precautions.” The Federalist No. 51 (James Madison).

19. Support and promote people, groups and leadership who are making positive contributions about Human Rights, Regime Change in Iran, Free Iran, Free Society and Secular democracy from progressive Center, Right or Left.

20- Rejecting any policy that is ignoring Human Rights, Free Society and Secular Democracy for interest in Blood for Oil.

21- Rejecting any policy which is ignoring Global Warming.

22- The people of Iran consider themselves as hostages of Mafia Mullahs and Islam. They denounce and condemn any international negotiation or signed agreement between the Islamic Republic occupiers of Iran and any institution or establishments. We, the Iranian people consider these pacts as blatant violation of their property and integrity!
The people of Iran DO NOT recognize the Islamic Republic as their legitimate and rightful government or representative.


23- ActivistChat and ActivistChat Media Networking Community is the Distributed Decentralized Movement of independent Scholars, Artists, Former Diplomats, Activists, Writers, and Bloggers without a single leader and our unity is based on contributions of individuals in support for Secular Democracy, Free Society, Human Rights, protecting environment and Species Rights to exist in this planet .

By looking at the images of Stars and Galaxies in the Adult Universe from NASA, we realize there is no hierarchy or Absolute Centralized Command and Control System from above. We observe free Universe Chaotic Beauty interactions based on law of physics and Mathematics….

The Absolute Centralized Command and Control System from above is human creation and illusion to satisfy his own weakness and utmost unlimited greed to justify exploiting resources of earth without any consideration for others....

24- Creating FREE IRAN Internet Media Education Community Networking Center which is resulted from deeply held belief that education and correct information is the cornerstone of Secular Democracy, Free Society, Human Rights, Peace and Freedom. For the first time in the history, Internet, Satellite TV, provides the kind of environment that allows freedom loving people of the world to exchange ideas and make the informed decision based on facts and receive information from many different information sources.


We thank all compatriots and organizations who contributed for defining part of above Guideline Framework for Human Rights, Regime Change in Iran, Free Iran, Free Society and Secular Democracy .

__________________________________________________________
References:

[1] Integrated Video Clips Global International Change Request 1 to Save Dolphins from Massacre:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7283625977804639962
- Watch Faroe Denmark and Taiji Japan Islanders Dolphins Massacre video clips
- Investigation of 152 dolphins killed in Persian Gulf by oil pollution or Navy Sonar
- Navy high-intensity Sonar effect on Dolphins...
[2] The Tuna/Dolphin Controversy by the FOR SEA marine science curriculum and teacher training program:
http://www.forsea.org/TUNASTUD.HTML
[3] Press Release - 308,000 Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises Killed in Fishing Gear Annually, New Study Shows: http://www.worldwildlife.org/who/media/press/2003/WWFPresitem625.htm

Professor M. Moghdam wrote:


(2) The second symbol in Mithraic religion is the dolphin, obviously as a mammal raising its young in water. This symbol is found on some Mithraic monuments in Europe and appears abundantly in the Khirbahs or Mithraeums in Syria and Arabia.
Please Visit Original Source:
http://www.cais-soas.com/CAIS/Religions/iranian/Mithraism/mithra.htm

drshahinsepanta wrote:

اعتراض به کشتار شش میلیون دلفین در سی سال گذشته



ناهید با دلفین و صدف ، بازمانده از آیین مهر


همبستگی مهر و دلفین در مجسمه مهر دلفین سوار، بازمانده از آیین مهر




Calabria, Tarentum. c.272 - 235 BC. AR Nomos. 3.85g. Youth on horseback left crowning horse; FILW/TAS in two lines below, DI above / Taras on dolphin left, holding kantharos and distaff; cock behind. Vlasto 846. EF, fully centered with beautiful toning.


[4]
ActivistChat wrote:


Why Our International Rainbow Coalition or Union pattern vision should be called after Cyrus the Great name?
a) Declared the first charter of human rights in the world over 2500 years ago, also known as the Cyrus Cylinder.
b) The Iranians regarded Cyrus the Great as The Father, the Babylonians as “The Liberator," the Jews as "The Anointed of The Lord," and the Greeks called him "The Law Giver". Reject any Religious, Ethnic cleansing or discrimination for creating division and partition.
c) In the past 2500 years of the history of Greater Middle East the only time that we have seen relative peace and prosperity was during Cyrus the Great and Achaemenid Empire era and some of the worst bloodshed and destruction happened after creation of Islam 1400 years ago.
d)
Larry Hedrick author and editor wrote:
Lessons in Ethical Leadership from an Epic Tale of Success, May 23, 2006 By Larry Hedrick author and editor
As the editor of "Xenophon's Cyrus the Great," I'd like to take this opportunity to tell you a little more about my version of this amazing ancient classic. The foremost management guru of recent times, Peter F. Drucker, read my manuscript before it was published, and he wrote this endorsement for use on its dust jacket: "'Xenophon's Cyrus,' the first book on the subject, is still the best book on leadership." Here's just a touch of background: Cyrus, the founder of the Persian empire, was an enlightened monarch who flourished 2,500 years ago. A century later, Xenophon of Athens so admired Cyrus' methods that he preserved them in history's first full-fledged treatment of wise and heroic leadership. This book presents its leadership lessons in the context of an epic story--the story of a vast power struggle. In narrating the events of Cyrus' life, Xenophon shows you, the reader, how to conduct meetings, become an expert negotiator, deal efficiently with allies, communicate by appealing to the self-interest of your followers, encourage the highest standards of performance, insure that your organization has the benefit of specialists, and prove that your words will be backed by your deeds. In recounting the achievements of Cyrus the Great, Xenophon wanted above all to provide lessons in ethical leadership, for he was convinced that honest, moral leaders succeed far more often than corrupt and evasive types. The result was a captivating leadership classic with unique qualities--a classic that's distinguished both by its suspenseful story line and the priceless advice that it offers to today's business professionals and leaders in all walks of life.

e) Please Watch Short Documentry Video: Cyrus King of Persia 2 and USA Constitution ...


[5] Why Should We Consider To Pay Motherland Income Tax Or Accept Over 100 Hours Of Free Community Service (Positive Cultural Or Social Or Political Service For Free To Benefit Society and Become Respected World Citizen)

[6] According to the Iranian Great Hero Professor Kourosh Ariamanesh "No Iranian Is Muslim and No Muslim Is Iranian …" Dr. Kourosh Ariamanesh دکتر کورش آريامنش - تاريخ ترور: ۲۷ می ۱۹۹۶ Assassinated on 28 May 1996 In Paris At Age 60 By The Islamist Taazi Occupiers Of Iran Agent Source: http://www.sarafrazan.net/ariamanesh.htm

Current invasion of Islam and Islamists aggression against women, Free Societies, Secularism and the fact that Islam is not respecting Human Rights is opening the door to make Islam an illegal religion in free societies.
1- Please Watch Wake Up Call: Brave Dr. Wafa Sultan M.D Exposing Truth About Islam
2- Must Watch Video Against Honour Killing Speech By Ms. Maryam Namazie 3- Please Watch Video Maryam Namazie Ex-Muslim UK


We have no other alternatives but to expose the truth Islam via the mouth of the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad himself:
They ask you (O Muhammad) about the spoils of war. Say: “The spoils are for Allâh and the Messenger.” So fear Allâh and adjust all matters of difference among you, and obey Allâh and His Messenger (Muhammad), if you are believers. Qur’an 8:1
And know that whatever of war-booty that you may gain, verily one-fifth (1/5th) of it is assigned to Allâh, and to the Messenger, and to the near relatives [of the Messenger (Muhammad)], (and also) the orphans, Al-Masâkin (the poor) and the wayfarer, if you have believed in Allâh and in that which We sent down to Our slave (Muhammad) on the Day of criterion (between right and wrong), the Day when the two forces met (the battle of Badr) - And Allâh is Able to do all things. Qur’an 8:41






________________________________________________________


Last edited by cyrus on Fri Apr 09, 2010 2:09 am; edited 15 times in total
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 02, 2009 12:18 pm    Post subject: Our Expectations and Demands .. Reply with quote

Freedom-Loving Americans wrote:


Decision 2008 Priorities : U.S. Foreign and Energy Policy General Common Sense Expectations and Demands


We are the citizens of the United States of America who represent the majority of the American people who strongly adhere to the following beliefs:

1) We believe in the concept of complete secularism in government, which generally means complete separation of the State from religion, or any ideology or philosophy which can be interpreted as religious (e. g. Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islamism, Judaism, etc., or extreme ideologies such as Fascism or Communism). Secularism can be considered as common sense versus Ideology.

2) Democracy without secularism and secular parties cannot survive and continue a tradition of freedom of choice when a non-secular regime comes to power, as demonstrated by the Nazi party in Germany, the Khomeinist regime in Iran, and more recently by the Hamas Party in Palestine. This principle has been proven historically many times and in many countries.

3) When there is religious intervention in the affairs of the public and the State, then it become necessary to make public the fact that a religion or its precepts have influenced governmental institutions. It becomes a duty of citizens, in the interests of freedom, to work to remove that religious influence, and restore secular governance.




We believe that, in this century, real change starts with breakthroughs in less expensive and environmentally less-harmful energy sources such as hydrogen fuels, solar power, wind power, and geo-thermal energy, representing possibly safer alternatives to fossil fuels. The greatest changes for the better will be delivered by the world’s brilliant engineering minds, not politicians (Democrats or Republicans) who, for the past 40 years, have virtually ignored support for research in alternative sources of energy.


We recommend that support for qualified candidates for public office be based on past good deeds and public service, independent of political party affiliation or pre-assigned tags of left, center, right, liberal or conservative.

Our future expectations of policy makers and leaders with regard to foreign policy are defined by a new set of criteria based on test cases designed to be able to measure success and failure more objectively. Our recommended test cases and criteria are based on the vision of the founding fathers of the United States of America and those philosophies that informed them, including the works of Cyrus the Great, and Plato. We believe that this ancient and enduring spirit of freedom was embodied in the U.S. Constitution, and includes the following elements:

1- The implementation of a secular democracy
2- The implementation of enduring and inalienable Human/Women’s Rights
3- The implementation of a Free and Responsible Society
4- The promulgation of freedom and human rights at global level
5- The intent to gather moral and international support for the rejection of all religiously-based, gender-biased, racially-biased or apartheid, and ideologically extreme governments, realizing that these governments are a main source of creating fearful societies and terrorism in the world.


Independently of who is chosen for public office in the elections of 2008, we resolve to remain vigilant, and to continue to pressure elected officials to move in the aforementioned directions, to help assure a better future for all freedom-loving, secularist peoples. We will continue to make use of any communication media available to us in order to further this cause. The struggle toward a better future will not end with any one election, and we will always remember that only Truth, Honesty, and Integrity have survived, and will survive, the test of time and history.



Quick Overview of the Vision of Cyrus the Great:
Cyrus the Great, the father of first Human Rights declaration over 2500 years ago, advocated the abolition of slavery and ethnic or racial discrimination, freedom to choose one's place of residence, freedom of religious belief, and the establishment of peace among nations. Such ideas are still alive and are clearly esteemed by all those who believe in human dignity and human rights. The Persians regarded Cyrus The Great as The Father, the Babylonians regarded him as The Liberator, the Greeks called him the Law-Giver, and the Jews called him the Anointed of the Lord. Prof. Richard Frye of Harvard University is quoted as saying, “…Surely the concept of One World, and the fusion of peoples and cultures in one 'Oecumen', was one of [Cyrus the Great’s] important legacies”. Therefore, Cyrus the Great is considered to be one of the greatest political leaders and liberators of all time. October 29th has been designated as the international day of Cyrus the Great, king of Persia , who declared the first charter of human rights in the world, which is also known as the ‘Cyrus Cylinder’.

The Vision of the American Founding Fathers:
The founding fathers -- George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Adams -- are extraordinarily impressive revolutionary figures, with unique educational influences. Recent research by historians has found that Cyrus The Great’s Book by Xenophon, and ‘The Prince’ by Machiavelli, were required reading among the American Revolutionary Founding Fathers. Personal copies of these books owned by Founding Fathers exist in Library of Congress. The drafting of the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution was, however, more influenced by Cyrus The Great’s leadership and vision than Machiavelli. Cyrus The Great’s leadership vision is based on the ideas of a free society, human rights, sound moral values and a high code of ethics, versus the Machiavellian vision based on a fearful society, with perhaps immoral and unethical means advocated in order to control society. The American Founding Fathers were not essentially Machiavellian, and that is why they were able to create a great foundation upon which to build a nation.



We should try to find an answer to the following question: How could the founding fathers have achieved so much in such a short period of time, while current generations seemingly cannot achieve nearly as much, although endowed with far superior technological power and knowledge?

To safeguard our freedoms, we always remember James Madison’s famous statement: "If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself [italics ours]. A dependence on the people is, no doubt, the primary control on the government; but experience has taught mankind the necessity of auxiliary precautions.” The Federalist No. 51 (James Madison).
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 2:42 pm    Post subject: My Response to video Reply with quote

Quote:

Re: A timely picture of where America is headed !!
http://www.wimp.com/thegovernment/


Due to the fact that human is not angel, and is very greedy therefore what ever system we come up with, it will be abused and there is no prefect system for governing human race.

History has shown us that both rules of law or democracy can be abused. I think existence of Watch Group monitoring high government officials, Journalists, writers, security forces and scholar are key to minimize abuses.

The Absolute Centralized Command and Control System from above is human creation and illusion to satisfy his own weakness and utmost unlimited greed to justify exploiting resources of earth without any consideration for others....
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 05, 2009 1:59 pm    Post subject: Abolqasem Ferdowsi: The Poet Who Rescued Iran Reply with quote

NPR By Steve Inskeep wrote:

Abolqasem Ferdowsi: The Poet Who Rescued Iran
by Steve Inskeep
Please Listen To NPR Now [7 min 46 sec]

Please Visit Source URL: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=100397309&sc=emaf

Quote:

The tomb of Abolqasem Ferdowsi lies within sight of the mountains of northeastern Iran. Iranians compare him to the Greek poet Homer, author of the epic poems the Iliad and the Odyssey.



Morning Edition, February 9, 2009 · When Abolqasem Ferdowsi finished his epic poem, he wasn't shy in describing it. He ended the massive book, called the Shahnameh, with these words:


Ferdowsi wrote:
I've reached the end of this great history
And all the land will fill with talk of me
I shall not die, these seeds I've sown will save
My name and reputation from the grave
And men of sense and wisdom will proclaim
When I have gone, my praises and my fame.


Maybe he wasn't bragging, since his words came true. Iranians compare him to the Greek poet Homer. His statue gazes over the traffic in a Tehran square. The closing couplets of his great poem are chiseled into the walls of the classical tomb built to his memory in northeastern Iran. Most importantly, his book remains in many Iranian homes and hearts.

Ferdowsi mixed myth and history in the Shahnameh, known in English as the "Book of Kings." It's a chronicle of the rulers and warriors of the great Persian empire, which had come and gone long before the poet was born in 940 A.D.

It is also, however, a story of survival. Persia had been conquered, first by the Arabs who brought Islam, and later by barbarians from central Asia. Iranians say it was Ferdowsi, with a single great book, who preserved the Persian language, history and mythology from being erased.

It is a gloriously unwieldy book, suggesting a nation with so much history that one can hardly make sense of it. It differs from Homer's Iliad, which is sharply focused on a single great war, and even goes so far as to dispense with the preamble and join the battle already in progress.

The Shahnameh marches through centuries of history and myth.

Generations of kings live and die. Their greatest warriors fight, are betrayed and often rebel. Along the way, Ferdowsi records great battles and petty jealousies. He records cruelty and beauty in the same page. Find the acclaimed English translation by Dick Davis, open it at random, and you are as likely as not to find a sentence such as this: "When spring's new growth gave the plains the appearance of silk, the Turks prepared for battle."

Ferdowsi glorifies war and warriors, yet his characters rarely escape the consequences of their actions. The most famous story in the book is that of Rostam, a warrior whose bravery and skill surpass all others, and who defeats unbeatable foes, but who finds himself stuck for the night in an unfamiliar town after his horse is stolen. A woman admirer steals into his bedroom. Having conceived a son in the one-night stand, Rostam leaves in the morning, apparently without a second thought, only to encounter the youth many years later as an enemy on the field of battle. Rostam is soon in a fight to the death, unaware that he is battling his own offspring.

Late in the poem, which took him decades to write, the poet digresses from his story of kings and their courts to deliver breaking news from his own life:


Quote:
Now that I'm more than sixty-five years old,
It would be wrong of me to hope for gold.
Better to heed my own advice, and grieve
That my dear son is dead. Why did he leave?
I should have gone; but no, the young man went
And left his lifeless father to lament.


A sense of loss pervades this book, written at a time when Persia's past greatness was only a memory. That may be part of the reason that Iranians cherish the Shahnameh: They relate to its sometimes melancholy beauty.

That is the explanation given by Said Laylaz, a Tehran journalist who keeps multiple copies in his home. "For a country like Iran, which had been the dominant power in the world for 1,000 years, more than 1,000 years, this is absolutely difficult to forget," he says.

Laylaz has not forgotten. He stands up from his couch, leads the way to a bookshelf, and plucks out a red-covered volume of the Shahnameh. It falls open to the story of Rostam, the great warrior who kills an enemy, not knowing it is his son.

Quote:

The opening verses of Shahnameh appear on Ferdowsi's tomb. Known in English as the "Book of Kings," the Shahnameh mixes the myths and history of Persian rulers, and the warriors who sustained them.


Quote:

In a dimly lit space, tourists place their fingers on Ferdowsi's flat tombstone.


Quote:

Sculptures depicting some of Ferdowsi's characters line the walls of this room.


Please Visit Source URL: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=100397309&sc=emaf

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