Excerpt, Pages 166-167           Coming to the U.S. in the time period that I did was quite different than the period which Bijan had arrived. Fewer doors were open to me than for Bijan in his time, and it is more likely the reason why I take a more philosophical look towards my experiences. It was first the revolution, then the hostage crisis, followed by the Iran-Iraq War and the Iran-Contra Affair, increasingly changing the way people in America looked at Iranians. Now, it is the war in Afghanistan and Iraq (the “War on Terrorism”). People used to ask me: “Why don’t you change your name…something that would be easier to pronounce? What about the name John?” But, for some reason, I couldn’t do that, no matter how much I wanted to succeed. Then, it hit me: there was a line I simply could not cross. Detach myself from the distant past and my potential future? My desire was strong, but I still did not want to lose myself in the process. What good is it to win a war, when after winning one is unable to identify oneself with it? Want to read more? Click the link below I want to read more!