1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:04,359 Speaker 1: Yes, sir, morning. Everybody is DJ Envy ange Lae, Charlemagne 2 00:00:04,360 --> 00:00:05,960 Speaker 1: the guy. We are to breakfast club. We got a 3 00:00:05,960 --> 00:00:09,280 Speaker 1: special guests in the building. Yes, indeed, did I say right? 4 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:12,240 Speaker 1: You did? Okay, you've had practice. I did. I tried 5 00:00:12,280 --> 00:00:13,680 Speaker 1: to tell him you didn't trust me. But you know, 6 00:00:13,720 --> 00:00:15,560 Speaker 1: you know what happens because a lot of times Charlemagne 7 00:00:15,560 --> 00:00:18,959 Speaker 1: and tell me the wrong thing on purpose. I say, 8 00:00:19,480 --> 00:00:22,520 Speaker 1: I believe you did that to me. A couple of 9 00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:26,639 Speaker 1: times he's jealous of you. We're welcome. How are you 10 00:00:26,640 --> 00:00:28,720 Speaker 1: feeling this morning. I'm good, I'm happy to be here, 11 00:00:28,920 --> 00:00:31,080 Speaker 1: happy to have you man. I am very happy to 12 00:00:31,080 --> 00:00:33,400 Speaker 1: be here. I'm very grateful for the time you guys 13 00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:36,280 Speaker 1: are about to dedicate to this insane conversation we're about 14 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:38,680 Speaker 1: to have, so thank you. Please inform us on what's 15 00:00:38,720 --> 00:00:41,000 Speaker 1: going on. And I ran because there's so much going 16 00:00:41,040 --> 00:00:42,479 Speaker 1: on in the world, and I noticed is something that 17 00:00:42,520 --> 00:00:46,360 Speaker 1: everybody should be aware of. But what what is happening? 18 00:00:46,400 --> 00:00:49,080 Speaker 1: And sometimes it's hard to get accurate information to and know. 19 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:52,800 Speaker 1: Let's talk about it. I'd love first to know what 20 00:00:52,880 --> 00:00:56,520 Speaker 1: you guys think is happening. It feels like women's right 21 00:00:56,600 --> 00:00:59,160 Speaker 1: to being violated all over the world, and it feels like, 22 00:00:59,240 --> 00:01:02,480 Speaker 1: you know, Iran is the episode. I know, everybody's definitely 23 00:01:02,520 --> 00:01:04,679 Speaker 1: focused on what's happening here in America where Roe v Wade, 24 00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:06,240 Speaker 1: but it feels like what's going on over there is 25 00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:09,120 Speaker 1: like just cruel and unusual punishment. I saw the thing 26 00:01:09,120 --> 00:01:10,720 Speaker 1: the other day, which I had to research it a a 27 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:12,120 Speaker 1: little bit because I was like, I just can't be 28 00:01:12,200 --> 00:01:14,720 Speaker 1: real when they said that they were sentencing fifteen thousand 29 00:01:14,720 --> 00:01:19,600 Speaker 1: protests to death. Yes, the parliament essentially gave the green 30 00:01:19,680 --> 00:01:24,040 Speaker 1: light to so there's fifteen thousand protesters who've come out 31 00:01:24,080 --> 00:01:28,240 Speaker 1: into the streets over the past eight weeks. Over Massa 32 00:01:28,400 --> 00:01:32,240 Speaker 1: Gina Emini, whos a Kurdish woman. She had come to Tehran, 33 00:01:32,319 --> 00:01:35,200 Speaker 1: which is the capital, with her family to just sight seeing, 34 00:01:35,280 --> 00:01:38,560 Speaker 1: have a day out. And she wasn't even wearing she 35 00:01:38,680 --> 00:01:41,800 Speaker 1: was wearing her job. She wasn't like taking her she 36 00:01:41,840 --> 00:01:45,319 Speaker 1: was wearing her her job, but she had she was 37 00:01:45,360 --> 00:01:49,200 Speaker 1: wearing coolts, so her ankles were out. Wow. And she 38 00:01:49,320 --> 00:01:52,200 Speaker 1: was stopped by the morality police, which they called the Bastiche, 39 00:01:52,840 --> 00:01:56,560 Speaker 1: which have been essentially empower since the Islamic Republic came 40 00:01:56,560 --> 00:01:59,320 Speaker 1: into play in nineteen seventy nine. So they took her 41 00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:04,480 Speaker 1: into custody. They tortured her, they beat her, and she 42 00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:08,560 Speaker 1: unfortunately passed away a few days later well because her 43 00:02:08,600 --> 00:02:12,520 Speaker 1: ankles were showing and she wasn't dressed as conservatively correct. 44 00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:16,560 Speaker 1: It sounds very conservative already. That is that is a tragedy. 45 00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:20,520 Speaker 1: It is a tragedy. It's a morality. Police walks around 46 00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:23,480 Speaker 1: looking at what people are dressing in how they're acting. Yes, 47 00:02:23,880 --> 00:02:26,520 Speaker 1: so I think is it women or is it men 48 00:02:26,560 --> 00:02:31,320 Speaker 1: and women? So it's primarily women. I myself was stopped 49 00:02:31,320 --> 00:02:34,600 Speaker 1: there in the mid nine early nineties. When I went there, 50 00:02:34,639 --> 00:02:36,880 Speaker 1: my grandmother was passing. I grew up with my grandmother 51 00:02:36,919 --> 00:02:40,000 Speaker 1: in the house. We spoke fasting the house. My grandmother 52 00:02:40,040 --> 00:02:42,919 Speaker 1: would I would say, it's Iran inside this home, It's 53 00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:45,760 Speaker 1: America outside this home. So I grew up very Iranian. 54 00:02:47,280 --> 00:02:50,799 Speaker 1: And she was passing. I wanted to go and say 55 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:52,600 Speaker 1: goodbye to her. She was the most important person in 56 00:02:52,639 --> 00:02:55,799 Speaker 1: my life and my h my two cousins took me 57 00:02:55,840 --> 00:02:58,480 Speaker 1: out for late night Friday night ice cream and we 58 00:02:58,480 --> 00:03:02,040 Speaker 1: were listening to Inexus in the car and we were 59 00:03:02,040 --> 00:03:05,240 Speaker 1: pulled over and they kept us overnight. So Yeah, that's 60 00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:08,680 Speaker 1: what the Bastigi do. They are the morality police. Uh. 61 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:11,360 Speaker 1: They are not necessarily part of the military. They are 62 00:03:11,480 --> 00:03:15,720 Speaker 1: part of the um Islamic Republic, sort of guard to 63 00:03:15,919 --> 00:03:21,200 Speaker 1: protect that echelon of religious leaders, the Ayatola's um. And yes, 64 00:03:21,240 --> 00:03:25,720 Speaker 1: they police your dress, what you're seeing, what you listen to. Dancing. 65 00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:31,399 Speaker 1: Women legally have half the right there of men legally, right, 66 00:03:31,480 --> 00:03:35,480 Speaker 1: So whether that's being accused of if someone who has 67 00:03:35,560 --> 00:03:37,840 Speaker 1: raped you, if you want to divorce, if you want 68 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:39,720 Speaker 1: to choose how to spend your own money. Um, I 69 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:42,200 Speaker 1: sort of try to bring it to American audiences through 70 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:46,360 Speaker 1: the lens of a conservatorship. Right. It's pretty similar to 71 00:03:46,960 --> 00:03:49,040 Speaker 1: what has happened with Britney Spears, which is you are 72 00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:57,200 Speaker 1: essentially living Spears. Yeah. Yeah, Britney Spears, Well that's another 73 00:03:57,280 --> 00:04:00,000 Speaker 1: we should talk about that too. Um. But Britney Spears 74 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:02,960 Speaker 1: lived in what a conservatorship I think for fifteen years 75 00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:06,240 Speaker 1: where she couldn't even know, ye, touch her own money. 76 00:04:06,280 --> 00:04:08,280 Speaker 1: She couldn't have doors on her own home, she couldn't 77 00:04:08,480 --> 00:04:10,320 Speaker 1: you know, she had to work and then still give 78 00:04:10,360 --> 00:04:14,440 Speaker 1: her money to business managers and agents and you know, 79 00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:16,160 Speaker 1: her father and what have you. I mean, we're all 80 00:04:16,279 --> 00:04:18,960 Speaker 1: learning about this now, but this is you know, there's 81 00:04:19,120 --> 00:04:22,040 Speaker 1: eighties some million people in Iran, half of the population 82 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:25,440 Speaker 1: or women, and they are living there. And I think 83 00:04:25,480 --> 00:04:27,960 Speaker 1: the context of it is this country was living through 84 00:04:28,040 --> 00:04:32,440 Speaker 1: a secular leadership up until nineteen seventy nine, right like 85 00:04:32,600 --> 00:04:35,479 Speaker 1: women could. My grandmother was a famous singer. She made 86 00:04:35,480 --> 00:04:37,320 Speaker 1: her living being a famous singer. I always think of 87 00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:40,440 Speaker 1: her as like the uh, like Lana del Rey of Iran, 88 00:04:40,640 --> 00:04:44,960 Speaker 1: you know, fifties and sixties, and so women had a 89 00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:48,480 Speaker 1: lot of freedoms previous to the Islamic Republican. Now they 90 00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:53,760 Speaker 1: are being tortured, raped, terrorized at scale in broad daylight 91 00:04:53,839 --> 00:04:59,000 Speaker 1: on video. Um, it's problem what happens when journalists try 92 00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:02,000 Speaker 1: to cover this, because, like we were discussing, there is 93 00:05:02,040 --> 00:05:06,280 Speaker 1: a lot of misinformation that's out there, and also just 94 00:05:06,400 --> 00:05:09,279 Speaker 1: talk about the coverage there because I feel like that's 95 00:05:09,320 --> 00:05:13,960 Speaker 1: also not allowed. So we are in an information war. 96 00:05:14,839 --> 00:05:19,919 Speaker 1: You have a highly financed group of people in Iran, 97 00:05:20,440 --> 00:05:25,279 Speaker 1: the Islamic Republic, their agenda. Iran has eight percent of 98 00:05:25,279 --> 00:05:29,200 Speaker 1: the natural resources of the world. We're talking about uranium, copper, 99 00:05:29,839 --> 00:05:32,960 Speaker 1: zinc oil, so we're not talking about a country that 100 00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:35,760 Speaker 1: is resource poor, and the people who are making the 101 00:05:35,760 --> 00:05:39,520 Speaker 1: most amount of profit off of this resource is the government, 102 00:05:39,520 --> 00:05:41,279 Speaker 1: So they have a ton of incentive to stay in 103 00:05:41,320 --> 00:05:45,240 Speaker 1: power there, and they do that by repressing people and 104 00:05:45,760 --> 00:05:49,200 Speaker 1: most especially women. So what's happening is we don't have 105 00:05:49,320 --> 00:05:51,880 Speaker 1: journalists on the ground. Every journalist we do have on 106 00:05:51,920 --> 00:05:55,200 Speaker 1: the ground is currently in prison. Anyone who covers this 107 00:05:55,440 --> 00:05:58,200 Speaker 1: is in jail, tortured. And it's not just like, oh, 108 00:05:58,279 --> 00:06:00,800 Speaker 1: you're arrested and your lawyer is gonna and represent you 109 00:06:00,839 --> 00:06:03,240 Speaker 1: in some you know, hearing in the next few days. 110 00:06:03,640 --> 00:06:08,040 Speaker 1: Your family doesn't know where you are. You are disappeared literally, 111 00:06:08,040 --> 00:06:10,720 Speaker 1: and when you are reappeared, it's either bags of bones, 112 00:06:11,080 --> 00:06:15,159 Speaker 1: your organs are removed, your family's forbidden from having a 113 00:06:15,240 --> 00:06:19,080 Speaker 1: memorial and ceremony for you. I mean, for Iranian people. 114 00:06:19,160 --> 00:06:22,080 Speaker 1: This is making us go ape shit. This is making 115 00:06:22,160 --> 00:06:24,120 Speaker 1: us go crazy right now, Like I think, I mean, 116 00:06:24,160 --> 00:06:27,039 Speaker 1: I've bothered everyone I know. I'm like, hey, they're they're 117 00:06:27,080 --> 00:06:30,960 Speaker 1: they're killing little girls, they're killing students, they're killing juvenile 118 00:06:31,040 --> 00:06:34,360 Speaker 1: people in prison, and we can't report on it because 119 00:06:34,520 --> 00:06:37,200 Speaker 1: we cannot get journalists on the ground. We can't get 120 00:06:37,200 --> 00:06:39,800 Speaker 1: sources to all we have. They blocked the internet. Who right, 121 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:42,200 Speaker 1: they blocked the Internet, So how can this be covered 122 00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:44,559 Speaker 1: here in the United States? Even so, I think that's 123 00:06:44,600 --> 00:06:47,360 Speaker 1: why my friends and I started this this new group 124 00:06:47,400 --> 00:06:51,680 Speaker 1: called the Iranian Diaspora Collective. It's literally been it's eight 125 00:06:51,760 --> 00:06:56,000 Speaker 1: weeks old. It's a group of people in the diaspora 126 00:06:56,040 --> 00:06:59,120 Speaker 1: who are in entertainment and social media and tech. We 127 00:06:59,200 --> 00:07:01,400 Speaker 1: got together. We essentially said we're going to stand up 128 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:04,599 Speaker 1: an organization so we can be a resource. We published 129 00:07:04,640 --> 00:07:07,640 Speaker 1: this insane document called how to Talk About a Run, 130 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:11,360 Speaker 1: and we updated every day for journalists and reporters and 131 00:07:11,400 --> 00:07:13,440 Speaker 1: people who want to report it, and we put it 132 00:07:13,480 --> 00:07:16,200 Speaker 1: up on our website. It's been downloaded thousands and thousands 133 00:07:16,200 --> 00:07:19,880 Speaker 1: of times to essentially help the West better understand we've 134 00:07:19,920 --> 00:07:22,400 Speaker 1: been holding. We held a news conference the other night 135 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:26,320 Speaker 1: with Secretary Clinton and twenty members of the press to 136 00:07:26,400 --> 00:07:28,480 Speaker 1: come and essentially have a Q and A with her 137 00:07:28,520 --> 00:07:31,800 Speaker 1: and I around how to cover this accurately. And I 138 00:07:31,840 --> 00:07:35,080 Speaker 1: think I don't think we need to cover this perfectly. 139 00:07:35,120 --> 00:07:36,880 Speaker 1: I don't think it needs to be perfect. I don't 140 00:07:36,920 --> 00:07:39,080 Speaker 1: think it I think it has to be about progress 141 00:07:39,080 --> 00:07:41,320 Speaker 1: of a perfection. I think you saw the same thing 142 00:07:41,360 --> 00:07:45,920 Speaker 1: here when when we've seen atrocities covered around police brutality here. 143 00:07:46,320 --> 00:07:48,440 Speaker 1: It's not going to always be perfect the coverage, but 144 00:07:48,480 --> 00:07:52,200 Speaker 1: the coverage needs to happen. I think I was going 145 00:07:52,280 --> 00:07:54,600 Speaker 1: to say, are they people who've escaped that have come 146 00:07:54,680 --> 00:07:57,680 Speaker 1: here that can tell their stories. There are many people 147 00:07:57,720 --> 00:08:00,000 Speaker 1: who've escaped who have come here who are refugees. There 148 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:02,560 Speaker 1: are many people they're living in safe houses in Turkey, 149 00:08:03,400 --> 00:08:06,840 Speaker 1: they're living here on asylum in the United States. You 150 00:08:06,840 --> 00:08:08,880 Speaker 1: have a ton of people here who've been arrested, who've 151 00:08:08,920 --> 00:08:12,840 Speaker 1: been in ivin. But it's I think it's just this 152 00:08:12,920 --> 00:08:15,840 Speaker 1: is like a crisis of to your point, women's rights 153 00:08:15,840 --> 00:08:19,880 Speaker 1: are being rolled back globally, there isn't a global agenda 154 00:08:19,920 --> 00:08:23,760 Speaker 1: to roll back women's rights. And I think the Islamic 155 00:08:23,960 --> 00:08:27,679 Speaker 1: Republic's largest export right now is their violence against women. 156 00:08:27,960 --> 00:08:29,680 Speaker 1: I think we have I think if you do not, 157 00:08:29,800 --> 00:08:31,600 Speaker 1: if we do not find a way to shut this down, 158 00:08:31,880 --> 00:08:35,800 Speaker 1: there will be copycatting of this behavior all over the world. Yikes. 159 00:08:35,800 --> 00:08:37,839 Speaker 1: Do you think those stories like you know, the one 160 00:08:37,840 --> 00:08:40,480 Speaker 1: where they say fifteen thousand protests would send us to death? 161 00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:43,000 Speaker 1: But they weren't do you think those stories called more 162 00:08:43,000 --> 00:08:45,120 Speaker 1: harmed than good, because because when you see that headline, 163 00:08:45,120 --> 00:08:48,080 Speaker 1: you're automatically all in like whoa. But then when you 164 00:08:48,080 --> 00:08:51,319 Speaker 1: realize it's not real, you probably just dismissed the whole situation. 165 00:08:51,520 --> 00:08:54,360 Speaker 1: So I, as you know, I am a little bit 166 00:08:54,400 --> 00:08:58,520 Speaker 1: of a internet sleuth. I think that was a Islamic 167 00:08:58,559 --> 00:09:02,600 Speaker 1: Republic strategy. I believe from what from what I understand, 168 00:09:02,880 --> 00:09:05,920 Speaker 1: they've hired some of the most established blue chip comms 169 00:09:06,040 --> 00:09:09,319 Speaker 1: organizations out of Europe, out of nowhere after eight weeks 170 00:09:09,320 --> 00:09:15,439 Speaker 1: of no coverage, all this coverage. The the headline was salacious. Uh, 171 00:09:15,640 --> 00:09:19,640 Speaker 1: the facts where the parliament gave the guards the right 172 00:09:20,120 --> 00:09:23,600 Speaker 1: to execute all fifteen thousand people of those people, so 173 00:09:23,640 --> 00:09:26,280 Speaker 1: the facts are those fifteen thousand people are at risk? 174 00:09:26,640 --> 00:09:33,320 Speaker 1: They are They could listen, don't The Islamic Republic is 175 00:09:33,320 --> 00:09:37,200 Speaker 1: the leader per capita in mass executions. This is not 176 00:09:37,480 --> 00:09:40,160 Speaker 1: This is not some organization that's never done this before. 177 00:09:40,320 --> 00:09:42,760 Speaker 1: We're not sure. And that headline was if this has 178 00:09:42,760 --> 00:09:45,720 Speaker 1: happened before, they've done it before in the eighties. They have. 179 00:09:46,040 --> 00:09:49,680 Speaker 1: They have done it two years ago fifteen hundred people 180 00:09:49,679 --> 00:09:52,200 Speaker 1: were killed, So why would they not take out fifteen 181 00:09:52,200 --> 00:09:55,520 Speaker 1: thousand people now that have been live streaming this protest. Ye, 182 00:09:55,800 --> 00:09:58,760 Speaker 1: what is the US doing to help if any Well, 183 00:09:58,800 --> 00:10:01,880 Speaker 1: I mean I think the US this isn't It's okay. 184 00:10:02,080 --> 00:10:06,839 Speaker 1: France has done a lot. Macrohn basically acknowledged Massy Elenajad 185 00:10:06,960 --> 00:10:09,520 Speaker 1: as an activist and leader, and I think he said 186 00:10:09,520 --> 00:10:11,880 Speaker 1: something important, which is this is a revolution, This is 187 00:10:11,880 --> 00:10:17,720 Speaker 1: not a protest. The US, I think, is trying to 188 00:10:17,800 --> 00:10:21,040 Speaker 1: course correct the past. For I mean, the history of 189 00:10:21,080 --> 00:10:23,800 Speaker 1: Iran and why these guys are even there is tied 190 00:10:23,880 --> 00:10:28,160 Speaker 1: up with you know, the CIA, Jimmy Carter. How the 191 00:10:28,200 --> 00:10:33,400 Speaker 1: Islamic Republic even came to be was you know, Iranians 192 00:10:33,440 --> 00:10:37,120 Speaker 1: believe they were put there by the United States. Right now, 193 00:10:37,160 --> 00:10:40,840 Speaker 1: whether that was intentional, whether everyone had a plan that 194 00:10:40,840 --> 00:10:42,920 Speaker 1: this would be the outcome, I don't think that's the case. 195 00:10:43,280 --> 00:10:45,480 Speaker 1: I think people make the best choices they can at 196 00:10:45,480 --> 00:10:48,520 Speaker 1: the time. But the Islamic Republic would not be in 197 00:10:48,559 --> 00:10:51,160 Speaker 1: power without the United States. So I think they have 198 00:10:51,440 --> 00:10:56,400 Speaker 1: a huge responsibility to help the Iranian people to remove them. Right. 199 00:10:56,480 --> 00:10:59,280 Speaker 1: So the US, I think, is figuring it out. I 200 00:10:59,280 --> 00:11:02,640 Speaker 1: think you'll see movement from France, Germany. I think you'll 201 00:11:02,640 --> 00:11:06,800 Speaker 1: see Europe move first, but I think the United States 202 00:11:06,880 --> 00:11:09,720 Speaker 1: is trying to figure out it's equal footing. I think 203 00:11:09,760 --> 00:11:12,280 Speaker 1: part of what my group has been trying to do 204 00:11:12,400 --> 00:11:16,560 Speaker 1: is we are trying to be the diaspora partners by 205 00:11:16,600 --> 00:11:20,800 Speaker 1: being Iranians who are born here but Iranian, so we 206 00:11:20,920 --> 00:11:24,720 Speaker 1: have empathy for the West and relationships to the West, 207 00:11:24,960 --> 00:11:29,840 Speaker 1: but also family there. Can we help navigate communications because 208 00:11:29,920 --> 00:11:31,839 Speaker 1: right now we don't even have a relationship. We don't 209 00:11:31,880 --> 00:11:34,720 Speaker 1: even have a diplomatic relationship with this country, So how 210 00:11:34,760 --> 00:11:37,240 Speaker 1: can we help. I think they're trying to figure it out. 211 00:11:37,559 --> 00:11:39,680 Speaker 1: Did they even care? You think, of course they care. 212 00:11:40,120 --> 00:11:42,240 Speaker 1: I mean, we care about a safe Israel. We care 213 00:11:42,280 --> 00:11:45,120 Speaker 1: about a safe Middle East. We need uranium to power 214 00:11:45,360 --> 00:11:49,160 Speaker 1: nuclear power in terms of green energy go forward. We 215 00:11:49,240 --> 00:11:52,480 Speaker 1: need their oil where we've got them aiding and abetting 216 00:11:52,760 --> 00:11:55,679 Speaker 1: Russia and Ukraine. Right now they're sending over drones. I mean, 217 00:11:56,280 --> 00:11:58,679 Speaker 1: you can't. I mean, governments care about governments, but they 218 00:11:58,760 --> 00:12:00,720 Speaker 1: rarely care about what's happening on ground with the people, 219 00:12:00,760 --> 00:12:02,600 Speaker 1: is what I'm saying. Well, that's why we're here, Yeah, 220 00:12:02,679 --> 00:12:05,760 Speaker 1: because I think, as you know, I believe culture impacts 221 00:12:05,800 --> 00:12:10,200 Speaker 1: policy and government and I think the more chitter chatter online, 222 00:12:10,240 --> 00:12:13,040 Speaker 1: the more people posting, the more they believe that the 223 00:12:13,080 --> 00:12:16,240 Speaker 1: public at large cares about this is this human rights issue, 224 00:12:16,640 --> 00:12:19,600 Speaker 1: not a political issue. I think the US government will 225 00:12:19,640 --> 00:12:21,840 Speaker 1: have to stand up with the Iranian people. You've seen 226 00:12:21,880 --> 00:12:25,040 Speaker 1: Canada do it, right. What does standing up look like? 227 00:12:26,080 --> 00:12:29,520 Speaker 1: I mean, listen, these people's children come here, go to 228 00:12:29,520 --> 00:12:31,959 Speaker 1: the best schools, live in the best places. They use 229 00:12:32,000 --> 00:12:35,440 Speaker 1: the government's money to do whatever they want. Sanction them, 230 00:12:35,559 --> 00:12:40,000 Speaker 1: shut down, revoke their visas, close their embassies immediately. Now 231 00:12:40,440 --> 00:12:43,640 Speaker 1: take them off the United Nations, you know, Committee for 232 00:12:43,679 --> 00:12:47,320 Speaker 1: Women's Rights. That's a joke. They gotta go. That's completely bogus. 233 00:12:47,520 --> 00:12:50,480 Speaker 1: They should be d prioritized on a global level. You know, 234 00:12:50,720 --> 00:12:53,400 Speaker 1: people have been arguing FIFA should they be allowed to 235 00:12:53,400 --> 00:12:56,120 Speaker 1: play soccer? You know, like there's a lot of ways 236 00:12:56,120 --> 00:12:59,360 Speaker 1: to embarrass and shun them. Iranians are very prideful, they 237 00:12:59,400 --> 00:13:02,720 Speaker 1: love to be so to basically really really really stick 238 00:13:02,760 --> 00:13:04,640 Speaker 1: it to them. I think everyone's got to turn their 239 00:13:04,679 --> 00:13:07,520 Speaker 1: backs and stop doing business with them. They've had a 240 00:13:07,559 --> 00:13:10,320 Speaker 1: hard two years with COVID. They're barely I don't think 241 00:13:10,320 --> 00:13:12,920 Speaker 1: they have a heavy balance sheet, and without the support 242 00:13:13,000 --> 00:13:16,520 Speaker 1: of Germany and Europe and China. I don't know how 243 00:13:16,559 --> 00:13:18,720 Speaker 1: they're going to do business. So if everyone shuts down 244 00:13:18,760 --> 00:13:21,160 Speaker 1: doing business with them, I think you have to starve 245 00:13:21,200 --> 00:13:23,880 Speaker 1: them out. And I do want to say too, I 246 00:13:23,920 --> 00:13:28,000 Speaker 1: did see where one person that was protesting in the 247 00:13:28,040 --> 00:13:31,600 Speaker 1: street actually did get sentenced to death. So yeah, it's 248 00:13:31,640 --> 00:13:34,320 Speaker 1: not far fetched that you know they wouldn't do that. 249 00:13:34,400 --> 00:13:37,480 Speaker 1: These are the same people that won't let us in 250 00:13:37,520 --> 00:13:41,440 Speaker 1: to tell us what nuclear weapons they have or have not. Okay, 251 00:13:41,520 --> 00:13:45,000 Speaker 1: if nothing's happening, let's let Amnesty International and Justice for 252 00:13:45,120 --> 00:13:49,440 Speaker 1: Iran in to report. Let's let's let them in. Let's 253 00:13:49,559 --> 00:13:53,680 Speaker 1: put them in Navigne, let's have them. There are numerous 254 00:13:53,720 --> 00:13:56,319 Speaker 1: reports girls are coming out of prison and begging their 255 00:13:56,320 --> 00:14:00,480 Speaker 1: parents for abortion pills. Why why, why are people going 256 00:14:00,480 --> 00:14:03,160 Speaker 1: with suitcases to run with abortion pills? Right now? There 257 00:14:03,160 --> 00:14:06,240 Speaker 1: are people constantly hitting us up for fundraising. Raise money 258 00:14:06,280 --> 00:14:10,120 Speaker 1: for starlinks, raise money for abortion pills, raise money for shields, 259 00:14:10,200 --> 00:14:14,520 Speaker 1: raise money for helmets, Like I'm a venture capitalist. This 260 00:14:14,600 --> 00:14:16,920 Speaker 1: is insane. It's taken over my life for the past 261 00:14:16,960 --> 00:14:20,080 Speaker 1: eight weeks. Well, what is an ideal life for a 262 00:14:20,120 --> 00:14:24,840 Speaker 1: woman in Iran? Looked like to you an ideal life 263 00:14:24,840 --> 00:14:29,520 Speaker 1: for woman in Iran looks like her education is her priority, 264 00:14:29,840 --> 00:14:34,000 Speaker 1: her family is her priority. You know, you're living in 265 00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:36,520 Speaker 1: a country where sixty percent of the populations under the 266 00:14:36,520 --> 00:14:40,720 Speaker 1: age of thirty. They are Instagram tells us that Massa, 267 00:14:40,840 --> 00:14:43,320 Speaker 1: I mean, he is the one of the largest hashtags 268 00:14:43,320 --> 00:14:45,800 Speaker 1: they've ever had in the history of Instagram. They are 269 00:14:45,880 --> 00:14:50,600 Speaker 1: Internet first, they are super plugged in. But what's also 270 00:14:50,720 --> 00:14:53,640 Speaker 1: true is that you cannot saying you cannot dance, you 271 00:14:53,680 --> 00:14:56,560 Speaker 1: cannot hold hands with your boyfriend, you cannot be gay, 272 00:14:57,080 --> 00:15:01,120 Speaker 1: you cannot you know, you need your father's permission to 273 00:15:01,160 --> 00:15:04,400 Speaker 1: get a passport, to travel, to get a visa. Right, 274 00:15:04,680 --> 00:15:07,640 Speaker 1: your father and your brother, for all intense purposes, are 275 00:15:07,680 --> 00:15:11,840 Speaker 1: your conservators. That's what it looks like. And this is 276 00:15:12,000 --> 00:15:16,160 Speaker 1: this is, I guess, somewhat common throughout Islamic countries. What's 277 00:15:16,280 --> 00:15:20,400 Speaker 1: not what is not common is that when people protest 278 00:15:20,440 --> 00:15:24,480 Speaker 1: those regimes, to be beating them in broad daylight and 279 00:15:24,600 --> 00:15:28,360 Speaker 1: killing them in broad daylight to create propaganda that we 280 00:15:28,400 --> 00:15:32,120 Speaker 1: will kill you, We will murder you and your families. 281 00:15:32,600 --> 00:15:36,400 Speaker 1: If you protest this, you have no vote, you have 282 00:15:36,400 --> 00:15:39,120 Speaker 1: no agency, You can't design your own life and it's 283 00:15:39,560 --> 00:15:41,720 Speaker 1: it's difficult to do that to a group of women 284 00:15:41,760 --> 00:15:45,760 Speaker 1: who are so highly educated. Uran has a super duper 285 00:15:45,840 --> 00:15:49,680 Speaker 1: high level of women who have been educated in the 286 00:15:49,840 --> 00:15:52,840 Speaker 1: arts and stem and sciences. So it's like when you 287 00:15:52,880 --> 00:15:54,480 Speaker 1: have a group of people who are educated, but they 288 00:15:54,520 --> 00:15:58,240 Speaker 1: have no opportunity. This is why you're having this rage. 289 00:15:58,720 --> 00:16:00,600 Speaker 1: If you look at all the content, like what is 290 00:16:00,640 --> 00:16:03,400 Speaker 1: the soundtrack to it? It's every hip hop group, you know, 291 00:16:03,520 --> 00:16:05,960 Speaker 1: it's every artist you know. You would think these kids 292 00:16:06,040 --> 00:16:09,520 Speaker 1: grew up here the way they live on Instagram. What 293 00:16:09,720 --> 00:16:12,360 Speaker 1: is I know you're writing a book? Also, yes, what 294 00:16:12,560 --> 00:16:15,640 Speaker 1: is your book about? It's a memoir. It's been in 295 00:16:15,680 --> 00:16:19,280 Speaker 1: the works for some time, you know. I have a 296 00:16:19,280 --> 00:16:23,200 Speaker 1: weird a. My life has been an interesting sort of road. 297 00:16:23,280 --> 00:16:27,160 Speaker 1: I left home when I was sixteen. I'm queer, I'm 298 00:16:27,200 --> 00:16:29,240 Speaker 1: a little bit of an outsider and a lot of 299 00:16:29,280 --> 00:16:33,080 Speaker 1: groups and and I'm a culture I guess student of culture. 300 00:16:34,040 --> 00:16:35,800 Speaker 1: So it's really a memoir. And I would say it's 301 00:16:35,800 --> 00:16:37,760 Speaker 1: a little bit of lessons and my journey over the 302 00:16:37,760 --> 00:16:41,280 Speaker 1: past three years, especially because my good friend Charlemagne told 303 00:16:41,320 --> 00:16:43,800 Speaker 1: me three years ago I should go to therapy, and 304 00:16:43,840 --> 00:16:45,920 Speaker 1: so it's a little bit of an awakening and it's 305 00:16:45,920 --> 00:16:47,520 Speaker 1: a little bit of a discovery and it's a little 306 00:16:47,520 --> 00:16:50,040 Speaker 1: bit of a sharing of what it feels like to 307 00:16:50,080 --> 00:16:53,800 Speaker 1: sort of spend really the past three years dealing with 308 00:16:54,880 --> 00:16:59,680 Speaker 1: generational trauma and a lot of the noises that we're 309 00:16:59,720 --> 00:17:01,600 Speaker 1: going on in my head and how to distill that, 310 00:17:01,760 --> 00:17:05,320 Speaker 1: make that lessons go forward for people. It's been really 311 00:17:05,359 --> 00:17:10,240 Speaker 1: beneficial for you, which part therapy? Yeah, therapy has changed 312 00:17:10,280 --> 00:17:15,920 Speaker 1: my life. It is. It's so funny. I sometimes love 313 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:18,239 Speaker 1: my therapist so much, Like I just don't even know 314 00:17:18,320 --> 00:17:20,199 Speaker 1: what I would do without those person's, Like I have 315 00:17:20,359 --> 00:17:22,320 Speaker 1: night terrors of like what if something ever happens to 316 00:17:22,359 --> 00:17:26,800 Speaker 1: this person. It's given me an amazing place to have 317 00:17:26,840 --> 00:17:30,680 Speaker 1: a sounding board to. I think when you're I think, 318 00:17:30,680 --> 00:17:32,880 Speaker 1: when you're kind of a traumatized human being and you've 319 00:17:32,880 --> 00:17:39,520 Speaker 1: been through whether it's physical or sexual, generational abuse, when 320 00:17:39,560 --> 00:17:42,000 Speaker 1: you're queer, when you don't you know, like I was 321 00:17:42,080 --> 00:17:44,439 Speaker 1: Persian up until eight weeks ago, because I was afraid 322 00:17:44,440 --> 00:17:47,560 Speaker 1: to tell people I was Iranian, right, because you think 323 00:17:47,560 --> 00:17:50,320 Speaker 1: of the hostage crisis, you think of the Ayatollahs, you 324 00:17:50,359 --> 00:17:54,399 Speaker 1: think of terrorism, and so I think therapy for me 325 00:17:54,480 --> 00:17:56,679 Speaker 1: has been a place to find out how to be 326 00:17:58,320 --> 00:18:04,400 Speaker 1: a better listener, a stronger I think more boundaries. We've 327 00:18:04,440 --> 00:18:06,600 Speaker 1: talked a lot about this. I think the boundaries has 328 00:18:06,640 --> 00:18:09,720 Speaker 1: been heavy for me, and I think it's given me 329 00:18:09,760 --> 00:18:13,679 Speaker 1: a place to process what's happened and think about how 330 00:18:13,720 --> 00:18:15,199 Speaker 1: do I want to design my life? Go for it. 331 00:18:15,240 --> 00:18:17,000 Speaker 1: I know you guys talk about mental health a lot, 332 00:18:17,080 --> 00:18:21,359 Speaker 1: so I appreciate that. It was a huge It was 333 00:18:21,400 --> 00:18:23,119 Speaker 1: a huge favor to me a few years ago when 334 00:18:23,119 --> 00:18:25,439 Speaker 1: you and I had that conversation. I always tell you, 335 00:18:25,480 --> 00:18:28,280 Speaker 1: it's a profound It's been a profound difference in my life. 336 00:18:28,880 --> 00:18:30,639 Speaker 1: You know, my therapist always tell me you have to 337 00:18:30,680 --> 00:18:33,080 Speaker 1: allow yourself to feel joy. How do you allow yourself 338 00:18:33,119 --> 00:18:35,679 Speaker 1: to feel joy at a time like this when you 339 00:18:35,720 --> 00:18:38,919 Speaker 1: know what's going on and all ran I have a 340 00:18:38,960 --> 00:18:41,520 Speaker 1: four and a half year old that is the funniest, 341 00:18:41,760 --> 00:18:46,720 Speaker 1: most hilarious guy on the planet, and he just sees 342 00:18:46,760 --> 00:18:50,639 Speaker 1: the world through lens of possibility, and I think he 343 00:18:50,720 --> 00:18:53,000 Speaker 1: sees me for who I really am and can be. 344 00:18:53,680 --> 00:18:57,600 Speaker 1: And my wife and my son, and my family's growing, 345 00:18:58,160 --> 00:19:01,200 Speaker 1: and you know, I think my family is my main 346 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:05,919 Speaker 1: battery on my back. I mean, that's for me my 347 00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:08,320 Speaker 1: number one crew in my life and the people I 348 00:19:08,359 --> 00:19:10,399 Speaker 1: want to be with all the time, or my family. 349 00:19:11,760 --> 00:19:14,520 Speaker 1: How about you say, yeah, I know where we relate 350 00:19:14,560 --> 00:19:16,960 Speaker 1: to this. Yeah, absolutely the same. I mean that's where 351 00:19:16,960 --> 00:19:19,720 Speaker 1: I find my joy. Yeah, my joy is that. I 352 00:19:19,720 --> 00:19:21,600 Speaker 1: actually had a great conversation with my therapist about that. 353 00:19:21,640 --> 00:19:23,359 Speaker 1: I'm not I'm not ready to explain it yet, but 354 00:19:23,359 --> 00:19:25,960 Speaker 1: when he the way, the way it was explaining to 355 00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:28,919 Speaker 1: me about how you experience joy through the lens of 356 00:19:28,960 --> 00:19:32,879 Speaker 1: your your family was it was profound only because, like 357 00:19:32,880 --> 00:19:34,280 Speaker 1: you know, I think we spent a lot of time 358 00:19:34,320 --> 00:19:37,000 Speaker 1: trying to protect ours so much, but you have to 359 00:19:37,080 --> 00:19:38,520 Speaker 1: let them go out into the world. You have to 360 00:19:38,560 --> 00:19:40,719 Speaker 1: let them go experience things. So we try to have 361 00:19:40,760 --> 00:19:43,520 Speaker 1: this sense of control. But he said something to me, 362 00:19:43,520 --> 00:19:45,600 Speaker 1: I don't once you're sink saying, I'll get ready to 363 00:19:45,600 --> 00:19:47,480 Speaker 1: share it. But yeah, I can't wait to hear it. 364 00:19:48,000 --> 00:19:49,520 Speaker 1: I was gonna ask, so, how can people help if 365 00:19:49,560 --> 00:19:51,879 Speaker 1: they want to help in your cause? How can they help? Follow? 366 00:19:52,240 --> 00:19:55,520 Speaker 1: Donate if possible? Yea, even push things forward. So if 367 00:19:55,560 --> 00:19:58,639 Speaker 1: you go to the link in my bio, there's a 368 00:19:58,720 --> 00:20:03,720 Speaker 1: link to our length tree. It's just mos MJ made it. 369 00:20:03,760 --> 00:20:05,600 Speaker 1: Simple for you. Yeah, you're lucky to get that one. 370 00:20:05,640 --> 00:20:08,399 Speaker 1: You must have been on day early. I was early 371 00:20:08,520 --> 00:20:13,160 Speaker 1: and friends of so they were, they've been sweet to me. Um. 372 00:20:13,840 --> 00:20:16,520 Speaker 1: So there's two things. One is, we took out a 373 00:20:16,840 --> 00:20:20,280 Speaker 1: heavily ambitious billboard project between LA and New York. We 374 00:20:20,320 --> 00:20:22,919 Speaker 1: took overtime Square, we took we took one hundred and 375 00:20:22,920 --> 00:20:27,119 Speaker 1: sixty six billboards across New York, LA and DC to 376 00:20:27,200 --> 00:20:30,520 Speaker 1: really drive awareness. But you know what's crazy, these billboards 377 00:20:30,600 --> 00:20:33,040 Speaker 1: turned out to be a memorial for people. People have 378 00:20:33,119 --> 00:20:39,680 Speaker 1: been going to these things, crying, picnicking, vigils, protests, communion. 379 00:20:40,040 --> 00:20:43,639 Speaker 1: I've never I mean, I'm telling you, I have never 380 00:20:44,040 --> 00:20:46,680 Speaker 1: in my life seen this stuff. So that's one way 381 00:20:46,680 --> 00:20:48,359 Speaker 1: you can help. Or because we're about to take the 382 00:20:48,400 --> 00:20:52,600 Speaker 1: campaign into Europe in Toronto. Um, the second way you 383 00:20:52,600 --> 00:20:55,640 Speaker 1: can help is just we created this dope document. It's 384 00:20:55,760 --> 00:20:58,760 Speaker 1: literally just it's every day. We just add the headlines. 385 00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:00,920 Speaker 1: We make it easy for you. We know this is 386 00:21:00,960 --> 00:21:05,719 Speaker 1: a complicated thing to understand because language culture. Somehow in 387 00:21:05,720 --> 00:21:07,160 Speaker 1: your head you're like, I don't know if these people 388 00:21:07,160 --> 00:21:09,080 Speaker 1: are even like me. Maybe they want to live like this, 389 00:21:09,560 --> 00:21:12,680 Speaker 1: Maybe they're cool with this situation. So we are basically 390 00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:18,320 Speaker 1: spoonfeeding press and talent. Because if you care about women's rights, 391 00:21:18,640 --> 00:21:21,119 Speaker 1: if you care about juvenile rights, like you have to 392 00:21:21,200 --> 00:21:24,480 Speaker 1: care about this situation. I think, I think this is 393 00:21:24,520 --> 00:21:28,680 Speaker 1: a cancer. And so talking about it, asking your senators, 394 00:21:28,680 --> 00:21:31,640 Speaker 1: your congressmen, your city officials, like what's your position? Where 395 00:21:31,640 --> 00:21:34,800 Speaker 1: do you stand on it? The more you post, the 396 00:21:34,800 --> 00:21:38,760 Speaker 1: more you reshare other people's post, the more you talk 397 00:21:38,800 --> 00:21:41,600 Speaker 1: about it, you know. Tracy Ellis Ross was like, Hey, 398 00:21:41,640 --> 00:21:43,240 Speaker 1: I'm doing a bunch of interviews and I'd like to 399 00:21:43,280 --> 00:21:45,840 Speaker 1: bring up a couple of points. What can I say? 400 00:21:46,440 --> 00:21:48,960 Speaker 1: Hit me up, you know, give me two things I 401 00:21:49,000 --> 00:21:51,679 Speaker 1: can say. You know, these are the kinds of ally 402 00:21:51,760 --> 00:21:56,120 Speaker 1: ships and friendships that like resonates so deep for me 403 00:21:56,280 --> 00:21:59,400 Speaker 1: on a personal level, to just get the word out. 404 00:22:00,040 --> 00:22:01,800 Speaker 1: I was thinking, and I don't know if this is relevant. 405 00:22:01,840 --> 00:22:03,480 Speaker 1: So that's why I'm asking you. I read this book 406 00:22:03,560 --> 00:22:05,240 Speaker 1: that really touched me a while ago, called the Girl 407 00:22:05,240 --> 00:22:08,560 Speaker 1: who Escaped from Isis, And did you read this or 408 00:22:08,720 --> 00:22:11,600 Speaker 1: you know I've heard her story, I believe right, And 409 00:22:11,640 --> 00:22:13,480 Speaker 1: so I was thinking about it because people always have 410 00:22:13,560 --> 00:22:18,199 Speaker 1: this misperception in hearing and reading her story about how her. 411 00:22:18,320 --> 00:22:21,320 Speaker 1: You know, she was kidnapped, her family was separated, and 412 00:22:21,359 --> 00:22:24,080 Speaker 1: then even when she was able to make it back, 413 00:22:24,400 --> 00:22:27,080 Speaker 1: how she was shunned just because she was repeatedly raped 414 00:22:27,080 --> 00:22:30,520 Speaker 1: by um. Well this is why the this is why 415 00:22:30,680 --> 00:22:34,719 Speaker 1: when women and young women especially are arrested in these protests, 416 00:22:35,359 --> 00:22:38,520 Speaker 1: they are then taken to prison. They are then forced 417 00:22:38,560 --> 00:22:41,919 Speaker 1: into what they call see the right, which is essentially 418 00:22:42,280 --> 00:22:45,320 Speaker 1: a work around. The Islamic Republic has a guide book 419 00:22:45,359 --> 00:22:49,440 Speaker 1: on virgins go to Heaven. I hearned it right, Yeah, 420 00:22:49,440 --> 00:22:51,560 Speaker 1: so they don't go to heaven. They rapem so they 421 00:22:51,560 --> 00:22:55,159 Speaker 1: don't go to the report time reading on Justice for Iran, 422 00:22:55,240 --> 00:22:57,600 Speaker 1: which is an amazing nonprofit. That's when spirit heading this 423 00:22:57,680 --> 00:23:00,800 Speaker 1: over the past few decades is that the girls are 424 00:23:00,840 --> 00:23:04,680 Speaker 1: reporting and a person came forward saying I was one 425 00:23:04,680 --> 00:23:08,400 Speaker 1: of the person that they chose to be like the raper. Wow, 426 00:23:08,560 --> 00:23:11,040 Speaker 1: he said, they cried more during the raping than they 427 00:23:11,080 --> 00:23:15,000 Speaker 1: did right before their executions. I mean that is some 428 00:23:15,160 --> 00:23:18,920 Speaker 1: women are killing themselves and scratching out the scratching out 429 00:23:18,920 --> 00:23:22,440 Speaker 1: their faces, scratching out their eyeballs, because once you are 430 00:23:23,080 --> 00:23:26,480 Speaker 1: de virginized through this lens of rape within that culture, 431 00:23:27,320 --> 00:23:30,840 Speaker 1: you can't marry Nope, So then where do you go? 432 00:23:30,960 --> 00:23:33,680 Speaker 1: Who has you? How do you what's your upward mobility 433 00:23:33,720 --> 00:23:37,080 Speaker 1: once you've lost your greatest asset, which somehow is your virginity. 434 00:23:37,320 --> 00:23:43,640 Speaker 1: That's why, right, It's just like that's literally like what 435 00:23:44,160 --> 00:23:46,600 Speaker 1: you know this people that keeps screaming because you see 436 00:23:46,600 --> 00:23:48,800 Speaker 1: these videos of people being I know, my feet is 437 00:23:48,840 --> 00:23:51,040 Speaker 1: like a horrific like I'm sure people just muted me 438 00:23:51,080 --> 00:23:56,480 Speaker 1: completely at this point. People are just screaming like you 439 00:23:57,040 --> 00:24:00,000 Speaker 1: like you don't know God, you're not God loving person. 440 00:24:00,040 --> 00:24:02,520 Speaker 1: And because they are just I mean, I'm talking like 441 00:24:02,800 --> 00:24:06,719 Speaker 1: thirty forty people on top of one human being, and 442 00:24:06,760 --> 00:24:10,160 Speaker 1: like you're talking about a student just like in school, 443 00:24:10,200 --> 00:24:15,199 Speaker 1: because what he's chanting zan Zendi Ozodi like women, life, freedom, 444 00:24:16,400 --> 00:24:21,120 Speaker 1: I mean, that's fucking bullshit. Excuse my language, but that's 445 00:24:21,119 --> 00:24:23,879 Speaker 1: just it was heartbreaking and that's why. But it was 446 00:24:23,920 --> 00:24:25,520 Speaker 1: important I felt like for me to read because, like 447 00:24:25,560 --> 00:24:28,680 Speaker 1: you said, it is important to educate yourself through people 448 00:24:28,680 --> 00:24:31,000 Speaker 1: who know more than you about what's going on. This 449 00:24:31,040 --> 00:24:32,640 Speaker 1: was in a rat though, and I always hear Iran 450 00:24:32,680 --> 00:24:35,280 Speaker 1: in Iraq, so is it the same in both? Like 451 00:24:35,320 --> 00:24:37,800 Speaker 1: when it comes to what's happening in Iran right now. 452 00:24:38,520 --> 00:24:41,480 Speaker 1: Iran is a very different country on the sense that 453 00:24:41,520 --> 00:24:44,840 Speaker 1: it is Shiite, it is not Sunni. And the most 454 00:24:44,880 --> 00:24:47,280 Speaker 1: important thing I think about Iran to know is, up 455 00:24:47,359 --> 00:24:50,439 Speaker 1: until nineteen seventy nine, it was a second you know, 456 00:24:50,720 --> 00:24:53,680 Speaker 1: it was a country wasn't perfect. There are many flaws. 457 00:24:53,760 --> 00:24:56,120 Speaker 1: The Shaw was not by at all a perfect king 458 00:24:56,160 --> 00:25:00,359 Speaker 1: and perfect leader. That's a whole other episode of people 459 00:25:00,400 --> 00:25:02,320 Speaker 1: more educated than me can give you all the reasons 460 00:25:02,320 --> 00:25:07,080 Speaker 1: why he wasn't perfect. But he did create opportunities of 461 00:25:07,200 --> 00:25:10,919 Speaker 1: education and freedom for women. He was a supporter of 462 00:25:10,960 --> 00:25:15,120 Speaker 1: women and their mobility within society. Forgot. My mom came 463 00:25:15,240 --> 00:25:17,920 Speaker 1: here to go to get an education, you know, under 464 00:25:17,960 --> 00:25:20,800 Speaker 1: the Shaw, and was blessed by her whole family. I 465 00:25:20,800 --> 00:25:23,840 Speaker 1: mean my family's you know, just like a middle normal 466 00:25:24,040 --> 00:25:27,080 Speaker 1: family from Iran. My mom came here, got an education, 467 00:25:27,520 --> 00:25:30,280 Speaker 1: her sister got an education. This was a normal thing, 468 00:25:30,760 --> 00:25:33,280 Speaker 1: This was a very she came here. She's an entrepreneur. 469 00:25:33,560 --> 00:25:35,920 Speaker 1: And that the craziest thing about Iran that I will 470 00:25:35,960 --> 00:25:39,760 Speaker 1: tell you is that it's a matriarchal society. There is 471 00:25:40,080 --> 00:25:42,840 Speaker 1: I It is a society where the person doing the 472 00:25:43,000 --> 00:25:48,120 Speaker 1: bossing and bullying in the household is my mother, It's 473 00:25:48,160 --> 00:25:51,760 Speaker 1: not my father, you know. And that's that's how it 474 00:25:51,840 --> 00:25:55,000 Speaker 1: is in ninety nine percent of Iranian households. It's the 475 00:25:55,119 --> 00:25:58,760 Speaker 1: woman who drives. Yes, is a knows and how it's 476 00:25:58,800 --> 00:26:01,840 Speaker 1: gonna be. And and it's worse to catch hell from 477 00:26:01,840 --> 00:26:04,920 Speaker 1: her than it is from him. Yeah, how how can 478 00:26:04,960 --> 00:26:09,200 Speaker 1: we help, like the amplify more people from Iran's voices? 479 00:26:09,560 --> 00:26:11,679 Speaker 1: So listen, this is one of the things that we 480 00:26:11,760 --> 00:26:14,320 Speaker 1: have done with this document. We have put together a 481 00:26:14,320 --> 00:26:18,959 Speaker 1: panel of people who are domain experts. I'm talking thirty 482 00:26:19,040 --> 00:26:21,760 Speaker 1: forty years on this topic. We've also put together a 483 00:26:21,760 --> 00:26:25,439 Speaker 1: panel of people who are i would say, more culture driven, 484 00:26:25,480 --> 00:26:29,440 Speaker 1: more gen z driven. My friends started an amazing Instagram 485 00:26:29,480 --> 00:26:33,679 Speaker 1: called samonis m sam a n I s M. He 486 00:26:33,720 --> 00:26:37,040 Speaker 1: creates these insane videos, all tracked to whether it's rage 487 00:26:37,040 --> 00:26:40,040 Speaker 1: against the machine or Kendrick Lamar. So it's like he's 488 00:26:40,040 --> 00:26:42,480 Speaker 1: trying to make the content very Western, but he's showing 489 00:26:42,480 --> 00:26:45,960 Speaker 1: the footage. Our friends started an account called frem Iran. 490 00:26:46,280 --> 00:26:50,760 Speaker 1: It's beautiful, it's artistics. She's a master's from Yale, So 491 00:26:51,080 --> 00:26:53,840 Speaker 1: you look at this content, you think it's refinery twenty nine, 492 00:26:54,760 --> 00:26:56,800 Speaker 1: there's these two young women that started an account called 493 00:26:56,840 --> 00:26:59,440 Speaker 1: Middle East Matters. They're domain experts of everything in the 494 00:26:59,440 --> 00:27:01,520 Speaker 1: Middle East. I think of them as like our young 495 00:27:01,640 --> 00:27:04,760 Speaker 1: vice media. So giving voice to some of these folks 496 00:27:04,760 --> 00:27:07,600 Speaker 1: and having them come and talk about what's going on here, 497 00:27:08,280 --> 00:27:11,159 Speaker 1: I think is super important. I think, you know you 498 00:27:11,160 --> 00:27:13,760 Speaker 1: can make donations to our Getting a go fund Me 499 00:27:13,840 --> 00:27:16,200 Speaker 1: was almost impossible. I always have to give a shout 500 00:27:16,200 --> 00:27:18,520 Speaker 1: out to go fund me. They went above and beyond 501 00:27:18,520 --> 00:27:21,480 Speaker 1: because with sanctions it's almost impossible to help this country 502 00:27:21,560 --> 00:27:24,639 Speaker 1: or raise money for this country. We can't give money 503 00:27:24,680 --> 00:27:27,880 Speaker 1: to Iran, but we can raise money to help raise 504 00:27:27,920 --> 00:27:30,960 Speaker 1: awareness for Iran. So that's one way you can help. 505 00:27:31,200 --> 00:27:36,560 Speaker 1: But I think giving exposure too, because again we're not Iraq, 506 00:27:36,640 --> 00:27:40,439 Speaker 1: We're not Afghanistan. We are we are adjacent, but we 507 00:27:40,480 --> 00:27:44,840 Speaker 1: are something very different because we have nuclear capabilities, because 508 00:27:44,880 --> 00:27:48,560 Speaker 1: we have eighty nine million people, sixty percent of them 509 00:27:48,640 --> 00:27:51,280 Speaker 1: of under the age of thirty. But we are the 510 00:27:51,359 --> 00:27:54,840 Speaker 1: highest users of Instagram within the Middle East. Literally, you 511 00:27:54,840 --> 00:27:59,200 Speaker 1: can ask Instagram this. We are hybrid communicators. But I 512 00:27:59,240 --> 00:28:02,840 Speaker 1: believe if we don't get this Islamic Republic out of power, 513 00:28:03,359 --> 00:28:05,639 Speaker 1: it's not just a how how many more days of 514 00:28:05,640 --> 00:28:08,080 Speaker 1: footage are you gonna watch? This is going to embolden 515 00:28:08,200 --> 00:28:11,520 Speaker 1: these people. And they've already like they already sent drones 516 00:28:11,560 --> 00:28:15,880 Speaker 1: to Russia. Right, They're just they don't care. They think 517 00:28:15,960 --> 00:28:22,840 Speaker 1: they can do whatever they want. Dangerous. I'm like, I 518 00:28:22,880 --> 00:28:26,720 Speaker 1: know I'm coming in all heavy. I'm like, I did 519 00:28:26,760 --> 00:28:28,119 Speaker 1: I have one more questions that you did say? You 520 00:28:28,200 --> 00:28:31,080 Speaker 1: have your memoir coming out. I'm working on it. Okay, 521 00:28:31,160 --> 00:28:33,400 Speaker 1: it is coming out. We don't know when. We don't 522 00:28:33,400 --> 00:28:36,160 Speaker 1: know when you'll you'll be the first to know. And 523 00:28:36,359 --> 00:28:40,040 Speaker 1: so for you being queer in your family and culturally, 524 00:28:40,080 --> 00:28:41,840 Speaker 1: how was that like as far as how they did 525 00:28:41,880 --> 00:28:46,160 Speaker 1: they accept that right away? Was it a conversation? I 526 00:28:46,200 --> 00:28:50,000 Speaker 1: mean I was emancipated at sixteen because we did not 527 00:28:51,480 --> 00:28:59,000 Speaker 1: have language. My parents have I would say deep levels 528 00:28:59,040 --> 00:29:02,239 Speaker 1: of trauma, you know, like people who are exiled from 529 00:29:02,280 --> 00:29:06,640 Speaker 1: their country. They don't fit in UM, they don't know, 530 00:29:06,920 --> 00:29:11,520 Speaker 1: they don't understand how to assimilate. They did not UM. No, 531 00:29:11,640 --> 00:29:13,440 Speaker 1: they were not good about they were terrible about it. 532 00:29:13,480 --> 00:29:15,440 Speaker 1: They know that they were terrible about it. They feel 533 00:29:15,720 --> 00:29:22,000 Speaker 1: badly about it. I have been through therapy and through 534 00:29:22,240 --> 00:29:24,000 Speaker 1: lots of other things, have done a ton of sort 535 00:29:24,000 --> 00:29:26,959 Speaker 1: of thought leadership and thinking about it. I think finding 536 00:29:27,440 --> 00:29:30,600 Speaker 1: empathy for people who've done you a little dirty creates 537 00:29:30,600 --> 00:29:34,560 Speaker 1: a lot of grace. And so we're actually pretty tight 538 00:29:34,640 --> 00:29:38,720 Speaker 1: right now. I've been tight for the past. We've been 539 00:29:38,720 --> 00:29:41,920 Speaker 1: tight for the past nine or somewhat years, ten years. Yeah, 540 00:29:42,080 --> 00:29:45,120 Speaker 1: that was part of the reason you were emancipated. It 541 00:29:45,200 --> 00:29:47,520 Speaker 1: was the reason I was emancipated. Yeah, I mean by 542 00:29:47,720 --> 00:29:50,920 Speaker 1: my parents were like, you cannot be gay, you cannot 543 00:29:50,960 --> 00:29:53,239 Speaker 1: be queer. This is not cool with us. We're not 544 00:29:53,360 --> 00:29:56,280 Speaker 1: we won't support you financially. And that's what they were taught. 545 00:29:56,840 --> 00:29:59,480 Speaker 1: So I think that's what they were taught. I think 546 00:29:59,480 --> 00:30:01,960 Speaker 1: they want to it in America. But I also think 547 00:30:02,080 --> 00:30:05,320 Speaker 1: that they did not expect me to be so stubborn 548 00:30:05,360 --> 00:30:07,600 Speaker 1: that I would take a trash bag, fill it with tuna, 549 00:30:07,600 --> 00:30:11,280 Speaker 1: fish and socks and a couple pairs of parents pants 550 00:30:11,280 --> 00:30:13,720 Speaker 1: and march out the door and never come back. I 551 00:30:13,720 --> 00:30:16,600 Speaker 1: don't I think they thought I would like change my 552 00:30:16,680 --> 00:30:19,800 Speaker 1: mind or something, or suppress it. Yeah, But I think 553 00:30:19,880 --> 00:30:22,200 Speaker 1: from the very beginning I was a bit of a 554 00:30:22,280 --> 00:30:26,800 Speaker 1: revolutionary personality. All the things I read about the things 555 00:30:26,840 --> 00:30:29,920 Speaker 1: I cared about. The music I listened to engendered and 556 00:30:30,000 --> 00:30:36,880 Speaker 1: emboldened my sense of being moj and so you know, 557 00:30:37,600 --> 00:30:40,880 Speaker 1: we've preyed on it. We've I think what's also helped 558 00:30:40,880 --> 00:30:46,000 Speaker 1: as my wife she's Iranian, and my son, I think this, 559 00:30:46,440 --> 00:30:48,400 Speaker 1: you know what's so funny. I think they were afraid 560 00:30:48,400 --> 00:30:51,120 Speaker 1: that me being gay meant I wasn't Iranian, that I 561 00:30:51,200 --> 00:30:54,480 Speaker 1: was like somehow dissing their culture. And then I think 562 00:30:54,480 --> 00:30:56,680 Speaker 1: when they realized as I was older, that I was 563 00:30:57,040 --> 00:31:01,480 Speaker 1: heavy Iranian, that they were like, oh, like, you still 564 00:31:01,480 --> 00:31:04,120 Speaker 1: love us. It's like some sort of weird trauma bond. 565 00:31:04,720 --> 00:31:06,880 Speaker 1: I don't know, my therapist, this is what I spend 566 00:31:06,880 --> 00:31:09,680 Speaker 1: all this money on. This is what I spent I 567 00:31:09,720 --> 00:31:12,400 Speaker 1: spend more money on this than I do vacation. How's 568 00:31:12,440 --> 00:31:14,240 Speaker 1: that you should try to get them to go too. 569 00:31:14,440 --> 00:31:16,760 Speaker 1: I have tried. I have begged, but they're live the 570 00:31:16,800 --> 00:31:19,640 Speaker 1: generation of like, how could you possibly tell about bigness 571 00:31:19,680 --> 00:31:22,840 Speaker 1: that they could tell other people that's right? And I'm like, no, 572 00:31:22,880 --> 00:31:25,920 Speaker 1: it's confidential. It's legally confidential, Like it's like telling your lawyer. 573 00:31:25,960 --> 00:31:28,440 Speaker 1: They're like, I don't tell a lawyer anything either. You're like, 574 00:31:29,000 --> 00:31:30,760 Speaker 1: how can they help you. I know what you said. 575 00:31:30,760 --> 00:31:32,160 Speaker 1: It's true about grace still because it's like one of 576 00:31:32,160 --> 00:31:34,040 Speaker 1: the biggest things I learned, you know, in regards to 577 00:31:34,120 --> 00:31:36,760 Speaker 1: my father's it's like, you know, you realize your parents 578 00:31:37,400 --> 00:31:40,040 Speaker 1: were people before they were your parents, and when you 579 00:31:40,200 --> 00:31:43,720 Speaker 1: find out their stories, it allows you to give them 580 00:31:44,000 --> 00:31:48,400 Speaker 1: a lot more grace. I think that, um, I never 581 00:31:48,440 --> 00:31:51,920 Speaker 1: trust a person that can't forgive, You cannot forget. Like, 582 00:31:52,560 --> 00:31:55,480 Speaker 1: my relationship with them is very boundaried, so I'm like, 583 00:31:55,920 --> 00:31:57,560 Speaker 1: this is what we do, this is what we can 584 00:31:57,640 --> 00:32:00,920 Speaker 1: talk about. They don't like it because I'm very like boundaried, 585 00:32:02,800 --> 00:32:07,120 Speaker 1: but there's a lot of love present, especially now. I've 586 00:32:07,120 --> 00:32:09,000 Speaker 1: never seen them so broken as I have in the 587 00:32:09,040 --> 00:32:12,280 Speaker 1: past eight weeks. It's almost like they're reliving this trauma 588 00:32:12,360 --> 00:32:14,920 Speaker 1: of exile. I think it's I always tell people, I'm like, 589 00:32:14,960 --> 00:32:19,800 Speaker 1: imagine you go on a trip somewhere for a few weeks, 590 00:32:19,880 --> 00:32:21,440 Speaker 1: and all of a sudden, the middle of that trip, 591 00:32:21,920 --> 00:32:24,360 Speaker 1: you're told you can't go back to your home, and 592 00:32:24,520 --> 00:32:27,800 Speaker 1: your home the streets have changed names, your schools have 593 00:32:27,880 --> 00:32:30,880 Speaker 1: changed names, all your stories that you love are closed. 594 00:32:32,440 --> 00:32:34,760 Speaker 1: And I think it's a lot to be exiled from 595 00:32:34,760 --> 00:32:37,200 Speaker 1: a place that you grew up in. I think that's deep, 596 00:32:37,240 --> 00:32:40,560 Speaker 1: and then it's demonized. I mean, look at the Ayatola, 597 00:32:40,680 --> 00:32:42,240 Speaker 1: Like yo, I look at that dude, and I'm like, 598 00:32:42,320 --> 00:32:46,520 Speaker 1: he it's hard to believe that that's you know, your country. 599 00:32:47,640 --> 00:32:50,360 Speaker 1: It's hard to believe. And look, I think a lot 600 00:32:50,400 --> 00:32:53,240 Speaker 1: of people felt that way about Donald Trump in this 601 00:32:53,280 --> 00:32:57,760 Speaker 1: country and what you've seen here, whether you like him 602 00:32:57,840 --> 00:33:00,880 Speaker 1: or not, you can't argue that this country has gone 603 00:33:00,920 --> 00:33:04,120 Speaker 1: in the direction of divisiveness and a lot more hate 604 00:33:04,120 --> 00:33:07,800 Speaker 1: present than before. And whether that's true or not, I 605 00:33:07,800 --> 00:33:10,440 Speaker 1: think that's just how people feel, right. That's why I'm 606 00:33:10,480 --> 00:33:11,800 Speaker 1: not looking for I do not want him back on 607 00:33:11,800 --> 00:33:15,200 Speaker 1: the campaign trail. Really, no, that's the last thing I want. 608 00:33:15,200 --> 00:33:17,680 Speaker 1: Do you think you can win? I mean, yeah, I 609 00:33:17,720 --> 00:33:19,120 Speaker 1: think you can win. But I don't want him back 610 00:33:19,160 --> 00:33:21,000 Speaker 1: on the campaign trail because every day we're gonna have 611 00:33:21,040 --> 00:33:22,840 Speaker 1: to hear about him in the news cycle. Every day, 612 00:33:22,880 --> 00:33:25,280 Speaker 1: it's gonna be something that's stern the pot. Every day, 613 00:33:25,280 --> 00:33:27,760 Speaker 1: it's gonna be more divisiveness. Like, I don't want that. Like, 614 00:33:28,600 --> 00:33:31,760 Speaker 1: I think I think it's unavoidable at this point. You know, 615 00:33:32,200 --> 00:33:34,480 Speaker 1: I think he's coming I think we need to be 616 00:33:34,520 --> 00:33:37,440 Speaker 1: prepared like we were for these mid terms. I think 617 00:33:37,920 --> 00:33:40,960 Speaker 1: we need to continue to support our local officials and 618 00:33:41,440 --> 00:33:45,080 Speaker 1: keep pushing through Congress and Senate and keeping heavy on 619 00:33:45,120 --> 00:33:47,840 Speaker 1: our judges to make the right decisions. But yeah, I 620 00:33:47,840 --> 00:33:50,840 Speaker 1: think a fight for freedom, for inclusion and democracy is 621 00:33:51,160 --> 00:33:54,160 Speaker 1: a global fight right now. You know, I think everyone 622 00:33:54,240 --> 00:33:57,200 Speaker 1: needs to put their foot on the gas. So I think, 623 00:33:57,240 --> 00:33:59,240 Speaker 1: I mean, you guys know like I'm heavy on a 624 00:33:59,360 --> 00:34:02,720 Speaker 1: run because I've been heavy on trans rights, gay rights, 625 00:34:02,760 --> 00:34:05,720 Speaker 1: you know. I mean, you know, I don't have to say, 626 00:34:05,800 --> 00:34:09,319 Speaker 1: but it's just like, fuck, I can't handle where we're 627 00:34:09,360 --> 00:34:14,480 Speaker 1: going as a global sort of thought leadership around women 628 00:34:14,560 --> 00:34:19,480 Speaker 1: in general. It just seems wrong. So ask me a 629 00:34:19,520 --> 00:34:23,280 Speaker 1: fun question. Please don't make me just answer these heavy questions. 630 00:34:23,320 --> 00:34:25,840 Speaker 1: You were here for them, an education we needed. This. 631 00:34:26,239 --> 00:34:28,840 Speaker 1: Can I do to help you? Guys? That's my bigger question. 632 00:34:28,920 --> 00:34:31,319 Speaker 1: You just did. Is there anything else we can do 633 00:34:31,400 --> 00:34:34,520 Speaker 1: as a group that we can help you just did it? Okay, 634 00:34:34,800 --> 00:34:36,680 Speaker 1: you can make some copies of those papers. I'm gonna 635 00:34:36,719 --> 00:34:38,480 Speaker 1: get you copies of this. I'm gonna send it to 636 00:34:38,520 --> 00:34:41,840 Speaker 1: you or something. I'll send it to you. Give you 637 00:34:41,840 --> 00:34:46,359 Speaker 1: a PDF I will send it to your friends, and um, yeah, 638 00:34:46,400 --> 00:34:48,360 Speaker 1: I mean I think people just need to keep paying 639 00:34:48,360 --> 00:34:51,640 Speaker 1: attention because if you look at these kids, they're mega inspiring. 640 00:34:51,960 --> 00:34:54,000 Speaker 1: I mean, that's I think that's the one. I mean, 641 00:34:54,560 --> 00:34:57,279 Speaker 1: you've seen all the rappers, You've seen their videos, You've 642 00:34:57,280 --> 00:34:59,319 Speaker 1: seen how much they love Drake, you see how much 643 00:34:59,320 --> 00:35:02,640 Speaker 1: they love Kendri Smart. It's like, I'm really trying hard 644 00:35:02,680 --> 00:35:04,720 Speaker 1: to get people from the culture to start to speak 645 00:35:04,800 --> 00:35:07,520 Speaker 1: up for these artists and activists over there who are 646 00:35:07,600 --> 00:35:10,640 Speaker 1: just living and dying through the lens of the music 647 00:35:10,680 --> 00:35:14,120 Speaker 1: that we make here, you know, And that's really what 648 00:35:14,600 --> 00:35:17,880 Speaker 1: that's really been our goal. So yeah, well, thank you 649 00:35:17,920 --> 00:35:21,200 Speaker 1: for joining us in appreciate you. Yeah. I don't even 650 00:35:21,239 --> 00:35:23,520 Speaker 1: work here and I'm here, so I mean, I when 651 00:35:23,560 --> 00:35:25,319 Speaker 1: I came in and saw you, I was I was like, 652 00:35:25,560 --> 00:35:30,799 Speaker 1: very flattered and happy this to you. What's going on 653 00:35:30,880 --> 00:35:34,640 Speaker 1: with you? No, No, she taught me from Martin. Right now, 654 00:35:35,080 --> 00:35:37,680 Speaker 1: she says she got a job. We don't believe it's 655 00:35:37,760 --> 00:35:40,160 Speaker 1: that's in January, okay, but they will not let me 656 00:35:40,200 --> 00:35:41,960 Speaker 1: get off this show. I've been trying and it's a 657 00:35:42,000 --> 00:35:44,000 Speaker 1: lot of work. I'm doing double duty right now. I 658 00:35:44,640 --> 00:35:50,240 Speaker 1: saw your new show and working here. Are you having funky? 659 00:35:50,280 --> 00:35:53,200 Speaker 1: I'm ready to go okay, but I'm glad to have 660 00:35:53,239 --> 00:35:55,440 Speaker 1: been here for this conversation. Thank you for having me. 661 00:35:55,480 --> 00:35:58,640 Speaker 1: I'm glad you're mister big Time now. You're all doing okay. 662 00:35:58,880 --> 00:36:01,440 Speaker 1: God is good and you are just killing on all 663 00:36:01,480 --> 00:36:04,440 Speaker 1: of your business endeavors and making your family happy. My 664 00:36:04,520 --> 00:36:07,759 Speaker 1: wife is good, I know, and that's beautiful. My wife 665 00:36:07,840 --> 00:36:10,640 Speaker 1: is good, not my life. My wife is. That's really 666 00:36:10,680 --> 00:36:13,319 Speaker 1: all that matters. I appreciate you guys so much. I 667 00:36:13,360 --> 00:36:16,360 Speaker 1: love you guys so much. Without any asking, You're like, 668 00:36:16,440 --> 00:36:18,600 Speaker 1: please come, I know what a huge audience you have, 669 00:36:19,000 --> 00:36:21,759 Speaker 1: Please please, please, anything I can do, And for all 670 00:36:21,840 --> 00:36:24,240 Speaker 1: the listeners you can go to the Lincoln the Bio 671 00:36:24,640 --> 00:36:26,359 Speaker 1: and we are more than happy to spend the next 672 00:36:26,360 --> 00:36:29,799 Speaker 1: few days just answering questions at MJ at MO chess right. 673 00:36:30,040 --> 00:36:30,840 Speaker 1: Love you guys,