Music is a universal language. One that has the power to foster unity and help overcome our differences as people.
This week I was heartbroken as Mohsen Yeganeh, a beloved artist in the Iranian community’s song surfaced filled with bigotry, hate, and anti-Semitism. A couple of months ago, when I initially heard he was having a concert in Los Angeles I was so excited and immediately purchased my tickets to his concert, as I was a huge fan of his music.
After I heard the lyrics to his song, Galeye Karkasha, meaning the bevy of vultures I was shocked. Mohsen described the Jews as vultures and depicts Israel as a child-killing nation, flashing misleading graphic images of maimed and dead Syrian children, and burns the flag of Israel in his video.
Lyrics to the song: A flock of vultures arrived (meaning the Jews), looks like they have found new dead bodies. In the name of finding a new home, they suffocated a nation again. Their peace is a symbol, means one million soldiers. Anywhere they see a conflict their zealous weapon is out. They place two triangles on top of one another and they put a new name on the city. They say that they are getting ready for attack near this area, and they moved with happiness. They cut the flowers there with their claws and teeth. People get ready it is too late, the olive garden is dying, pray on Friday afternoon, that your land shall be taken back.
I myself am a Baha’i Iranian who fled Iran shortly after the Iranian Revolution because my family suffered persecution along with other Iranian religious minorities and I am speaking up.
The Persian-American Jewish community is outraged by the anti-Semitic lyrics and propaganda sung by Mohsen Yeganeh. Many people wonder why Iranian Jews, and others who have faced persecution in their countries, are such ardent supporters of Israel. It is simply that Israel is the only safe haven in the world for the Jewish people, religious minorities and the only source of democracy in the Middle East. As a country in the Middle East committed to the free practice of religion for all, regardless of religious affiliation, Israel stands as an oasis of religious freedom in the Middle East.
Jews have faced discrimination and persecution everywhere they have tried to live around the world. Their persecution did not begin with the establishment of the state of Israel but rather has existed for centuries due to their Jewish identity.
Mohsen’s callous response that “he was 19” “the song was never officially released" and "that it doesn't matter because his concert is almost sold out" is not enough for me.
Many of the members of the Iranian Jewish Community feel attacked and uncomfortable supporting an artist like this. It is my greatest hope that in the future music will be used as an instrument of unity rather than bigotry. I am speaking up as an Iranian Baha’i because if I don’t speak up for others being persecuted who will speak up for me?