Azadeh Moaveni

The very excellent National Iranian American Council (NIAC) headed by my friend Trita Parsi yesterday alerted us that a publication called the Columbus Dispatch on Tuesday published a political cartoon depicting Iran as a sewer and Iranians as cockroaches. I must admit the crudity of the racism sort of took my breath away. I used to have this rather charming childhood memory of being frightened by the flying cockroaches that would make periodic appearances in the Tehran bathrooms of old. Now the insect will always remind me of this horrid, hateful cartoon. I wonder whether the editors of the Columbus Dispatch are aware that after Sept. 11, Iranians held a candelight vigil in the streets of Tehran, while others across the Middle East cheered and passed out pastry.