"Politics and sentiment don't mix."
The most intriguing path for me to traverse first is one that leads to religious sentiment. It seems to me that the words of Marji's father express an unrealized dream. For if politics and sentiment didn't share the same governmental cage, the country would be a different place. Her father remembers Iran before the revolution, when the nation's politics weren't as enmeshed in religion.
Though, as we have seen through our own eyes, it is truly impossible to keep the two entities separate. (Remember prayers for rain in our state's capital?) Not to say that that's a bad thing; in my personal opinion, faith is a strength. But as far as I'm concerned, no faith should be forced on anyone (I am perfectly content to read my Bible while you study your Koran). Iran should stand as a cautionary tale - what could happen if the separation between church and state totally dissolves.
History seems to require frequent glances at the rearview mirror. We must constantly examine our successes and failures so as to proceed forward.
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