>Are you saying that the majority Assamese population has no control over
the futures of >these minority groups?
They did once. Not any more. Ethnic Oxomiyas do not hold the sway over the
lot of the indigenous peoples they did once --thru cultural, religious,
language and economic clout. It is of little consequence any more.
Bodos seeking a separate state is not so much to escape Assamese
domination or exploitation as to be able to share the spoils of political
power that Indian governance allows to those in govt.. And to let such
states come into being, but unable to sustain itself must always look to
Delhi for their survival. That fits in very well with India's schemes to
keep the NE from getting powerful enough to challenge Dili's colonial hold
over the region.
At 1:57 PM -0600 2/9/07, Ram Sarangapani wrote:
>And Assmese ethnic racist attitudes towards the indigenous peoples of
Assam mattered
>only when they held sway >over the children of the lesser gods. Not any
more.
>Thus of no consequence today.
Huh C'da! So the sins of these ' isms matter ONLY if it has an effect or
one has power over others.
What about the Bodos, and the other ethinic groups? Are you saying that
the majority Assamese population has no control over the futures of these
minority groups? Is that why a section of Bodos want a separate state?
--Ram
On 2/9/07,* Chan Mahanta* <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Ram:
Racism's corrosive effects can be imposed only by those who wield superior
power or controls. Not the other way round.
Assamese too may have racism towards Indians. But they do not hold power
over India or Indians, and thus their racism is of no consequence. Just like
black racism towards whites in the USA is not of any consequence to the
whites.
And Assmese ethnic racist attitudes towards the indigenous peoples of
Assam mattered only when they held sway over the children of the lesser
gods. Not any more. Thus of no consequence today.
That is the difference.
c-da
At 1:18 PM -0600 2/9/07, Ram Sarangapani wrote:
C'da
>You have gotten off on a tangent, missing the point entirely
and I thought it was you, who did:)
The post was in context of BB that the Indian PM should apologize and your
subsequent post of how "Indians" view and denigrate Assamese (and the NE
folks).
While I can agree that there those individuals in other parts of India who
do denigrate the entire NE and say mean things, you have to agree that
Assamese themselves are not immune to such denigration when it comes to our
neighbors in other states.
>However, even though those exact words might not have been used (actually
the >Hinglishwallas, scions of a >*deeply racist desi-population*
C'da - what is meant by a 'deeply racist desi-population'.
How comfortable are Assamese when dealing with Bodos, Khasis, Nagas etc?
How would you rate the Assamese in this scale of 'racism'?
--Ram
On 2/9/07,* Chan Mahanta* <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Ram:
You have gotten off on a tangent, missing the point entirely.
It was nothing to do with political correctness, and everything to do with
a mind set; a mind set that devalues and ignores the humanity of the people
of the NE, who don't look like the occupiers, don't talk like them, eat
strange foods and worship different gods.
It is such a mind set, created by misinformation,
dis-information,religious bigotries and the pervasive racism that marks the
Indian ethos, further augmented by such laws as the AFSPA and the ignorant
and insensitive media that enables the occupying forces to take the lives of
the likes of Nikhilesh, Bholu etc. so casually. The Punjabi officer would
not have ordered the killing so far outside of his authority, had the
victims been some of his own kind. And no one would have made the arguments
to mitigate his guilt by suggesting that they* could be* ULFA.
Why? Because they look like them, don't they?
Why else?
c-da
At 10:24 AM -0600 2/9/07, Ram Sarangapani wrote:
C'da,
>However, even though those exact words might not have been used (actually
the >Hinglishwallas, scions of a deeply racist desi-population could not
come up with such >a term to begin with) can you question the essence of
what it says? Manoj gave a >good literal, account of that earlier here in
Assamnet
One hears of politically incorrect stuff like this all the time. But do
you seriously think anyone who has lived in Assam would use such terms?
Do khar-khowas ever use similar language to describe Nagas, Khasis,
Manipuris or others, or the common 'Maarwai belta', or 'Oi Bihari', or
'Bongal' or 'Piyaan' - choice descriptions heard all over. Oh!, I am sure
you might counter this by saying these are said lovingly, and we really
don't mean anything by it :)
I did read Manoj's account (I think). And, yes, it does upset us when we
hear stuff like that, but then are we holier than the rest? You tell me.
When you (not you personnaly) preach PC - it just can't be a one-way
traffic, can it?
--Ram
On 2/9/07,* Chan Mahanta* <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Ram:
>The term "Slit Eyed Gooks" was used by C'da.
*** Yes I do take credit :-). I try to use the power of words, in colorful
ways when I can, to help register an idea. I knew it would upset some.
Usually those who cannot face up to the realities that face them, something
they would just as soon not confront. That was the whole idea.
However, even though those exact words might not have been used (actually
the Hinglishwallas, scions of a deeply racist desi-population could not come
up with such a term to begin with) can you question the essence of what it
says? Manoj gave a good literal, account of that earlier here in Assamnet,
if you missed.
c-da
At 8:58 AM -0600 2/9/07, Ram Sarangapani wrote:
The term "Slit Eyed Gooks" was used by C'da.
He was assuming like (BB) that others use that term, and wanted to pin
that on others.
Whats the confusion?
--Ram
On 2/9/07,* SANDIP DUTTA* <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
When did other Indians call Assamese "Slit Eyed Gooks"? This term is used
by your own friends here!
----- Original Message ----
From: Bartta Bistar <[EMAIL PROTECTED] >
To: AssamNet <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, February 9, 2007 5:59:09 PM
Subject: [Assam] Now it is time for Indian Prime Minister and others to
publicly apologise for Indians calling Assamese Mongolians 'Slit-Eyed gooks'
and Manipuris 'Chinkys' to start with and prosecute the offenders.
Blair says sorry to harassed Shilpa
AMIT ROY
http://samachar.com/showurl.php?rurl=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1
070208/asp/nation/story_7365808.asp&news=Blair%20says%20sorry%20to%20harassed%20Shilpa&pubDate=Wed%2C+07+Feb++2007+21%3A16%3A41+
GMT&keyword=telegraph_home<http://samachar.com/showurl.php?rurl=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070208/asp/nation/story_7365808.asp&news=Blair%20says%20sorry%20to%20harassed%20Shilpa&pubDate=Wed%2C+07+Feb++2007+21%3A16%3A41+GMT&keyword=telegraph_home>
*London, Feb. 7:* Shilpa Shetty had a private 10-minute meeting today with
Tony Blair who apologised to the Bollywood star for the abuse she had
suffered on* Celebrity Big Brother*.
After the meeting, which took place at the House of Commons, Shilpa
interacted with a 100-strong medium scrum, consisting of journalists,
photographers and TV cameramen from Britain, the US and a contingent which
had flown in from India.
The location was unusual - on the banks of the Thames river. Wearing a
white Nita Lulla jacket with a sari and with her ubiquitous mother, Sunanda,
by her side, Shilpa recounted: "The Prime Minister was really, really kind.
He said that I carried myself with the utmost dignity."
She added: "He said he was very sad to see what I had to go through in the
(Big Brother) House. In turn, I said I really needed to thank him personally
for all the support he showed me and my country. I took the opportunity and
I thanked him. He was very, very sweet."
Earlier, the winner of* Celebrity Big Brother* sat in on "Prime Minister's
Question Time" (when David Cameron, the Tory leader, said Blair should be
evicted from the House). She said she was intrigued by the occasion and said
Blair had shown a "sense of humour" with his answers. "I have never been to
the Lok Sabha and I have come to the House of Commons."
Shilpa was invited to the Commons by Keith Vaz, Labour MP for Leicester
East, who said: "She went to the members' dining room. She met Tessa Jowell
(culture secretary), who has given her a gift. The Prime Minister has given
her a gift, signed by himself and Mrs (Cherie) Blair, a portrait of the
House of Commons; she has had lunch - she had smoked salmon (good humoured
shouts of 'oh, stop it', from Shilpa) followed by dessert, Shilpa's Delight,
which was a selection of English desserts."
One suggestion she knocked down firmly was the idea, mooted by Vinod
Khanna, that she would join the BJP.
She told* The Telegraph*: "Oh, not at all. I have never really been
politically-inclined. I don't know where this comes from (Vinod Khanna, she
was told). No, it's very kind of him. I know him personally but nobody has
spoken to me about joining any party and I don't intend to do so, not in the
near future."
Summing up her day at Westminster, she said: "I thought it would be really
boring actually but I really enjoyed it. I was pleasantly surprised."
Vaz's nine-year-old daughter, Anjali, placed a traditional garland around
the two guests before Shilpa posed for pictures.
Asked what she thought was the main difference between the House of
Commons and Big Brother House, she replied: "I think the main difference is
that they were more polite in there (the Commons) and I don't get a chance
to stay." She would be returning to India shortly as she "really missed"
members of her family but would be returning to the UK to continue her AIDs
charity work.
<http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070208/asp/nation/story_7365808.asp#top>
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