From: saify@cbnewsl.cb.att.com (saify.lanewala)
Subject: Re: The remarks..but it is such a poorest nation..
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1992 15:59:18 GMT
Summary: Let's behave as *INDIANS* then, no more factionalism

In article <92208.164145ASRIN@ASUACAD.BITNET>, ASRIN@ASUACAD.BITNET (Vegesna Srinivas Raju) writes:
> Hello Friends
> 
> Yesterday I was annoyed by the remarks made by the NBC commentator in the
> parade of nations during the Olympic opening ceremony. The remark that India
> is so poor that it can't afford to built a hockey field turf for its players
> by a American National Network Commentator shows that the west still sees India
> as the same old sanke charmers nation.
> 
> Eventhough Indians have been coming to the west since many years, the same old
> categorization of Indians continues and something should be urgently done to
> change the view of the outside world on India.Can't we Indians in America do
> something to change the this view...and can't we do something to know our
> discontent on such remarks to NBC...
> 
> As far I know, India has three astro turf surfaces in India..in Delhi, Lucknow,
> and some other city.


Come on now!!  Just look back at the last two weeks of SCI postings.
There's a reason why the west does not have a goo impression of India.
Netters are, by and large, the 'educated elite' of India.  But time
and again, we are assaulted by the us-versus-them rhetoric.

Where's our energy going?  It's continually wasted in finger-pointing,
in 'proving' that Hindus are better, that Muslims are better, that
Calcuttans are better, that Malayalis are better, on and on, ad nauseum!

Don't forget that 'good' news is flashy, blood, gore, sex, scandals ...
the works.  Your friendly local newscaster will not get a good rating for
reporting that the state of the world is calm, there were no muggings
or murders in Central Park in New York, and that the leaders of the world
did not get together last week because there was no reason for them to 
do so.  In fact, the best news that India gets in the media in this country
is no news!

Back to the basic issue, though.  When are we going to stop this i'm better
than you, my religion is better than yours, my culture is better than
yours garbage?  We talk a lot about being Indian, but cannot stop sniping
at each other.  We want the world to look favorably upon India, but cannot
prevent rapes in open daylight.  We want foreign investment, but won't
spend money on improving our infrastructure.  We want US aid, but cannot
stop pontificating about how the US should stop meddling in other
countries.  In the name of free speech and freedom of self-expression, the
voices of reason are shouted down.

Unfortunately, there's too much of the I've-got-to-get-the-last-word-in
syndrome.  There comes a time when we've just got to let it go!

What we need is an overall context to operate in so that a consistent
message goes out to the world.  Part of it would involve openly acknowledging
problems where they exist.  We Indians bridle whenever someone says
something negative about us or about things Indian.  We automatically
assume that the person making such a comment is anti-Indian, an uneducated
bum, an ignoramus, whatever.  We don't take a step back and try to figure
out what we could do to change that opinion.  Maybe the person *IS* a racist,
anti-Indian moron.  That should not prevent us from dealing objectively
with that person.

I think another thing that gets in the way is our factionalism.  We tend
to stay with our Indian sub-groups in this country.  In essence, we've
created our own little versions of India here, so we have a Bengali Association
and a Tamil Association and a Marathi Association that seems to be more
active than an *INDIAN* Association.   There are lots of announcements of
prayer services for this sect or that, but not one that caters to *all*
Indians regardless of background.

Maybe that's the best we *can* do.  If so, I am saddened.  But I would
hope that somewhere inside all of us is an ideal that things could be
better, not just for me or my brother, but for all Indians, not just for
my community, but for the 'other' community too.  But my friends, until
we start thinking like *Indians* instead of Hindu/Muslim/Bengali/Marathi
etc., we're doomed to the same problems currently being exhibited in
Eastern Europe.

For myself, I propose creating a non-profit educational organization that
disseminates information about India regardless of color, creed, state,
religion.  Maybe such as organization already exists.  If so' I'd like to
know about it.  If not, then this is the time and place.  I invite all
you folks out there to participate, but we all need to lay our baggage at
the door.


Sorry for having chewed up a lot of valuable bandwidth.  Please start a
dialog, but again, leave all the old baggage at the door.  It's time to
design some new baggage, much lighter and resilient.  Thanks for your
time.


Saify Lanewala
stl@usl.usl.com

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