What's a Persian???

A friend of mine moved to California a few years ago (she's back on the Right Coast now), and we were talking about what her then-teenage daughter was experiencing in the California public schools.

She was talking about the various cliques in the schools, and she said something about the "Persian" students.

I was like, Persians???

What's a Persian???

Now, I'm not totally ignorant.

I  know there was a Persia.

I also know that Persia no longer exists!


In fact, when I go to Wikipedia and search for "Persia," it redirects me to IRAN!

Now, I'm pretty liberal, and I'm ordinarily the first to recognize the right of people to be called what they want to be called (as when we Negroes became "black" and "African-American", and all the steps in between).

But...

How can one be a "  Persian"  if there is no Persia?

Once a country officially ceases to exist, how can a non-existent country be the grounding for one's identity?

I mean, for all I know, my ancestors came from ancient Mali.

Am I a a Malian (or whatever an occupant of Mali was called)?

There was a Mesopotamia and a Babylon.

Have you run into any Mesopotamians or Babylonians lately?

I wouldn't think so.

Persia, as a country, is gone. 

Iran exists.  Iraq exists. 

Persia does not exist.

If there's no Persia, there really can't be any Persians--logically speaking--can there???

There are Persian rugs. 

There's a Persian language.

There may be a Persian culture.

But, there aren't any Persians.

Not anymore.

Sorry...

No Persia, no Persians.

I'm just sayin'...!