# Memo to Iranian government, re: 300 **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 16, 2007, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memo-to-iranian-government-re-300/396212 "2007-03-16T16:02:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memo-to-iranian-government-re-300/396212/1 "2007-03-16T16:02:29Z")
Guys, before you started griping that the movie _300_ defamed the noble people of Iran with its negative portrayal of ancient Persians, an easy 98% of Americans thought Persia was an imaginary land made up by Disney, not one based in what is now Iran. Before, next to nobody in the US would’ve made the connection but now, thanks to the millions of dollars of free publicity you’ve given the film, Americans can now both be entertained and feel like they are sticking it to President Ahmadinejad. (sarcastic slow clapping) Well played. Maybe next time you will keep your big yaps shut but, if past experience with groups that brought more attention to things they didn’t like is any indication, you won’t. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memo-to-iranian-government-re-300/396212/2 "2007-03-16T16:10:22Z")
I think you’re wrong to assume that people paid any attention to the complaint - most of the audience for The 300 is probably action movie-lovin’ kids, who are not really that geopolitically active - but it’s still a stupid complaint. And fuck the Iranian government anyway. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memo-to-iranian-government-re-300/396212/3 "2007-03-16T16:42:31Z")
I always love it when stupid shit like this comes back to bite people on the ass…and I have to admit, that it happened to our pals the Iranians is just a bonus. 😛 (BTW, I was one of the appearently 2% that DID know that the Persians were from those parts 😉 ). -XT ---
**Author:** ![FordPrefect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@FordPrefect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordPrefect)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memo-to-iranian-government-re-300/396212/4 "2007-03-16T16:46:18Z")
[QUOTE=xtisme] (BTW, I was one of the appearently 2% that DID know that the Persians were from those parts 😉 ) [/QUOTE] Me too! And I am not even American. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memo-to-iranian-government-re-300/396212/5 "2007-03-16T17:08:16Z")
Wait, those Persians are actually Iranians?! We must avenge the 300! Bomb Iran! [/sarcasm] ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Plastic\_Ninja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f07891/32.png) [@Little\_Plastic\_Ninja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Plastic_Ninja)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memo-to-iranian-government-re-300/396212/6 "2007-03-16T17:10:56Z")
[QUOTE=Pleonast] Wait, those Persians are actually Iranians?! We must avenge the 300! Bomb Iran! [/sarcasm] [/QUOTE] Also, since the Spartans were Greek and democracy came from Greece, then the Spartans were Americans! It follows! Because the current conflict is EXACTLY like Thermopylae, consisting of a massive number of Persians attacking a tiny army of Greek warriors in an attempt to conquer the continent. So many parallels. do I have to put in here somewhere that I’m not being serious? ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memo-to-iranian-government-re-300/396212/7 "2007-03-16T17:11:59Z")
I can’t imagine what demographic would both A) see this movie AND B) allow it to affect their opinion of Iran. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memo-to-iranian-government-re-300/396212/8 "2007-03-16T17:21:15Z")
You know, personally, up until this point I really thought of Iran as a great place full of people and leaders that do great things. Frankly, I was considering giving up my citizenship and boarding a plane over there next summer. Not only is it clean, safe, and with tons of opportunities for women, I also hear there are just oodles of jobs in the nuclear sector. But then I saw the 300 and now I don’t think I can think of Iran the same way. I mean, I just can’t believe that they would do that thousands of years ago. I can’t be part of a people that enter into violent and dastardly wars in the past. So instead, I think I’m going to move to Mongolia, because I hear the Mongolians have a virtually colorless history. I’m excited! ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memo-to-iranian-government-re-300/396212/9 "2007-03-16T17:40:37Z")
As ancient empires go, the Persians were pretty decent, so I can see why it galls their descendants to see them cast as the bad guys. On the other hand, Iran host Holocaust-denial conventions, marched waves of children to clear minefields and hangs teenage homosexuals by pulling them up by the neck on industrial cranes, so fuck 'em! ---
**Author:** ![black\_rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@black\_rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_rabbit)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memo-to-iranian-government-re-300/396212/10 "2007-03-16T17:51:42Z")
In other news, NAMBLA’s giving the producers an award, for positively portraying the historical contributions of pederasts in the war against Middle Eastern aggression. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memo-to-iranian-government-re-300/396212/11 "2007-03-16T18:15:15Z")
Be thankful the movie wasn’t a cartoon. ---
**Author:** ![Andrew\_Bird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/da6949/32.png) [@Andrew\_Bird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andrew_Bird)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memo-to-iranian-government-re-300/396212/12 "2007-03-16T18:43:54Z")
[QUOTE=DiosaBellissima] You know, personally, up until this point I really thought of Iran as a great place full of people and leaders that do great things. Frankly, I was considering giving up my citizenship and boarding a plane over there next summer. Not only is it clean, safe, and with tons of opportunities for women, I also hear there are just oodles of jobs in the nuclear sector. But then I saw the 300 and now I don’t think I can think of Iran the same way. I mean, I just can’t believe that they would do that thousands of years ago. I can’t be part of a people that enter into violent and dastardly wars in the past. So instead, I think I’m going to move to Mongolia, because I hear the Mongolians have a virtually colorless history. I’m excited! [/QUOTE] Too bad there are no jobs in nuclear sector in Mongolia. Have fun being unemployed, dumbass. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memo-to-iranian-government-re-300/396212/13 "2007-03-16T18:51:18Z")
[QUOTE=gonzomax] Be thankful the movie wasn’t a cartoon. [/QUOTE] “Hassan Chop!” has already been done. “Back…! Back…! Back…! Down…!Down…!Down…! Mine…!Mine…!Mine…! I’m Rich…! I’m a Happy Republican…!” ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memo-to-iranian-government-re-300/396212/14 "2007-03-16T19:05:48Z")
[QUOTE=Andrew Bird] Too bad there are no jobs in nuclear sector in Mongolia. Have fun being unemployed, dumbass. [/QUOTE] Jeeze, **Andy** , you really ain’t all that bright, are ye? That faint sound you’re hearing? That’s **Diosa** ’s post whooshing past, WAY over your head. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memo-to-iranian-government-re-300/396212/15 "2007-03-16T19:10:57Z")
[QUOTE=dropzone] Jeeze, **Andy** , you really ain’t all that bright, are ye? That faint sound you’re hearing? That’s **Diosa** ’s post whooshing past, WAY over your head. :rolleyes: [/QUOTE] Then, he’ll post in the shade! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memo-to-iranian-government-re-300/396212/16 "2007-03-16T19:14:17Z")
[QUOTE=Andrew Bird] Too bad there are no jobs in nuclear sector in Mongolia. Have fun being unemployed, dumbass. [/QUOTE] Jesus, what a yutz. Also, “300” isn’t a cartoon? Since when? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Andrew\_Bird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/da6949/32.png) [@Andrew\_Bird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andrew_Bird)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memo-to-iranian-government-re-300/396212/17 "2007-03-16T20:04:40Z")
[QUOTE=dropzone] Jeeze, **Andy** , you really ain’t all that bright, are ye? That faint sound you’re hearing? That’s **Diosa** ’s post whooshing past, WAY over your head. :rolleyes: [/QUOTE] Or the sound on my post flying over your head. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memo-to-iranian-government-re-300/396212/18 "2007-03-16T20:11:04Z")
**DiosaBellissima** is into nuclear research? I always had her down as an accounting type… ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memo-to-iranian-government-re-300/396212/19 "2007-03-16T20:12:29Z")
[QUOTE=Andrew Bird] Or the sound on my post flying over your head. [/QUOTE] Okay, this should be a laugh. What were you saying in your post? ---
**Author:** ![Waverly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/57b2e6/32.png) [@Waverly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waverly)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memo-to-iranian-government-re-300/396212/20 "2007-03-16T20:20:39Z")
Iran might be geographically located near what was once the Persian Empire, but the present day Iranian regime has about as much in common with ancient Persia as a gold-chained, New Jersey born, Italian American has in common with a Roman Senator: Nothing. The first error here is acknowledging that Fundamentalist Iran resembles Persia in any meaningful way. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memo-to-iranian-government-re-300/396212.md?page=2)