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| Iranian-Americans Hold Unique View of US Election |
| 2012-11-04 |
| Some 1.5 million Iranian-Americans live in the United States and 85 percent of them are citizens. Morad Ghorban directs policy at a nonpartisan Iranian-American interest group. He says polls show that Iranian-American support for President Obama is down 10 points from 2008, when he first ran, mostly because of his policies toward Iran. "When you look at party identification and affiliation it seems like President Obama will still get the majority, if not the plurality, of Iranian-Americans in this election," he said. "Fewer Iranian-Americans today approve of Obama's handling of the Iran issue in his foreign policy than they did in 2009, but the majority, about 55 percent, say they intend to vote for him." Less support for Obama does not translate into more backing for Mitt Romney. A 2012 poll by Zogby Research Services showed only 13 percent of Iranian-Americans are Republicans. Behnam and Arian (who don't want their full names used) are younger U.S. citizens eligible to vote, just like the vast majority of Iranians in the United States. They say the tensions between Tehran and Washington, and the perceived threat of possible military action against Iran, have influenced their thoughts on the election. "This issue has a major effect on their psyche. The question of whether or not there will be war on their native land where relatives still live, and [they] wonder if all the places their loved ones routinely gather around will continue to exist," said Behnam. |
| Posted by:Au Auric |
| #3 I work with an ex-Iranian who fought against the Iraqis then got thrown in the slammer for punching out a revolutionary guard guy who wanted a customer in his restaurant to cover her face. After 30 days he was pardoned for his war efforts and they threw him out of prison. In the snow. Naked. He's Christian. He's really excited about voting - his first time. He knows who to vote for the White House, but said he needs to study up on all the other choices he has to make. He knows more American History than most high school civics student. Interesting - he says the Iranians do not recognize his US citizenship and would arrest him if he went back. But he has no interest in going back. Ever. Works his tail off and says he owes this Country "everything". Vote for Obama? Notachance. |
| Posted by: Bobby 2012-11-04 16:49 |
| #2 Mikey, I think many of those Iranians in the Valley are also Jewish. |
| Posted by: Penguin 2012-11-04 09:29 |
| #1 I gotta disagree. I live in an area that has a major Iranian population (San Fernando Valley) Almost to a person they are passionate in their support for Romney. Signs in shop windows. Bumper stickers...etc everywhere. Unless they are totally faking it, I have to think their support for Romney is well over 80-90%. Most are ex-pats who fled a totalitarian system being imposed in Iran and aren't eager to experience life under another such administration here in the US. Very conservative people for the most part. |
| Posted by: Mikey Hunt 2012-11-04 00:30 |