Elections usually elicit a feeling of neutral boredom among young adults. If you analyze the voters in any modern day elections, we usually notice that the majority are baby-boomers, mostly male (especially in the developing countries)..In the US, President Obama's election campaign was characterized by an organized focus on reaching out to minorities, women and young adults..As they approach the mid-term elections, all the public surveys are focused on what the public thinks and feels about specific issues that will cause the voting results to 'turn'..however, in all the humdrum we forget the basics..the right to vote..why is it important for any citizen in any country to exercise that right?
I was waiting at my optometrist's office the other day and ended up reading an article about the women who fought for the right to vote..these women suffered, they were tortured and beaten because they demanded the right to vote..this suffering did not occur in an obscure third world country..they occurred right here at home in the US and it occurred only about a 100 years ago..their struggle and beliefs formed the foundation for every American woman's right to vote. On Aug. 26, 1920, the Susan B. Anthony Amendment became law, and 20 million American women won the right to vote. Almost 90 years to the exact date, I wonder how many young American women even recognize the importance of this right.
I do not mean to imply by any means that only American women are faced with this challenge. Citizens of all countries across this world take their rights for granted. We celebrate our independence days with gusto, we watch the national and local elections keenly, yet rarely if ever do we go and vote - exercise our right and duty to select our leaders. Granted in some countries, voting is such a miserable process that you may feel disheartened to even consider going to vote. Yet, isn't the mere action of non-voting similar to illegal voting practices?
My first reaction when I read the article about the Iron-Jawed Angels was anger on their behalf, and pride in their strength. Yet, I couldn't hide from the fact that I have never voted in any local or national elections. As I spout my indignation at women for not appreciating their freedom to vote, I recognize that I have been a party to that same mistake.
The story of these iron jawed angels has pushed me towards the first step of fulfilling my rights as a citizen - exercising my right to vote. This right and story is not meant to motivate only other women to vote, all the men and women need to recognize the challenges their predecessors faced to build a country where you have the freedom and the right to vote.
Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Friday, March 21, 2008
Peacock or Chicken..an Indian dilemma
Columnist Jug Suraiya for the Times of India calls for a change of the Indian National Bird from a beautiful Peacock to the smaller statured Chicken. Why? Simple. He describes the current Indian political attitude as 'chicken hearted' and cites the Taslima Nasreen incident and Tibetan protests as evidence.
Although I read quite a bit about the events in Tibet, I did not hear about Taslima Nasreen until his article. For those who don't know, here is a little bit of background from Jug's article:
"Forced into exile from her native Bangladesh by religious fanatics who didn't like her feminist writings, Taslima sought sanctuary in Kolkata in whose Bangla milieu she felt creatively comfortable. However, after street riots instigated by local goons disguised as religious zealots caused the Marxist state government to decide that minority-appeasing discretion was the better part of secular valour, the writer was bundled out of the city and taken first to an undisclosed hideaway in Rajasthan and later to Delhi, where she was kept in virtual isolation."
The Indian political response, after bundling the author out of Kolkata and isolating her?
"Made to apologise for her 'anti-Islamic' views, she was warned by no less than the information and broadcasting minister - supposedly the custodian of the fundamental right to freedom of expression as spelt out in the Constitution - that she should not say or do anything that might hurt the religious sensibilities of any group."
Finally, Taslima left India for sanctuary in Europe/North American. Jug's article states that she is Scandinavia, but in a brief interview with TOI before her connecting flight out of London, Taslima comments about her stay in India and the proposed sanctuary location:
""If I disclose my destination my security will be compromised. My face has now become recognisable and I could be target of religious fundamentalist", Taslima said, adding that she will not hesitate to discuss what she said the traumatic experience she allegedly went through during various international seminars lined up in Europe in the next few months. "I was put under tremendous stress but I could not speak out as I was under their (government) surveillance and could be harassed by them," she said in a choked voice. "The government is no better than religious fundamentalists," she said."
A rather sad state of affair, don't you think?
Sadder still is the Indian response about the protests in Tibet. I love Jug's sarcastic comments...
"In the case of the Chinese crackdown in Tibet, India's official response has been so politically correct, not to mention politically chicken, that it has earned praise from no less than the Chinese premier, Wen Jiabao (who might have made special mention of the Indian Left whose non-response might be summed up as 'Tibet who?'). Despite China's continuing claims on Arunachal, and despite its proven nuclear proliferation to Pakistan, New Delhi walks on eggshells where Tibet is concerned and seems vaguely embarrassed by the Dalai Lama's presence on Indian soil. Why? Because then, maybe, China will support India's admission to the UN Security Council. Or at least stop using Pakistan as a foil against us. Or sell us cheap pichkaris for Holi. Or something."
Well said...and oh yes, we should tie in the chicken to these stories right? Here is the grand finale to end this sad story..
"Can't move mountains? Find convenient molehills, turn them into mountains, and then move them. That seems to be the recipe. Not just for the health minister but for the entire sorry mess which might aptly be called Indian chicken curry."
Although I read quite a bit about the events in Tibet, I did not hear about Taslima Nasreen until his article. For those who don't know, here is a little bit of background from Jug's article:
"Forced into exile from her native Bangladesh by religious fanatics who didn't like her feminist writings, Taslima sought sanctuary in Kolkata in whose Bangla milieu she felt creatively comfortable. However, after street riots instigated by local goons disguised as religious zealots caused the Marxist state government to decide that minority-appeasing discretion was the better part of secular valour, the writer was bundled out of the city and taken first to an undisclosed hideaway in Rajasthan and later to Delhi, where she was kept in virtual isolation."
The Indian political response, after bundling the author out of Kolkata and isolating her?
"Made to apologise for her 'anti-Islamic' views, she was warned by no less than the information and broadcasting minister - supposedly the custodian of the fundamental right to freedom of expression as spelt out in the Constitution - that she should not say or do anything that might hurt the religious sensibilities of any group."
Finally, Taslima left India for sanctuary in Europe/North American. Jug's article states that she is Scandinavia, but in a brief interview with TOI before her connecting flight out of London, Taslima comments about her stay in India and the proposed sanctuary location:
""If I disclose my destination my security will be compromised. My face has now become recognisable and I could be target of religious fundamentalist", Taslima said, adding that she will not hesitate to discuss what she said the traumatic experience she allegedly went through during various international seminars lined up in Europe in the next few months. "I was put under tremendous stress but I could not speak out as I was under their (government) surveillance and could be harassed by them," she said in a choked voice. "The government is no better than religious fundamentalists," she said."
A rather sad state of affair, don't you think?
Sadder still is the Indian response about the protests in Tibet. I love Jug's sarcastic comments...
"In the case of the Chinese crackdown in Tibet, India's official response has been so politically correct, not to mention politically chicken, that it has earned praise from no less than the Chinese premier, Wen Jiabao (who might have made special mention of the Indian Left whose non-response might be summed up as 'Tibet who?'). Despite China's continuing claims on Arunachal, and despite its proven nuclear proliferation to Pakistan, New Delhi walks on eggshells where Tibet is concerned and seems vaguely embarrassed by the Dalai Lama's presence on Indian soil. Why? Because then, maybe, China will support India's admission to the UN Security Council. Or at least stop using Pakistan as a foil against us. Or sell us cheap pichkaris for Holi. Or something."
Well said...and oh yes, we should tie in the chicken to these stories right? Here is the grand finale to end this sad story..
"Can't move mountains? Find convenient molehills, turn them into mountains, and then move them. That seems to be the recipe. Not just for the health minister but for the entire sorry mess which might aptly be called Indian chicken curry."
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Presidential elections...
Unlike most of my contemporaries, I do not follow the Presidential elections happening south of the border, however, I cannot resist some interesting instances or debates.
I was rather keen on watching the CNN debate where the candidates had to talk about their health care policy; and more recently I loved Obama's speech right after McCain won the Republican nomination..(can't remember where he was at...but that was the speech when Clinton won the local primary)...anyway, today I heard about this little debacle where Hillary Clinton apparently suggested that Barack Obama should be the vice-presidential candidate if she won the Democratic nomination...(please ignore my loud rumbling laughter..lol..)..here is Obama's response, the first 3 minutes of this video are absolutely fantastic..another excellent moment in American Presidential election history...
I was rather keen on watching the CNN debate where the candidates had to talk about their health care policy; and more recently I loved Obama's speech right after McCain won the Republican nomination..(can't remember where he was at...but that was the speech when Clinton won the local primary)...anyway, today I heard about this little debacle where Hillary Clinton apparently suggested that Barack Obama should be the vice-presidential candidate if she won the Democratic nomination...(please ignore my loud rumbling laughter..lol..)..here is Obama's response, the first 3 minutes of this video are absolutely fantastic..another excellent moment in American Presidential election history...
Friday, February 1, 2008
Indian business men and their evolving images..
Growing up in India, and later growing up within the framework of Indian culture, my vision of traditional heroes was limited to our freedom fighters or the movie stars. Yes, Nehru, Gandhi, Bhagat Singh, SRK, Amitabh Bachan and Salman Khan played a predominant role in my image of Indian heroes. As I grew older, and moved to Canada and noted other individuals like Bono, Lance Armstrong, Warren Buffet, Michael Dell, Bill and Melinda Gates, Oprah and so many more, I always noticed a lack of prominent Indians.
Again, let me be very clear, I am not desperate for prominent Indians on the international scene (refer back to my previous article about patriotism and Indians), rather I was seeking the presence of Indian media, businessmen or artists (who thrived on social, political, economic or business challenges) on the local/Indian stage.
Today, I found this article quite interesting, and felt the need to share it. Someone who recognizes the changing trend/need for an evolution in the image of the modern Indian businessman. Obviously, we are no longer satisfied by dreaming/idolizing movie stars or our cultural history. Rather, we look at upcoming, smart, and savvy businessman as India's future. Excellent!
Here is a brief quote from the article (love the way Amit writes!):
"Consider that earlier this year, Ratan Tata, the successor to J.R.D. Tata's empire and the chief of Tata Motors, unveiled the Nano -- a car expected to retail for approximately $2,500. Some complained about the increase in pollution that it might cause, and other worried that it would add to traffic congestion in big cities. But most of India applauded. Mr. Tata's ingenuity and vision will bring vehicle ownership within reach of millions of people who could otherwise have never dreamed of it, and it demonstrates what business does best -- improve the lives of people, and help them fulfill their dreams, all in the quest of that "dirty word," profit.
The heroes of the old India were film stars, cricket players and, perhaps, freedom fighters and politicians. The heroes of the new India include businessmen. In 2003, when MTV India held a poll among its predominantly young viewers to pick the Icon of the Year, Anil Ambani won. The people he beat included filmstar Shah Rukh Khan and cricket hero Sachin Tendulkar.
India's successful businessmen, even as they enter lists such as the one compiled by Forbes, embody the hopes of their country more than their elected government possibly can. India is finally beginning to give them their due. "
Again, let me be very clear, I am not desperate for prominent Indians on the international scene (refer back to my previous article about patriotism and Indians), rather I was seeking the presence of Indian media, businessmen or artists (who thrived on social, political, economic or business challenges) on the local/Indian stage.
Today, I found this article quite interesting, and felt the need to share it. Someone who recognizes the changing trend/need for an evolution in the image of the modern Indian businessman. Obviously, we are no longer satisfied by dreaming/idolizing movie stars or our cultural history. Rather, we look at upcoming, smart, and savvy businessman as India's future. Excellent!
Here is a brief quote from the article (love the way Amit writes!):
"Consider that earlier this year, Ratan Tata, the successor to J.R.D. Tata's empire and the chief of Tata Motors, unveiled the Nano -- a car expected to retail for approximately $2,500. Some complained about the increase in pollution that it might cause, and other worried that it would add to traffic congestion in big cities. But most of India applauded. Mr. Tata's ingenuity and vision will bring vehicle ownership within reach of millions of people who could otherwise have never dreamed of it, and it demonstrates what business does best -- improve the lives of people, and help them fulfill their dreams, all in the quest of that "dirty word," profit.
The heroes of the old India were film stars, cricket players and, perhaps, freedom fighters and politicians. The heroes of the new India include businessmen. In 2003, when MTV India held a poll among its predominantly young viewers to pick the Icon of the Year, Anil Ambani won. The people he beat included filmstar Shah Rukh Khan and cricket hero Sachin Tendulkar.
India's successful businessmen, even as they enter lists such as the one compiled by Forbes, embody the hopes of their country more than their elected government possibly can. India is finally beginning to give them their due. "
Sunday, January 27, 2008
The many faces of Patriotism
Many people, specifically Indians, may not like the fact that I love this article by Amit Varma. His article emphasizes, underlines and reiterates my feelings about India and Patriotism. This article is a must-read for everyone who screams about being Indian and patriotic..I am not being negative about India or patriotism, rather I detest people who force their view on others, and this article should be a mandatory read for those people.
Here is an excerpt from the article, they struck a chord when I read them, so I had to reproduce them here:
The other kind of patriotism involves loving certain things about one’s country. This is a personal love, different in each individual’s case, and patriots of this sort will enjoy their patriotism without demanding that others share it.
If we were to be flippant about such grave matters, we could call these kinds of patriotism Mera Bharat Mahaan and Mera Bharat Mujhe Pasand.
I see myself as the second kind of patriot. When I think of the things I love about India, I think of concrete things in the real world, such as its food, its music, the languages that I’m fortunate to know. These don’t blind me from the many things wrong with the country - nor do I have any desire to impose my preferences on others.
The Mera Bharat Mahaan kind of patriot, on the other hand, is involved with a narrative of greatness. A key part of his identity is his Indianness. For this reason, he needs to believe that India is a great country, superior to others.
Symbols like the flag and the anthem are, thus, important to him. They represent his nationalistic fervour. Equally, a display like the Republic Day parade makes him feel proud. Its purpose is validation.
Pride
This need for validation was understandable in our early years as an independent country. We’d just gained independence after decades of being humiliatingly colonised. It was a mini-miracle that we existed, bridging such linguistic, religious and cultural divides. We needed to believe in ourselves as a nation.
And, let’s face it, there was a bit of a collective inferiority complex running through the country.
Sadly, even after 60 years of independence, that craving for validation remains. Why else do we make such a hue and cry every year about India’s entry to the Oscars, and ignore our own national awards? Why else do we rush to claim any foreign achiever with an Indian background as a national hero? (Sunita Williams, born in Ohio and raised in America, has been awarded the Padma Bhushan this year.) Why else do we go gaga with excitement when we hear of Madonna practising yoga or Gwen Stefani putting a Bindi on her head? Why else do we celebrate when Shilpa Shetty wins Big Brother, and ignore poor Rahul Roy, who won the desi version?
India has advanced leaps and bounds in the last couple of decades, but we still haven’t acquired the self-confidence that a mature democracy should have. Too many of us are still sensitive about symbols of our nationhood, and that’s a pity. We are proud, I believe, of entirely the wrong things.
As a nation that won its independence with such difficulty, if there is one thing we should be proud of, and should continue to aspire towards, it is freedom. Not just the freedom to vote, but freedom in every social and economic sense. As long as we don’t infringe on the freedom of others, we should be free to express our sexual preferences, to trade with others, to watch the films we want, to read the books we want, to say what we want. And yes, free to disrespect a flag or refuse to stand up when the anthem is played.
What’s the point of being a free country otherwise?
I tend to identify myself as Canadian, and most NRI's in North America, and Indians elsewhere are offended by it. In fact, it's commonplace to tease Indo-Canadian and Indo-American children as ABCD's or CBCD's. I do not understand the need for such pettiness.
Why is it important for everyone to screech from the roofs that they are Indian? Is it not sufficient if a child understands and honors their cultural value? Why should we prove it to others? Who should we prove it to? The people who left India and came out here to seek a 'better life' yet denounce the country they migrate to? Or those people who live in India and yearn to live elsewhere? I would call either groups of people hypocrites. The third group, would constitute people who live in India, value their culture and honor it. The third group would never force their ideas on others. Do you know why? Because one of the major tenets of Indian culture/history has been tolerance..tolerance of religion, of sexes, of sexuality and everything in between. Unfortunately, some traditionalists refuse to accept change, and others..well others are just hell-bent on being the first kind of patriots..Something, I find quite distasteful..
Oh well, to cap my ravings tonight, I believe Nationality is something a person should chose, whether I am Canadian, American, Indian or Nigerian, is something I chose to be. If it's forced upon me, it loses its value. However, my culture, that is something my parents taught me. My Indian culture is what my mom and dad taught me..being able to read, write and speak 3 regional languages; to cook a multitude of Indian dishes; appreciate the songs, the movies, the diaspora, that is what makes me proud of my culture...
Here is an excerpt from the article, they struck a chord when I read them, so I had to reproduce them here:
In my view, there are two kinds of patriotism. The first kind involves feeling that your country is, in some way or the other, greater than others. Often, self-esteem is involved. Patriots of this kind will want others to share their feelings about their country. They might feel offended if someone suggests that their country is not all they imagine it to be.
The other kind of patriotism involves loving certain things about one’s country. This is a personal love, different in each individual’s case, and patriots of this sort will enjoy their patriotism without demanding that others share it.
If we were to be flippant about such grave matters, we could call these kinds of patriotism Mera Bharat Mahaan and Mera Bharat Mujhe Pasand.
I see myself as the second kind of patriot. When I think of the things I love about India, I think of concrete things in the real world, such as its food, its music, the languages that I’m fortunate to know. These don’t blind me from the many things wrong with the country - nor do I have any desire to impose my preferences on others.
The Mera Bharat Mahaan kind of patriot, on the other hand, is involved with a narrative of greatness. A key part of his identity is his Indianness. For this reason, he needs to believe that India is a great country, superior to others.
Symbols like the flag and the anthem are, thus, important to him. They represent his nationalistic fervour. Equally, a display like the Republic Day parade makes him feel proud. Its purpose is validation.
Pride
This need for validation was understandable in our early years as an independent country. We’d just gained independence after decades of being humiliatingly colonised. It was a mini-miracle that we existed, bridging such linguistic, religious and cultural divides. We needed to believe in ourselves as a nation.
And, let’s face it, there was a bit of a collective inferiority complex running through the country.
Sadly, even after 60 years of independence, that craving for validation remains. Why else do we make such a hue and cry every year about India’s entry to the Oscars, and ignore our own national awards? Why else do we rush to claim any foreign achiever with an Indian background as a national hero? (Sunita Williams, born in Ohio and raised in America, has been awarded the Padma Bhushan this year.) Why else do we go gaga with excitement when we hear of Madonna practising yoga or Gwen Stefani putting a Bindi on her head? Why else do we celebrate when Shilpa Shetty wins Big Brother, and ignore poor Rahul Roy, who won the desi version?
India has advanced leaps and bounds in the last couple of decades, but we still haven’t acquired the self-confidence that a mature democracy should have. Too many of us are still sensitive about symbols of our nationhood, and that’s a pity. We are proud, I believe, of entirely the wrong things.
As a nation that won its independence with such difficulty, if there is one thing we should be proud of, and should continue to aspire towards, it is freedom. Not just the freedom to vote, but freedom in every social and economic sense. As long as we don’t infringe on the freedom of others, we should be free to express our sexual preferences, to trade with others, to watch the films we want, to read the books we want, to say what we want. And yes, free to disrespect a flag or refuse to stand up when the anthem is played.
What’s the point of being a free country otherwise?
I tend to identify myself as Canadian, and most NRI's in North America, and Indians elsewhere are offended by it. In fact, it's commonplace to tease Indo-Canadian and Indo-American children as ABCD's or CBCD's. I do not understand the need for such pettiness.
Why is it important for everyone to screech from the roofs that they are Indian? Is it not sufficient if a child understands and honors their cultural value? Why should we prove it to others? Who should we prove it to? The people who left India and came out here to seek a 'better life' yet denounce the country they migrate to? Or those people who live in India and yearn to live elsewhere? I would call either groups of people hypocrites. The third group, would constitute people who live in India, value their culture and honor it. The third group would never force their ideas on others. Do you know why? Because one of the major tenets of Indian culture/history has been tolerance..tolerance of religion, of sexes, of sexuality and everything in between. Unfortunately, some traditionalists refuse to accept change, and others..well others are just hell-bent on being the first kind of patriots..Something, I find quite distasteful..
Oh well, to cap my ravings tonight, I believe Nationality is something a person should chose, whether I am Canadian, American, Indian or Nigerian, is something I chose to be. If it's forced upon me, it loses its value. However, my culture, that is something my parents taught me. My Indian culture is what my mom and dad taught me..being able to read, write and speak 3 regional languages; to cook a multitude of Indian dishes; appreciate the songs, the movies, the diaspora, that is what makes me proud of my culture...
Lest we forget...
Yesterday, my dad and I went to see Rambo 4 (I think), and in the movie we were taken to Burma, the civil war there, and how the army ambushes villagers, kidnaps their children, kill the men and rape the women. The movie is full of blood and gore, unsuitable for young children, but thought provoking if we question certain aspects of the movie.
I know abductions, rape, child soldiers and honor killings are a fact of life..an unpleasant fact, which most North Americans pretend to ignore. But that movie yesterday, fictional maybe, but it brought forth something important to me..Remembering those who suffer.
Today, my dad and I watched a BBC documentary on Auschwitz, and how 1.3M people were sent to that camp in 4.5 years and 1.1M were killed. Of them about 200,000 were children. A survivor was almost in tears as she recognized her aunt and 4 cousins in a photograph taken minutes before they were sent to the crematorium. The children ranged from 2 - 10.....Remembering those who are brutalized.
A few minutes ago, I read this, an article about child soldiers in Uganda, Rwanda, Columbia and other war ridden countries. The author uses a byline "Lest we forget"....something I feel is very important in counteracting these acts of crime, war, terror and inhumane brutalization.
In our busy lives, we juggle work, families, friends, colleagues, our kids schedules, our finances, and so much more, and we think our lives are hard. Maybe our life is hard, for us, in this little world we can view. But if we look at the bigger picture, rather if we consider the gargantuan struggles faced by these individuals, children and adults alike, we look and sound like morons. Yet, what do we do when we hear about 15 year old girls abducted from their homes, raped repeatedly, forced to bear children and then fight in a civil war? We feel terribly burdened, maybe for a few hours, we feel indignant and angry, and then we go back to our normal and sane lives. In short, we do nothing. Sometimes, it's rather burdensome to even consider that you and I, ordinary people, can do something about it. Maybe we can..I am doing what seemed like an idea to me..Lest we forget...
I find that the most inhumane thing which could happen to these survivors, is being forgotten. Nothing hurts as much as being forgotten. Their struggles, their strength, their unbroken spirit, their stories - when we forget the events, their cries for help, and their courage, we are no better than the insipid idiots who were responsible for these war crimes...Lest we forget.
Tonight, I cannot forget and refuse to do so..In my own tiny way, this is my homage to those warriors who were forced to survive, and to those who gave up their lives, so that others may survive....children, men, women, jews, gypsies, asians, africans, native americans, mexicans, columbians, indians, army, navy and airforces, abused women and children, gang war victims, and everyone else I did not mention...I remember..
Lest we forget....
I know abductions, rape, child soldiers and honor killings are a fact of life..an unpleasant fact, which most North Americans pretend to ignore. But that movie yesterday, fictional maybe, but it brought forth something important to me..Remembering those who suffer.
Today, my dad and I watched a BBC documentary on Auschwitz, and how 1.3M people were sent to that camp in 4.5 years and 1.1M were killed. Of them about 200,000 were children. A survivor was almost in tears as she recognized her aunt and 4 cousins in a photograph taken minutes before they were sent to the crematorium. The children ranged from 2 - 10.....Remembering those who are brutalized.
A few minutes ago, I read this, an article about child soldiers in Uganda, Rwanda, Columbia and other war ridden countries. The author uses a byline "Lest we forget"....something I feel is very important in counteracting these acts of crime, war, terror and inhumane brutalization.
In our busy lives, we juggle work, families, friends, colleagues, our kids schedules, our finances, and so much more, and we think our lives are hard. Maybe our life is hard, for us, in this little world we can view. But if we look at the bigger picture, rather if we consider the gargantuan struggles faced by these individuals, children and adults alike, we look and sound like morons. Yet, what do we do when we hear about 15 year old girls abducted from their homes, raped repeatedly, forced to bear children and then fight in a civil war? We feel terribly burdened, maybe for a few hours, we feel indignant and angry, and then we go back to our normal and sane lives. In short, we do nothing. Sometimes, it's rather burdensome to even consider that you and I, ordinary people, can do something about it. Maybe we can..I am doing what seemed like an idea to me..Lest we forget...
I find that the most inhumane thing which could happen to these survivors, is being forgotten. Nothing hurts as much as being forgotten. Their struggles, their strength, their unbroken spirit, their stories - when we forget the events, their cries for help, and their courage, we are no better than the insipid idiots who were responsible for these war crimes...Lest we forget.
Tonight, I cannot forget and refuse to do so..In my own tiny way, this is my homage to those warriors who were forced to survive, and to those who gave up their lives, so that others may survive....children, men, women, jews, gypsies, asians, africans, native americans, mexicans, columbians, indians, army, navy and airforces, abused women and children, gang war victims, and everyone else I did not mention...I remember..
Lest we forget....
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
news bites in the New Year...
Happy New Year everyone!
I know, I know..it's almost the end of January already!! I can't believe it, I'm still in the mood to decorate the tree or eat that nice chocolate cake or wait to spend the holidays with my family..yep, I'm still in December :)! Atleast, I wish I was..I had an absolutely fantastic vacation visiting family and friends in the US, but now I've been dragged kicking and screaming into 2008 and back to Toronto...and it's good to be back...atleast that's what I have to tell myself to brave the -28deg C windchill factor for the past few days..brrrr!!
Anyway, coming back to the topic, tonight I felt I had neglected my blog long enough, and it was time to flex my mental fingers and the literal ones as well..and write something noteworthy. Alas, before I started writing something philosophical and very meaningful (I could write something like that you know..now now, don't be mean buddy..I saw that snicker!! ;) ), I came across this, James E. O’Shea's farewell remarks after he quit his job as the LA Times Editor. I particularly liked his speech - somewhat pithy, convoluted and journalistic enough that it's mindboggling in certain sections. But overall, it had some very reproducable quotes, and here are the ones I like:
"The formula for success? A small investment in new resources more than pays for itself with added revenues"
"Journalists and not accountants should seize responsibility for the financial health of our newspapers so journalists can make decisions about the size of our staffs and how much news remains in our papers and web sites. The biggest challenge we face -- journalists and dedicated newspaper folks alike – is to overcome this pervasive culture of defeat, the psychology of surrender that accepts decline as inevitable. This mindset plagues our business and threatens our newspapers and livelihoods."
"A dollar’s worth of smart investment is worth far more than a barrel of budget cuts."
"We must tell people what they want to know and — even more important — what they might not want to know, about war, politics, economics, schools, corruption and the thoughts and deeds of those who lead us. We need to tell readers more about Barack Obama and less about Britney Spears. We must give a voice to those who can’t afford a megaphone. And we must become more than a marketing slogan. "
I know, I know..it's almost the end of January already!! I can't believe it, I'm still in the mood to decorate the tree or eat that nice chocolate cake or wait to spend the holidays with my family..yep, I'm still in December :)! Atleast, I wish I was..I had an absolutely fantastic vacation visiting family and friends in the US, but now I've been dragged kicking and screaming into 2008 and back to Toronto...and it's good to be back...atleast that's what I have to tell myself to brave the -28deg C windchill factor for the past few days..brrrr!!
Anyway, coming back to the topic, tonight I felt I had neglected my blog long enough, and it was time to flex my mental fingers and the literal ones as well..and write something noteworthy. Alas, before I started writing something philosophical and very meaningful (I could write something like that you know..now now, don't be mean buddy..I saw that snicker!! ;) ), I came across this, James E. O’Shea's farewell remarks after he quit his job as the LA Times Editor. I particularly liked his speech - somewhat pithy, convoluted and journalistic enough that it's mindboggling in certain sections. But overall, it had some very reproducable quotes, and here are the ones I like:
"The formula for success? A small investment in new resources more than pays for itself with added revenues"
"Journalists and not accountants should seize responsibility for the financial health of our newspapers so journalists can make decisions about the size of our staffs and how much news remains in our papers and web sites. The biggest challenge we face -- journalists and dedicated newspaper folks alike – is to overcome this pervasive culture of defeat, the psychology of surrender that accepts decline as inevitable. This mindset plagues our business and threatens our newspapers and livelihoods."
"A dollar’s worth of smart investment is worth far more than a barrel of budget cuts."
"We must tell people what they want to know and — even more important — what they might not want to know, about war, politics, economics, schools, corruption and the thoughts and deeds of those who lead us. We need to tell readers more about Barack Obama and less about Britney Spears. We must give a voice to those who can’t afford a megaphone. And we must become more than a marketing slogan. "
Saturday, December 15, 2007
People..idiocy..moods
My blogs typically contain a modified and rather edited version of my thoughts and opinions. Today, I wish to discuss people, their idiosyncrasies and the fluctuating moods.
Personally and professionally, I have interacted with many people, and as a species, we tend to let our emotions (moods and idiosyncrasies) rule our life - how we speak, what we say, who we talk to, our topics, friends, families, everyhting is dependent predominantly on our emotions. With that being said, it's a strange balance we maintain in our lives.
As a socio-cultural anthropology student, I've studied and discussed how culture affects our thoughts, actions, life structure and even our words. However, as a student of linguistic anthropology, I've always been fascinated with and impressed by how our language shapes our lives and choices. Earlier, I said that our emotions rule our life and various aspects of it. But language is a very intricate part of that balance, and without culture and language, we will be unable to express our emotions.
For example, let's imagine, a professor has an unruly student in his course, for purpose of maturity, let's assume this is a graduate course. In such a case, the unruliness would mean disruptiveness, questioning the instructor's knowledge/authority, and other such stupid actions. Now let's talk about how this instructor would phrase an order/request to the student about submitting his assignment on time - CASE 1, wherein the emotional distance between the speaker and the audience is great, and the 'request/act' is 'threatening' the audience's 'face'.
Now, let's look at another situation, let's imagine, a husband asks his wife to remind him about an upcoming friends birthday, and when the wife calls him at work to remind him, he doesn't answer her calls. Further, he tells her that he is chatting with friends, and can't talk to her. Now let's talk about how the wife would respond to her husband - CASE 2, wherein the emotional distance between the speaker and the audience is very small, but the 'request/act' is 'threatening' the speaker's 'face' and may also 'threaten' the audience's 'face'.
There are millions of other situations which can be imagined or real, where we encounter these items - emotional distance, threatening acts, and faces. These terms might be alien to most audiences, however a lingusitic athropologist/student, would immediately recognize what I am leading to - it's a very interesting and highly debated topic - Face Threatening Acts. To simplify, it tells us that people, use acts of politeness (a.k.a. be nice to other people) based on some criteria (distance, threatening acts and faces). The faces they refer to are not the physical form, rather the socio-cultural face we present to each other.
In our daily life, we use these FTAs quite often, without ever recognizing it. However, when you recognize them, you are now capable of deciding whether the FTA you originally intended to use was appropriate or not. Of course, every situation has multiple variables which tend to influence our acts, and any subject/text can never correctly reflect all these variations. For example, I find that one of the biggest variables that affect the FTA we perform, is the time factor. Based on the incidence time (when the situation occured) to the performance time (when the FTA will occur) and the reaction time (when the audience will react to the FTA), the actual FTA gets modified quite often.
In the above situations, it's very easy to imagine the instructor being quite stern with the student about the assignment submission (FTA), immediately after the unruliness. Similarly, in case 2, the wife may be quite vocal with her disapproval(FTA) immediately after the phone call. However, in both situations, if the FTA occurs after an elapsed period of time (2 hours to 2 days or even 2 weeks), then the level of FTA would be minor compared to it's original effect. Still, I should point out, that in each of those cases, whenever the FTA occurs, the level of FTA would never be the same in both the cases, because the distance between the audience and the speaker is different in each case.
Can you see why I love and am quite intrigued with exploring culture, society, language, words and most importantly, how they affect our behavior? Everything in our lives, from health care policies, hospital administration, university educational systems, politics, families and patriotism, is underlined by this interacting and quite complicated system of words and behaviour.
Personally and professionally, I have interacted with many people, and as a species, we tend to let our emotions (moods and idiosyncrasies) rule our life - how we speak, what we say, who we talk to, our topics, friends, families, everyhting is dependent predominantly on our emotions. With that being said, it's a strange balance we maintain in our lives.
As a socio-cultural anthropology student, I've studied and discussed how culture affects our thoughts, actions, life structure and even our words. However, as a student of linguistic anthropology, I've always been fascinated with and impressed by how our language shapes our lives and choices. Earlier, I said that our emotions rule our life and various aspects of it. But language is a very intricate part of that balance, and without culture and language, we will be unable to express our emotions.
For example, let's imagine, a professor has an unruly student in his course, for purpose of maturity, let's assume this is a graduate course. In such a case, the unruliness would mean disruptiveness, questioning the instructor's knowledge/authority, and other such stupid actions. Now let's talk about how this instructor would phrase an order/request to the student about submitting his assignment on time - CASE 1, wherein the emotional distance between the speaker and the audience is great, and the 'request/act' is 'threatening' the audience's 'face'.
Now, let's look at another situation, let's imagine, a husband asks his wife to remind him about an upcoming friends birthday, and when the wife calls him at work to remind him, he doesn't answer her calls. Further, he tells her that he is chatting with friends, and can't talk to her. Now let's talk about how the wife would respond to her husband - CASE 2, wherein the emotional distance between the speaker and the audience is very small, but the 'request/act' is 'threatening' the speaker's 'face' and may also 'threaten' the audience's 'face'.
There are millions of other situations which can be imagined or real, where we encounter these items - emotional distance, threatening acts, and faces. These terms might be alien to most audiences, however a lingusitic athropologist/student, would immediately recognize what I am leading to - it's a very interesting and highly debated topic - Face Threatening Acts. To simplify, it tells us that people, use acts of politeness (a.k.a. be nice to other people) based on some criteria (distance, threatening acts and faces). The faces they refer to are not the physical form, rather the socio-cultural face we present to each other.
In our daily life, we use these FTAs quite often, without ever recognizing it. However, when you recognize them, you are now capable of deciding whether the FTA you originally intended to use was appropriate or not. Of course, every situation has multiple variables which tend to influence our acts, and any subject/text can never correctly reflect all these variations. For example, I find that one of the biggest variables that affect the FTA we perform, is the time factor. Based on the incidence time (when the situation occured) to the performance time (when the FTA will occur) and the reaction time (when the audience will react to the FTA), the actual FTA gets modified quite often.
In the above situations, it's very easy to imagine the instructor being quite stern with the student about the assignment submission (FTA), immediately after the unruliness. Similarly, in case 2, the wife may be quite vocal with her disapproval(FTA) immediately after the phone call. However, in both situations, if the FTA occurs after an elapsed period of time (2 hours to 2 days or even 2 weeks), then the level of FTA would be minor compared to it's original effect. Still, I should point out, that in each of those cases, whenever the FTA occurs, the level of FTA would never be the same in both the cases, because the distance between the audience and the speaker is different in each case.
Can you see why I love and am quite intrigued with exploring culture, society, language, words and most importantly, how they affect our behavior? Everything in our lives, from health care policies, hospital administration, university educational systems, politics, families and patriotism, is underlined by this interacting and quite complicated system of words and behaviour.
Monday, October 29, 2007
A world view from 2003
In 2003, I was browsing channels one Saturday morning, and I saw this World Vision charity ad, where they were showing these little children who tug on your heartstrings – looking hungry and hopeless. One of the news channels, was simultaneously showing a huge debate among world leaders aimed at ending world poverty. These leaders did not look like they even knew what these children go through. These words show my reaction to this contrasting world view. The children, we view as our future and hope for tomorrow are left to starve and beg, while the leaders sit back and debate until nothing gets resolved.
Empty Dreams
Fools that we are in this real world
They remain forgotten by all but me.
Honor, riches and integrity sold
To the scavengers for free.
Dying words, broken tears
All that is left for me to see.
Scanty food and dwindling cheers
Nothing but irons binding the glee.
Tattered clothes swirling free
Stomachs grumbling with hunger and pain
Brown and muddy, the children see
Nothing but food on the chocolate train.
Eyes beseeching, hands outstretched
They stand in a row begging to you.
Gaudy fools ignore the little hands outstretched
While they gobble, slurp and disgustingly chew.
The strain on their faces etched
The pain in their eyes missed
Their empty dreams, so farfetched
Their only aim to have food enough to exist.
These children await a tomorrow
As dark as the hungry night approaching
As dirty as the clothes they borrow
As sad as the empty dreams soon encroaching.
Hopeless they sleep
Vainly for help, they await
While they wait and weep
Gluttonous fools eat and debate.
By,
Angela Archana Vincent
Empty Dreams
Fools that we are in this real world
They remain forgotten by all but me.
Honor, riches and integrity sold
To the scavengers for free.
Dying words, broken tears
All that is left for me to see.
Scanty food and dwindling cheers
Nothing but irons binding the glee.
Tattered clothes swirling free
Stomachs grumbling with hunger and pain
Brown and muddy, the children see
Nothing but food on the chocolate train.
Eyes beseeching, hands outstretched
They stand in a row begging to you.
Gaudy fools ignore the little hands outstretched
While they gobble, slurp and disgustingly chew.
The strain on their faces etched
The pain in their eyes missed
Their empty dreams, so farfetched
Their only aim to have food enough to exist.
These children await a tomorrow
As dark as the hungry night approaching
As dirty as the clothes they borrow
As sad as the empty dreams soon encroaching.
Hopeless they sleep
Vainly for help, they await
While they wait and weep
Gluttonous fools eat and debate.
By,
Angela Archana Vincent
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Mass markets and victimization
Lisi Tesher's article in today's metro was quite interesting. She was discussing the recent large scale product recall by Mattel Inc. Her very brilliant suggestion to protect North American consumers from such defective products is to "make a conscious effort not to buy anything made in China."
Apparently, quite a few major retailers have recalled their defective products from the mass-market, and these products were all made in China. So, Lisi concludes that North American consumers i.e., you and I, should individually refrain from buying any Chinese made product. To me, that is plain stupidity. We are punishing a nation and its economy for the incompetence of a few retailers. Is it not the responsibility of the company to ensure that their product is checked for all safety standards? No matter which country the production has been outsourced to, the company who markets and sells the final product, should be the one held liable for its defective merchandise. Why should China take the blame? Is it not a case of the victim being victimized?
I remember a few years ago, when Mad Cow Disease was diagnosed in the Canadian Prairie provinces. Immediately, the border and effectively, the market for Canadian meat in USA came to a standstill. So, the Prairie provinces suffered huge financial losses. Of course, we were all up in arms about how unfair the American system was to blame all Canadian farmers for the mistake of a few. Now, that our situation is reversed, we do not hesitate to blame others.
As a follow-up to Lisi's article, the Metro also reports that Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his North American politcal counterparts are planning to "block the import of unsafe
foods and products, especially toys, as they closed a summit dedicated to more integrated continental trade and security."
Ah, the irony and the idiocy! They attempt to victimize the diseased, rather than treat the cause of the disease itself...
Apparently, quite a few major retailers have recalled their defective products from the mass-market, and these products were all made in China. So, Lisi concludes that North American consumers i.e., you and I, should individually refrain from buying any Chinese made product. To me, that is plain stupidity. We are punishing a nation and its economy for the incompetence of a few retailers. Is it not the responsibility of the company to ensure that their product is checked for all safety standards? No matter which country the production has been outsourced to, the company who markets and sells the final product, should be the one held liable for its defective merchandise. Why should China take the blame? Is it not a case of the victim being victimized?
I remember a few years ago, when Mad Cow Disease was diagnosed in the Canadian Prairie provinces. Immediately, the border and effectively, the market for Canadian meat in USA came to a standstill. So, the Prairie provinces suffered huge financial losses. Of course, we were all up in arms about how unfair the American system was to blame all Canadian farmers for the mistake of a few. Now, that our situation is reversed, we do not hesitate to blame others.
As a follow-up to Lisi's article, the Metro also reports that Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his North American politcal counterparts are planning to "block the import of unsafe
foods and products, especially toys, as they closed a summit dedicated to more integrated continental trade and security."
Ah, the irony and the idiocy! They attempt to victimize the diseased, rather than treat the cause of the disease itself...
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Progressive, we are not...
Although I am feeling sick today, and the last thing I want to do is blog, I cannot resist these few words.
I believe in freedom, in choice, and in your individual right. However, like most citizens, I do not question society's genral norms and rules. D. J. Bourdeaux's article is a fascinating read, and brings forth some valid arguments:
He further goes on to conclude,
Well written article.
I believe in freedom, in choice, and in your individual right. However, like most citizens, I do not question society's genral norms and rules. D. J. Bourdeaux's article is a fascinating read, and brings forth some valid arguments:
These "Progressives" want America to "progress" back to a state of mind that holds that we ordinary men and women are so naturally weak in mind, body and willpower that we must be protected by heroic white knights from nefarious forces intent on destroying us. Just as feudal lords protected their serfs from being raped and pillaged by invading hordes, so, too, will the modern state protect us helpless and ignorant ordinary folk from unsafe foods, immoral drugs, blackhearted corporations, naughty words and inexpensive foreign products.
He further goes on to conclude,
Of course, when medieval superstitions, stasis and status eventually gave way to individualism, society did not collapse. It thrived as never before. Great cities were built. The profit motive led entrepreneurs to invent lifesaving medicines, more abundant food supplies, vibrant cultural products available to anyone who wished to partake in them and creature comforts undreamed of by even the wealthiest medieval monarchs.
In short, individualism -- and the freedom and free markets that it entails -- sparked and sustained progress as never before.
Today's "Progressives" seek a return to the status and static society in which the few direct and "protect" the many. That, of course, is the opposite of genuine progress.
Well written article.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Journalist at her best - Mika Brezinski
In this case, the video is self-explanatory - Kudos to her, and Amit thank you for posting this on your blog.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
A 15 yr old surgeon and his crazy parents
I thought fat farms in Africa, and women only beaches in Italy were rather interesting news items, until I read this article. Will miracles never cease? I guess not, as long as idiots like them exist in the world, we will always witness these 'miracles' of pure unadultered stupidity and mindless idiocy.
In this piece of very refreshing and mind-numbing lunacy, we find a 15 year old boy in Tamil Nadu, South India, performing a C-section under the very watchful eyes of his parents, who are both physicians (see image on the left). The reason for this bit of lunacy, well, which parent can resist the though that their son could possibly enter the Guiness Book of World Records.
Alas, the poor souls never imagined that they would end up in prison for such a noble thought. Idiots.
Another article, on the same issue, ends with a quote from a spokesperson at Guiness Records:
Finally, someone makes sense, in a remote indirect way, but this is better than letting a 15 year old practise C-sections on poor, unsuspecting women!
Oh, and for those anxious to know the fate of the baby (see the attached image of the mother Nyla, 27 with her child), apparently the child was born with a lump on the spinal cord, but the birth defect had nothing to do with the surgery.
Oh Joy!
In this piece of very refreshing and mind-numbing lunacy, we find a 15 year old boy in Tamil Nadu, South India, performing a C-section under the very watchful eyes of his parents, who are both physicians (see image on the left). The reason for this bit of lunacy, well, which parent can resist the though that their son could possibly enter the Guiness Book of World Records.Alas, the poor souls never imagined that they would end up in prison for such a noble thought. Idiots.
Another article, on the same issue, ends with a quote from a spokesperson at Guiness Records:
Guinness does not endorse such attempts because they encourage "bad medicine."
Finally, someone makes sense, in a remote indirect way, but this is better than letting a 15 year old practise C-sections on poor, unsuspecting women! Oh, and for those anxious to know the fate of the baby (see the attached image of the mother Nyla, 27 with her child), apparently the child was born with a lump on the spinal cord, but the birth defect had nothing to do with the surgery.
Oh Joy!
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Fat is beautiful..but do we need 'fat-farms'??
I've always known that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and so on. However, I've also seen people take their concern for beauty to some pretty weird extremes. This article, on BBC, caught my eye today and I couldn't believe the tripe I was reading. 
Apparently, in this African country, fat women are considered beautiful, and so they force-feed their children - girls as young as 7 years old are force-fed so that they become fat and beautiful. Fatematou, a lady who runs a fat-farm in Mauritania, had this to say about force-feeding the girls:
In the present day's context, especially in North America, where we witness anorexia, bulimia and other eating disorders, it's not astonishing to notice something this idiotic in another part of the world. However, I am astounded by this kind of idiocy, moral hypocrisy and the cultural value we accord to outdated traditions and physical appearances. How can parents be willing to abuse their children to such extremes. On the similar vein, I have neve understood how parents in North America can accept their 13 - 16 year daughters getting breast implants, botox injections and so on. I guess, I'm not someone who believes in following 'generally accepted ideas/outlooks'. Oh well, woe betide me! :)
I'll end today's tirade with Fatematou's very 'wise' words:
What bulls***!
Apparently, in this African country, fat women are considered beautiful, and so they force-feed their children - girls as young as 7 years old are force-fed so that they become fat and beautiful. Fatematou, a lady who runs a fat-farm in Mauritania, had this to say about force-feeding the girls:
"I make them eat and eat and eat. And then drink lots and lots of water," she explained. "I make them do this all morning. Then they have a rest. In the afternoon we start again. We do this three times a day - the morning, the afternoon and the evening."
Fatematou said that it was rare for a girl to refuse to eat, and that if they did, she was helped by the child's parents. "They punish the girls and in the end the girls eat," she said. "If a girl refuses we start nicely, saying 'come on, come on' sweetly, until she agrees to eat." Fatematou admitted that sometimes the girls cried at the treatment. "Of course they cry - they scream," she said. "We grab them and we force them to eat. If they cry a lot we leave them sometimes for a day or two and then we come back to start again. "They get used to it in the end."
In the present day's context, especially in North America, where we witness anorexia, bulimia and other eating disorders, it's not astonishing to notice something this idiotic in another part of the world. However, I am astounded by this kind of idiocy, moral hypocrisy and the cultural value we accord to outdated traditions and physical appearances. How can parents be willing to abuse their children to such extremes. On the similar vein, I have neve understood how parents in North America can accept their 13 - 16 year daughters getting breast implants, botox injections and so on. I guess, I'm not someone who believes in following 'generally accepted ideas/outlooks'. Oh well, woe betide me! :)
I'll end today's tirade with Fatematou's very 'wise' words:
"Once they are fat and beautiful they can serve their men well, once they are fat they can be married."
What bulls***!
Friday, June 22, 2007
Salman Rushdie's Knighthood
I am rather ignorant of some of the more mainstream news items, and Salman Rushdie's knighthood was a very tiny blip on my radar..Until I read this satire by Sanjay Sipahimalini. In fact, when I started reading Sanjay's blog, I thought it was true - Naive me.
Anyway, Sanjay's blog focuses on ridiculing people who use stupidity as an excuse for their various moral causes. Here is an excerpt from his blog:
I still can't stop laughing. Sanjay, thank you for starting my weekend off with laughter!
Anyway, Sanjay's blog focuses on ridiculing people who use stupidity as an excuse for their various moral causes. Here is an excerpt from his blog:
“Rushdie has discriminated against all of us,” said the President of the association. “His novel Midnight’s Children is a deliberate and wilful act of provocation that has hurt the feelings of those who were born at other times of the day.”All copies of Rushdie’s novel, the statement said, ought to be pulped and the remains mixed with glue to create papier-mâché toys for the children of the association’s members. This, said the statement, will help soothe sentiments.“Rushdie himself was not born at midnight,” said one of the members at a press conference called to announce the protest. “He is full of self-hate and has crossed over to the other side to belittle all of us. There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that the only reason he wrote the novel was to poke fun at people born during the day”. Cutting a large chocolate cake, he went on, “I myself was born at 4.15 p.m. and as a matter of fact today is my birthday, so all of you can leave your presents in the large box beside the exit”.
I still can't stop laughing. Sanjay, thank you for starting my weekend off with laughter!
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Words are never enough..
When I followed the link from Amit Varma's blog to this collection of images that changed the world, I could not ignore them. I felt the need to reclaim those moments of horror and achievements..
The picture shows three dead American soldiers on the beach of P. N. Guinea during WWII. It ends with the tagline..'we need pictures, because words are never enough'....
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)