Iranian Americans: Victims and life savers in San Bernardino, punished by US Congress

Dec 16, 2015

Society , Iranians in Diaspora

Michael M. Neeki, DO, during a training exercise

Recently CNN reported that among the first medical responders to the scene of the San Bernardino terrorist attack was an Iranian American emergency room doctor at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center's trauma center, Dr. Michael Neeki, who is also a member of the local Inland Valley SWAT team. He arrived at the scene of the massacre suited up in his military boots, helmet and bulletproof Kevlar vest, and carrying his assault rifle. Without waiting for the rest of his SWAT team, he also grabbed his medical pack and headed into the unknown. Neeki says his combat experience in his birth place, some 30 years ago, while defending Iran against the US-backed invasion by Iraq's Saddam Hussein, has helped him prepare for such stressful situations.

Dr. Neeki, center, Iranian American doctor who doubles as a member of the SWAT

A Washington Times news article refers to this as "Armed Iranian doctor rushes to shooting victims — as American as it gets."

Sadly, there was also an Iranian American among the 14 victims of the attack. Bennetta Betbadal, a Chemist, was born in Iran and immigrated to the US at age 18 and was killed during the massacre at San Bernardino. She has left her husband (a Police Officer) and three children behind.

Betbadal (third from left) and her family

According to the 2010 US Census data, Iranian Americans are among the most educated immigrant populations in America. An estimated 50% of the one million Iranian Americans live in California. Although the attackers in San Bernardino were of Saudi and Pakistani descent, but the US Congress is now debating a politically motivated bill to punish dual-Citizenship Iranians by excluding them from visa waiver programs.

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