A group advocating peace between the U.S. and Iran and direct U.S.-Iran talks calling itself the "Enough Fear Project" will set up three hotlines in a New York park on Saturday to "invite members of the public to chat with people in Iran," AFP reported Thursday.[1] -- A piece posted Friday on the New York Press web site identified the site: City Hall Park.[2] -- Enough Fear says its campaign is "to prevent war between the U.S. and Iran" and to that end collects photos of Americans and Iranians on its web site. -- The telephone event has been posted on the web site of United for Peace and Justice....
1. U.S. NEW YORK PARK TO GET U.S.-IRAN HOTLINE Agence France-Presse
January 17, 2008 http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080117/ts_alt_afp/usirandiplomacyoffbeat_080117213450 [PHOTO CAPTION: Anti-U.S. demonstrators in Tehran in 2007. A U.S. group lobbying for Washington to engage Tehran in direct talks is to invite members of the public to chat with people in Iran at the weekend using three hotlines set up in a New York park.] NEW YORK -- A U.S. group lobbying for Washington to engage Tehran in direct talks is to invite members of the public to chat with people in Iran at the weekend using three hotlines set up in a New York park. "Americans and Iranians will begin an important conversation Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.," the Enough Fear campaign behind the stunt said in a statement. The group will be using three vintage red telephones, meant to evoke the hotline that connected U.S. and Soviet leaders during the Cold War. "Our goal is to initiate dialogue, person to person," said Nick Jehlen, Enough Fear co-founder. "Our two governments won't talk to each other so we decided to take it into our own hands, to get to know each other and begin to work for peace. It's a lot harder to go to war against people you know," he added. Volunteers in Iran will be on the other end of the lines, where translators will also be on hand if needed. "There is this false impression that Iranians are angry at Americans," Jehlen said. "Hundreds of Iranians have expressed interest in this campaign because they are really interested in talking with the American people." The United States broke off diplomatic relations with Iran in 1980, shortly after the Islamic Revolution. Ties have most recently been tense over Iran's nuclear program and U.S. demands that Tehran suspend uranium enrichment. 2. Politics TALK TO AN IRANIAN THIS WEEKEND!
By Jerry Portwood New York Press
January 18, 2008 http://www.nypress.com/blogx/display_blog.cfm?bid=91836539 Maybe if you could speak to someone you're afraid of, then you could get over your fear. That's the simple idea behind Enough Fear's latest campaign. This Saturday, Jan. 19, the organization will stop passersby in City Hall Park between 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and offer them a chance to speak to an Iranian on the other line. We hope they discriminate a little, otherwise some poor, hapless gal in Tehran may be talking to [sic] If you're worried you won't have anything to talk about, then might we recommend checking out Persepolis beforehand? That way, when this conversation thread runs dry: "Do you have nuclear weapons?"
"No."
"I thought I heard you have nukes?"
"No."
"You sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure." You can discuss Marjane Satrapi's wonderful adaptation of her graphic novel. And then ask if she goes to clandestine parties with the other jetsetters. |
