With the necktie making a bold and colourful comeback in the Islamic Republic of Iran, a senior official is calling for a ban on importing the gentleman’s accessory, which conservatives still regard as a symbol of western decadence…
Asghar Hamidi’s views on the dress code are not taken lightly: he doubles as the head of a state plan for the “development of culture, chastity and the veil”…
Hardliners have finally embraced sexual equality – by cracking down on men as well as women. Hundreds of men have been sent to “guidance classes” on how to behave in society. Among other things, this means not sporting elaborate western-style haircuts, using hair gel, plucking one’s eyebrows or wearing sleeveless shirts…
The scale of the sweep against sartorial immodesty has worried some senior regime officials. They are concerned it could provoke a backlash at a time when Iran is under external pressure over its nuclear programme and Mr Ahmadinejad faces domestic discontent over spiralling food and housing costs. Some parliamentary deputies have demanded to know why the police should spend time arresting young people for dressing immodestly instead of devoting themselves to fighting drug addiction and serious crime.
Theocracies. You gotta love ’em!
Thanks, K B
These are the people who want a Nuk plant for hydro.
The sooner this Nuk plant is blown of the earth. The better off the earth will be.
Hey, as long as they wear “a dinner jacket”, I guess they’re good to go.
For different reasons, I agree that we could do without the necktie, men plucking their eyebrows (yechh!), and hair gel.
I guess even “teh evil terr’sts” are getting tired of a wardrobe designed in the 6th century.
I hate neckties. I hate neing forced to wear one when I go for interviews or formal occasions. I hate the way people with neckties are instantly ‘assumed’ to be respectable.
Iran forced people with threats of violence, the west forces people with implied threats of exclusion.
Either way, we’re all slaves of something.
Silly Aryans. As a side not… Canada is now looking to enrich uranium.
If the Iranian government really wanted to be taken seriously, it should convince its people to wear their pants around their knees. I am surprised that the American President hasn’t adopted the fashion style.
This is just Iran’s stealth policy to adopt a more casual dress code.
First, ban neckties. Then suits. And then every workday is casual.
But do it under the mantra of identity politics to ram the policy through.
Are they banning the wearing of neckties, or just the importation?
A necktie is a perplexing piece of clothing. One’s perception can be that of a noose. Another a phallic symbol. Now I understand the reasoning behind the bearded man, but not wearing deodorant in such an arid climant is truly absurd. Quite frankly, terroristic.
I’ve got a necktie for Mr Ahmadinejad to wear. It’s made of rope.
How progressive! I think it’s kind of funny that we (are forced to) wear ties here in the “civilized world”, because basically it’s a stylized bib. How many businessmen would be taken seriously if they wore an actual bib everywhere, rather than a tie?
The reason is simple. Your leader is a megalomaniacal crazy person. Remove him and his looney toons party from power and institute a democracy. That should make dumb mandates like this one go away.
Idocracies… you gotta love them.
In response the White House announced today that “Casual Friday” will now be followed by “Pant-less Saturday” and “Thong Sunday”.
“which conservatives still regard as a symbol of western decadence…”
Only a nutjob from Iran could think if tieing a noose around your neck is decadent.
And yes I realize I spelled it differently to change the meaning. It’s part of the joke.
green said
Silly Aryans. As a side not… Canada is now looking to enrich uranium.
Awesome! I look forward to Canada being nuked. Maybe film work will come back to LA then.
OvenMaster
I’ve got a necktie for Mr Ahmadinejad to wear. It’s made of rope.
And why is that? Oh, never mind. I forgot. The TV told you to think that way.
You should look into the human right abuses of some of our “allies” like Saudi, Turkey and Israel. They are no better than Iran. Why don’t they offend you. Oh, yeah… again, I forgot. The TV never told you to be offended by them.
Exercising his right to free speech. They are democratic already.
I am with #1, #10 and #17.
To JPV:
And who told YOU that Israel and Turkey are like iran?!
Oh, I forgot your extreme leftist liberal uni professor!
Or even better – the suicide bomber palestinians who shout out loud that every christian is a mix of a dog and a pig!
Or maybe the BBC?!
Wait a minute, wouldn’t that be showing more skin in public?
Oops. I was wrong – we’re talking about men here. It’s only the women they subjugate and stone to death through clothing laws.
#18: actually, the “no ties” rule is the only sane rule the Iranians ever made. I’d prefer not to wear a necktie ever again.
I wear a necktie every day. I am not forced to, I LIKE to feel well dressed, to hell with what anyone else thinks about my attire. On the other hand, the street bums stay away from me, the police NEVER ask me what I’m doing, if I am walking fast as though I’m in a hurry, people just get out of the way. Things aren’t this way when I wear t-shirts and my leather jacket. Street bums assume I smoke and won’t leave me alone, the police always want to know what I’m up to and I can’t get up the street without being bumped aside by people I am EASILY capable of killing. The bottom line is if you want to be respected, LOOK like you deserve it.
what #25 said. How do you respect a man if he dresses like a boy, anyway? A tie is definitely a uniform conformity thing, but in business that isn’t neccessarily a bad thing. I go to trade shows all the time in suits and get treated far better than my competitors walking around in polo shirts.
Why do people hate ties so much? I don’t get it. It’s not that uncomfortable, and the image it portrays is an image of power and respect. Who doesn’t want that?