In his latest New York Times op-ed, "Not-So-Crazy in Tehran" (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/24/opinion/sunday/kristof-not-so-crazy-in-tehran.html), Jolly Old Nick acknowledges discrimination against Baha'is, gays and women (no mention of repression of Iran's Kurdish or Sunni minorities), but it's all about growing pains:
"Iran looks childish when it calls America the 'Great Satan' or blusters 'Death to America.' Let’s not bluster back or operate on caricatures. And let’s not choose bombs over sanctions and undercut the many Iranians who are chipping away at hard-line rule in tiny ways."
Or in other words, there is no need for the US to descend to their juvenile level of behavior. And when Iran bombs a Jewish community center in distant Argentina, killing 85 people and injuring hundreds, we need only remember that boys will be boys.
Iranian anti-Semitism? Sure it exists, but Kristof would have us know that it is counterbalanced by a single Jew in their government:
"Iran’s regime sometimes embraces anti-Semitism, yet Parliament has a Jewish member."
Wow, Iran has a token Jew in its parliament, who can be showcased by useful idiots such as Kristof? Here we have the travesty of Roger Cohen's "What Iran's Jews Say" (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/23/opinion/23cohen.html) all over again. I suppose if Iran has a token Jew in its parliament, surely there is no reason to concern ourselves with Tehran's threats to eradicate Israel.
And for the sake of good order, Kristof would remind us that the US brought this headache upon itself by eliminating Iran's archenemies, Saddam Hussein in Iraq and the Taliban in Afghanistan.
This blog entry would not be complete without reference to Kristof's observation that in Iran "gays can be executed." "Can be" executed? In fact, Nicholas, they are hanged. Just as women in Iran, who are accused of adultery, are stoned to death.
I am trying hard not to vomit. I hope that the LGBT community in the US boycotts The New York Times and its advertisers until Kristof issues an apology.
