########################################################################## # If Goanet stops reaching you, contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] # # Want to check the archives? http://www.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet/ # # Please keep your discussion/tone polite, to reflect respect to others # ##########################################################################
Tim, Unfortunately, we Goans have more than our fair share of bigots. Let me respectfully tell you how I deal with them. I tell them that a) "bad" neighbors come in every color, caste and creed, b) the last time I checked, India was a functioning democracy where people of any color, caste or creed can live wherever they please and can afford to. If people they cannot tolerate "simply because of these factors" move into their neighborhood, it is the original resident who should move out, but they should first look into a mirror and realize that they are looking at a bigot, which they are also allowed to be in a free society as long as they do not harm anyone by acting on their ideas. When I was a kid, I would very nicely ask my grandmother to go to confession any time I heard her bad-mouth someone due to color, caste or creed. It drove her nuts but she finally got the point. There are certain things where people of good will need to stand up and be counted. Not enough of us do for fear of upsetting our "friends". But are these the kinds of friends you want to have? I know my stand on caste has upset some Goanetters, and maybe my comments on this issue will as well. I figure that's their problem, not mine. There are plenty of things where there is no one correct answer, like politics, that we can go on arguing about until the cows come home, if that is what we want to do. Discriminating or harming someone because of their color, caste or creed is not among these things, in my opinion. --- Tim de Mello <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: ########################################################################## > # If Goanet stops reaching you, contact > [EMAIL PROTECTED] # > # Want to check the archives? > http://www.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet/ # > # Please keep your discussion/tone polite, to > reflect respect to others # > ########################################################################## > > Mario said: > > "While you are probably being brutally honest in > exposing these feelings . . > ." > > Yes, I am and my aim was to make the feelings of > these Goan families public > so that we are ALL aware of them and can discuss > them. Latent resentment > only ends up with open conflict later on. The U.K. > is a good example of > this. I do not want to see this in Goa. > > > Mario continues: > "If the place is "filling up with Hindus", so what? > I have heard some Goans > complain that Goa is filling up with non-Goans. > Again, I say, so what? > Isn't Goa a part of India, where everyone has a > right to settle anywhere > they choose to? Some of my best friends are Hindus, > and are far more > respectable and careful with their property than > many Catholics I know. . . > ." > > I agree totally with you. I do not have a problem > with this but I have heard > many Goans who do and my purpose was to air this > feeling. > > > > Tim de Mello > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > CANADA > > > >
