1. Class? Yes? Teach—OK!

2.  In the 2 nd millenium BC, semi-nomadic Indo- European invaders settled on they called “Ayryana Vaejo.”  The 2 nd millenium BC was a really, really, really long time ago.  Semi-nomadic means they traveled often—not for fun, but for food—and planted crops at an established location  The name changed through the centuries, it was known as Persia and then Iran in 1935

3.  And, like most rich countries, it got invaded ALL the time by EVERYONE including:  Alexander the Great of Macedonia  From the west: Arabs (horses, yes. cowboys, no)  From the northwest: Turkey (gobble, gobble!)  From the northeast: Mongolia (how much for the yak?)  Foreign domination could NOT squelch the Persian culture and the invaders acclimated to it as they sapped its resources (Koja dastshoo'e?)

4.  The discovery of oil led to more interest in Iran by more modernized, Western countries in the 20 th century. Of course…  Reza Shah, the ruler during WWII made the ill- advised decision to sympathize with the Germans and declared Iran a neutral zone. So, it was invaded by everyone BUT the Germans. Khoda- hafez, Reza Shah!  Reza Shah’s son succeeded him and set a precedent for rockstars and athletes for years to come by becoming known simply as the Shah. Salam, Madonna! Salam, Prince! Salam, Shack!

5.  “Not so fast, Mohammed Mossadeq!” said Great Britain in 1951 when the then prime minister nationalized the oil industry. “That doesn’t help us AT ALL!”  And they went at told their friends, the CIA, who organized a coup to overthrow him.  Re-enter, The Shah. Salam, The Shah!  26 years later, The Shah was driven out by the Islamic Revolution, much to the dismay of the CIA who claimed in 1978 that Iran was no where near a revolution. “When we said ‘not near’, we meant ‘totally’ near.”

6.  It means hijab for women: modest dress and always a veil.  It means men and women, boys and girls, were no longer allowed to socialize.  It means western culture and capitalism were renounced. Khoda-hafez, Cher!  It means you’ll be tortured if you oppose by the Revolutionary Guards.  It means the rest of the world begins to associate Islam with terror and brutality. This is, is the reason for the book.