Aide: Ahmadinejad Meant There Are 'Not So Many' Gays In Iran As US

Reuters:

Iran's president was misrepresented by Western media when he was quoted saying there were no gays in Iran, and actually meant there were not so many as in the United States, a presidential aide said on Wednesday.

Addressing New York's Columbia University last month, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad replied to a question about gays in the Islamic Republic saying: "In Iran we don't have homosexuals like in your country."

Read the whole story: Reuters

Comments

[TimtheDemocrat]

Look I'm not saying he's great or anything..­. BUT as I recall the original TRANSLATION was

"We don't have gays like you do in the West."

Which is not the same as saying 'there are no gays'. So perhaps he is clarifying his original meaning. They don't have homosexuals "like" we have here, because here we don't execute them! So anyway perhaps this is a dialogue of sorts.

[kingofscotts]

Ahmadinejad went on to say:

"but don't worry we are working on more efficient ways of executing them...dea­th to Israel"

[KosmicKat]

Can't the old bastard at least wear a string tie?

Re: gayfolk in Iran; I thought boning brown was a sub-religion throughout Middle Eastern countries, starting with Turkey.

[Crozier]

The President of the Islamic Republic of Iran is second to the Ayatollah of the nation. The implication, of course, is that psychosexual orientation is a choice, and therefore, Islamic men do not choose to be either gay or lesbian.

The truth is that the gay and lesbian population is found in the same percentages around the world, now or in the days of the shah, when Iran was a secular Muslim state.

Shari'a law of course, resembles the Holiness code of Judaism, that is no longer observed. Its views of condemnation are of course shared by the Fuhrerpapen and other fundamentalist bodies who have become the new Inquisitors.

Teenagers who fall in love and with adolescent libido engage in sexual relations are hung by the neck until dead, after scourging and torture.

[amanda85]

"The truth is that the gay and lesbian population is found in the same percentages around the world"

Don't forget in the animal kindgom as well. It doesn't get more "natural" than that... ;)

[fedupgreg]

I never thought I would be defending this guy, but I thought all along that is what he meant. He said something like "We don't have gay people like you have here in the United States." I took it as Iran doesn't have as many, and, as noted here, they wouldn't have as many because they kill them.

[ZingoBonMot]

I'm still wondering about who (and why...) a "member of the Columbia student body" would ask Ahmadinejad that question in the first place.
Sounds like a Rovian plant used to incite liberal resentment against Iran's President and get them behind Bush's plan to bomb Iran.
From what I've read on this blog, it appears to be working...

[JohnJames]

Doubt it. The people who care about gay rights already knew how bad Iran is. A homophobic Islamic theocracy. Imagine that.

[paige]

If he said it that way I would have taken it the same as you. Looks like they wanted to disqoute (is that a word?) him any way they could.

[huffposeur]

gimme a break! it was his OWN translator who was interpreting his remarks. he reminds me of the athletes who claim they are "misquoted" in autobiographies they've supposedly written.

[amanda85]

How is he different from the all-American-boy Larry Craig? Same level of denial. Religion is a mental disorder, believing that one kind is "truer" than any other is plain insanity.

[Ilvfredum]

Boy that Larry C raig is definitely one sick twisted pervert.

[HumeSkeptic]

How does Ahmadinejad know how many gays there are in Iran and in the US?

[ZingoBonMot]

-HumeSkeptic-

Maybe he launched an undercover investigation?

[Economike]

Most people think the Iranians have been working on a nuke, but in reality they've been developing extremely advanced Gaydar.

[Steamboater]

Sure, Iran doesn't have as many gays as we do. The government has either tortured and secreted them away or killed them.

[Quarrypoint]

Back pedal.
Back pedal.
OH NO!, too late.
What a dumbass.

[LIR]

The American media, in their frenzy, provided a perfect platform for Darth to set in motion the demonizing campaign that worked so brilliantly against Saddam Hussein and has been used against Chavez, Castro and others...a­ny one who refuses to be an American satellite like the nations that Russia once ruled. Obviously, Ahmadinejad is very ignorant on many things. But the vehemence with which he was attacked played into the hands of those who see America as intolerant of other views and gave him a platform for his twisted ideas we could have done without.
Rumors had it that he might be a CIA plant...be­fore one laughs it out of hand...thi­nk of it...have this guy who is crazier than a loon make Iran look even worse than it is and make it a sitting duck for Darth and his bellicose endeavors.­..perfect scenario..­.after all, Saddam was our CIA boy, no? Or do we forget that?

[LintLass]

I have to say that after all this Bush administration, I don't think anyone thinks they need to be that subtle.

Besides, if you could 'plant' a damn President in a country, would someone that Machiavellian need to invade, thus justify invading, in the first place?

[wars4profit]

We're going to see an increase in anti-Iran propaganda unless plans for bombing Iran as miraculously shelved.

It is a terrible shame that some in the USA may be so brainwashed by xenophobia and militarism that they may accept a catastrophic attack on a helpless civilian population based on a lot of yellow journalism.

Look how the US media treated Sen. Craig merely because he played footsie with a cop. Weeks of non-stop excoriation and gay-bashing. If he were attacked for something substantial like transferring taxpayers' wealth to the Pentagon, I could understand. But merely for seeking out a blow job? That is absurd, and I would be willing to bet that Iranians are too well educated to obsess on something as trivial as Craig's bathroom dalliances.

Another thing, I saw an item a couple of years ago indicating that US trainers were imparting some of their =culture= to Iraqi police. Apparently men in Iraq touch each other too much for the comfort of puritanical, homosexual-hating US military personnel. They were instructed to stop acting like =sissies.=

I would not be at all surprised if in Iranian society both male-with-male and female-with-female touching and affection would be seen as excessive by US censors.

So who are the gay-bashers? I would say it is those in the Pentagon and monopoly media who demand that people all over the world conform to their strict rules on how humans may physically and emotionally interact with one another.

[JohnJames]

Still pretending to be an O'Reilly/Coulter caricature of a liberal, I see.

[Steamboater]

This is nonsense. Craig wasn't gay bashed and what happened with him was much more than something about a blow job; it was hypocrisy. Also, sex is publuc toilets is not something that should be condoned. Craig never got the chance to go through it but he would have if he could. How would like it if your kid was in a public toilet and happened upon something like that? Maybe it wouldn't bother you at all. This has nothing to do with male's walking hand and hand in some arab cultures eithere such as in Morocco where makles do that or or other places either. America is homophobic (although gays have come a long way here) but at least the government doesn't arrest, torture and murder gays such as in Iran.

[JohnJames]

Don't take him seriously. That's what he wants.

[amanda85]

"America is homophobic (although gays have come a long way here) but at least the government doesn't arrest, torture and murder gays such as in Iran."

You're right, American "patriots" do that...and millions of people actually APPROVE of that...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Shepard

And yes, no one in the very "civilized" USofA would ever yell something like "God hates fags!" And, of course, in the very civilized USofA gays are treated like anyone else and Congress overwhelmingly supports same-sex marriage..­.

Sure, your country totally has the moral ground to criticize Iran. Oh, and to shower them with nukes too, of course. That's what both Republicans and Democrats want. And, of course, they're right as usual...

[Ilvfredum]

Yes indeed Iran has to be right, They hate Bush, America, Christians, How could they be wrong.

[ZingoBonMot]

-wars4profit-

Funny(as in ha ha), maybe it's like my old granny used to say, "The chicken that's clucking loudest is the one just laid an egg.".

[catscratchfever]

LOL, at many of those here trying in vain to divert attention from the fact that Mr. I-want-a-jihad is a homosexuality denier. There was no parsing of participles. Radical islamist torture and kill openly gay men. You can sprinkle magic dust on BS all you want, but BS is still BS.

[mabinog]

The Dominionists and other conservative fundie groups are the biggest threat to the freedoms we enjoy in this country not the external but real threat from Islamic terrorists. This country has the best military, law enforcement and intelligence professionals in the world. It would be better if we can get rid of the incompetent Republican administration.

These fuckers will use this country's fears and hatred of Islam to validate their own victimhood, and righteousness to obtain the power required to impose Biblical laws that differ very little from the extremists of Islam.

The "American Taliban" is not a joke it is apt analogy of the nutjob religionists in our midst.

[Fuji]

Everything you just wrote is WRONG.

[JohnJames]

Everything you just wrote is RIGHT.

[LintLass]

Anyone really interested in finding out the hard way, or could we, say, ensure gay rights *here* and *then* tell Iran how silly denial looks?

[squareyellowpaper]

What these people cannot seen to understand is that homosexuality is based on nature and not nurture. Therefore, the percentage of Gays in New York City, Boise, Birmingham, Shanghai, Moscow, and Teheran, Iran, are the same. In some societies (communities) like San Fransisco, Chicago, London, Amsterdam, and Berlin, Gays are more apparent because of their acceptance. In other places, Gays live a very closeted existence.

President Ahmadinejad is not aware of Gays in his country because they are threatened with death. It doesn't mean they can "change," it means they become more closeted.

[JohnJames]

They understand that it has to be a choice or else it can't be a sin. If that means ignoring all common sense then so be it. Pesky reality.

[dora rice]

I quote my son who served in Iraq 2 years and now one year in Afghanistan. "Arabs hump each other". I, myself think, as long as they don't embarrass anyone no one wire tapps them, no one traps them, not like Bush and his buddies. What do I think about homosexuallity. You don't frick an exit that god gave you to get read of your waste. you don't relieve yourself into someone else's exit. Now how hard is that to understand . You can make homosexuality as pretty as you wish. It still is chit, and smells like it. Do I hate these people ? no I feel sorry that they have to live a perverted life and miss the fun between man and woman that I could experience.

[JohnJames]

Always interesting how conservatives can turn love between two people into a graphic description of sex. Kind of hints at where their minds are. Anyway, Dora, check out hetero porn. More than a little anal action there.

[Trollstakeyourmeds]

Wow...from your post, i.e. the quote from your son, you seem like the perfect parent for a soldier. The question is, did you teach him to disrespect folks that were different, or did the service do that for you? I know several vets, too. Most of them from the first Gulf War. They are as filled with anger and hate towards Arabic people as it sounds that your son is. But then I see what you post about homosexuality. Crude, to say the least. I ask you the same question that I ask others who state such strong disgust against gay folks. How does what they do in bed effect you, in any way, shape, or form?
And, by the way...I'm a woman, heterosexual. So, as to, "miss the fun between men and woman", I would suggest you don't knock what you haven't tried. You might actually like it. I know I do. Get over it!!!

[JohnJames]

You've got to feel sorry for her son having such a vulgar hate-filled woman for a mother.

[barrycourage]

You have a son?

How did you create him?

Evidently, someone ignored the "No Parking--$­2.50 Fine" sign on your groin. Your pussy-exit was blocked for at least a few minutes.

And obviously the urine has backed up and seeped into your brain.

There must be a lot of parking in that "exit that [a diety] gave you to get rid of your waste."

Has anyone refused to pay the fine? Or demanded their money back?

You might consider reducing it to two bits.

[Curt]

Please forgive dora!
Her response wasn't meant for us, it was directed at her husband who has been begging for a little "anal action".

P.S. Guess what dora?
I'm sitting here typing on my on computer not doing nothing beside wanting to hurl after reading your post, and I'm still gay!

Being gay is something other than the number one sexual act teenage America engages in to adhere to their abstinence pledges!

It's about who you are and who you have the ability to love.

[wars4profit]

Interesting expression, =You don't relieve yourself into someone else's exit.= In other words ejaculation is =relieving oneself=, similar to the way one relieves oneself of urine or feces. This way of viewing reproductive sex leads to pejoratives such as =cum dump= that are used against women. When he deposits his semen, the man is =relieving himself= of semen the same way he =relieves himself= of urine or feces when he directs them into a toilet.

(Just an observation on the semantics of misogyny.)

[Curt]

Or you could interpret it as meaning the man relieves himself (climaxes) while dora lays there wondering what all the fuss is about.

Methinks dora has never had an orgasm!
No wonder she is so bitter!

[repubesnivel]

So, like maybe the US has a tad more people than Iran?

Duh!

[Imhotep]

It's more like the Iranian guy making the comment has a "wide stance". Peace

[ZenJu]

You humans are all doomed anyway. Your primitive biases, prejudices, hatreds, and robotic programmed knee-jerk reactions are going to be your undoing and I predict you'll all end up nuking each other or lobbing viruses or something worse at each other before 2100. Good luck to you. Think I'm wrong? PROVE ME WRONG. Stop giving your power to the nutjobs and mediocrities who "lead" you and start living by logic and compassion. Walk the walk or else you're all just hot air.

[Curt]

"You humans are all doomed anyway".

So what are you like a typing chimpanzee?

Or are you a visitor from the planet tinfoilhat?

[ZenJu]

I prefer to think of myself as simply an observer. If what I see is how "human" is defined, then I want no part of it. Just a matter of preference.