Are We The Most Racist Of Them All?

#19 sadna, #28 anil

Yours are well-intentioned comments each but (in addition to being impractical) they happen to be off-the-mark.

Chauvinism does not come through the language and it does not go away by learning more languages. Some of the most prejudiced individuals have been highly educated literary scholars (the example of Gore Vidal comes to my mind (I am not an expert on him)). And knowing many languages does not get rid of narrow-mindedness. An argument can be made that this site is teaming with chauvinists – everyone of which knows at least two languages (English in addition to their own) – what has changed over the last 7-8 years? (Go back and look at the earlier postings – the answer is – precious little.)

It’s little to do with any part of the culture. Chauvinism begins at home. And the knowledge of language (the vehicle) is not a prerequisite for the understanding of cultures – it used to be so once – but in this day and age the language is simply an appendage of the culture.

From the communication point of view – which is the original purpose behind having a language, Hindi and Urdu are more similar than different (in spite of the more recent attempts to emphasize on and to artificially and consciously build upon the differences) – people who know one of these have rarely difficulty understanding the spoken version of the other. Yet the chasm remains between the communities that claim each as their exclusive mother! The chasm remains – because its underlying poison gets injected (in my view, more among the Muslims of Pakistan, some of whom have invested too many of their emotions into what I consider a mirage and as that mirage continues to recede – such individuals continue to beat upon those hot sands in frenzy!) and then it gets reinforced through repetition – and demagogues (both in uniform as well as in civilian clothes) take advantage of it!

These are miraculous times when it is possible to learn about other cultures (or big parts of those) without what used to be the absolute necessity of having to learn their languages.

As technology evolves, enlightenment is sure to follow – the only question is will it come in a timely manner for our brethren on the other side of that border?

Some Terminologies for Chowkies

It is observed that Chowkies use many terminologies in addressing each other in the interactive forums. They are generally limited to Moron(mostly used), Stupid, Fool and Idiot.

Here are some more for them :-

Bonehead, Dummy, Dullard, Dunce, Buffoon, Duffer, Jackass, Sucker, Fathead, Nerd, Clown, Joker, Screwball, Wag, Madcap,Duckegg,Pinhead,Baboon.

Or try this subcontinental stuff :-

Ullu, Nalayak, Bevkoof, Gadha, Pagal, Khat-dimag, Pajama, Lallu, Be-akal, Akal-ka-dushman, Akal-key-paidal, Akal-key-kacchey.

racism exists where people have time to rant their neighbours, the local government, the mohallas, the chowks where people gather in the evening.
Unemployment masala is racism, into which adds the grapevine too.

Congratulations Rakesh Mani.
It takes guts to show the dirt in our own belly button.
Over a century ago when people of the Subcontinant were taken to Africa and other colonies initially as indentured labourers to build the railways or what ever else the British wanted us to do, we saw the indigenous people there as Blacks, although some of them were lighter skinned than us and yet we immediately created a new race—Kaaria, Kaaley, Nehrey etc!
A century later the chicken came to roost in the form of Idi Amin and other riots against us in many parts of Africa.
Still old habits die hard!
Although I understand, scientifically there is no such thing as a Race, but racism has its own meaning. Example:
Many years ago Filip Wilson, an Afro-American comedian accidently dropped his white handkerchief on the stage floor while walking off the Stage. His manager, a white man bent to pick it up. Filip immediately turned round to face the audience and quipped “this is the first time a white man went cotton picking”. The statement was an enormous hit with the audience!
By the way are Desis and Pakis two different races? No no don`t bother to answer. The posts have made it clear.
Rashid

Yo Snarky

If Zeena says she is NOT desi - then she is not desi.... what`s your problem with that?.... let pakis be just pakis - no need to further confuse an already neurotic group of people.... it works better for everybody.....

Dudh ka Dudh, pani ka pani - Desi ka Desi, Paki ka Paki..... :)

Re:zeena#24

[...All I am standing up for is, I am Pakistani, nothing else, no desi shesi....]

Desi is a catch-all term for all South Asians. It is does not deny anyone`s nationality. Its like calling someone a European even though he may be French, German, Italian etc.

I know you are from NWFP and probably think you are some kind of a gori superior to all of us desis. Unfortunately for you, in the west, we are all desis, irrespective of how fair or dark your skin is.

Re:Zeena#20

[...No, Pakistanis are absolutely not racists like Indians...]

I noticed how conveniently you ignored my point of Pakistani racism against Bengalis leading to 1971. Did 1971 occur or not? Did West Pakistanis treat Bengalis with extreme racial bias?

If you deny this, either you are completely ignorant of your country`s history or are so blinded by jingoism that you will not even acknowledge historical facts.

As far as Mohajirs are concerned, please ask my friend Salim Chauhan, who frequents this forum. He is from Karachi and can give you first hand account of the bitter racism and oppression he encountered growing up in Karachi.

By the way, I admire your nationalistic fervor. Believe me, I am also very nationalistic about India. However, that does not mean that I will deny the weaknesses of India and where we are lacking as a country.

harimau
Please, read my posts with clarity of your mind. I am saying pakistan is a mixture of different races chained in one identity , called Pakistani. Do you have a problem with that?
Why?
I am surprised, why?
Tell me Pakistan and India are not two different countries? yes, of course they are. Then why Pakistanis should have same identity as Indians? In that case, why all this separate nation issue? Why two nation theory?

As for as some stupid brits mixed up Indians and Pakistanis, that is their retardedness, I am not responsible for thier moronish behaviour. All I am standing up for is, I am Pakistani, nothing else, no desi shesi. I have my own solid identity, which is separate from India, Iran, Afghanistan, China, etc, etc.

Re: # 24
I second the opinion. Pakistanis in-house are never stringent inter-racist, but Pakistan has been let down by the foreign lobbies.
Pakistan is wanted to be seen deplored in crisis politically, economically, culturally. The influx of cultural entertainment is to target the ignorant masses.

Pakistanis need leadership and associated coverage - there are many Lakshmi Mittals in Pakistan, unreported. What is reported is unfound rape cases.

Ref Zeena #14

[No, all Pakistanis are not one race. But, all Pakistanis are chained together through this beautiful chain of nationality called Pakistani, which is their only idnetity. Once, they are Pakistanis, then all other races are left far, far, far behind. Thanks]

Hey, I thought the chain was something called Ummah and you are all connected to the camel jockeys of Saudi Arabia.

No race in Pakistan, eh? How about those Sayyids, you know, the direct descendants of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) Himself?

How about all those named Taimur or Genghiz? Aren`t they the descendants of conquerors of yore? And how about people with Persian names like Pervez (pronounced in the English language as `Perverts`)?

I think you have got plenty of races within Pakistan. Ask a Sindhi or a Baloch what he thinks of a Punjabi.

Re: # 23
Ask a Pakistani what he thinks of as Punjabi and you will get a hateful response. As a Pakistani I can tell you there is a lot of racism in Pakistan and anyone who says otherwise is absolutely 100% wrong. But hey we might be the camel jockeys or whatever but we still dont smell of spices :)

Re: # 92 hassan
[....But hey we might be the camel jockeys or whatever but we still dont smell of spices :)...]

Fine - so you smell of camel p!ss :)..... anyway - I thought only arabs are known as camel jokceys.... are you an Arab?

Ref Zeena #11

[I don`t have any problem with this word,``desis``. The point I am making is, this word is absolutely used for Indians. I am not Indian, so, why should I use this word for my identity.]

You are right. We are desis; you are a Paki.

Now, would you make the difference clear to the skinheads of London who beat up Indians thinking they are Paki-bashing?

#17 ranjit
No, Pakistanis are absolutely not racists like Indians.

Mohajirs were plundered and looted by Hindus in 1947 and then they migrated to Pakistan. Pakistan has wellcome them with open arms. They were never treated inferior in any aspect. Sorry, your presumptions are wrong. President is Mojagir, PM is mojagir. so. what is left?

Re: # 20

zeena, you are right you are not a desi. You are a pakistani painDu. You belong to FATA and the panchyat culture. Non-painDu Pakis like raw_dust are trying to get you out of your goat-herding background and give you opportunities to migrate out of your backwardness. New Jersey is your new home. Be thankful and quit itraa-ying (ask an Urdu speaker what itraa-ying means).

Non-painDu Pakis are desis with close ties with Hindus and Hindustani culture. You are not a desi by virtue of your goat-herding background, but non_painDu Pakis are. You share your Paki-ness with non-painDu Pakis like MNI, who in turn share their desiness with Indians like arjun and Gandhi.

PaniDu = people from pinD.

I think N. Indians need to learn one S. Indian language as part of their regular curriculum. That will rid them of their Hindi chauvinism(my own mother tongue is Hindi btw).

Also each year should be celebrated by govt., educational institutions and general public as the year of 4 chosen states, one from each South, North, East and West during which those states` arts, literature, culture, language, history, tourism, etc is celebrated by the whole country. The next year should be the year of another 4 states. It shouldn`t be left to chance or circumstance for Indians to know about each other.