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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!ihnp4!inuxc!pur-ee!uiucdcs!uokvax!emks
From: emks@uokvax.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: Re: Reagan's re-election
Message-ID: <5000131@uokvax.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 20-Dec-84 01:22:00 EST
Article-I.D.: uokvax.5000131
Posted: Thu Dec 20 01:22:00 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 22-Dec-84 02:37:46 EST
References: <188@dspo.UUCP>
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Nf-ID: #R:dspo:-18800:uokvax:5000131:000:3496
Nf-From: uokvax!emks    Dec 20 00:22:00 1984

>    Funny, I remember about 5 years ago right before the hostage situation
> in Iran, we (Iranian students) had a demonstration on campus protesting
> the US government's letting the Shah of Iran here.  What ensued was about
> 1,500 American students surrounding us (about 25 of us) telling us that
> "America is a great country, US presidents ARE the American people, and
> the US government IS America."  We were told the atrocities committed by
> Shah, with full knowledge of the US government, were right because
> "That's the way it is".  And if we didn't believe them, they would gladly
> "prove" it to us.  We were rescued by the police and ... but that's another
> story.
> 
>    I am not saying that what you say is wrong.  Actually that's the way
> it should be.  You can never expect a government (even in a democracy)
> to do exactly what the people want, and no more.  But you at least want
> the people to be aware of this.
> 
>    The mentality in this country is changing and is becoming more and
> more of a bully mentality.  The Iranian situation probably was the
> turning point.  Now Americans either blindly approve of what their
> government does, or just don't want to know about it.  "Remember Iran"
> is becoming a catch phrase.
> 
> H. Reza Taheri
> ...!ihnp4!ihuxb!reza
> (312)-979-7473

Mr. Taheri (that sounds too formal, perhaps "Reza" is okay?)

I was a college student at the University of Tulsa during the hostage "crisis."
I didn't see any protests--probably because I spent most of my time at the
"North Campus," which is somewhat removed from the "real" campus.

What I did see was a lot of Iranian nationals (and people who *appeared* to
be Iranian at first glance) disappear.  In fact, most did not reappear in
classes until the next semester.

Let me put one thing up front.  I didn't support Khomeini's (*PLEASE don't
flame me if I spelled his name wrong.  I DO read the newspapers, but I'm
TERRIBLE with name spellings...  [fodder from an earlier argument]) supporters'
actions against the U.S. government and it's employees at the U.S. Embassy.
In fact, I would have gleefully supported military actions against Iran--
but that is another issue, and I guess I shouldn't have brought it up since
it's a complicated issue as well.

But instead, let's refocus on treatment of Iranian students within the U.S.
If my experience is anything approximating "typical," I'll explain that I
felt like a "hostage," too.  I understood that a foreign government had
overrun our embassy (i.e. with government sanction) and there wasn't a
damn thing I could do about it.

Now, my reaction was different than some of the overzealous types; they
went so far as to take the "law in their own hands" and "teach those damn
'sand niggers' a lesson."  Talk about revulsion.

I may disagree vehemently with a person's, a group of people's, or a nation's
stated (or taken) position, but that doesn't sanction my cutting them down
by class-slander [for lack of a better term], not to mention physical abuse.
And a great deal of physical abuse took place.

By the way, burning the American flag is a federal offense and, probably,
a state offense as well.  I know it is in Oklahoma.  I'd arrest someone in
a heartbeat if they burned a flag in my presence (except for worn-out flags
using proper procedure).  That flag represents something which I've pleged
to "support and defend":  the U.S. Constitution and the people for which it
stands.

Have a safe holiday season.

		kurt