tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9939966.post6284520727396385589..comments2008-12-19T12:55:17.467+05:30Anniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08687223598027157611knownturf@gmail.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9939966.post-70996567154391255002008-12-19T12:55:17.467+05:302008-12-19T12:55:17.467+05:30Annie that was really powerful. Will resonate with everyone who reads it. Who knows, it may stop some young boy somewhere in his tracks and make him think twice before he allows himself to make a fatal choice. <BR/><BR/><BR/>diptiAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9939966.post-33723065092284543452008-12-10T17:47:36.035+05:302008-12-10T17:47:36.035+05:30nice thoughtful post/page. <BR/><BR/>regarding god/religion: <BR/>may be this interests you.. Jonathan Haidt&#39;s moral mind. talking about liberal &amp; conversative. but take-away related to this post is: religion is social structure/order created to bring moral into lifestyle. <BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/jonathan_haidt_on_the_moral_mind.html" REL="nofollow">jonathan haidt on the moral mind</A><BR/><BR/>regarding terror/terrorist: you are taking rational arguement to irrational people. but ofcourse that's doesnt explain exists of %of population who want to harm with some objective, sensible planning and motivation to die for the cause. <BR/><BR/>i found this article, an interesting read: <A HREF="http://www.cs.utexas.edu/users/kuipers/opinions/defeating-terrorism.html" REL="nofollow">how to defeat terrorism</A>iamyuvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14317831523155115391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9939966.post-24339738350744821222008-12-10T00:23:08.033+05:302008-12-10T00:23:08.033+05:30Amen!Manish Bhatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997744740964640385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9939966.post-85415351056884321952008-12-08T03:04:02.593+05:302008-12-08T03:04:02.593+05:30Have read so many of similar pieces over the last few days, or actually years. but this one stands out. More power to your pen.pawannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9939966.post-78268578994530271282008-12-07T06:50:40.640+05:302008-12-07T06:50:40.640+05:30<I> Sharath : As I type this, I can visualize a terrorist writing a similar blog post about how incomprehensible the rest of the world is.</I><BR/><BR/><I> Annie :So while I am alive, I am willing to go on trying to build the sort of world I want to live in. </I><BR/><BR/><I> Sharath : And I daresay, as long as religion exists, religious fundamentalism will exist. </I><BR/><BR/>I'm not so sure it is fundamentalism that is at issue. You get to meet plenty of fundamentalists that are content to be non-violent in a physical sense. But I certainly can can tie in with the first quote from Sharath and see someone sitting up and doing what he/she is doing simply because - " <I>So while I am dying ( which is what we all are, while living ), I am determined to go on trying to destroy the kind of world that I would not like to die in.</I> "<BR/><BR/>Maybe if we all stopped trying to do anything and stood still to take stock of what we have around us ... It has been a frenzy for the past two millenia ... Always trying to get somewhere, trying to escape the fact that there is nowhere to go ... but here.<BR/><BR/>But the above would be an idle escapist fantasy ...WillOTheWisphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519824840694799244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9939966.post-70202881108132948212008-12-07T03:59:51.983+05:302008-12-07T03:59:51.983+05:30"If all you can bring to this world is a death threat, you’re such a loser. A mosquito can do that."<BR/><BR/>What a kick-arse statement! :-) That was a brilliant comparison and totally made the point.Stephen Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08573140392684393897noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9939966.post-49331021349507972592008-12-06T08:07:46.237+05:302008-12-06T08:07:46.237+05:30True...!! So true!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9939966.post-6843961874149356412008-12-04T09:06:51.446+05:302008-12-04T09:06:51.446+05:30You have said it like it is - simply and beautifully. So true.Amritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11085959321069455203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9939966.post-84837451919808124732008-12-04T02:31:09.001+05:302008-12-04T02:31:09.001+05:30Is there any point trying to reason with the unreasonable? How do you argue with a fundamentalist?<BR/><BR/>If the Quran truly says everyone who doesn't follow Islam deserves to be killed, do we even have a leg to stand if we are to indulge in debate with the fundamentalists? <BR/><BR/>You said they won't go to heaven, but they will show you the passages in the Quran that assure them that they will as long as they're 'cleansing' the world of infidels. In their eyes, and they truly believe it, it is YOU who is unreasonable, it is YOU who is incomprehensible, it is YOU who is the scum of humanity (and I daresay, of Islam).<BR/><BR/>As I type this, I can visualize a terrorist writing a similar blog post about how incomprehensible the rest of the world is. How do you answer them? Can you really convince a fundamentalist Muslim (or a fundamentalist Christian, or a fundamentalist Hindu) that the doctrine he lives by is wrong or inconsistent? <BR/><BR/>It's impossible. If it were not, we would not have had the Crusades, we would not have had the caste system, we would not have had the Dark Ages, we would not have had - I could go on forever.<BR/><BR/>Don't blame the terrorists for what is a deeper malaise - terrorism is just a symptom. The disease is religious fundamentalism.<BR/><BR/>And I daresay, as long as religion exists, religious fundamentalism will exist. And the symptoms will keep coming back - make no mistake.<BR/><BR/>You know how you said you will keep picking yourself up and keep fighting to live a good life? Fundamentalists will do the same. They will keep fighting for the cause they believe in, they will keep believing in their doctrine, they will keep committing acts that convince them will take them, and their brethren, to heaven.<BR/><BR/>And you know what? They're not listening to you. They're not listening to any of us.<BR/><BR/>SharathSharathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00368870048681858066noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9939966.post-47452182894078874552008-12-03T15:38:35.421+05:302008-12-03T15:38:35.421+05:30wish this could be drilled into those losers!<BR/>of the many e-mail fwds i have been receiving on the mumbai blasts - something which hit me - "Our Govt gave 3 crores to one shooter (Bindra) for winning the Olympics - and 5 lakhs to another shooter who gave his life for the country during the mumbai seige - hats off to our Govt - Hats off to India"<BR/>Ironic how our security / police forces whose job is to protect our country, our lives and maintain law and order for our safety - earn such meagre salaries!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9939966.post-42105156910373771742008-12-02T21:59:40.930+05:302008-12-02T21:59:40.930+05:30this is so beautifully written i don't know what else i can sayOnCloud9http://www.blogger.com/profile/04463156519787737640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9939966.post-86007244653368297062008-12-02T15:14:38.356+05:302008-12-02T15:14:38.356+05:30That was truly inspiring.<BR/>Thank youThe Laymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15738489354623134522noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9939966.post-80882594472847016562008-12-02T14:38:05.810+05:302008-12-02T14:38:05.810+05:30Annie,<BR/><BR/>Brilliantly written. Envy your ability to put your anger, frustration, hate and love for life into words - all in a single rhythm.<BR/><BR/>But as some people have already said, I just hope at least now, not just politicians, but even civilians unite against anything that threatens humanity.<BR/><BR/>May be now people will help a poor guy whose car breaks down in the middle of a traffic jam, instead of honking at abusing at him. <BR/><BR/>May be now people will not look at a security guard outside a hotel with condescension.<BR/><BR/>May be now, Hindus will rent out their houses to a needy Muslim family.<BR/><BR/>May be now, people will vote (and stop excusing themselves with words like "there's no one worth voting for").<BR/><BR/>May be now, we will change.<BR/><BR/>I just wish, instead of demanding security, trust and harmony from politicians, people like us will contribute towards building of a nation that we all wish for.<BR/><BR/>And even though it goes against the spirit of humanity, and in favor of "terrorists" - I wish they shoot that Kasab in the head, and show in live on TV.Your's Trulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08629535161526576887noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9939966.post-25129751142845131382008-12-02T11:40:22.288+05:302008-12-02T11:40:22.288+05:30Dear Annie, <BR/><BR/>God is difficult to understand.<BR/><BR/>What we can try to understand is why we've been so useless at fighting terrorism.<BR/><BR/>I have tried to understand this in a short piece on my blog.<BR/><BR/>You may like to read it.<BR/><BR/>Regards, dezDezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07199882856611712974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9939966.post-47090081286525656642008-12-01T15:54:33.558+05:302008-12-01T15:54:33.558+05:30I won't pretend to know too much about God but here are a few thoughts:<BR/>1. There is a God. He's just different from what we grew up believing him to be. It doesn't make sense to us <I>yet</I>.<BR/>2. But consider this:<BR/>Hemant Karkare died so that the mask would be torn from the faces of advani, rajnath, modi, thakre etc.<BR/>Bombay burned so that raj thakre would lose standing.<BR/>3. Bombay burned so that we would wake up &amp; ask for answers. Maybe India did need it&#39;s own so-called 9/11... (God forbid, but maybe we will need our civil war too...).<BR/>I believe we will now become stronger. What doesn&#39;t kill us, only makes us stronger!<BR/><BR/>Nothing happens without a reason? Possibly. We may just not know the reasons.1conoclasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10114255456767684236noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9939966.post-38649734864312644182008-11-30T22:25:59.631+05:302008-11-30T22:25:59.631+05:30A must-read for every terrorist in the world. Bravo Annie! I am virtually giving you a standing ovation. Every word was so powerful.<BR/><BR/>I really hope you are going to publish this in a mainstream magazine or newspaper.Deepa Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07420021555503028936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9939966.post-53943407565865950822008-11-30T05:45:40.282+05:302008-11-30T05:45:40.282+05:30Dear Annie<BR/>Very well written, I agree and disagree with you at some levels. Here is where I disagree. Reading your post and reading the comments I get a feeling that none of your dear ones have been lost to this battle, respectively. Yes indeed thank god you don’t have close friends in Kashmir or Guwahati. Because If their plan is to do something memorable, it is. For those who have survived such an encounter, or worse still have lost someone they loved in it. For them it is not the cricket match cancellation that is important. It is the nightmares that haunt them after. They lose the desire to be able to get all dressed up, step out of their house, catch a train, walk into a café, chat with friends, make plans, talk about books, watch a good play. Because every time they do they wish that their lost one had not on 6th December 92 and every other horrible date after that. I think that is because our leadership is so neutered that time and time again, the mumbaikar spirit/ resilience of indians, has been raped. And instead of celebrating the martyrdom by retaliating 9/11 style or like the Israelis did after the Munich Olympics massacre, so that the aggrieved can find closure. We have moved on….done nothing….to make it memorable in the minds of these terrorists.<BR/>If you saw the movie a Wednesday. I think it high time we make a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday &amp; Sunday and by January this problem will be over once and for all.<BR/><BR/>Regds<BR/>Diwakar SinhaChase your passion not your pensionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16842980503764143628noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9939966.post-41495147316812575762008-11-30T01:10:42.181+05:302008-11-30T01:10:42.181+05:30Wonderful post.Realy coming from the heart.Charakanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11255908292437790693noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9939966.post-14288280292585151052008-11-29T23:31:26.419+05:302008-11-29T23:31:26.419+05:30you're a real muslim. you know what your religion is about. and they don't.<BR/><BR/>more than that, you're a real committed human being. and we don't have many of those left around anymore.<BR/><BR/>thank you for writing this. we need more sanity in this crazy world we're living in. we really do.<BR/><BR/>its heart rendering to see people come out on the streets and showing their spirit and their love for life, their love for their country. you switch on the television and you see people, real people, ordinary people, who choose to go out there and who choose to be defiant and say that hey, i'm standing in front of the taj, and let me see what you can do about it.<BR/><BR/>they can bomb us, they cannot bomb our spirit. even though they won't reach your words, your spirit and love for this country will.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9939966.post-11683001092848129002008-11-29T23:22:28.865+05:302008-11-29T23:22:28.865+05:30bravoAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9939966.post-41188348872440915022008-11-29T13:45:40.675+05:302008-11-29T13:45:40.675+05:30your words--all so true. Great thoughts.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9939966.post-82431806188452379712008-11-29T12:59:51.567+05:302008-11-29T12:59:51.567+05:30Brilliant, Annie!Shelly Jainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06581058756204448823noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9939966.post-53319315916977999202008-11-29T00:09:40.396+05:302008-11-29T00:09:40.396+05:30Paraphrasing here....<BR/><BR/>"...That nothing can cure people of the desire for normalcy and fun. For beauty and passion and laughter. For money. And also for justice and truth....These are the things people live for. And often, die for. If you try and take these things away from them, sooner or later, they turn upon you, disown you, destroy you. Or if they cannot do that, they exile themselves. They either leave or die fighting...."<BR/><BR/>are we too far from realising why the "terrorists" act this irrationaly? you might have inadvertently peeked into the mindscape of a "terrorist" in your words above... it may not really be the truth, but it is drilled in him as his truth... and hence the senselessness.agnom_teenuphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02825975182642722333noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9939966.post-29464648044366251272008-11-29T00:04:18.906+05:302008-11-29T00:04:18.906+05:30heartbreaking, soul-stirring and eloquent<BR/><BR/>many thanks for such powerful, passionate words, may they reach out and touch the worldPenelope_CAnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9939966.post-66656516410219130592008-11-28T23:10:22.580+05:302008-11-28T23:10:22.580+05:30Bravo as someone said. They say god listens to prayers.. if you pray with all your heart and need and want..what was that line again..? <BR/><I>Itni shidaat se main tumhe paane ki koshish ki hai, ki har zaare ne mujhe tumse milane ki saazish ki hai</I>bluespriitehttp://bluespriite.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.com