Essays and Opinions
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What’s your life worth? It depends on your passport
As an American who was born in Iran, my life is now worth far more than that of my childhood friend Majid, whose family decided to stay — or didn’t have the means to leave — before the Islamic Revolution took over the country. My parents’ decisions more than 45 years ago seemingly increased my life’s worth.
Photo by Mohammed Ibrahim on Unsplash
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Halt the Unjust Violence Against Innocent Civilians
Those among us who lend support to indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks must undergo soul-searching and introspection: What have we truly gained from the countless lives lost in the quagmires of Iraq and Afghanistan? What have Saudi Arabia and Iran achieved by claiming the lives of civilians in Yemen? What has Israel or Palestine reaped from decades of conflict?
Photo by Eyasu Etsub on Unsplash
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President Biden Leaves the Basement
If President Biden would open up and (re) reveal a more authentic version of himself, shedding the constraints that some of his advisors have put on him, we might get an interview like the one below. President Biden could allow himself to delve into the depths of his decades-long service to the nation, exploring the accomplishments and challenges that have shaped his journey. So, join us as we engage in a candid conversation with President Biden, gaining insight into the man behind the office.
Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash
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Afghanistan’s culture is not like ours — and that’s just one lesson we failed to learn
On 9/11, I was at the British Ministry of Defence on a one-year detachment from RAND Corporation. My British colleagues and I watched in horror that early afternoon as the planes hit the Twin Towers in New York. Less than two hours later, we were in various meeting rooms, assessing the situation and considering the inevitable U.S. response and the United Kingdom’s role in it…
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The longest night: Celebrating the Iranian festival of Yalda
In a few days’ time, my family and friends will gather to celebrate Shab-eh Yalda (the longest night), an Iranian festival that predates Islam by more than a thousand years. It is so old it possibly also predates Zoroastrian, the Iranian religion from the 5th century BCE that continues to exist in Iran, India, and North America...
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Why do I love Air New Zealand? Let me Count the Ways…
Dear Air New Zealand,
You might be surprised that someone would write a love letter to you, especially given your recent performance and all the ways people have fallen out of love with you, the beloved and trusted brand. But those detractors miss the point of your efforts to not only fly people from point A to point B–ha, any average airline can do that–but your dogged pursuit of conducting a social experiment …
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Movies You Should Watch (Again)
If you are like me, you absolutely adore movies and are not beholden to a genre or an actor. We’re like Toto in Cinema Paradiso, enthralled by characters and places and events that seem ordinary and extraordinary, all at the same time. I am sure you’ve had fantasies of movie characters really breaking the fourth wall and entering our domain, like the Purple Rose of Cairo. Naturally, we get annoyed when the movie ends without closure and drive ourselves crazy trying to consider a more fitting finale. But …
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Hurricane Ida — and Love After Natural Disasters
In New Orleans, hurricane season runs from June through November, but recently we have been lucky. Although none of us wished any harm upon neighboring cities or states, the recent major hurricanes — Laura and Delta bypassed our town without significant damage while devastating other areas. But hurricane Zeta’s eye traveled directly over the entire city and caused a widespread power outage. Even in October’s mild autumn weather in New Orleans, four days without electricity is, to say it mildly, stressful…
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Surreal yet comforting: Why I was reluctant to leave managed isolation
I live in two worlds. Before the pandemic, I would leave the dirty sidewalks of LAX, speckled with decades worth of chewing gum, and arrive early morning (two days later) in Auckland. I’d take deep breaths of crisp air, walk to the domestic terminal, and before morning tea, I was in Palmy…
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Covid-19: Returning to the US after being cocooned in the safe New Zealand bubble
As I settled in my seat on the flight back to the US, the flight attendant came by and asked if I was comfortable. I nodded and smiled politely to emphasise the point. Then it occurred to me that my smile had been hidden behind my face mask, and she had probably missed it. Smiling with your eyes may have become second nature to the rest of the world, but it was a skill set that I would have to master as I entered the new world of Covid-19…