Petition to Expel Adjunct Professor Rob Sobhani from Georgetown University
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Author:
n/a -
Send To:
Georgetown University, Office of the Provost
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Sponsored By:
Iranian-American Community -
More Info at:
Georgetown University
Office of the Provost
Professor James J. O'Donnell
Suite 650, Bunn Intercultural Center
Georgetown University
Washington, DC 20057-1014
Voice: 202-687-6400
FAX: 202-687-5103
email : [email protected]
Dear Professor James J. O'Donnell,
It should be brought to your attention that one of your professors, Mr. Rob Sobhani, has been slandering Iranians on repeated occasions. On May sixth, at a seminar sponsored by the Hudson Institute and the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C., and again on May seventeenth, at the University of Washington in Seattle, Mr. Sobhani delivered a speech that included a very damaging, untruthful, and anti-Iranian statement. The specific comment of concern can be found below, highlighted and in bold.
Rob Sobhani: "There's a young lady here in the United States who is in her mid thirties. She's a Deputy Secretary of Education in the United States, an American Iranian. That same 30-something in Iran has to prostitute herself to make ends meet."
Mr. Sobhani's irresponsible and inappropriate statement implies that Iranian women are prostitutes, however competent they might be. His allegation is both false and malicious. What is more, the statement was made on two separate occasions, indicating that its use was not a careless, accidental, or isolated incident but was part of a systematic, deliberate attempt to defame a targeted community.
The Iranian-American community is outraged. Legal action against Mr. Sobhani is under consideration.
Where Georgetown University is concerned in this matter is in the extent that the institution supports Mr. Sobhani, financially, academically, and publicly. Mr. Sobhani has been hurting the Iranian community for years. The offensive and profane comment in question is only one example of Mr. Sobhani's persuasive technique. His manner of argument uses the degradation of the image of Iranians to that of a helpless, backward people as a tactic to gain support for his political agenda. The consequences of Mr. Sobhani's method are that he demonizes the Iranian people, generating hate, racism, and prejudice. By hiring Mr. Sobhani, Georgetown University is providing him with a platform from which to speak and to propagate his views. Mr. Sobhani's public presence and authority as an "expert on Middle Eastern affairs" is founded on the academic prestige of a Georgetown University professorship. In giving Mr. Sobhani's voice legitimacy, Georgetown University contributes to his anti-Iranian campaign.
We, the undersigned, request that Georgetown University expel adjunct professor Mr. Rob Sobhani and to ask that Georgetown University publicly announce that the institution does not support or share Mr. Sobhani's views.
Office of the Provost
Professor James J. O'Donnell
Suite 650, Bunn Intercultural Center
Georgetown University
Washington, DC 20057-1014
Voice: 202-687-6400
FAX: 202-687-5103
email : [email protected]
Dear Professor James J. O'Donnell,
It should be brought to your attention that one of your professors, Mr. Rob Sobhani, has been slandering Iranians on repeated occasions. On May sixth, at a seminar sponsored by the Hudson Institute and the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C., and again on May seventeenth, at the University of Washington in Seattle, Mr. Sobhani delivered a speech that included a very damaging, untruthful, and anti-Iranian statement. The specific comment of concern can be found below, highlighted and in bold.
Rob Sobhani: "There's a young lady here in the United States who is in her mid thirties. She's a Deputy Secretary of Education in the United States, an American Iranian. That same 30-something in Iran has to prostitute herself to make ends meet."
Mr. Sobhani's irresponsible and inappropriate statement implies that Iranian women are prostitutes, however competent they might be. His allegation is both false and malicious. What is more, the statement was made on two separate occasions, indicating that its use was not a careless, accidental, or isolated incident but was part of a systematic, deliberate attempt to defame a targeted community.
The Iranian-American community is outraged. Legal action against Mr. Sobhani is under consideration.
Where Georgetown University is concerned in this matter is in the extent that the institution supports Mr. Sobhani, financially, academically, and publicly. Mr. Sobhani has been hurting the Iranian community for years. The offensive and profane comment in question is only one example of Mr. Sobhani's persuasive technique. His manner of argument uses the degradation of the image of Iranians to that of a helpless, backward people as a tactic to gain support for his political agenda. The consequences of Mr. Sobhani's method are that he demonizes the Iranian people, generating hate, racism, and prejudice. By hiring Mr. Sobhani, Georgetown University is providing him with a platform from which to speak and to propagate his views. Mr. Sobhani's public presence and authority as an "expert on Middle Eastern affairs" is founded on the academic prestige of a Georgetown University professorship. In giving Mr. Sobhani's voice legitimacy, Georgetown University contributes to his anti-Iranian campaign.
We, the undersigned, request that Georgetown University expel adjunct professor Mr. Rob Sobhani and to ask that Georgetown University publicly announce that the institution does not support or share Mr. Sobhani's views.
639 Signatures
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Farid J
- Comments
- Mr. Sobhani is a fanatic
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Mohammad T
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Changiz P
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Bobak E
- Comments
- shame on mr. sobhani
- Address, Zip Code
- 72 Italia Ave., Tehran 14166, Iran
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Ali L
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ali m
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NinaKalhor
- Address, Zip Code
- 94115
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Babak
- Comments
- Dr. Sobhani not only wants Iran to get bombed to be "free", he also wants Azeris to break away from Iran. While there is prostitution in Iran, making blanket statements is dangerous, and unfair.
- Address, Zip Code
- 91326
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samira m
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Jalal N
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Mark
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Ali A
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Mehrdad M
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Sonya M
- Comments
- I take personal offense in the comments made by Professor Rob Sobhani.
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HoomanTabrizi
- Comments
- Please expel Professor Sobahni. I have heard his interviews before, and am quite familiar with this negative and false view of the Iranian community. I strongly believe a legal action should be taken against this induvidual.
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Payandeh I
- Comments
- Dr. Sobhani is a man of integrity and his views are supported by majority of Iranians.
- Address, Zip Code
- 4419 N. Scottsdale Road, #121 Scottsdale, AZ. 85251
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Tima P
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Soheil
- Comments
- Iranian Support!
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Suri D
- Comments
- Rob Sobhani has insulted and slandered Iranian women. Those who defend him by pointing out his right to free speech, should be reminded that the right to free speech doesn't include the right to INSULT or SLANDER.
- Address, Zip Code
- я
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hengamh a
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Hamid Y
- Comments
- disgusted by the comments
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Amir Harandi, M
- Comments
- As an Iranian American physician, I am outraged to be represented by MR. Sobhani. I would recommend legal action against MR. Sobhani and I hope that Georgetown University with sever all relations.
- Address, Zip Code
- 10 Amsterdam Avenue, apt #1101 NY NY 10023
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Bahman H
- Address, Zip Code
- Seattle, WA
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Gholam H. Pezeshkpour, M
- Address, Zip Code
- kaiser Foundation Hospital, Fontana, CA 92335
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Mehdi M
- Comments
- Making blanket statement like this is dangerous and unfair.
- Address, Zip Code
- Mill Valley, CA 94941
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Ali Y
- Comments
- Iranian women make up more than half the University Students. The only prostitute is someone who has to change his Iranian name to Rob and advocates military attack on Iran,
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Yasaman M
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Amin F
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Soheyl R
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Masoumeh S
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Cameron N
- Comments
- You're all against Rob Sobhani, just because he is a Baha'i.
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Babak T
- Comments
- Freedom of Speech is a right. Even the speech he has chosen to use. The important question for Georgetown University is: Do you wish to be represented by this man?
- Address, Zip Code
- Manhattan, KS
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sherli s
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Yousef M
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Grand Ayatollah K
- Comments
- Rob e dayus bro ghomsho avazi to fatawa nadadam doddolet ro be boran!
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Behrang S
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kazem
- Comments
- no comments on Rob Sobhani needed, everyone knows him!
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M. S
- Comments
- Raw politician has BIG MOUTH, SMALL HEAD, AND LOOSE END!
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Mehregan N
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Bahar H
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Ray R
- Comments
- He gets paid to tell these things, and I am really sorry for him. Not only he should be expeled from the previlage of being Professor of such a great university, but also he must be brought to the Justice!
- Address, Zip Code
- Washington, DC
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Alfred H
- Comments
- This guy does not meet the requirement of representing Georgetown University and also American or Iranian peaceful people, please get him out of the university!
- Address, Zip Code
- MD
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David Sardari, PhD, P
- Comments
- I really am sorry for you.
- Address, Zip Code
- Los Angeles, California
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Ehsan S
- Comments
- This is not the first time Rob Sobhani is making this sort of remarks.
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sherwin f
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Bahman A
- Comments
- К
- Address, Zip Code
- К
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W.Rogers
- Comments
- Sobhani; Please introduce your sisters and mom to us!
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Faye F
- Comments
- Get rid of him!
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sara K
- Comments
- This is absurd. He must be removed to stop these horrifying and false comments
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Khosrow G. D
- Comments
- If what is mentioned in the petition is true Mr. Sobhani should be ashamed of himself . He is a Terrorist of Characters and Cultures. I personally do not recognize him as an Iranian. His statement is an insult to all Iranians including his own family. I rcommend that Georgetown University investigate and take the disciplinary actions in this matter.
- Address, Zip Code
- Chicago, Illinois
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639
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