Wow, Just Wow....

Hi friends,

I generally try to keep my blog light, positive, and most importantly, free of all things politics. For the most part, I have accomplished this. But today, I just have to touch on something that is more than just a political issue and has really pissed me off. It's about ignorance. More specifically, about how frustrated I get when I come across a person who is in a position to have access to knowledge, but ignores it in favor of ignorance. Oh and to make things worse, that person is in a position of leadership too (sigh)...

Enter Gabriela Saucedo Mercer and her remarks about Middle Easterners. If you haven't heard about her or her comments yet, and you're not interested in reading the linked article, here's a snippet, "And those people [Middle Easterners], their only goal in life is to, to cause harm to the United States. So why do we want them here, either legally or illegally?" (Please note, these words were not uttered by a person living in a cave, but by a congressional candidate from Arizona...scary.)

To that comment, and other similar and incredibly ignorant comments made by Ms. Saucedo Mercer, I say:

In response to your belief, Ms. Saucedo Mercer, that Middle Easterners only aim to hurt the United States and that they should, incidentally, not be in America even legally, I introduce..........(drum roll)....(wait for it)....me!

I am an Iranian-American, meaning that I am from the Middle East. I love this country and value its laws and constitutional principles above all others. I love it so much that I became an attorney.

My husband, he's Iranian-American too. He is a cancer researcher and develops drugs that will one day save the lives of millions and millions of Americans.

My mother, she was a Middle Easterner and a bio-chemistry professor. She educated and challenged the minds of college students that will one day go on to make this country and world a better place.

My in-laws, they are Middle Easterners too, one a mathematics professor, the other a corporate executive.  They contribute to society daily and make this country a better place.

My bro, he's a Middle Easterner too and the CEO of his own successful media/ad company. He takes his success and turns it into good by donating often and generously to charities...American charities.

And if my family isn't enough to make my point, let me introduce you to some of my fellow Middle Easterners:

Actress, Director, Producer Salma Hayek

Singer-songwriter, dancer, record producer, choreographer, model, Philanthropist Shakira

Nasa Systems Engineer and protagonist of Nerdy, But Purdy Bobak Ferdowsi 

So I say to you, Ms. Saucedo Mercer, a Mexican immigrant and likely victim of discrimination yourself, if looking in the mirror doesn't already educate you enough, please step outside and learn a little bit about how ignorant it is to stereotype and discriminate.

x

UPDATE: More thorough list of Iranian-Americans, courtesy of Dr. Love:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_American#Notable_individuals