Alms in Teheran

The Middle East is fascinating because of its history, geography, people, culture and customs.  For the western mind the fascination often gives way to frustration as we try to grapple with the challenges to our logic, ethics, morality, religion and traditions. Every country and every ethnic region presents its own unique set of challenges. Americans often want to lump many diverse sets of people together, generalize, and then project our own value systems on their behavior. I have tried to temper my tendency to judge others but occasionally I have run head-on into events that test my basic assumptions about the goodness of mankind.

Iran has always fascinated me, particularly before the revolution that overthrew the Shah. I especially enjoyed the chella kabobs, lembrah kabobs, and the sweet pastries that I devoured on each visit. I did not like to drink the laban, which is watered down yogurt, but the Persians did make a sweet beer that was pleasing to the palate. During the Shah’s time they made vodka which went particularly well with fresh Caspian caviar. Teheran also had a bazaar whose stalls lined over 12 miles of covered walkways. You could find anything you wanted from anyplace in the world. It truly was a shopper’s paradise. In addition to the food, beverages, and shopping; the people were likewise interesting. The Persian people are Aryan and not Semitic as many think. If you want to provoke a discussion, just call the body of water to the south of Iran the Arabian Gulf instead of the Persian Gulf.

During March of 1975 I was in Teheran on business during the time of Now Ruz. This is a holiday equivalent to a New Year celebration. It occurs during the vernal equinox and is a time to put the old year behind and start anew. One of the traditions observed during this time is jumping through the burning bush. I can remember seeing kids running and jumping through the flames of bushes that had been set on fire and were tumbling, like our western tumbleweeds, down Kabush Kabir Avenue. Symbolically, jumping through the flames was an act of purification and an indication of burning the past. For the kids doing the jumping, it was just fun.

Also during this particular holiday it was acceptable to beg. During the rest of the year, begging was frowned upon and discouraged by both law and custom. However, during Now Ruz it was common to see beggars on the streets walking from car to car with their hands outstretched asking for “Alms, Alms”. It was not surprising then to see a chador covered woman approaching the car with her left had sticking out saying, “Alms, Alms”.

I didn’t take much notice of the beggar woman until she got closer and I could see that she was holding a baby in her right arm. My eyes were drawn down to the baby and I could see and hear it crying. My stomach churned as I focused in and realized that the right arm of the baby ended in a stub with no hand. The stub of the arm was a festering scab with flies swarming around it. My heart went into my throat and I reached for my pocket with the intention of giving her all the cash I had.

As I reached into my pocket my friend put his hand on my leg and said, “Darrell, these people buy children and cut off their hands to use the disfigured child for begging.” I was frozen to the core.

Golda Meir, the Israeli Prime Minister, said that there will never be peace in the Middle East until the terrorists love their children more than they hate us. I think about the children with suicide vests and the beggar in Teheran and I know that what she said is true.