Are We The Most Racist Of Them All?

nothing special. i was thinking of Americans` efforts in reforming Shintoism half a century back. Here is a time fragment :

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6 Aug 1945 Hiroshima.
9 Aug 1945 Nagasaki.
15 Aug 1945 Failed coup attempt.
2 Sep 1945 Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu signs the instrument of surrender aboard the USS Missouri.
27 Sep 1945 Emperor Hirohito of Japan meets with SCAP Douglas MacArthur.
1 Jan 1946 Hirohito publicly renounces his divinity.

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Pakis destroying pakis in protest against Denmark.... this is what madrassa education does to people.....:)))


http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006 02 16 story_16-2-2006_pg3_1

School and college boys had entered the streets with clubs in their hands. It was obvious that the march was planned to be violent. The way they set about breaking the cars and then setting fire to them was no spontaneous response to provocation. ......The destruction was planned and the boys knew what they had to do. Many had handguns, which they fired. On Davis Road in fact they got together in a phalanx and fired their guns in volleys.

re:#90 by hasanmahmood
I used to respect Islam but after this cartoon controversy, i need to revise that opinion. Hindus may smell of spice but they do not go around killing people and rioting just because somebody portrayed caricature of hinduism (which, btw, is rampant).
You guys are just pathetic. There is no other word.
For people like u, the following letter should be an eyeopener. The letter is written by a Paki woman now living in USA.
(Pakistani viewpoint
Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor,

I was saddened to read the letter of Javed Altaf in the Milpitas Post dated Feb 2, ``Text clashes extremist, moderate Hindus.`` As a woman from Pakistan who immigrated to the United States, I would like to tell everyone that there are people in Pakistan who do not show such hatred toward others.

I grew up in Pakistan and we were always taught to hate India, Israel and America. Our school books described Christians, Jews and Hindus as evil people, and unfortunately most Pakistanis exhibit a lot of hatred because of this. I was ashamed when Pakistanis celebrated on the streets after innocent people were killed in the Sept. 11 attacks. Even when I got my passport, I had to sign a statement on the application form that I consider the leader of Qadiani group of Muslims to be an imposter and his followers to be non-Muslim. I felt uncomfortable signing it as I somehow thought it is a hateful thing to do. To all Qadiani brothers and sisters, I wish to apologize on behalf of Pakistanis and say I am truly sorry I signed the statement.

Fortunately, I had the chance to leave Pakistan and find freedom in America. Now, I do not have to cover myself with a burqa.

I learned that one can be a good person even without being a Muslim and I got the confidence to question Islam. Islam is an artificial religion of medieval Arabs. Why should I accept any religion that forces me to wear a burqa and prevents my education?

Mr. Altaf`s letter talks about caste system in India. I want to point out that the caste system is alive and well in Pakistan as well. It is hypocritical of Pakistanis to talk of a caste system.

The people of Pakistan are no different from the people of India except that we are born into Islam. This unfortunate difference gave birth to Pakistan, which has the dishonor of being created as the world`s first religion-based country. We should never have left India because forming a country based on religion tells the world that we are hateful people. Please tell your readers that not all Pakistanis are hateful people.(my comment: where is Manto? He should read this!)

Ironically, my own life has been one where the differences between Indians and Pakistanis have been buried. After leaving Islam, I searched for spiritual peace and met a wonderful man who is a Hindu from India. Today, he is my husband and I find that I have a lot of freedom. Women in Islam do not have any freedom and four women are considered to be equal to one man. I realize that I would not have had the opportunity to meet my husband had I not come to America and got my freedom. There are many women like me who long for freedom. I sincerely wish I could do something for my sisters or that America would liberate my sisters but without hurting the people.

Meher Unnisa

Upland, Calif.)
Sridhar

re:#73 by kaalchakra
I also do hope Bollywood has grown out of stereotypes but such stereotypes (getting fun by mocking at other`s appearance or way of speech) are common in India. I do find Bollywood slowly growing out of this tiresome habit!
Sridhar

re:#81 by jang
I do agree with your post but believe me when i say: it was tough for a Tamilian like me growing up in Delhi surrounded by Punjabees. Today (living in US) all that is a pleasant memory to be cherished but it was difficult.
Sridhar

re:#84 by swarrier
I am impressed by your knowledge!
You are right in saying that Afghanistan was fomerly called Avaghana (during the Vedic times). It later was or formed a part of what was called Bactria. It was a place where sages congregated once a year for a spiritual marathon! Later, it became a great center of Buddhism and Gandhara art.
Look what has become of it today!
Sridhar

re:#107 by HP
You are just being stupid.
At least hindus, despite their varied religious practices, do not kill each other on religious grounds. Shias and Sunnis regularly kill each other in Paksitan.
Most of the religous texts of hindus have been interpreted and reinterpreted and brought to modern times. You will hardly find any hindu going nuts over depiction of their Gods in bad light (barring some nutcases in RSS/VHP). The diverse views and opinions as well as practices has endowed tolerance that is found in few other religions.
Sridhar

Re: # 104

HP cutie
I mean there is an I in Pakistan . Even you write it so. Now why do I care whether PayAlifKafStan has an I or not. Though I`d say Alif has an I. You know as well as I do that the land of the pure never contained such things. Be nice you made it up right now....

Googling is good for the soul. It enables one to find mines of information. They even invented a new type of ball in cricket. It`s and off break bowled with a leg break action ... Even you figured out what Sanatana Dharma was.... Isn`t that nice. Did you do your googling today. And no poor invading Afghani gave us such words. We figured it out ourself. Not like your Alif Bay Gulf of Cambay Aleph Null etc etc... Even that script had to be picked from Arabic and Persian. Be original child. Follow your own dream

Now why should Hindus have any identity crisis. You call us Hindus. We are free to call ourselves what we want. We are free spirits. Look no priests if we don`t want them, no gods (yes we have atheist philosophies) if we don`t want them , no books setting rights or wrongs.
Just some meanderings of old folks ..... Its a free for all. And Indians have never had one identity. Why would you be satisfied with one.? Variety is the spice of life old chap.

We`ve at least been trying for one identity since 1947. Seems to me you depend on us for yours. I am not Indian, not Hindu etc. boo hoo hoo......
Now come on be a good boy and admit that you are trying to find an ``I`` in identity.

Have a single malt, have two ... three..... Warm the cockles of your heart.
I raise my glass to you.

Salut.

S

#119 by swarrier

I am glad that you are a fast learner…Seems like you were working overtime to figure out my habits or it is just a new nick for convenience? Nai jam lai purany shikary!

Anyway the point I was making was that there was no name for what we today call Hindu.

Hindu in Persian actually means dark. Since you can really Google the non existing “I” in Urdu and in Pakistan, then it should not be hard for you find that out. My Persian is little rustic but I know Hindu=dark.

So those racist Persian called Hindus darky or dorky (just my spin) and you are gladly taking that as a badge of honor.

I am glad you can identify with word Hindu that is okay for you as a person but how a religion is called “Hindu” or dark? Unless you know....

“The use of the word `Hindu` in connection with a particular religion is of very late occurrence (Nehru, The Discovery of India, (New Delhi: 1983), pp.74-75).”

Now if this religion existed as ONE religion before Muslims took over the beloved India, what was it called? Obviously, it was not called Santana Dharma or some Vedic Dharma or even Baharat Dharma.

Basically, Hindu, as we call them now, had no precise word for their religion because there was no one religion. It was all about pagan rites and rituals.

Btw, malt is not my style….

For one thing Qadiani`s don`t like to be called one. They are like to be mentioned as Ahmedi.

For Meher Unnisa, I am glad she found love. It dosen`t matter what religion he belong to. If we are going to believe in her logic then tehre will be no progressive Muslim can be found in the world. Well we all know its not true. I happen to be an Indian hindu and there is a lot of pressure from my family to get married to a guy who speaks our regional language. Somehow I fell in love with a Muslim man and now converted as I hate the caste system. There some defects in Islam like all religions but educated persons and families can find a way around. IMy husbands family put great emphasis on women progress. In his family women work along side by men. Where did she found that four women = One man I guess she is reffering to witness in which saying of two women equals one man. Well Modern MUslim is not that naive to follow the Nomadic traditions. Look at Turkey, Indonesia, Eatern European Muslims and see what are they following. They don`t have to abandon Islam to be progressive. For once and all I have to clarify full pardah is not a requirement for a Muslim women. It is cultural thing and it was followed by all locals at the advent of Islam. See Prince of Egypt where all people Jews and others are wearing similar clothes like Arab national dress. In which religion nudity is tolerable. You have to cover your head if you go to religious place. Don`t you?

The life Meher Unnisa talks about is not due to being a Muslim but must be imposed by her family.

Re: # 114

I donot have time nor energy to find out when did this article become forum for hatred between Hindus vs Muslims or Indians vs Pakistanis. There are some misconceptions spread about Muslim women which I thought should be removed.

Anyway to get a full picture about women in Islam see this site

MUSLIM WOMEN ON THE MOVE

Re: # 120

``Hindu in Persian actually means dark.``

Should not you learn Sindhi vocabulary first before venturing into Persian vocabulary?
So what it was spoken by your darkie ancestors!

Re #120

We will take with good grace whatever you choose to call us - dorky, kaffir, butparast, hanud, bipolar factoid junkie

Regards

#91 by hasanmahmood

[Does the term ``Bollywood`` ring a bell. Maybe hindus came up with it and the word ``Hollywood`` came later :). Truth is you guys will always try to be like the people who ruled you.]

And you guys would always imitate Indians, even though you wouldn`t want to talk about it in public because that would negate everything that Pakistan ever stood for. Care to explain why the Paki film industry is called ``Lollywood``?

Re: # 120
[I am glad that you are a fast learner…Seems like you were working overtime to figure out my habits or it is just a new nick for convenience? Nai jam lai purany shikary! ]
Nope I get to the computer on odd occasions. Spend more time soldering things in the lab. No I`m new to chowk. Naya Shikari , Naya Shikar. You brighten up my day HP . I`ll miss you if you go away.
[So those racist Persian called Hindus darky or dorky (just my spin) and you are gladly taking that as a badge of honor.]
Of course Hindu can mean dark in Persian or as in Hindu-e-Falak (google got this for me ain`t that good) or black of the sky. But apparently it`s supposed to also mean Saturn. Isn`t that good then? We are up there above the poor Persians frowning down on them . Besides some of us like being black you know. ``Krishna`` is the dark one just as his other name Shyam. We like different colours. White is so banal. Like those little worms that scurry around under stones don`t you think. Don`t be colour conscious. If you didn`t have black how would you know what`s white. And white has to be composed of other colours you know. VIBGYOR and all that sort of thing.

[Basically, Hindu, as we call them now, had no precise word for their religion because there was no one religion. It was all about pagan rites and rituals.]
Don`t you understand this HP. This is the good part. Our god (if such a thing exists) is nameless , formless,
exists , does not exist. Isn`t that great.
Now calling things pagan is very bad. You are learning things from Judaism and Christianity once again as you r co-religionists did before . Tch Tch.....I suggest you go off and read Maxime Rodinson.. You might learn a bit more of your own ilk. Paganism is good. Wasn`t it those pantheistic pagan Greeks that gave the world Democracy or some such thing. You know , off with the people, 4 the people (very Malayalee pronunciation) , buy the people. etc etc... And look such monuments to Diana, Meenakshi , Aphrodite, Menaka lovely women all......

If malt is not your style what is... Lassi. I could drink to that too. I could offer you South Indian payasam or even our own country hooch made from palm toddy. You`ve got to admit some of these Hindus sorry Darkies cooked and brewed well.

As the famous Shoba De of Stardust used to say in Neeta`s Natter, Miaow from one cat to another till the next post.

Keep smiling.

Re: 117
By the way rshridhar , the Asiatic Society in Bombay has some really good books on languages etc. The bit about Avaghana was in a book written by some Brit . I can`t remember which one but its also quoted in the Encyclopaedia Brit ..

S

Re: # 125
well, Bollywood represents the cream of Indian people (especially in looks). Lollywood (or whatever term is there) represents nothing but prostitutes and the scum of our society. So basically they were expected to come up with nothing more than an idiotic response. But from such esteemed people who every Indian imitate, it was kind of surprising. By the way you guys do anything else nowadays other than dance and sing? Don`t you feel embarassed when mothers come on television and all they want their daughters to do is to dance in front of everyone. I am pretty sure now it is considered a talent to be as naked as possible in front of everyone.