tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8341847784100229485.post3929170466406488851..comments2023-09-23T21:59:30.690+05:30Comments on I'm just SAYING!: What More Can We Do?!Yaamynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13486967702707441314noreply@blogger.comBlogger91125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8341847784100229485.post-16276469491679831842009-08-29T02:52:06.417+05:302009-08-29T02:52:06.417+05:30Ahemm...I have not against Muslims..They are thems...Ahemm...I have not against Muslims..They are themselves victims whether of their own religion or their thought process which believes in literal interpretation of holy texts I dont know. <br /><br />But yes I developed a Phobia against Islam because of this:-<br />http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/malaysia/36272-protesters-threaten-bloodshed-over-hindu-temple<br /><br />Or Probably This:-<br />http://www.mukto-mona.com/human_rights/ethnic_clensing_Bangladesh.html<br /><br />Or Maybe this:-<br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Hindus<br /><br />I better be Islamophobic and stay away from Muslims rather than having friends whose books somewhere tell them to kill me if I am alone and helpless.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8341847784100229485.post-35640126844361520392009-08-24T01:38:01.211+05:302009-08-24T01:38:01.211+05:30Fuck the author's ass :-)Fuck the author's ass :-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8341847784100229485.post-11842099981805061412009-05-06T20:11:00.000+05:302009-05-06T20:11:00.000+05:30@Yaamyn.
Good post. Heartfelt, and much needed.@Yaamyn.<br />Good post. Heartfelt, and much needed.Animeshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08412663541603155070noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8341847784100229485.post-76725790345863743432009-02-14T04:01:00.000+05:302009-02-14T04:01:00.000+05:30Oh yeah, we were in Saudi Arabia during all that A...Oh yeah, we were in Saudi Arabia during all that Ayodhya madness. You must hear my Mom react to it even now, even though we were mercifully shielded from it all. She hates the fucking saffron right-wingers to her core, just like she hates the SIMI or Indian Mujahideen bastards.Surbhihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08164279377538053633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8341847784100229485.post-35290432308655716602009-02-14T03:55:00.000+05:302009-02-14T03:55:00.000+05:30Well, the reason why my family (and I mean only my...Well, the reason why my family (and I mean only my mom-dad-bro) does not see Muslims as different from ourselves is because I've literally lived my growing years with more Muslim friends than those from any other faith. Reason was that we were in Saudi Arabia where my Dad was working, and we bonded like family with this Indian-Pakistani-Bangladeshi community. All different nations, but with similar ethnicity and culture.<BR/><BR/>In fact, we bonded so well that during the annual Navratris which coincide with Eid, we used to go to our Muslim friends' homes for Eid parties where the hostess used to make special Navratri-compliant food (pure veg, no onion or garlic) for their Hindu friends. And no one had any qualms about any of that, plus the fasting Hindus would eat the sewaiyan if nothing else (since either that is apparently ok during the fast, or who the hell cares). And my Mom and other Hindu ladies would help their Muslim friends with their household chores during Ramadan, knowing they would be exhausted after not eating or drinking till the evening.<BR/><BR/>The group we were a part of is also the reason why my family or I do not hate Pakistanis or Bangladeshis on principle - which so many Indians do. We know they are humans like us, and it is not their fault that some sick-in-their-head people from their country displayed symptoms of extreme schizophrenia and decided to kill others for some extremely misguided reasons. Hell, we have Modi and Advani and BJP+allies and SIMI+IM+allies too, don't we?<BR/><BR/>So strong was our bond of friendship that it transcended all borders - religious, regional, cultural, behavioural. In fact, when I searched for my childhood friends on Orkut recently, it was then that I found out that some of them are not Indians. Trust me, Yaamyn, I never knew that before!<BR/><BR/>What's more, when we came back to India for good (I was 13), I found Zeenat and Mohsin to be more rarely heard names than Aditi or Sandeep. That for one was a culture shock for me!<BR/><BR/>I think so many times that maybe, maybe if I had lived my life in India all through, my tolerant and accepting mindset may have been a misfit. And maybe my parents would have thought just like those around them do. Maybe...Surbhihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08164279377538053633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8341847784100229485.post-22884493096835364742009-02-14T03:50:00.000+05:302009-02-14T03:50:00.000+05:30This comment has been removed by the author.Surbhihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08164279377538053633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8341847784100229485.post-45789541634224587712009-01-13T11:07:00.000+05:302009-01-13T11:07:00.000+05:30Its called the urge for survival. Islamophobia is ...Its called the urge for survival. Islamophobia is extremely important for the survival of our speicieces. Islam being a toxic idelogy has spread virally all over the world. A counter is needed. India has been a victim for so long. All its high traditions ahve been smashed to the ground due to islam. Islamophobia has to increase in the world and it sure will. The 21st century will be the anti islamic century. The scrouge of islam needs to be eradicated.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8341847784100229485.post-9087133845878018192008-12-13T01:04:00.000+05:302008-12-13T01:04:00.000+05:30@John :Thank you for reading my post, and for that...@John :<BR/><BR/>Thank you for reading my post, and for that comment. <BR/><BR/>I've always known that there are people who - despite all the hatred - haven't forgotten the meaning of tolerance. But it's nice to hear from one. Your words are reassuring.<BR/><BR/>I'm afraid I can understand a little bit of the kind of indignation that your wife must face, being a Jew. <BR/><BR/>The Mumbai attacks didn't affect me directly as I live in a different city - far away from the bullets and the fires. But due to the live coverage by the News Channels, we were all a part of it. <BR/><BR/>While this time, there has been no visible backlash in the form of violence against the Muslim Indians, there's still a lingering suspicion. <BR/><BR/>"Don't talk to Muslims" is a hushed whisper, but I hear it. ;-)<BR/><BR/>The Muslims in India have gone out of their way to condemn the Mumbai violence. <BR/><BR/> > Thousands of Senior Imams, Religious leaders and scholars gathered to issue a united condemnation against the terrorists.<BR/><BR/> > Muslim Actors, Artistes, Film makers, Sports-persons and other Muslim celebrities in India have expressed their outrage through the media, news channels, blogs. <BR/><BR/> > The Eid Celebrations throughout the country were sombre and downplayed all over India, as a mark of respect for the dead.<BR/><BR/> > Thousands of Muslim Indians holding the Indian flag, and carrying banners denouncing terrorism rallied across cities in India. Clearly dissociating themselves from the violence carried out in their name. <BR/><BR/> > In a pleasant surprise, the mosques and praying grounds across country on the Holy Muslim festival of Eid had large placards and banners with Anti terrorism messages. It was heartening, and a great effort by the citizens. <BR/>Also, flyers were distributed and articles published in major newspapers by elder scholars clearly denouncing terror of all forms.<BR/><BR/>In short, this time the Indian Muslim left nothing to chance - and did ALL he/she could do to condemn terror for what it is.<BR/><BR/>And yet, there is a suspicion. It'll take time to wipe it all out - But I'm sure we're on the right track!<BR/><BR/>You say you're a Catholic, married to a Jew. Interesting. :-) I like to see a fusion of culture and religion.. I'm Muslim from the Maldives.. and my girlfriend is an Indian Hindu. <BR/><BR/>Thank you for your comment once again. And DO spread the word that it's wrong to hate an entire 1.2 billion strong Muslim community for the actions of an extremist few.<BR/><BR/>Lend us a hand, instead.. so that we can condemn and defeat it by WORKING TOGETHER!<BR/><BR/>@Anonymous : <BR/><BR/>Thank you too. Anecdotes such as yours restore faith in me that even when things seem darkest, there's always a shining tale of human kindness that is not limited by any religion.<BR/><BR/>@ Surbhi : <BR/><BR/>I think it's OK if your family doesn't necessarily approve of marriage with a non-Hindu.. I think it's part of every Indian household, irrespective of religion.<BR/>I'm just glad that you and your family DO NOT HATE Muslims or any other people. Prejudice is a dangerous thing and hard to get rid of once you get it.<BR/><BR/>:-)<BR/><BR/>Cheers, and thank you for your comment.<BR/><BR/>There's no diffence between a Mary and a Maryam.. we're all part of one amazing race! THe HUMAN RACE!<BR/><BR/>Thank you.Yaamynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13486967702707441314noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8341847784100229485.post-21121308647222811042008-12-10T19:07:00.000+05:302008-12-10T19:07:00.000+05:30WOW!!! This was incredible. I am born into a Hindu...WOW!!! This was incredible. I am born into a Hindu household which calls itself liberal. My home is liberal enough to have Muslim friends, even best friends. But Muslim boyfriend or husband, I can't say. I am an atheist, though. And whatever you've said here (and more) is what I've always wanted to say to people. What the hell kind of God differentiates between Hindus/ Muslims/ Christians/ Jews or even men/ women, or even men/ animals/ plants? Why, if I am called Mariam should I be different from if I were called Mary or Madhuri? I'm still a girl, and still a human being. Even if I am called Mariam or Mary, I'm an Indian. And even if I'm called Madhuri, I'm a British or American national. So why the hell am I different? And how on Earth am I lesser than anyone else?<BR/>More power to you, and this blog as well. Love you! You brought tears to my eyes. Please, world, do not paint everyone with the same brush. In fact, what the hell gives YOU the right to paint anyone at all?Surbhihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08164279377538053633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8341847784100229485.post-63362962630181964702008-12-07T01:34:00.000+05:302008-12-07T01:34:00.000+05:30@YaamynThank You!!!I was 10 during the Mumbai Riot...@Yaamyn<BR/>Thank You!!!<BR/><BR/>I was 10 during the Mumbai Riots. Couldnt understand much except that there are people who might kill my entire family if they got a chance to enter our colony. We were the only Muslim family in that locality.<BR/><BR/>But there is hope......<BR/><BR/>Why...<BR/><BR/>It was then our neighbours who took care of us. To the extent that our everyday ration was brought by them from a near by market place, which was located in a not-so Muslim friendly area.<BR/><BR/>But still I was very disturbed by the riots. Why are they after our lives? What will happen next?<BR/>After some months I happened to go to my Native Place and that changed or rather pacified me. It was Muharram Time. The Muslims of my village were preparing a Tajia procession, as every year. I came to know at that time that the young Muslim boys used to go to every house in the village with a Chader and collect donations for the procession. Everybody, even Hindus used to contribute. Not only that, when the procession actually began, it used to halt in front fo even Hindu doors. this was followed by the Hindus coming out with "incense sticks" and "coconut" and other stuff to offer in the procession.<BR/><BR/>All this brought a lot of peace to my mind.<BR/><BR/>I know many years have passed and things may have changed. But believe me we still have friends who while discussing such terrorism incidents take care that they dont insult or hurt you in any way.<BR/><BR/>I think the older generation of small cities are the ones who are communal. Younger generation if by some way are protected from the hatered and biases of the older generation in these mall cities than we will have an India almost free of communal tensions.<BR/><BR/>There are people on sites like Rediff.com who abuse our community and religion in the filthiest words. It irritates us like anything. But dont forget we are more than a Billion.<BR/><BR/>The recent rally at Gateway in Mumbai is a hope for better tomorrow...God Willing!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8341847784100229485.post-82551726024871026282008-12-04T17:24:00.000+05:302008-12-04T17:24:00.000+05:30By the way... I also read this before posting on y...By the way... I also read this before posting on your site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Muslims#Persecution_of_Muslims_in_India<BR/><BR/>Simply because I wanted at least a little idea of the kinds of things someone who is Islamic in India might be thinking about -- yet which we in the West are more or less oblivious to. <BR/><BR/>If we condemn the latest round of Mumbai attacks -- and obviously we should -- we should also publicly condemn, as non-Muslims, these incidences of persecution listed in the Wikipedia article (along with those that surely aren't mentioned) too. <BR/><BR/>Acts of reciprocal violence or other atrocities committed by, for, or with the approval of minority Muslim fundamentals are irrelevant to that condemnation. The persecution is wrong regardless of who is the perpetrator and who is the target. I think that's the essential message here, both mine and yours.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8341847784100229485.post-84580670946744896912008-12-04T17:15:00.000+05:302008-12-04T17:15:00.000+05:30Greetings Yaamyn,Well, my first thought when I rea...Greetings Yaamyn,<BR/><BR/>Well, my first thought when I read through was... can Muslims say "fuck?" But I'm glad you didn't go back and edit them out, because -- frankly -- the cuss words and frustration with THIS particular position you've taken made the whole message all the more personal and accessible.<BR/><BR/>I am, as you would guess by my name (John), a total outsider to everything you're experiencing. I'm Catholic, not Muslim. If you can believe it, I could count the muslims I know on two hands. That must be astounding to someone in a nation with 150 million of them. <BR/><BR/>I'm also American, though I live overseas (France) much of the year. I'm white and my family background is originally Irish -- a group that's long since passed it's days of real persecution, in most parts of the world. And I know absolutely nothing of India, except that I like Indian curry and lamb vindaloo. I've never been there and probably won't be there any time soon.<BR/><BR/>Heck, I don't even know many non-white people. Not by choice, only by circumstance. Though I most certainly voted for one in this past U.S. election. <BR/><BR/>In fact, the only personal experience I have contact with that comes even close to what you're talking about is that which I come by from my wife. She's also a member of a widely loathed, targeted, and disparaged minority -- she's jewish.<BR/><BR/>I say all that only so I can say this, with properly intended impact: thank you. Thank you for being as you are and for speaking as you have. Not the anger, but what lies beneath it... which is clearly the message that, despite all the frustration to the contrary, you are still out there with your voice decrying terrorism and acts of violence committed by those who claim what they're doing is in support of your faith. <BR/><BR/>I don't know if it will help you feel better at all, but I promise you that there are those of us who are outside the Islamic community; who get only the filtration of news through the Western media; who have heard all the rhetoric that communalizes the violence to the whole of Islam rather than to the splinter, misguided minorities; and who's only experience with the religion at all has been limited to repeated images of the planes slamming the Twin Towers (just a few blocks from our home in Manhattan at the time), blowing up clubs in Bali or trains in Spain or bombs in Mubai or, now, randomly slaughtering Muslims and non-Muslims alike with gunfire again in Mumbai (just days ago as I write this)... who, though we are as horrified as you are by the senselessness of it all and the carnage, STILL know that it isn't "you" who did or advocated any of this. <BR/><BR/>Don't get me wrong.<BR/><BR/>I know more Islamaphobes than I care to count. They are frightened and angry too, though I don't forgive them their assumptions or prejudices. <BR/><BR/>So, it at all, I can almost pretend to imagine the tide of bias you must feel you're up against. Because it's really out there. When will the rest of the world acknowledge that a community as vast as the Islamic world speaks with many different voices? Maybe never. Most people are hardly aware that humanity as a whole is both cursed and blessed with diversity of opinion. <BR/><BR/>At the same time, that's an interesting word: humanity. In itself, it implies a communal existence. Self-driven but interdependent, as all communities are. That's the delicate natural balance on which we all depend for survival. <BR/><BR/>Perhaps it will take a threat to the entire of humanity at once before we're unified in that way of thinking. Perhaps this is the foreshadowing of that threat -- our own anger and aggression toward each other is the disease that will undo us all.<BR/><BR/>I hope and pray that isn't the case. I hope and pray we aren't "done" as a race (the human race, that is). But we shall see. It's going to take some supreme effort to reverse these trends.<BR/><BR/>In the meantime, I apologize as much as I can for one man about the well-justified frustration you've experienced. And I thank you once again for counting yourself among the many, many millions of Muslims who still continue to speak out loudly, clearly, and publicly against those wrongful acts done so falsely in the name of your faith. <BR/><BR/>Out here, in the world that's so far away from where you're doing your speaking, thinking, and listening... that message is, unfortunately, not the one that gets passed along as often as it could be. I hope that doesn't discourage you from sharing it and believing in it just the same. <BR/><BR/>Best wishes and God Bless to the Islamic and non-Islamic alike,<BR/><BR/>John F.<BR/><BR/>P.S. I hope, too, that none of your friends were directly injured during the latest November violence in Mumbai. Of course, it's a tragedy in anyone's terms. And indirectly, we're all victims... because crimes against humanity are the crimes humanity has perpetrated against itself. <BR/><BR/>But in the immediate sense, the one thing we can acknowledge most of all -- other that there's no possible rationale that could have justified this, no matter who held the guns -- is that those bullets didn't discriminate in whose lives the took or altered. Not man or woman, adult or child, Muslim or Christian or Jew. <BR/><BR/>When we weep, it should be for the world. And because of your post Yaamyn, and posts of some of your readers, I know I'm not alone in this belief.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8341847784100229485.post-35665291093455187982008-10-13T21:15:00.000+05:302008-10-13T21:15:00.000+05:30william george,Why just violent Islamism? Violent ...william george,<BR/><BR/>Why just violent Islamism? Violent anything is a death cult.<BR/><BR/>Is the Kamikaze pilot a social misfit who got seduced by the martyrdom appeal that the Japanese Army sold him?<BR/>What about the martyrs in any army?<BR/><BR/>The problem my friend is with violence.1conoclasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10114255456767684236noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8341847784100229485.post-33664089674078559212008-10-13T15:56:00.000+05:302008-10-13T15:56:00.000+05:30Numerous examples of would-be martyrs have illustr...Numerous examples of would-be martyrs have illustrated that violent Islamism is a death cult that holds a particularly seductive appeal to the social misfit. The ideology is easy to absorb. It paints the world in black and white. And it offers you a chance to belong.<BR/>------------------<BR/>williamgeorge<BR/><A HREF="http://www.drivenwide.com" REL="nofollow">Search Engine Optimization</A>williamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12688329762742412714noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8341847784100229485.post-45692912622173982362008-10-06T16:10:00.000+05:302008-10-06T16:10:00.000+05:30Jimit.. I shall get back to you soon as I can stea...Jimit.. I shall get back to you soon as I can steal some time.<BR/><BR/>Thank you for the comments Nir and 1con as well.<BR/><BR/>Do come back later.Yaamynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13486967702707441314noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8341847784100229485.post-61429817582938542772008-09-29T17:52:00.000+05:302008-09-29T17:52:00.000+05:30Nir,"Just to let you know that there are Non-Musli...Nir,<BR/><BR/>"Just to let you know that there are Non-Muslims, more than you can imagine, who don't agree with the statement"<BR/><BR/>I know there are. Thank you for being one.<BR/><BR/>I just wish everyone would show more courage. The kind Gandhiji displayed though.1conoclasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10114255456767684236noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8341847784100229485.post-91562886790975016802008-09-29T16:57:00.000+05:302008-09-29T16:57:00.000+05:30white_angel/Jimit,But there are "snake-charmers" i...white_angel/Jimit,<BR/><BR/>But there are "snake-charmers" in every religion in the world. That's our equally simple point.<BR/><BR/>You don't feel that part of this phobia(=irrational fear) is due to the efforts of groups with vested interests?1conoclasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10114255456767684236noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8341847784100229485.post-33846280652275978692008-09-26T21:47:00.000+05:302008-09-26T21:47:00.000+05:30@1conoclastFair point, but I never said I was sugg...@1conoclast<BR/><BR/>Fair point, but I never said I was suggesting anything radically new, I am just re-iterating the basic solution that would stop atleast some of the people from turning towards terrorism.<BR/><BR/>Secondly, it is far easier to teach the west or the world that our India anything but the land of snake charmers and elephant riders than it is to eliminate a sense of fear that has crept in the minds of people, no matter how hard you try you cannot stop people fearing from snakes even if the snakes turned vegetarians.. ;)<BR/><BR/>But over a period of time we can reduce this fear to a considerable extent and the only way to achieve that is awareness and education of the people in the entirety. Also by bringing the minority into the mainstream, report anyone who tries to radicalise the youth and such measures.<BR/><BR/>My simple point is, if there were no snake charmers then there would be no reference made.<BR/><BR/>Cheers,<BR/>Jimitwhite_angelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01158409300614076421noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8341847784100229485.post-16370572075271189062008-09-26T16:14:00.000+05:302008-09-26T16:14:00.000+05:30white angel/Jimit,If I may...What you're sugge...white angel/Jimit,<BR/><BR/>If I may...<BR/><BR/>What you're suggesting is nothing radically new, and also fairly unrelated to the problem that yaamyn brings up.<BR/><BR/>Don't you get irritated when Westerners think of us as a nation of snake-charmers & elephant riders?<BR/>Some of us are, but all of us are not. And we're compelled to correct them.<BR/><BR/>Would you say that the answer lies in educating all Indians & bringing them up properly?<BR/><BR/>Or does the answer lie in educating the West about India, about what else exists in our country?<BR/><BR/>I think it's the latter.<BR/><BR/>The rest of the world needs to drop their false fears or phobias as they're referred to, and learn a little more about the animals/humans they irrationally fear. Knowledge will set them free.1conoclasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10114255456767684236noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8341847784100229485.post-75824381412922775862008-09-25T05:13:00.000+05:302008-09-25T05:13:00.000+05:30@Yammyn,There are too many sects in Islam, and the...@Yammyn,<BR/>There are too many sects in Islam, and their interpretations are different. <BR/>I don't think that in India the problem of terrorism has much to do with Wahabi ideology. So it is unnecessary to drag it into this.<BR/>Regards, and thanks for this post.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8341847784100229485.post-11065303592184577862008-09-25T03:00:00.000+05:302008-09-25T03:00:00.000+05:30Yaamyn,While I do feel the pain and anguish in you...Yaamyn,<BR/>While I do feel the pain and anguish in your post, I feel it fails to discuss the argument from the side of majority of the people of India.<BR/><BR/>I do understand you were emotional when you wrote this post and on those grounds you could be excused for not being completely objective but since we are discussing this, lets try to bring in some objectivity shall we? [hopefuly your emotional bout has subsided by now ;)]<BR/><BR/>According to you, a majority of people think that “Only Muslims are terrorists.”<BR/>It is true that muslims are being branded as terrorists and the VHP and likes are not, which should not be the case, but this is NOT a national issue it is a global issue. It’s just the sheer number of terrorist incidents involving muslims all over the world that has given them a bad name and no one else could be blamed for that. It’s the strictness of this religion that makes the people more vulnerable to intolerance and probably the only religion, under the guise of which, so many people have been killed. Of the 6 Billion people on earth, majority of people (including Muslims e.g. in Pakistan ) would relate the term Terrorism with Muslims, just because most of the terrorist attacks worldwide have been carried out by radical muslims. <BR/><BR/>Does this make us biased towards muslims or are we Islamophobic as you put it?<BR/><BR/>I would say, Yes we are, we are afraid of muslims and we do tend to see muslims in a different light, and the reason is simple, we just don’t know which one of them might have a bomb strapped to the waist.<BR/><BR/>Lets take an analogy, there are 2700+ species of snake in this world and only 1% of them are poisonous enough to kill someone, but still our general emotion when we see a snake is that of fear, simply because we don’t know which kind of snake it is.<BR/>It is indeed a very rough analogy, but it serves the purpose, Muslims are simply not branded as terrorists, it’s the underlying fear that has resulted in such a travesty.<BR/>We might want to console ourselves that at least the educated muslims do not engage in terrorist activities, but Bin Laden and Co puts even that option out of question. [Other examples include the people involved in recent bomb blasts - engineering students, working professionals or even a Nuclear Scientist]<BR/><BR/>So you see Yaamyn, we have no other option but to be cautious as there is no way of identifying the good apple from the bad apple.<BR/>While trying to vindicate yourself, you are blaming others for being biased while the only reason for their bias is (some of) your doing.<BR/><BR/>So when the majority of people fear for their lives, whom do they go to? They go to someone who promises safety to them, and that is how the radicals of other side come into the political picture.<BR/>I agree that the mindset towards muslims is indeed biased and it is very wrong for the average liberal muslim to be going through it, but as you put it, “Fucking ourselves ” or “shoving it up our arses” , is not going to help.<BR/><BR/>Lets discuss what could be done to rectify this standoff. As a part of the 80% of the Indian population, I do feel that more needs to be done to bring up muslims, more opportunities for education and employment need to be there but having said that we cannot totally rely on our current politicians to do it for us or rather for you. <BR/>We need more muslim representation in the Indian politics, rather educated liberal muslim representation. It is a difficult task but it needs to be done if this is to be resolved, also people with more understand of Quran, like you I suppose, should try to spread the correct interpretation of it and thus help curbing radicalism at its grass roots.<BR/><BR/>But, if this doesn’t happen and you see nothing done for the upbringing of muslims, then the resentment in educated people like you is going to grow and turn into something very ugly and when that happens we wouldn’t be surprised if one of you blows up something to make your voice heard.<BR/><BR/>Pardon me for writing such a huge comment, but I just felt that there needs to be more objective discussion than just bashing of one community or another.<BR/><BR/>Regards,<BR/>Jimitwhite_angelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01158409300614076421noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8341847784100229485.post-83195512040085740092008-09-24T21:34:00.000+05:302008-09-24T21:34:00.000+05:30@anonymous:It's difficult these days to avoid gett...@anonymous:<BR/><BR/>It's difficult these days to avoid getting swayed by misinformation.. given the sheer volume of it thrust on us.<BR/><BR/>While I do not doubt, the deoband seminaries have turned out lots of eminences, I do feel that the extremely literal and rigid interpretations they propagate has led to much maligning of the Islamic community. <BR/><BR/>It's a shame that the traditional interpretations are being overshadowed by these salafist interpretations in the media.. it's not very conducive to the case of millions and millions of Muslims who DO NOT subscribe to these views.Yaamynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13486967702707441314noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8341847784100229485.post-29041685571500201002008-09-24T21:29:00.000+05:302008-09-24T21:29:00.000+05:30Yes, Roop.. Islamophobia's pretty much globalized ...Yes, Roop.. Islamophobia's pretty much globalized thanks to the media.<BR/><BR/>But in India we have the Sangh Parivar fighting elections on this plank!! <BR/><BR/>The Islamophobia is institutionalized, part of their everyday speeches.. there's no shame, no guilt and no controversy when they make openly anti-Muslim comments.. <BR/><BR/>That's what worries me! India being home to the second largest Muslim population on earth, it worries a lot of people!Yaamynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13486967702707441314noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8341847784100229485.post-82737857616705104112008-09-24T05:10:00.000+05:302008-09-24T05:10:00.000+05:30@Iconoclast,I like your views, but just a quick co...@Iconoclast,<BR/>I like your views, but just a quick comment.<BR/><BR/>"Why do you hate us for the actions of a set of wahabbis"<BR/><BR/>Here you are making a generalization (same way as people do to picture all muslims as terrorist). What action of Wahabis are you talking about? Is not it that now a days people keep referencing a fatwa from Darul Uloom, Devband against terrorism as a proof that "muslims" are against terrorism. Institutes like Darul Uloom, Devband and Nadwatul Ulema, Lucknow have have always displayed nationalistic character in true sense of meaning through out history. And I guess they are considered Wahabis. So don't make unnnecessary generalizations. I know these worlds like Wahabis, Shia/Sunni devide, Jihad etc are favourite of media now a days. And people may get swayed by a barrage of misinformation campaign.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8341847784100229485.post-87716558783059743502008-09-24T04:56:00.000+05:302008-09-24T04:56:00.000+05:30India is no different than world. It shouldn't be ...India is no different than world. It shouldn't be judged separately than any place else. It is as multicultural as America or Canada are. Islamophobia is equally intense here. Must be something wrong with the religion perhaps? or Media? Something's gotta give somewhere rite? I don't know. You tell me.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com