Dr. Masoud Moazami of Tulsa is a first generation American of Iranian descent. “I am proud of where I was born, but no one chooses where they are born. Since I have moved from Iran, which is a dictatorship to democracy in America, I prefer to call myself an American-Iranian.
“My welfare, my life, my family, my security, my prosperity comes from America.
“I categorically denounce and object what happened at the Capital January 6th for two major reasons. First, as someone who has lived under dictatorial rule of both the Shah and the Ayatollah, we always view the United States Capitol, Congress, and the White House as symbols of democracy and I am confident my view is shared by Iranians and those in China, Russia and others in nations that I am aware. Any attack on those buildings – it is a symbol that is being attacked,” Dr. Moazami said.
“Second, the people serving in those buildings represent millions of citizens who elected them. I may not like one politician’s point of view or ideology but attacking their life or threatening their life regardless of party affiliation is an insult and direct attack on the people they represent. That is not America.”
“Americans have a right to disagree. We have a right to be offended. We have a right to not like someone’s point of view, but we fundamentally must have a bottom-line of no tolerance for aggression and violence. Democracy does not function based on violence. We have a right to protest, but we don’t have a right to destroy people or things,” Dr. Moazami continued.
Dr. Moazami is the Founder and President of Effective Teaching/Learning Institute, Inc. and happily married with two young adult daughters. ETL is a philosophy regarding the care and treatment of all individuals with special needs and challenges, including those in child welfare, and foster care programs.
“The businesses and public buildings we saw burned this summer – that was not protests of democracy. Small business destroyed hurt people – owners, workers, and neighbors. Big businesses also have a right to protect their businesses. Police getting attacked. Innocent people getting attacked. People who went to Capitol (January 6) to protest for their ideology and their president were attacked and threatened. Thousands protested peacefully, but only a few disgraced their own freedom and details are still under investigation.
“No citizen or representative regardless of affiliation should support aggression and violence or be silent or indifferent or on the sideline. It is not fair or wise to generalize an unfortunate event (January 6th) by claiming 75 million supporters of President Trump are enemies of the state or terrorist. We did not wisely make this claim after 9/11 in relation to all Muslims in the world. Over generalization in attacking each other emboldens our advisories and hold unintended consequences. Let us remember our real enemy are those who truly have an evil intention to destroy America and all Americans,” Dr. Moazami said.
Question: Do you find it odd that the Mayor of Washington D.C. did not call for the national guard to protect the city during the riots of summer but did during the patriot protest?
“I don’t know the points of view or the policy of that mayor or what facts she had to compare, but I know what unites us as Americans is due process [fair treatment through the normal judicial system] our great strength. Due process is very lengthy and often doesn’t move as fast as we want, but that is the only individual security we have as Americans.
“When we allow hard working people, innocent people, taxpayers regardless of what city they live to be threatened and their rights violated while the government does not protect them – to me it is unfair. As my father always told me, if you allow a fire in the basement to burn don’t be surprised if the second and third floor is burned as well,” Dr. Moazami concluded.