Lets Destroy The Bamiyan Buddhas!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/south_asia/newsid_1209000/1209051.stm
Pakistani intellectuals call for reconciliation

In the Pakistani city of Lahore more than forty professional people have signed a charter to promote democratic attitudes and fight against religious and sectarian divisions.

The charter is to form the basis of a new intellectual movement, known as the Stability Forum, whose members includes newspaper editors, university professors, writers and business leaders.

The BBC correspondent in Lahore says none of the signatories to the charter owes allegiance to any sect or political group -- and this qualifies them to work for national reconciliation in a country with a history of political and sectarian polarisation.

In response to amitg (Reply # 99)
Dear Amit:

I suspect that you assume too much. I don’t normally condemn. Condemn and condemnation are too strong words for me. Any human action that hurts the feelings of “other” people is not acceptable to me, in principle. However, I personally do not believe in saving a statue or a masjid at the cost of human life.

In real human relations, it is sometimes impossible to think and act sensibly. This is what has been happening in “our” part of the world for quite some time.

In my lexicon, unnecessary and uncontrollable emotionalism is nothing but ignorance and sickness. Unfortunately, societal ignorance and sickness cannot be quick fixed, especially in a unequal and unjust world order. Aren`t we facing a gigantic challenge in our ordinary lives? If yes, let us focus on issues facing humanity in a more humanistic way.

Sincerely, Bilal Ahmad

In response to jay (Reply # 96)
Dear Jay:

I wonder how your post is related with the content of my last post (Reply # 91).

The Two Nation Theory was a political-strategic ideology constructed by a few (both Muslims and Non-Muslims) in pre-Partition India. From the South Asian Muslim political perspective, this theory first exploded when a large number of Indian Muslims decided to stay in India (and thus not become the citizens of Pakistan). This theory exploded once again when erstwhile East Pakistan decided to become an independent nation-state. In my view, even contemporary Pakistan is not really a nation-state – it is a multinational/multicultural state-nation. This a reality that we all need to come to grips with.

In my Reply # 91, I was talking about the citizenship rights of people. If the purpose of your post is to show that citizenship rights were/are violated in Pakistan and not in India, then you are grossly mistaken. Both India and Pakistan are sailing in the same kind of boats with some differences. It is very hard to predict who will persistently reach the shore without much damage to the life and property.

You are well aware of my critique of the situation in Pakistan. I am also concerned about the future of the people of India. Both India and Pakistan have to go a long way.

Sincerely, Bilal Ahmad

Latif Chappu #73:

Nice explanation: preaching to the converted, though:)

Feroz badmash is counting the last days/hours of his freedom. Entering the matrimonial penitentiary for life or death (!) March 10. (Good luck and best wishes S. Keep him coming here. We will keep him honest!)

To refill a drink, where just catching the bar tender’s eyes would do, Feroz habitually yells out the whole order --- where one sentence suffices he would use no less than five.

My comment covered this and more.

Excessive, verbose, long, hazy on logic or brilliant (in the sense he had sweeping bits offending everyone) and hoping one of the wide receivers jumping up there would grab the ball in the mele. And indifferent; hence the grin.

One last one before time runs out.

regards,

t

sb,

You question was why should Taliban listen to the workd opnion.

Well...because the world feeds those black soul dogs. If it weren`t to western (the great satan) food aid, 90% of those animals would have been dead by now.

#79 macgupta

I listened to the interview with Junger. He made some astonishing points: (1) Pak army regulars are fighting alongside the Taliban & (2) By this summer, Pak support will diminish and Massoud will be on his way to victory. If (2) comes to pass, it seems to me that Pak is riding a tiger it cannot dismount. If the Taliban is defeated, Pak will have another (very) hostile neighbor, severe unrest in Baluchistan and Taliban refugees in Pak pushing the polity there even more to the extreme. India, I am afraid, will suffer as well, since a defeated Taliban can focus more on Kashmir.

I`d like to hear the opinion of the army types out there.

In response to # 89

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Dear Eklavya,

No I aint a Hindu (if you mean to say

the Hindu in regular sense) I am Pakistani No doubt and was born to a Muslim family.

I strongly beleive that one of the only

way to co-exist in this world and in sub-contenent is to respect the people with different ideas. Try to acheive peace and calmness in the soicety.

A view from,

FirstSlip

Response to # 101

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Dear tahmed321,

No thats not what I think when I am guarding first slip position at that time I prefer thinking about Cricket. You love my ``spellings``

thanx ... Wish I could have said same about your ``ENGLISH !``

A view from fist Slip,

Dear Bilal Ahmed:

We have all a lot to learn from you

Sincerely, Shammi

Reply to tahmad321 #84

``The Taliban forced their way to power, and have shown no indication that they need to be elected.``

I guess tou will say the same things to Chinese revolution. They forced their way in. No election. Since when election (Democracy) became the de-facto mode of government. Kingdoms and communism still exist today. So if Talibans formed a revolutionary government what is wrong with it. O yes, I see it is wrong in your frame of reference. So as democracy which is wrong in Talibans frame of reference

``4 million Afghans have voted with their feet and left the country - there are 50,000 in Hamburg alone, I was told today by a man who used to live in that city. Hundreds of children died of cold and starvation. ``

This is how revolutions happen. French, Chinese, and Establishment of an Islamic State in the life of Prophet Muhammed PBUH are good examples. Systems are changed only by paying the price in blood. In China and in France a lot of people who do not conform to the change left the country at that time. Think about American revolution where American Minute-men fought with British Army and forced them to leave the American Continent. Lot of men, women and children lost their lives or shall we say ``voted by their lives.``

``Even as the Taliban are making waves destroying statues, thousands of Afghans are dying of starvation and cold in the North. The Taliban may seem crazy, but they are crazy like a fox: easy to divert everyone`s attention from the mess the have made by showing off their ``Islamic fervor`` (actually it is satanic, nothing to do with Islam, what they are doing). ``

It is a war of the systems. Democracy and Communism on one side and Islamic system on the other side. When Mecca came under Muslim control for the first time, Prophet Muhammed PBUH himself broke all the idols sitting inside Kaaba numbering 360 in total. He did not sell them to Kafirs nor he made any appologetic remarks. He simply broke them all by his own hands. Why?? Because that was the change he was bringing. Idol worsip has no place in Islam and Kaaba was to become center place for Muslims thus all the idols were broken. Similarly, when system got changed in some of the russian republics, Stalin statues were broken because they symbolized a different system.

``The foggy sense of morality of many well-off people in Pakistan (and your post and FR KHans article are good examples) is the reason why countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan (and India too) continue to be insensitive to the worst kind of injustices (helpless and innocent women languishing in jails, the rich fleecing the country, and so on) while remaining to slights to their precious pride due to articles in Western newspapers. The US is not perfect by any means, but imperfections are freely debated and reported and actually fixed here. In Pakistan and other such countries, the tendancy is to hide imperfections and to ridicule anyone who brings them out or to question their motives.``

My friend, again the foggy sense you are talking about people like me is in your frame of reference. In my frame of reference it is crystal clear. Talibans are still in the preliminary revolution phase. Once they are given a period of complete peace of lets say 50 years and even if they fails and do not establish a perfect Islamic government then you can blame them. USA has almost 200 years of peace and they are improving their system ever since. Will you not give talibans even 50!

Asfand Siddiqui

Sacramento CA

Re: Truth

You are more than justified in raising your voice in anger against this senseless act. Would like to see this blind idiot lynched.

Re:hinduism

Here are my two pennies about hinduism. Hinduism should actually be called ``Sanatana Dharma`` (or the everprevailing religion).There was no name to it initially(``What would you name something that was the first to arrive on the scene`` was Shankaracharya of Kanchi`s refrain when asked about the real name of this religion). It can also be called ``Vedic Dharma`` (code of conduct as per the Vedas-the sacred book of Hindus). The Greeks and later the Arabs gave it the present name. Hinduism is really a way of living. There is no single book or a single God. Do we consider Shaivites (followers of God Shiva,the more popular God in the South)as seperate from Vaishnavites (the followers of God Vishnu,more popular in the North). In the old days,the 2 often fought for supremacy. There is now an understanding among all hindus that all these Gods are same and represent different aspects of one single God (or Brahman). So you will never find hindus ever fighting over their gods despite having a zillion ones to choose from. Since there is nothing as a last prophet, prophets have been born upto the present age,interpreting and reinterpreting the sacred texts,putting them in the right perspective,in consonence with the modern times. Nobody ever fights over the message of Geetha or the Vedas.

Of course, all this has nothing to do with the culture. Culture of north is vastly different from the South. A South Indian muslim resembles his hindu counterpart more than he resembles a north indian muslim. He dresses the same way and speaks the same language. Culture is determined by the sum total of your experiences in one geographical area.

On the other hand, there is a common thread flowing through this ancient religion that binds the hindus from all over the country: this is in the form of common legends,mythologies,common deities etc. All this go to make the religion complex for an outsider but really very simple to follow for a hindu (here i am not talking about the customs and taboos).

sridhar

re ferozk and rsaxena

Obviously I never supported Bill Clinton and found his personal character and political agenda at a 180 degree variance with my views. Nonetheless, he was my president and I never ever called him `sleazebag`, `idiot` and other assorted names. Such name calling is one of the symptoms of our political culture in South Asia where politics is considered a zero sum game. So when you gentlemen use the innuendos that you do to describe a man who was elected (I guess Ferozk you didn`t get the latest from the Florida review) my president, it is only fair for me to take exception with the words used. It is the old liberal game of attacking a person when they cannot attack policies. It backfired with Reagan and it will backfire again. Reagan went on to become the (and this is from last month`s Gallup) ``most popular president`` (surpassing Lincoln) while nobody remembers or cares for the conductors of the symphony orchestra of liberalism like Tip O`Neill and Dukakis and John ANderson(nominal republican).

As for Bush`s foreign policy team, at least he has a team. Clinton had a revolving door of whoever walked in with the biggest contributions. Yes, I have confidence in the Powell-Cheney-Rice-Rumsfeld team because they are proven experts. Find another Republican team that comes close. And by the way Ferozek, Teddy Roosevelt`s big stick policy worked in keeping the peace. You may not recall but he is one of the few Americans who got the Nobel Peace Prize-a prize that ususally goes to assorted left wing activists otherwise.

Ferozk #94 ``Yaar, as a fellow GOPer, I have to disagree with you!...I think that George W. Bush is a certified idiot! ...He has given us Bush, but seriously, yaar, America does not deserve this idiot and I feel for America having to suffer this moron for the next four years!``

Must warm your tummy, yaar, calling the President of the US an idiot and a moron, yaar. After all, isnt that what all the Anglos (and you are one them now, yaar, and a proud member of the GOP no less) are saying as well, so it must be true, right yaar. This means you, yaar, must be really smart. Too bad your article indicates the opposite.

Re: Temporal

Ah... I see.

Well, in that case the Hail Mary`s quite appropriate. He should throw while he can cuz he`s gonna have to completely abandon the passing game from here on out!

In marriage it`s all about eking out couple-three yards each down.

If I was Feroze I`d get ready for some down & dirty smash mouth trench fights.

ahmadb #105:

I do not wish to needlessly further the argument about what is/is not condemnable/worth raising a voice. To each his own. Suffice it to say that no human life was at stake in the case of the statues and hence no trade-offs were made.

This issue deserves more than a general experession of sadness/helplessness considering the potential ramifications.