A Cultural Travesty is About To Happen!

[The Persian Cataphract]

I've followed this dam construction for nearly three years and all I can say that it is a cultural travesty for Iran. Anyone with a basic knowledge of the Iranian environmental geography knows that there are far more ideal places to build a dam (They will have to irrigate water through a long distance considering that the area is remote from lakes or even rivers), and not in the Tangeh-Bolangi valley where the bulk of Iranian archaeological treasures are located.

Iran is one of the world's most influential oil producers in the world, formerly known as the 4th country with the most oil reserves (Crude oil), and thus currently does not need nuclear power or a dam (Well, considering the location itself and the geographical complications, you just have to hand it to the Islamists and their pathological stupidity). It can efficiently sustain on oil for several decades. This isn't about "poor Iranians" (I'm Iranian myself) or some reform in energy policies. Considering how the Islamic regime has sustained for nearly three decades without any social, cultural or democratic progress, as well as the unemployment rates have passed the 30% mark of the census, the drug smuggling coming from everywhere and the rampant prostitution, one really has to wonder if the Islamists just have a poor sense for administration or if they just want to spoonfeed more of the Islamic ideals upon the already fed up Iranian people.

The truth is that this is just the continuation of the cultural genocide Ayatollah Khomeini commenced when the Islamic revolution ended in Iran 1979. He had sent bulldozers to tear down the Persepolis complex. Now this fleabag of a "president", Ahmadinejad, the prostitute monkey of Tehran wants to destroy the legacy of a man who practically founded Êrân and brought it to greatness. This man stood for all the good qualities that defined a true Iranian. He is our founding father, and the clay cylinder that he passed on to his children is the Iranian code of honour. His legacy is the last beacon of hope for all the Iranian patriots who wishes to see a democratic Iran before they die. Me included.

Jeez, I can't believe some of the replies I see here. This is a direct insult towards the Zoroastrians of Iran who have sustained in silence, blood and misery for the latest 1400 years. To hell with all those "Iranians" who support this construction. They would thus be supporting the Islamic regime and that is not acceptable. It would be a spit right at the faces of all the patriots. What legacy is there left from the Achaemenians, Parthians and Sassanids? All three are practically the victims of history, all of them subject to be perceived from the eyes of Iran's greatest historical enemies. Who are these fleabag mullahs to decide what to wipe out from history?

I've signed that petition including more organizations who have spoken out against this disaster. Amongst them the Iranian Heritage Foundation and CAIS-SOAS.

[Modestus]

Though I agree with the sentiments of the Big John the destruction of historically important sites is appalling I am always weary of signing petitions on the internet I looked at some of the links, some of the groups appear to have political agendas more about their opposition to Iran then just archaeology, the link to the Constitution of the Committee does not work or the covering letter? And from the site Cyrus the great

A section: What many people do not realize in reading Isaiah 44:28ff is that this heathen ruler was named by the prophet long before the monarch was even born. Isaiah prophesied in the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah (1:1). His ministry thus occurred in the latter portion of the 8th century B.C. (ca. 740-701 B.C.). This was some one hundred fifty years before Cyrus came to the throne!
Incredible declarations of this nature have led critics (who reject the possibility of predictive prophecy) to suggest that these portions of the book of Isaiah were added much later ? after the fact, as it were. A popular reference work states:

Predictive prophecy? sounds like a born again Christian historian dangerous people I could be just paranoid we all should be careful though.

[Salazar]

I suppose that this Part has been written after cyrus, the whole bible has been changed many many times so that wouldnt be any kind of surprise.

Concerning the Discussion about the Iranian Government: The west-friendly Shah was at least as bad as the islamic regime, afaik, the islamic government at least distributed it's ressources a bit more equal than the Shah did.
And a free market also isn't exactly the solution to all problems, pure communism also doesn't work,so it has to be something in between the two.
Anyway i think they could and should delay this a bit, to save at least a bit of these artifacts. Even though i understand the overall need of such projects.
On Nuclear stuff, i must say that the thought that people like putin or Bush, or also some people in european countries, have acces to nuclear power currently unsettles me much more than iran getting nuclear power. Especially since "communist" (yeah right) China, or india and pakistan have them as well.

Btw. If you got a wrong impression now, i don't like the iranian government as well, and his comments about jews and israel are just plain stupid idiotic and offensive, especially from my german point of view, but i also have the impression that they aren't worse then what they had before.

[Dayve]

China, Russia or most European countries having nuclear arms shouldn't unsettle anybody... Iran acquiring them should, because we all know they would just launch one at their Israeli neighbours... We've all heard the comments that cocky little shitbag president of theirs makes about wanting to wipe Israel off the map...

[Salazar]

He isn't exactly the quiet type. But i don't think he's really going to do anything.
And Putin having nuclear weapons does unsettle me, i have nothing against russians, i've got to russian girls in my class who are quite ok.
But this Putin, he's just creepy, especially how he deals with the press and anybody against him, and how he supports Belarus dictator Lukaschenka who is basically the last european real dictator.
And the most creepy thing is that our german government actually cooperates with that guy.

[Dayve]

You shouldn't worry about such things too much... If i watched the news twice a day and learned about politics and listened to or watched things like Fahrenheit 9/11 and actually took them seriously then i would lose sleep over constant worrying... I just leave politics to the politicians and get on with my life... I believe people are generally good as a whole, but there are always going to be bad apples in the batch who are able to corrupt peoples minds into following their stupid ideals and commiting their crimes...

A few examples of these bad apples are hitler, stalin, saddam, this current Iranian president...