Comments on Known Turf: Some good, old-fashioned racism

Some memories triggered by this post, hopefully no...

2009-10-13T21:26:01.493+05:30

Some memories triggered by this post, hopefully not too OT:

Petty thefts in my area *did* go noticeably up when there were a couple of apartment projects under construction nearby and subsided once they were done. Anything left outside: clothes to dry, footwear, flowerpots. Nobody really likes losing stuff Annie, but I didnt check into who, wherefrom, which tribe etc. took these.

I tried getting my son to play with one of the kids from the site. His parents were not to be seen anywhere and he was loafing around by himself.

The playmate took my son's ball and moved strategically back towards his home at each play. A real dilemma: whether to teach the kid (and my son) a life lesson, to ask for something than try to sneak away with it or just give it to him. Should I find his parents and embarrass them?

Running barefoot, this kid hopped into and out of drains to chase the ball without giving it a second thought. Did I want my son to pick this up on hygiene?

Even if we relaxed that, how about just plain immunity, he was obviously streets ahead. I realized my son would likely fall sick.

Did I need to parent this kid for the duration? He just barely listened to me. What if he hurt himself in some way? I sent him back eventually. Experiment ended very confused.

Sorry for long, personal comment. Any suggestions on what could have been done differently are welcome.

Thanks,
Jai

Is racism not a inherent part of human DNA? Is it ...

2009-10-09T17:55:55.031+05:30

Is racism not a inherent part of human DNA? Is it not a part of mans nature ? Is equality not a noble but impractical myth?

As long as mnakind has existed groupism has prevailed. Us v/s them has never gone out of style.

Great piece. Specially in that you managed to say ...

2009-10-09T10:32:58.256+05:30

Great piece. Specially in that you managed to say so much in so short an article.

Thank You for writing this. We need more people to...

2009-10-08T22:07:32.208+05:30

Thank You for writing this. We need more people to talk about it. I realized long back that we are an ostrich nation/society, be it racism (how can country of Gandhi be racist right!), abuse (1000 year old culture we do not abuse), human rights (caste related abuses are not human right abuses). I like the way you write and have found myself in agreement with most of your ideas. Keep writing.

Hello, I just stumbled upon your blog today. And ...

2009-10-08T19:45:39.320+05:30

Hello,

I just stumbled upon your blog today. And I have spent a very pleasant day going through many of your posts. They are all of course very well-written, but - it seems a bit weird to say this - also sound true. And this when I am not even always familiar with your subject matter, such as having seen neither Dasvidaniya nor Ikiru (that's maybe because of your explorations of the general underlying the particular). And this latest post too has touched a cord, especially the two lines "It was that the women seemed too ‘free’ with their laughter and backless cholis", and, "It took me twenty years to give all of this a name: Racism". Just wanted to express my appreciation.
Thanks.

Jayant

Thank You! A timely article on a contemporary deba...

2009-10-08T16:34:44.944+05:30

Thank You! A timely article on a contemporary debate... There is also the issue of the strict censure that independent international agencies face when they attempt to associate our 'caste-ism' with what all reasonable people think of as overtly racist behaviour anywhere in the world.