Courtesy: Columbia Daily Spectator

This piece was featured in the Columbia Spectator on Friday, March 4, 2011.  It was collaboratively written by Jonathan Huberman, LionPAC Director of Public Relations, and Roxanne Moadel-Attie, President of Columbia Iranian Students Association.

In light of the recent political instability in the Middle East, Iran, like many other countries in the region, has become a centerpiece of American attention and media. However, very few have focused on the spirit and culture of the Iranian people. This week, the Columbia Iranian Students Association and LionPAC are hosting several events that analyze the geopolitical questions surrounding Iran within the context of Iranian culture and nationalism.

Despite Iran’s rich culture, Iranians all over the world are negatively stereotyped based on the actions and behavior of their unpopular government. The word “Iranian” has become a loaded term used only in association with “nuclear weapons,” “Islamic fundamentalism,” and “terrorism.” These media hot topics have overshadowed the long-standing ethnic and religious diversity within Iran, spotlighting overgeneralizations and negativity about Iranians on the whole. Contrary to common misconceptions, Iranians belong to a variety of ethnic groups, including Persians, Kurds, Azeris, Arabs, Armenians, etc., and practice many religions, such as Shi’ite and Sunni Islam, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, and the Baha’i faith. The beauty of the mainstream Persian culture lies in its ability to interweave many ethnic and religious beliefs and traditions, while also honoring ancient customs and rituals.

While our two groups recognize the richness of the Iranian culture, we both share contempt for the Iranian government in different ways. Following Ahmadinejad’s recent re-election, Iranians flocked to the streets to protest the contested electoral results as well as many of the government’s other unpopular policies. For example, Christians, Baha’is, LGBT individuals, and other minorities have been targeted by legislation that denies them equal opportunity. In light of these injustices and as CISA’s mission, this week’s events encourage the Green Movement as an expression of Iranian nationalism and the progressive will of the people. LionPAC supports the Green Movement as well in light of the existential threat that a nuclear Iran would pose to Israel and the damage a nuclear Iran would cause to the region and American interests. Despite CISA’s and LionPAC’s differing motivations to support the Green Movement, both groups have collaborated to provide an open dialogue on campus, which is perspective-inclusive.

LionPAC and CISA are co-hosting multiple events to address all of the aforementioned issues in a format that expands the Columbia community’s understanding of Iranian culture and politics. Yesterday we rallied to support the Green Revolution by providing information about the movement, asking people to sign a petition in support of the Iranian people, and distributing green ribbons and bracelets to Columbians to show their support within our community. This event was significant because it highlighted both groups’ support for the movement despite their different ideals. Today CISA and LionPAC will present “Iran 360,” a panel discussion with representatives of different perspectives (e.g., diplomacy and stealth warfare) focused on U.S. foreign policy regarding Iran and the nuclear issue. Finally, on Sunday, we will both be participating in the festivities related to the Persian Parade downtown.

By integrating our group’s unique perspectives, we hope to form a more accurate picture of Iran and its global context. As Columbia students, we should not erect intellectual blinders that shield us from any opinion contrary to our beliefs. We must challenge each of our preconceived notions of the world by interacting with people who hold different perspectives, which will help us to emerge with a more solid foundation for our worldviews. As students, we must disagree with each other, internalize criticism, and explore common ground. If we fail to acknowledge the humility of our views, fail to see our peers with respect, and fail to learn from others, then we will have blundered the opportunity of college. While we may not emerge from Columbia having finished our intellectual development, our academic wrangling will certainly steer us toward a path of greater openness and give us the tools to succeed in the lifelong task of perfecting our views.