The Future Is Another Country: 2050 And Beyond

...lynch mobs, gential hair, zapped cell phones (really, anNy) and mussarat nazir....and i thought i was having a frazzled week...

Well - all you need to do is go back to some of the old interacts from circa 98/.... to see how much the the quality&direction of posts has moved (degenerated??) from a cultured aspect. Everything is so in-your-face/personal/driven-to-draw-blood. And the funny part is we are all here to interact - we can get the same response w/o all the ugliness.

But I feel - it is totally a persons prerogative how they handle something ie.. a persons strenght is hardly expressed by whether they stay back or run away!!

This train dont stop there anymore - has anyone heard this song??

aicha

Reply anNy #475

“…kuch tau khuda ka khauf karrain.”

Indeed.

Going from what I’ve read on chowk, it is my opinion that if there is a post from a man to a woman in which the woman is abused using vulgar language, the man posting would call himself a Muslim if asked. I’ll go further: I cannot recall a post from a non-Muslim man on chowk, in which women were abused in this manner. As a Muslim man, I find this disturbing, and feel this is something that Muslims need to think about – what is it in our world view which can allow some men to think that women who do not agree with some of their viewpoints do not have a right to be treated decently? I think this is a valid issue for a Muslim to be concerned about. I think making it into a ``points for Hindu/Muslim`` thing just avoids the issue.

You say you don’t agree with me on this? That an equal number of non-Muslim men on chowk are as likely to use vulgar demeaning language towards women? Fair enough. Can you give me examples where non-Muslim men on chowk have called women: kanjars, hijras, transvestites, too ugly to have sex, only fit to be concubines, female dogs, and some choice anatomical words we don’t need to spell out here? If you find them, are they as common as similar posts from Muslim men? How many, if any, of these posts was followed by a decent apology?

Best wishes,

Zafar

PS Everyone picks their issues. If you feel that more respect for religion is something that is needed on chowk, then you should call people when they post things which are offensive. It essentially doesn’t bug me, so I don’t. Ditto with the Hindia/Heeng Oozing/Pukistan/Roachistan chakkar.

sadna #481 you write ``whether to attack the person they disagree with, or make some effort to explain their reason for disagreement``

OK, here is where I disagree with you:

1. ``Pukistan`` and ``Pukistanis``: I believe it is very rude to address anyone - even complete strangers on chowk, even people from countries with which the country you come from does not enjoy good relations, even people of other religions - in this manner, or to talk disparagingly about other people`s beliefs, ethnicity and so on. You or anyone who does not respect such basics of human interaction can then go on and say very knowledgable and clever things, but I for one have no more interest in what that person has to say.

2. The last sentence on point 1. makes moot remaining points I may have raised about any particular issue.

Salaam all,

Wow...I`ve been so buried in papers and essays I haven`t been able to indulge in my Chowk addiction and just caught up with the lastest thread...I have appreciated the thought and time put into some of the recent posts re: online behavior. Since its 10:00 and I can barely see straight, please bear with some comments before this board is bumped off the page...

Scout, anNy

Both of you bring up some good points; yes, of course there are interactors of all backgrounds who write what appear to be mean and stupid things. I would argue that the interactors who have identified themselves as Indian or Hindu interactors have not written specifically towards women-and this perception after my brief year at Chowk. Scout, anNy, if either of you have had another experience, then of course, I concede to your experience. By and large, self i.d.`ed Indian interactors have tended to write stupid things about Pakistan-and if they, in my perception, have established themselves as stable, fixed interactors, I think they also need to think about their Pakistan bashing posts. I recall a few monthes ago, that in the middle of escalating tension in Pakistan, there were some quite malicious posts-and yes they were offensive to me. In those cases, unless I felt really p.o.ed at the post, I ignored them. Btw, I agree that Farzana Versey has received her share of half witted responses by self identified Indian interactors.

I asked Urstruly to think about his comments because he had established himself as a writer on Chowk and has tirelessly presented his perspective. Whether I agree with his positions or not, I respect him enough as one consistant a voice in this dialogue. I def. don`t agree with some of his representations of Hindus or Indians, or Sadna for that matter. So be it. I can`t do anything about it, but I will object to some of his comments.

I myself have stooped to giving two interactors ``a taste of their own meds``. But, as Zafar pointed out, its only been two males who are extremely invested in and expressive about their prejudices and misogyny for a very long time, and lets be honest, who have they been?

Scout, Zafar, as to your comments re: harassment.

I don`t think it boils down to ``strength``. I mean, what is ``strength`` when someone is constantly hounding you from board to board? Why must we always be the examples of silent, reproachless behavior, as female interactors? Isn`t that another stereotype or gender trap? There is an entirely different dynamic that some interactors use when trying to silence female interactors based on shame, ridicule and questioning identity, gender, loyalty, Muslimness, etc....why not call them on it?

As for Rsax, Ali, and Stuka`s interact, while I can`t understand their own going dialogues, I can`t seem to look away from it either...It seems to have become more male bonding like, don`t you think?

best,

s

Talking of weddings...Binifer was the one who got married, right? Anyone know her? Hope she`s doing well!

Dostmittar:

Am listening to Mussarat Nazir right now. Excellent stuff :)In my car, only sound track playing right now is Monsoon Wedding!!

AAMIR:

Yeah, I had read about this too. That chap must have eventually moved to Canada :) No wonder Sikhs and potatos are found everywhere...

AnNy

``also why while ali is to be condemned, stuka is not..baat kya hae?``

Arrey yaar phir wahi baat. I thought we were over this. Can you tell me, the last time I was rude to you? Or Scout? Or SameerJB? Or Romair? Or Ylh? Or Sundry other Pakistanis? Can you tell me the last time I cursed your religion? Or your country? Curse mind you, not criticize?

Can you tell me the last time I made fun of Allah in a manner similar to Ali`s comments on Hindu gods?

If not, then how can you equate Ali and I? Yes, I curse Ali, his family, his beliefs. But it is targetted to WHO? ALI #1. Does Ali display a similar courtesy to 1. Other Indians? 2. Hindus? 3. Indian Muslims who have contrary view points?

IMO, NO. Now, do you get why I am not criticized by Zafar, and he is?

Jesus feckin Christ lady!!!!!

AnNy

``also why while ali is to be condemned, stuka is not..baat kya hae?``

Arrey yaar phir wahi baat. I thought we were over this. Can you tell me, the last time I was rude to you? Or Scout? Or SameerJB? Or Romair? Or Ylh? Or Sundry other Pakistanis? Can you tell me the last time I cursed your religion? Or your country? Curse mind you, not criticize?

Can you tell me the last time I made fun of Allah in a manner similar to Ali`s comments on Hindu gods?

If not, then how can you equate Ali and I? Yes, I curse Ali, his family, his beliefs. But it is targetted to WHO? ALI #1. Does Ali display a similar courtesy to 1. Other Indians? 2. Hindus? 3. Indian Muslims who have contrary view points?

IMO, NO. Now, do you get why I am not criticized by Zafar, and he is?

Jesus feckin Christ lady!!!!!

sadna #481, ``Whats eating you? If I remember right, you called me pathetic for expressing my opinion on a board on Indian Muslims, ali1 brought up genital hair and I called you Pukistanis. I think you deserve it.``

whoa! you wrote `genital hair.`

tsk tsk, gandi baat, go wash your fingers with soap and water.

but seriously sadna, why do you get so seriously offended by everything not remotely serious? by the way, i`m not offended by you calling me a ``Pukistani.`` it`s a silly, insignificant little thing. there are more interesting things in life to deal with than some Indian woman from NJ calling me a ``Pukistani.``

DostMittar:

. ``Being a ``cultural Pakistani``, you would enjoy them.``

LOL, True True. You know, I never felt as much at home as I did in Amritsar. Even Delhi is becoming too overcrowded by Non Punjabis. Our time of dominating Delhi is going by, and I feel sad about it. I remember going to Delhi on vacations during the late 70s and then living there in the early 80s. Punjabis were dominant in every sphere of life, from Police to Government to DTC to the thelawallas. Now the Haryanvi, Bihari and sundry other is creeping into the mosaic.

I might sound parochial, but seriously, I think if partition had never happened, my family would have had no reason to move out of Punjab, and I would have been quite content to work in Lahore or Pindi or Sialkot and go to Bhaun on vacations. What if....Forgive me for my small nostalgia trip.<

Re: Dost-Mittar

``...I agree and would also like to thank anNy, especially for legendary singers like Mullika Pukhraaj...``

Mallika Pukhraaj was one of my grandfather`s (b. 1901 d. 1993) favorite singers. As I listened to Mallika`s music (Abhi to mein jawaan hoon), it brought back memories of him

re: anNy

{{The same may be said of Saxena, only he is a whole lot smarter }}

{{saxena is just dandy}}

thank you, thank you ... i`m flattered.

do you really mean this or did the cell phone zap you with one volt too many?

re anNy #475

You might want to buy something like this...

http://www.aperfectwallet.com/110.html

#456 annykin

Oh well. Once, a long time ago.. who cares so long as you haven`t joined forces with the evil uncle harimau..