The post appended below is not very intellectually honest. There is nothing in the answers provided by Teotoniobab in the interview that can be considered a misrepresentation. The only thing that is wrong with the interview as published is its inappropriate title. The burden of justifying the accusations against the historian Teotonio D'Souza rests on his accusers. So Gilbert should point out which quotes in the answers provided by Teotoniobab are "biased" or "bordering on misrepresentations", and give us evidence as to how Gilbert knows what he says to be true. Mere assertions made by a non-historian who has simply read something somewhere cannot be taken seriously. Indeed, if we are talking about biases we also need to know the biases of Gilbert's sources. In fact, we need to know whether they are real scholarly historical sources in the first place. So tell us, what are the sources that Gilbert relies on for his knowledge of Goan history?
Those of us who are interested in genuine history for its own sake are as opposed to sanitization of history as we are of its politicization and communalization. Cheers, Santosh --- On Mon, 5/3/10, Gilbert Lawrence <[email protected]> wrote: > > Thanks for admitting to a very poor article / your > interview in the Deccan Herald. You have ducked the issue; > which is the link and relation of SFX with the > Inquisition; which was made in the interview by you and > the interviewer. > > Below, you make a good point about the criminal justice > system in England "at the time when the Iberians had > Inquisition." This is an important point. Perhaps you and > others should do a bit of comparative reading of the > practices of the justice systems of the period, starting > with reading the Goanet archives. > > One will find a lot of sordid events in the Tower of > London and other British castles which are full of accounts > of arbitrary and brutal punishments including immersion in > hot oil, beheading of enemies or perceived enemies of the > state and / or the king. As I have written about this > (comparative criminal justice during the period) on Goanet, > I will not repeat it. The archives will also show the > state of prisons and punishment during the same period in > India - both Muslim and Hindu kingdoms. I would > appreciate if future interviews and write-ups on the > Inquisition by you and other writers provided this > background. Thanks for reminding us of this valid point > > > We cannot repeatedly blame others for THEIR > misrepresentations or not appreciating the authors' bias. > This issue regarding you has come up on Goanet in the past. > At some point we have to take responsibility for our slant > and / or phraseology. Many Goans, me included, have great > respect for you, and yet find your bias bordering on > misrepresentations. And MANY have told you so directly and > on the net. > > Regards, GL >
