March 08, 2007

Iranian Mayor for Beverly Hills?

'Tehr-Angeles' not merely in name anymore! Beverly Hills, California may actually have elected Jimmy Delshad, an Iranian Jew, to be their next mayor. Delshad, who is now an Iranian American, fled Khomeini's regime in 1979 and made USA his home.

This news item, of an Iranian American Mayor for Beverly Hills, is featuring prominently in the US media in spite/ because of the strained relations that currently exist between the two countries. Whatever the case may be, personally, this event once again reinforces my faith in Americanism, a term that I define as the ability to be different, to recognize diversity, and to weave in the diversity into the American fabric.

7 comments:

karmic said...

I hear ya when you talk about this reinforcing your faith in America.
This country has been very good to me, and I am so proud to be a part of it now.

starry said...

I am so glad it re enforces the faith in America the land that I cam too and have spent most of my adult life in.Gives eveyone hope.

EXSENO said...

That is exactly why so many people from all around the world still want to live here. No matter how much I disike the present president, I still love my country.

Naj said...

Well, I am very happy that an Iranian Jew is elected mayor of LA.

I wonder, however, if the mayor would have rathered stay in Iran, and not forced out of his country Iran, thanks to the US of A being the FIRST nation to "recognize" the Islamic Republic of Iran (actually within 8 minutes).

And yes Americanism is of course good, as long as you are not kidnapped into Guantanamo prisons, and kept there without formal charges.

And yes America is a great concept built on the graves of massacred aboriginals. ...

And yes America is good if you have health insurance; and if you are able to pay your credit cards on time, and if you are not a black family trapped in Katrina!

And ...

Naj said...

By the way, I need to reinforce that the mayor was not FORCED out of his country; but he chose to do so; as did the non-jew Shah of Iran and many other wealthy Iranians (irrespective of religion) who saw the leftist/islamist revolution a threat to their financial might.

AVIANA said...

Changes are a coming! People like him and Anna Lo are keeping hope alive that there is progress.

bharath said...

since I agree with sanjay. This people are willing to give you a hearing without being bothered by who you are. thats a very good thing.

I will add that, perhaps the problem with electorate is background matters too little? Macaca Allen won many times by his charm and so did Arnold even for his attitude towards women. Senator Inhofe and Senator Stevens from Alaska are also examples of how people care little about the folks they elect too.

I don't want to sound cynical. but these men did get elected and they are very powerful too.

Allen was the candidate for presidential nominee from GOP. Arnold is the governor of a big state. Inhofe chaired the science and technology committee, Stevens was/is the third most senior GOP leader in the senate.