Yes, and that's not the only case. Whenever I speak, I am nervous. Sometimes I look at the audience....
It's not just me. If you speak to anyone who tries to bring up the issues of ethnic minorities, they will tell you that opposition groups outside are sometimes much harsher. In my meetings, I always mention that. Sometimes I say that I don't know which one is worse, the Iranian government or opposition outside.
That is very hard for some people to hear, especially in the United States, where they think these people are human rights activists or democracy promoters. But some people attacked me in the U.S. Congress. One was the director of a democracy group. It was an eye-opener. I was trying to explain, in my meetings with U.S. Congress members, that we didn't know which one was worse. Only when they saw it could they believe how harsh people could be.
The previous government identified Persians as Aryans. Azerbaijani Turks and Semites are not, obviously, Aryans. The same thoughts carried on after the fall of the Pahlavi regime. Outside, we are considered foreigners. We are considered invaders. We are considered as not Iranian. If we do not assimilate and become Persian, or Persianized, we are basically marginalized. But after we become Persian, we are part of society and we have access to power.
In Iran, even though this government is now called an Islamic government and they are not supposed to look at the racial aspect--their priority is implementing laws of Islam--it's very ironic that the same thought form carries and the same racism goes on. Recently, for example, in the money they've printed, one of bills says that the Prophet has said that Persians will reach the highest glory of such-and-such, while the others are just basically again marginalized.
The state-run newspapers censor everything. Everything is checked thoroughly. Yet somehow they printed a cartoon of an Azerbaijani cockroach not understanding Persian. On top of that, they showed ten ways to exterminate cockroaches. It was a very insulting and very disturbing playing out of how cockroaches can be exterminated.
Also, it is very disturbing to say this, but now, even outside, jokes about Azerbaijanis being donkeys are very common. I don't take those jokes in Canada. Sometimes I am asked by some Iranians why I am not cool, why I.... But I'm trying to say to people that racism has been embedded into society, and it is unfortunate. Minorities are attacked, but the whole bed of society has a social disease that has not been addressed. And still, to many, it doesn't even exist.
That is what we are dealing with outside. I have been in Canada for 12 years, so I consider myself Canadian. I am safe here, and everything is good for me. But after starting this work, I can see what is the challenge. I think many members of my community are paralyzed. When they are attacked by these groups, they are paralyzed. I don't understand, because I have been taught here to stand for my rights as an immigrant.
I am accepted. I am part of this society. But where I was born, if keep my identity as Azerbaijani Turkic, or if I ask for my language rights, or if I ask for equal rights like the others have, like the Persians have.... I have nothing against them. There are many wonderful ethnic groups, ethnic Persians, but unfortunately, we are not tolerated. That is the biggest challenge we have. And now I see why my community is very afraid to address these issues.