DoctorZin reponds to Nema of the Iranian Truth Blog

Nema of the Iranian Truth blog wrote a comment on my Open Letter to the International Media in Iran. I felt I need to reply publicly.

First, Nema's comment:

You need to stop relying on sources that aren't credible like SMCCDI and IranvaJavan who have no reporters, or journalists in Iran and whose editors haven't been there in almost 3 decades. It really does do injustice to the hundreds of Iranians journalists inside Iran who risk life to provide the news. And you really need to stop relying on individuals like Ledeen who haven't even been to Iran in years, if ever, and doesn't speak Persian. Doing that would alone dimiss at least half the items in your list.

My reply:

Nema,

I read your blog regularly, as I do most of the English “reformist” blogs.

Unfortunately, you appear to have a bad habit of slandering people rather than engaging in discussion with them. You have repeatedly insulted me in your blog, but since these were personal attacks rather than substantive arguments, I ignored them. But since you decided to comment on my open letter to the International media in Iran and slander others committed to a free Iran, I feel a need to respond.

I also find it interesting that your chose my open letter to the International media in Iran to post your comment. That letter was written to encourage them to ask the hard questions the Iranian journalist can’t ask without risking their lives.

I also find it curious that you wish me to censor so many of the reports on Iran. You complain about “half” of my sources as not worthy of publication. (Sounds like something the regime might say). But the people of Iran and particularly the journalists there are struggling for greater diversity of thought not less. In this respect, you sound more like a hardliner than a reformist.

How you claim that I do injustice to Iranian journalists in Iran by publishing these reports is beyond belief. I am well aware of the fact that there are many brave Iranian journalists risking their lives to report the news. I regularly report on their struggle. But the reason we consider them brave is because reporting the truth in Iran today is risky business. They can land in prison for publishing the truth. The sources you so dislike are working tirelessly to fill a void inside of Iran.

You suggested that SMCCDI and Iran va Jahan and “individuals like Michael Ledeen” were uninformed and that I should stop publishing their work. I know for a fact that these sources you deem unworthy of publication are in regular contact with people inside of Iran that support their efforts, journalists included. These are experts who have dedicated their lives to this effort. As a student you have not begun to engage the issues as these people have. Do they ever get anything wrong? Of course they do, at times, but so does the mainstream media. They may not parrot the opinions of your reformist friends, but Iran is much more diverse than you may realize.

The purpose for my blog is not to support the reformist movement or your left wing agenda, although I regularly publish these perspectives. (I even publish the regime’s propaganda). Rather, my purpose is to provide a wide variety of perspectives and discussions as to how best to support those people in Iran seeking the same freedoms and democratic institutions that we enjoy. I assume you also support these goals. I assume our disagreement is largely on the means to achieve it. This is a worthy discussion and I am willing to have it with you. To me, such a debate forces us to sharpen our perspectives and hopefully our solutions.

I know you aspire to be a great Iranian blogger. That is admirable.

I suggest that you begin by ceasing you slander, read more widely and begin engaging the issues at hand.

Iran azad,

DoctorZin