Ali and Ray are young people living in Iran, whom I met a few years ago.
Ray (short for Rayhan) was a computer science student and a martial arts enthusiast.
Ali worked as a waiter at a high-end restaurant, and was remarkably articulate and broad-minded.
Despite the vast geographical and cultural distance between us, we shared a common language no less than classmates would. We spent our time joking around, trading jabs, sharing music, and even arguing.
From them I learned how deeply they love Iran — and how desperately they long to see it free from the fanatical dictatorship that rules it.
---
When I started learning Python, I wanted Ray and Ali to join me in a shared study group. The course cost $15–20, which in Iran at the time was equivalent to roughly a third of an average monthly salary.
I paid for the course on their behalf and sent it to them as a gift code to redeem — which made me, in their eyes, a true friend even more than before.
Time passed, and Ray disappeared from the internet.
Ali still keeps in touch with me occasionally, as we share thoughts on the latest developments between Israel and Iran.
---
In my younger years I made many friends from all over the world, mostly people my own age. Even though life moved on and we're no longer in contact, I still care about them — and even miss them.
The Iranian people in particular are, for the most part, good and decent people. The solution to the Iran problem is not a military one — it is simply to help them replace a regime that unequivocally does not represent the will of the country's majority.
---
We have been witnessing lately a wave of Israel-hatred online, especially among young people.
We are quick to label them antisemitic and irrationally hateful, and it's easy to understand why.
And yet, from my own personal encounters with such young people, what they mostly suffer from is a genuine lack of knowledge and a great deal of indoctrination. I found it easy to win over even the most committed Israel-haters through straightforward logic, humor, and a measured dose of wit.
At the end of the day — we are all human beings.
*Pictured: me, Ali, and heart emojis. After the missile attack from Iran.*