Very Bad Day
Today was a very bad day for me. I work as a cartoonist in Iran daily for two years. My good friend, Mana Neyestani and I draw some cartoons and write satirical writings for children there. But unfortunately, our last week's issue made some problems for Iran and Mana.
Mana wrote a very funny writing about killing cockroaches and drew a simple cartoon that a cockroach was speaking Azeri. During past 10 days, a lot of Azeri people objected to this cartoon, they burned our daily, they threatened us…
But now I'm sad. Because I know that it was a very simple mistake. Mana did not want to say that Azeri or Turk people are cockroach or anything else. He just drew a little cartoon for children but he is in jail now. Our editor, Mehrdad Ghasemfar is there too. I'm so upset and don't know what to do.
I am sorry to hear that my name-sake Mehrdad and mana are in this situation. It's tough to be cartoonist nowadays!
mehrdad --
May 26, 2006 2:15 PM
Then what your friend wanted to say? Explain us..why cockroach was speaking Azeri not in your language?
Vladimir Putin --
May 26, 2006 2:35 PM
Vladimir,
Apparently Mana is Azeri himself!
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IRIN/53e5943ac2ad1bbf95f555a423d47a02.htm
mehrdad --
May 26, 2006 3:06 PM
It's not an answer!
hamidreza:
Mr Presidnet, in that issue you have never seen there are a lot of cockroaches that are speaking in Persian. just one of them has told one word in Azeri, Namana which is written by English alphabet.
Vladimir Putin --
May 26, 2006 3:31 PM
I’m really disappointed about our people. Look around yourselves, have a little sense of hummer. What’s a big deal?
They are just destroying two young men’s life, regardless of that the problem is from somewhere else.
Farzin --
May 28, 2006 7:07 AM
I'll tell you this: this would never happen in USA, we have the freedom of speech, what has happen is only the Iranian regime's fault (MULAS)
lally --
May 28, 2006 8:38 PM
hamidreza,
why should i care about other pages, cartoons and cockroaches? There was one that was speaking in my language and it's enough for me and my nation. What you have now in your country is not result of this cartoon or result of azeri-madness, NO - it's result of political, nazi, regime in Iran. There are more than 25 million azeris in Iran and these guys can't study in their language. At the same time you have small armenian comunity who has all the minority rights. Is it right? NO!!!
Regarding freedom of speech mentioned by Farzin, freedom of speech dosen't mean that you can say and write whatever boolshit you want. Freedom of speech gives you combination of independency and responsibility. This guy used his independency right but forgot about responsibility.
hamidreza:
ok, I don't want to say these are true or false. I want to ask you that are these things, Mana's fault?! You and your nation sent him to jail. is it true or not?
(go and see your first question in this page, you asked me why the cockroaches did not speak in persian... go and read that paper and then think more my friend, think more...)
Vladimir Putin --
May 29, 2006 4:11 PM
1- first I am really sorry to read this..I hope everything going well with them soon..I hope all of you excpt me to be one of your frinds but before that i need to know some information about Iran:
As an Iranian person, what do you think people should know about Iran?
And Iranian culture, history, people, traditions, etc. before thinking about the Iranian rights and how government spend the money one developing nuclear power instead of solving some problems in the country like poverty?
Thanks alot..I am waiting for the answers :)
Noof --
June 12, 2006 8:11 PM
