Fighting The War On Terrorism, Hollywood Style

binoo...
I`ve seen `bhaji on the beach`, and i liked it. (please don`t hold that against me!!!! :-) ) And I`ve heard of `goodness gracious me`. I remember `Mind your language` was quite popular in Pakistan. My cousin couldn`t stop raving about it. They copied that here in the U.S, can`t recall much about it except that Vijay Amritraj was in it. I was thinking more of the diversity of desis here in the US. I did find the stereotypes in MBFGW tiresome after a while myself, but i had to keep telling myself that this was the real-life experience of a couple and their families blown up on the stage, and screen, and that other couples and families could relate to it as well.
Every October, we have the Greek Festival here...a lot of hard work is put into it by the community, and it`s just fabulous, especially if you have a sweet tooth. The women (for the most part) join together months in advance and make pastries like baklava, pastaflora, and names I always have a hard time remembering. This year, following the success of MBFGW, some of the festival committee members wanted to call this the Big Fat Greek Festival (it can literally make you fat, if you eat there three days in a row), and I just had to smile at the number of people who rather than putting their own names on tags, used the name Nick and Toula. Imagine the countless Nicks and Toulas floating around for three days. I volunteered to work at a place where I had my own name on the nametag--inside the church, greeting `tourists`.

Sammi,
I haven`t seen Popcorn Chutney yet, but I`ve been wanting to. Years ago, I wanted to get the video, but it was too expensive to rent it from the place recommended on SAWNET, and I didn`t know how else to get it.

Saminsha #26

Dear colleague: The word `genre` should `half` give it away. The prize is truly substantial in view of which the puzzle`s clue is quite a give-away.

On another matter:

I had hoped that some discussion would ensue centred on the genre
``factor`` [the genre `thing`!] bringing into sharper focus and relief the psychological [psychitric?] needs of a society, but it didn`t develop that way. Well, I guess, the principle of the adoption of the path of least resistance triumphed as a matter of course. In the meantime the `substantial` prize awaits a claimant.

could not have said it better myself.

washingtonpost.com
Muslims Didn`t Bloody Those Borders First

Tuesday, December 10, 2002; Page A28

Charles Krauthammer should be congratulated for dismissing as absurd the question of whether Islam is inherently violent [op-ed, Dec. 6]. Unfortunately, he did not consider the history of Islam`s ``bloody borders.`` If they are bloody, it is because, over the past 200 years, they have been repeatedly violated by outsiders who sought to dominate Muslim people and appropriate their resources.

It was not Chechens who invaded and conquered Russia, nor did the Afghans, the Egyptians or the Pakistanis ever invade Britain. No Palestinians ever took over any Jewish villages in Russia, Poland or Germany. The Iranian secret police backed no military coups against Dwight D. Eisenhower, and the Egyptians did not conspire with the Colombians to reconquer the Panama Canal. No Arab corporations covet oil in Texas or Alaska; Arab forces do not maintain bases in Europe or North America; Arab aid has never supported military dictators in Spain, Peru or Cuba.

The notion that Muslim alienation is rooted in an obsession with recovering the glory of Islam`s medieval golden age -- and is thus entirely ``their`` problem -- is ludicrous. The sorry history of modern Western intrusion into the Middle East is far more relevant to our current crisis, whatever Mr. Krauthammer and the rest of the neoconservative punditry would have us believe.

STEVE VINSON

New Paltz, N.Y.

Ana,

Have you seen Popcorn Chutney? A bit clumsy, but some nice moments....but I agree...a desi movie with our diversity is a long time coming...could you imagine a indie movie with Hindus, Muslims, and Christian desis as friends? Gasp! As relatives? Gasp! Gasp! As if it doesnt happen in real life...

The Empire Strikes Back?

ana,

been there, done that. Check out any movie by Meera Syal or any of the ``goodness gracious me`` series. They tried screening it on Star World here but had to withdraw after one season because so many Indians found it insulting. However they are a hit in Britain and elsewhere because of the same phenomenon that made Greek Wedding a success. However, I did find the stereotypes tiresome after a while.

I dunno, you`d have to rent the series and find out for yourself, or watch ``Bhaji on the Beach``!

I saw `My Big Fat Greek Wedding` in a theater filled with Greek-Americans. It was a special showing for the community before the movie came to theaters here. I have to say that the movie was received well by just about everyone. Perhaps it is as tahmed says...the Greek-American community here has the ability to laugh at themselves, i don`t know. I was struck at first by the stereotypical portrayals....but I found it interesting that 2nd generation Greek-Americans, and later generations could actually relate to some of what was portrayed, and found it hilarious.

and Jonathan Ali, quite a number of the American populace are of Greek heritage, so it is not a non-issue with them. The play and the movie afterall are based on Nia Vardalos` real -life courtship and marriage to her husband (who was also in the movie). I am a Greek Orthodox Christian (although I am desi), and I have seen and heard of how the Church is an integral part of what has kept Greek communities together here in America. Ian had a choice to make...as would have Toula, should he have refused to be baptized. I`m not sure why you think this was an unnecessary step on his part, but given how central the church is in the lives of many Greek-Americans, `a quickie Vegas wedding` would not have been an option, and Vardalos even exaggerates that scene. This isn`t a harsh insulting movie, nor iz it meant to promote some political agenda.

I don`t think this movie in any way intended to mirror the political views of Dubya....nor does it claim superiority in terms of religion and `family values`. As a matter of fact, Nia Vardalos is poking fun at her own community (and most in the community do get the joke) when one of her characters say, ``There are two types of people in the world. Those who are Greek and those who are not.`` or something to that effect.
Given the fact that it is people of Greek descent themselves...you do know that Tom Hanks` wife is of Greek descent, and they also were married in the Greek Orthodox Church....who wanted to make this into a movie, because it hilariously mirrored their own family experiences,I think I understand how you see this being an insult to Greeks. The `stereotypes` here, however, are quite different say than the ones that Spike Lee brings up in his movies, or the old Amos and Andy routines. I`m not sure whether I find your remarks more insulting to the Greek community or the movie itself.
And I`m waiting for that independent desi movie to materialize where our furniture is covered up in plastic, our houses are constantly drowned in the aroma of turmeric, and cumin among other spices...and we burn incense whose aroma can be just as challenging to our nostrils. And our parents, aunties, even strangers in the community are asking `old maids` why we aren`t married yet. And a girl or a boy brings a gori/gora...no wait even better a black boyfriend/girlfriend home...much to the consternation of some of our more traditional but so called progressive elders. And I hope that our community doesn`t get insulted enough as to burn the movie house down!

Wakil Sahib,

Surely you can give us a bit more to work with....

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Dear Chowk Eds:

I just sent a post as below which was less than complete. I was still editing it when it disappeared in front of my eyes and I got the mesage that it will be posted soon. I hope you can discard that draft and post the version below. Thank you. SPW
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Re: #1-11

It has been one of my life`s principal decisions, since ``dotbotcent``, not to discuss three topics: politics, religion and abortion.

Now, I shall include `opinion on movies` to this decision. It would be decidedly less painful to throw a stone at a dog and be chased by it than... . But I digress.

These movies and their genre are most certainly a response to the
``dotbotcent``. No two opinions about it. Here I should stop. I know the answer but you do not, it appears. Why not make it a riddle and
invite your response to it?

What is more, I shall add a substantial prize to it should you solve this riddle, problem, or theorem. Now, the ball, as they say, is in your court!

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It has been one of my life`s principal decisions, since ``dotbotcent``, not to discuss three topics: politics, religion and abortion.

Now I shall include opinion on movies to this decision. It would be decidedly be less painful to throw a stone at a dog and be chased by it than....

But I digress. These movies and their entire genre are most certainly and decidedly a response to the ``dotbotcent``. No two opinions about it. Here I should stop. I know the answer but you do not, it appears. Why not make it a riddle and invite your response to it?

What is more, I shall add a substantial prize to it should you solve this riddle, problem, theorem. Now, the ball, as they say, is in your court!

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AAmir

This was about one individual, Saddam Hussain. Seen movies Egypt makes about all Jewish people?

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