This topic is a split from the thread:
“T&T General Elections 2007 Unofficial Results”
Peter Beharry
Nov 13th, 2007 at 10:45 pm
www.trinidadandtobagonews.com
I agree with Mr. Ruel Daniels that racism perpetrated by certain indo-trinis needs to be eradicated (like any other kind of racism).
However, his wholesale labelling of east indians in general and hindus in particular as racist brahmin plottrers (dalit origins nonwithstanding).
This actually makes it difficult for east indians to attack the racists in their own community, as they would likely draw additional fire by doing so.
Perhaps, something like this:
Sat: “I am opposed to the steel pan, I don’t like anything African”
Peter Beharry: “Sat you’re talking crap. It’s an Afro-Trini invention but it’s the national instrument of all Trinbagonians. Swim back to India if you will”
Rued Daniel: “Who the hell is Beharry trying to fool? It’s the sneaky hypocrites like him who are the worst. Beharry, you’re a racist just like all of your kind. What’s your agenda in pretending otherwise? At least Sat’s being honest. Wake up my people! The Indians who pretend to be non-racist are the worst kind of deceivers! Their agenda is to destroy by stealth, even by intermarriage! The only honest Indians are the ones who speak and live their vile racism in its plain and raw form!”
Peter Beharry:”Why did I even try….”
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L.Paul
Nov 14th, 2007 at 12:37 am
Dark-skin Indians in Trinidad have been victims of racism from the time they entered Trinidad in the late 19th century. Dark-skin Indians coming to Trinidad were also victims of racism in their own country (India) where a vicious caste system existed and still exists today. Unfortunately, most Indians have adopted this same caste-like, Brahminical, racist attitudes against darker-skin ones including dark-skin Indians and Africans. Even dark-skin Indians have accepted racism against them and aspire to ‘whiteness’ by self-loathing tactics, including skin-bleaching and adopting the same nasty attitudes against other dark-skin Indians and Africans.
The African community has been quite aware of the general dislike of them by a wide cross-section of Indians and their bold display of haughtiness and intolerance, particularly during the UNC regime. Also, the Indo-Muslim community does demonstrate racism and a tendency to separate themselves from the African community, even from other African Muslims, but there is no escaping the overt, racist attitudes of Hindus especially as their spokespeople are quite vocal about it. In fact, entrenched in Hindu teachings are inferiorizations about darker skin people. So Sat Maharaj’s and others’ racist ramblings are only because they closely follow the tenets of Hinduism. That is not to say that all Hindus or Indians are so blatant with their racism or agree with Sat Maharaj’s stance.
Also, when have Indians come out publicly to speak out against racism in their communities? First of all, Indians who experience racism by other Indians quietly submit to the abuse and ridicule. They, supposedly because of religious loyalties, have not historically demonstrated rejection of racial abuse by other Indians in Trinidad and Tobago. In India, the Dalit in some instances have fought against Indian racism and continue to fight their oppression. Not so in Trinidad and Tobago. In terms of fighting against racism by Africans, they have never done so save some bogus ramblings about Indians being discriminated against in the public service, which is historically proven to be untrue. Stereotypes of one group against the other are very prevalent, even today, but oft times have gone overboard. Remember Hulsie Bhagan’s claim that Africans were raping Indian females; a claim that was not only malicious but proven false?
If Indians feel that they are treated unfairly by Africans they should state their case. It would be hypocritical though if they do not first address racism and colourism within their own communities. As it stands now, Africans have a right to remain distrustful of Indians. The conduct of many Indians when UNC held the reigns of power in this country gave sufficient reason to be distrustful of them in leadership positions.
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Peter Beharry
Nov 14th, 2007 at 7:59 am
Dear L. Paul
You claim that “entrenched in Hindu teachings are inferiorizations about darker skin people”. I am sure you can find some quotes from some old indian myth(s) consistent with this.
But, please note:
Lord Krishna (the hero of the Mahabharata and Gita, viewed as divine by many Hindus) is described as DARK or even BLACK skinned. In fact, the word Krishna means BLACK.
Lord Rama, the hero of the Ramayana epic, is unequivocally and particularly described as dark skinned. He is not a brahmin. In the story, he fights and kills the evil king Ravana, who IS a brahmin, and is not singled out for description as dark. (This point is distorted by some racist indos, possibly influenced by British color prejudices).
The goddess Kali, revered by many Hindus, is also described as dark/black in skin complexion.
I stand by my claim that Indo-Trinis who try to speak against racism are subjected to the double attack of the Sats and Devants who they are up against in their own communities, and the Africans who label them as both racist and hypocritical. I have seen this myself.
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Peter Beharry
Nov 14th, 2007 at 8:15 am
One more thing–
L. Paul, thanks for saying “most indians have adopted this caste-like, brahminical attitude”…
You used the word MOST, creating space for those who do not fit this mold.
So many would have said “those indians” or “all the indians” or even “those ******* indians”, crushing those who wish to walk away from Sat&Co. (there are many)
Please understand- attacking all indo-trinis or all hindus in response to the Sat-like, vocal racists, just forces them to turn inwards and seek the company of their own ethnic group– not from hatred of others, but fear and unease engendered by those who place a single label of “evil racist” on all those with the misfortune to be born of east indian ancestry.
As an Indo-Trini I have to live with the fact that NO MATTER WHAT I think, say or do, I will be hated by many or most Africans as a presumed racist solely on the grounds of my phyiscal appearance.
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Peter Beharry
Nov 14th, 2007 at 8:23 am
Dear Mr. Ruel Daniels and Ms. Linda Edwards
Let’s try to be constructive.
Let’s say that there is are Indo-Trinis who are not in support of the East Indian racism against others and wish to simply be regular Trinis, able to interact with others, free of the “brahmin/racist” taint and label.
What do you suggest that this person should say or do?
(Let’s leave out “migrate”, “commit suicide”, “go to st. ann’s, or “could never have been born in the first place”
Thanks
Peter Beharry
Trinidad and Tobago News Blog – URL for this article:
www.trinidadandtobagonews.com/blog/?p=387
In a discussion of African Trinidadians in business, Mr. George Umbala Joseph once stated that Messrs. Winston ‘Gypsy” Peters did not count as Black businessmen because they had “gone over to the East Indians”. Later in this discussion, he made the same point again, but this time stating that these two gentlemen had “gone over to the enemy”.
In other words: “The East Indians” = “The Enemy”
I guess I’m being thin skinned if I’m a little freaked out about being ****one of the enemy*****.
I see your point Razi , and thanks for the clarifications. There are many obvious reasons for such a situation -It would require more than a one paragraph explaination however. Perhaps it is time for concerned progressives to put the Think Tank together to discuss Race & it’s impact on Economic Power, as well as long term political power ,not only as it relates to Trinidad and Tobago , but globally. It is our unfortunate failure address these and similar issues honestly,that has allowed rabel rousersto mislead and control the agenda.
With respect to Umbala and similar what is refered to as ‘shock jocks’media personalities . They are not to be taken too seriously, or their words given too much credence as they tend to really pander to a narrow fringe unthinking minority.Mind you, I am not saying that some of his commentaries are irrelevant , but generally. It’s the price one needs to pay in the vicious ‘new media’ ratings game.
Neal, did you mean to call him Razi on purpose Razi = Nazi? Is that what you are implying?
Please dear cousin Nate far from it. This was simply a typographical error on my part. Apologies are in order for my new progressive, solidarity brother Razi if for some unfathomable reason he too drew similar conclusions, but the diplomat in him forced him to restrain himself .
These are critical times Nate as you too can well agree. As such, we are expected to embark on new journeys , by charting different courses , as well as building bridges- and by extension our nation together.
The first step is to develop and display mutual respect for each other-even while we disagree on some pertinent issues of the day. The second is to point out who our real enemies are- greedy conniving elites . Finally, it is to highlight the fact that with few exception much neglect ,hurt and pain exist on both sides of the so called divide.
“Devils in business, in halls of justice
In pot guts old men who seduce girl children
And if you praise the wrongs men do
Well then you is a devil too!”
“You ‘fraid de devil? You ‘fraid him bad?
Well look de devil right in your yard!
An’ he grinning while you saying grace
Shaking up he tail in people face
Wey de devil dey? Wey de devil dey?
Look de devil dey!”
Sing Penguin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8Bm11vZDG8
Ahhh , once more apologies Ravi. I am getting ready to publish a book involving one of my favorite countries Iran , and could not help but think about their late diabolical , tyrannical, former US/Western puppet leader Reza Shah. The irony is evident , as we observe his numerous exiled beneficiaries come out of the woodwork on the TV , while licking their chops lasciviously in hope of returning to pre 1979 business as usual in oil rich Iran again if and when the Theocratic Shiite Mullahs are finally dethroned.
Hmmmm! His father was a sympathizer of Germany during his hard-line, overzealous reign ,hence the reason he too was deposed in favor of his 22year old Western educated son Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi.#. I see where the dangerous mind of Nate was heading.
Well , “a stitch in time….. , eh? “
So, some have suggested that since the lower-caste Indian indentured immigrants were oppressed and racially discriminated against by Indian elites, their descendants now wish to oppress and racially discriminate against others, so this explains racism in Trinidad.
Hmmmm……
The African slaves were kidnapped, beaten, robbed, raped, abused, tortured and murdered by their Spanish and British masters. If we apply the same logic…does this explain crime in Trinidad
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Again, you selectively parse cultural history in order to protect sacred cows in this discussion. Well I will expose them now.
Racial prejudice in its worse manifestations originate from belief systems that rate people according to their appearances. Let’s deal with expressions of Prejudices that come from Africans. Basically, from any point where you examine it, from any era you wish to look at it, this prejudice earliest manifestations potrayed black as inferior and white as superior. Black was at the extreme end of the continuum of inferiority and white was at the other end. So an examination of racism that simply states “man all groups are racist” facetiously obscures what has to be examined before there can be any question of kumbaya loveship. Advocating that we should ignore the source of these prejudices and just love one another will not solve the problem.
Yes, some blacks do behave in a racist fashion. But point me to a system of cultural beliefs among blacks that fuel racial prejudice. Blacks react to what has traditioanlly been the paradigm or standard of racial and ethnic stratification with like negative expressions and behaviour. No, the person or persons at the receiving end of these attacks do not necessarily have to be someone who is prejudice, or from whom they detect prejudice.
This line of reasoning that because the essence of Hinduism is tolerant it is not used by Indians as a justification for racial prejudice is BS. In every religion, there those who take ambiguous passages and chapters, and interpret them rationalize their personal behaviour. Hitler was a Christian. I have never heard anyone claim that because Christianity preaches love thy neighbour he did not use it to rationalize his persecution of Jews. Whether it is Christianity, Hinduism or Islam or whatever, History is replete with examples of individuals and groups drawing meanings from text that justify them feeling superior and considering others inferior.
Why do many Indians refer to blacks as “Nickaram”? Every other distinct group in this world, with the exception of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas subscribe to belief systems that ambiguously ascribe negativity to dark skin and wolley hair. Is it an accident that Indian prejudice expressions of the characteristics of blacks are the same one hears from whites, from Japanese, from Chinese, et al. Give me a break. Let’s examine this thing from the roots, and maybe we will find a solution. But please, this idea that racial prejudice appeared like osmosis around the same time among each group is ludicrous, and need to be consigned to the garbage heap of ideas where it belongs.
There seems to be a lot of racism directed against Brahmins in this blog, by both blacks and Indians! The great culture of India was created by Brahmins, and it did not have a taint of racism. Racism came much later, in reponse to India itself becoming attacked by racists first from the middle east, and then from Europe. Nonetheless, it is Brahmins themselves that have led the fight to end racism, first against Indians, and then against the people of the world in general. So I’m not sure why the Brahmins are being made the scape goats. My guess is that people just need an excuse to hate because of their own inadequacies.
Regardless of what a group calls itself, pointing out practices of prejudice among individuals in that group is not racist. That is the infamous methodology employed to today to silence people who dare to examine this sacrded cow. If you subscribe to a belief system that says you are superior based on your membership in some exclusive clan, or you interpret doctrines to mean that, then you are damned prejudice and to hell with the nasal protestations.
In addition, there is great deal of difference between racism and prejudice. The assertion that India’s culture prior to the arrival of what you call Brahmins did not contain aspects or elements of greatness is an example of the kind of interpretive prejudice that underly ani black racism in the Caribbean, and even in the Americas.
Based on that nugget of resasoning, the majority who were in India thousands of years prior to the arrival of Brahmins were incapable of accomplishing anything of significance. That is the same argumental train advanced to justify and rationalize anti black prejudice in T&T and Guyana by SOME. They preen themselves and claim that nothing much was accomplished until they got here. In other words, the “nikarams” in India and the Caribbean were incapable of developing anything of significance. I wonder why so many flee Guyana to places like Barbados, Antigua and other small islands where the “nikarams” have been in charge since independence. Hmmm, puzzling!!!
I think I can safely rest my case now, because advancing further arguments in pursuit of my main theme would be superfluous, after the preceding response.
There is an interesting letter from a parent of a school in south Trinidad, published this week in both the Express and Newsday about racism in the schools culturaal presetations at graduation.It should make interesting reading. He in the Houston T&T Association ALWAYS include a multicultural presentation in our gala events. I myself have developed a program called Journeys of Migration that tells the stories of how our modern Trini culture came to be. It was imitated by the presenter of the cultural pageant for the Summit of the Americas. In my presentations to oil company personnel coming to work in TnT, I have stressed the multicultural nature of our islands.
Should I now revert to pure African culture, because others are exposing only theirs, as if African culture was not the birthplace of MAN and all that he is?
No, this one solo voice of multiculturalism, and the advanced society we are trying to create in our association, will continue to project our society as the one that could teach the world to live as one.
We know that eventually, the world will recognize that we are right.Bernie Madoff made off with the money of rich Jews, because they are iconoclastic,only Jews seemed to have joined this private investment program; same with the Hindu Credit Union in TnT. The Unit Trust Corporation, however, being the product of a higher level of thinking, is still thriving.
A culture, Brahmin or otherwise, that creates so many levels of untouchableness, including carrying , in the case of one man, his own water by ship to Engand, and breaking the vessel in which non-Brahmins drink, is very similar to the America Dream designed by Thomas Jefferson, which defined an African descended person as two thirds of a man.
Wrongheadedness is wrongheadedness. It can never be elevated to a high culture, not by thinking people. The “Bramin” culture of India accepted Sonia Gandhi as wife of Rajiv,(She is white, Italian) and mother of his children, yet when she was set to lead her party back to power in a resounding victory over the BHP, the Janatas ran half naked through the streets, tearing their hair and threatening to tear the country apart, partition style. She appointed a Sikh as Prime Minister. So much for that.
We live, we learn, and every now and then we take a major backward step. If we learn enough from our moments of backwardness, the world eventually moves forward.
Exactly! To treat an individual as a member of a group, rather than just an individual, is the very definition of racism. A label such Brahmins, Blacks, Whites, Indians, etc is used to define a group that one can blame. This IS racism.
Brother Steve Coppedge , what are you attempting to do , raise people’s blood pressure this early Sunday morning? This got to be a sick joke about lots of ‘racism directed against Brahmins by blacks,’ correct ? Say what you want Steve but marijuana is stil illigal, and now you know why if you are making outlandish statements like this then you are exposing yourself as a clueless dope fein.
Seriously, do you really believe that black folks in and out of our blessed country are running around loosing sleep about Indian religion and culture ? If an East Indian living in India want’s to starve himself, even while he possess five thousand heads of Holy cattle that’s his rights. Should millions want to remain in abject poverty thinking that‘s their new Karma , while a small nuclear obsessed ,corrupt minority run’s the country like their old , much adored , British colonial Monarchical masters , no one envies them my friend. If you and other modern , revisionist apologist don’t have a problem with ethnic cleansing in the ‘Worlds largest Democracy,’ hats off to you folks. Now when it comes to Sweet T&T aka Rainbow Country, “ that’s a horse of a different color,” as my wonderful Grandmother , and resilient great grand child of a former slave used to fondly say.
Since our local political elite gurus on one side of the so called divide despise Dr. Eric Williams , Patrick Manning, and ANR Robinson , who am I to stand in their way when all three devoid of religion , in typical fashion ,abandoned their own people, in their quest to elevate and enhance the interest of others for -what some much more intelligent than I might consider as 20 pieces of silver collectively through the decades.
What we won’t tolerate is the continual denegation of a people for all the ills and failures of our country – including it’s escalating high crimes, economic stagnations, political gridlocks , psychological malaise , and social neglects.
Our selectively chosen young people deserve better , and would not develop proper self esteem if told , that their failures are link to the fact that they lack culture as it was stole from them, while in contrast others that succeeded in our Twin Republic are indoctrinated with the misguided notion that it is due to the fact that they inherited some lofty ,noble culture from the mother land. Steve, do you care to know how many people died in this country – particularly those that are weak such as the fragile old age, and powerless female- since this post was created by Peter Beharry in 2007 ? Do you have a clue as to how many children were abused , abandoned ,and murdered often at the hands of close relatives or neglectful parents since January 28th when the thread was reintroduced by Nate? Yet ,here we are today dragged into the discussions by ‘childish me , me crowd,’ instead of trying to find solutions for social maladies and , put strategies in place for concrete development of our country.
Scapegoats ,and inadequacies. Yea right! I have absolutely no conceivable idea how other ethnic groups in my country think or operate when it comes to anything any more . What I know with certainty however is this, Black folks are too busy trying to improve their lot in life with limited genuine support from our conniving, elite power brokers on both sides of the ‘so called divide.’
This includes educating their children, feeding themselves , protecting their families , and most importantly exorcise the many narcissistic psychological impurities from their psyche that accrued after too many years of White Colonial evils.
Brother Steve , don’t misinterpret my comment, black folks not only in Sweet T&T aka Rainbow Country, but globally have often failed miserably when it comes to some affairs of state – especially ‘when in the drivers seat.’-to coin a common cliché. Let us however ‘give Jack his Jacket , and Jim his Jim boots,’ on one truism that would be borne out accurately by objective sociological or historical research data. Most minority or majority races and ethnicities that lived in societies where these alleged dysfunctional, culturally devoid black leaders control , tend to thrive admirably , and Sweet T&T is definitely no exception.
Lets leave the disguised tribal obsessions alone , while we try as a nation to decide what our end game is.
This blog has confirmed by impression of Trinidad: a very, small country, inhabited by racist people with equally small hearts and minds. Who cares about your insignificant island and what you all think!
Another piece of reading I would like to focus readers on, this Sunday afternoon, is in the (London) Financial Times, page one.It talks of the role the Rotschild family played in slavery. Go check it out. People who profit from a system, often are crying at the same time how bad it is. I have e-mailed it to about a hundred and fifty people, including two online discussion groups, but I can’t get it to readers here, unless you go to the onliine version of the paper. wwww.financialtimes.com
So there it is folks, this is simply how you go about exposing a phony progressive like Steve Coppedge. I am almost certain that Russian Chess Grandmasters Garry Kasparov, or Anatoly Karpov could not have achieved a better end game. My simple insignificant blog helped confirm Steve’s condescending impressions of us as a bunch of racist, heartless people ,from an insignificant island who would do well to remain in our place and not dare to question the obvious superior logic of an alleged global humanist like Steve.
You go tell that to some of our Caribbean brothers and sisters , 70% or more whose citizens might have been extinct today due to starvation and other forms of social deprivations had it not been for Sweet T&T aka Rainbow Country humanist efforts and personal sacrifices. Run across to Tobago Steve and repeat such diatribe to our numerous European friends from Scandinavian Norway ,and Germany all the way down to Spain and Italy, and watch them laugh you out of the ballpark .
Small country yes, but small minds? You‘ve got to be crazy! That’s a step up from a dope fiend mind you. Heard about world renown social activist CLR James who wrote Black Jacobin, Stokley Carmichael who started American post slavery liberation via his Black Power overtures , and Pan- Africanist George Padmore who taught Africans on the Virgin continent to finally unite and develop dignity in themselves?
By the way ,excellent piece Ms. L, and thanks for placing same up for our edification. CUNY Professor Leonard Jefferies, finally vindicated?
http://mindwarz.com/media/Christopher_Columbus_and_Slavery_Video
Learn first what Hinduism really is (not the village Hinduism practiced in Trinidad). Learn about Brahman and Brahmins, about the Upanishads and the six major schools of Indian Philosophy. There is nothing close to it on the planet and I doubt that you’d find anyone in Trinidad who even knows the names of great philosophical works such as the Yog Vaishista, the Avdhut Gita, the works of Adi Shankara.
Learn about the unrivalled contributions of India, Brahmins and Hinduism towards human rights and dignity. In what other country could a majority of 82% (Hindus) enable a Sikh Prime Minister to be elected, whose party is headed by a Roman Catholic, and is sworn in by a Muslim President!! (2%, 2%, 12% respectively)? Great beings such as Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King and many, many others have recognized these contributions. The whole world has, except the island of Trinidad (that’s funny).
India — Rama, Buddha, Krishna, Shankara, Gandhi, Mother Theresa.
What else is there to say?
Bharati, I do not think people are trying to downgrade Hindutva, in iits pure philosophical form. It is like Christianity and Islam- great philisophies. It is in the practice by humans that this becomes a problem.
The philosophyy of Love One Another aS I have Loved you (Christianity); gave rise to the Crusades, which not only slaughtred Muslims, but also Christians who were Orthodox Christians and wore long, flowing robes, typical of Middle East desert people.
Islam, in its purest form is a beautiful religion too. I had a young muslim girl stay with me two years ago, so I got a chance to see how it operated. She stopped in the middle of a shopping trip in the USA to ask for a quiet room where she could pray. Fortunately, we were in a store run by Muslims, and they had such a room. The jihadists in Pakistan profess the same faith.
About cooepration across religious lines? Senegal had a Christian President, Leopold Segar enghor, for twenty years, in a Muslim country.
Trinidad and Tobago has had a Muslim president, as well as a hindu Prime Minister.
It is the practice of these faiths by small men and women that creates the climate for the racism in India, as well as in Trinidad and Tobago.
As a Christian, I was once shocked by woman who had just returned from church, she was still holding her Bible(holy book) while she was cussing her neighbour. I am also shocked at devoted Hindus who set trains afire with Christians on them,and the destruction of the mosque in India some years back. These actions, contrary to a spiritual belief system, are practised by “devotees”.
Food for thoughts from ‘The Buddha. ‘
These and similar ones, I found quite useful after becoming a member many moons ago while as a short pants police scampering around in Sweet , Sweet, T&T.aka Rainbow country.
“we practice meditation in order to see ourselves as we truly are and life as it truly is. when we are suffering, we can look inside to find the cause – always some form of clinging. by noticing how quickly we attach to new ideas and perspectives, we can begin to unlearn the habit. one trick is to watch for moments when we feel the need to defend ourselves or our point of view. defensiveness is always a red flag; it shows that we have once again become stuck in a point of view. we are pretending to be solid, and we want everyone else to go along with it. with a little honesty and effort, we can determine where we are stuck and then choose to let go. gradually we become more flexible, finding it easier to let go of our perspectives. we take this ‘me’ less seriously, appreciating instead our dynamic and unfixed true nature.
with practice, we begin to see the world from the perspective of BIG MIND, which can see all perspectives but clings to none. we learn that it is possible to return to the view of BIG MIND whenever we’ve become stuck. it’s easiest to assume that we’re stuck somewhere; we only have to figure out where and then let go. liberation from the self is living each day without a place to stand or ideas about who we are. that’s when we can dance with life.”
Genpo Roshi, the path of the human being
“We know that eventually, the world will recognize that we are right.Bernie Madoff made off with the money of rich Jews, because they are iconoclastic,only Jews seemed to have joined this private investment program; same with the Hindu Credit Union in TnT. The Unit Trust Corporation, however, being the product of a higher level of thinking, is still thriving.”
LINDA EDWARDS unfortunately tainted quite a good comment above by interjecting these biased and questionable words which explicitly undermine her theme.
Presently the government of T&T is bailing out CLICO,which was formerly led by Duprey who was considered the poster boy of Trini investors. The situations in both the HCU and Clico are almost identical. Both corporations were led by greedy manipulators whose schemes were not different from the financial gymnastics of the famous Ponzi.
Perhaps it’s time I jump into the brew here and get a feel for what some of outraged citizens are clamoring about on this perplexing Clico debacle, so as to figure out why the fervent attempt to link it with the HCU meltdown.
Imagine this if you will, I can tell you the day in 1965 that Mr Panday decided to turn down his Commonwealth Scholarship offer from Mother India to study Economic and Political Science
so as to return and serve his people , when Dr Williams said “when I speak no dam dog bark,” and ANR Robinson was ban from the PNM Party , then commenced his empty Tobago Secession charade , yet I cannot to this day tell the difference between Duprey the crook , and the competent Minister of National Security Martin Joseph ,if I ran into to both of them jumping up in an Edmund Hart Carnival Band in Woodbrook ,surrounded by half naked , gyrating, Westmoorings Trini beauties. Just goes to show my priorities, eh?
TMan unlike a few of us, you seem to have a much better grasp on the underlying intricate , pertinent issues of the day which are affecting Sweet, Sweet, T&T aka Rainbow Country , and that can often baffle the most erudite social analyst or even numerous politically ambitious bourgeois Permanent Secretaries across the nation .
Care to tell us why exactly did our government choose to bail out Clico , as opposed to the HUC ?
What exactly were their political motives / endgame , and possible long term gains for supporting one over the other?
Learn about the unrivalled contributions of India, Brahmins and Hinduism towards human rights and dignity. In what other country could a majority of 82% (Hindus) enable a Sikh Prime Minister to be elected, whose party is headed by a Roman Catholic, and is sworn in by a Muslim President!! (2%, 2%, 12% respectively)? Great beings such as Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King and many, many others have recognized these contributions. The whole world has, except the island of Trinidad (that’s funny).
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You guys surely create cognitive dissonance in your inability to grasp the context of a post. The point was, for your edification Sir, that people, regardless from which religious aspect or dominion they are coming, tend to interpret doctrines in a manner that rationalizes or justifies their innate prejudice. So someone can take the doctrine that some persons were created from the head of the gods and others from his feet as an indication that one group is superior to another. The doctrine that Jews are chosen people, and enjoy preferred status from a Christian God is cited by many as a justification for usurping land rights from Palestinians.
Now let’s get real here. Who are the majority in India. Does this majority comprise of what you call Brahmin. Because if it does not, I am puzzled over the fact that you are giving credit to one group for the electoral choices made by another group.
Look, I am agnostic at best. But notwithstanding my eternal critique of Christianity, no other religion is more diverse, or extend the arm of aid in a more diverse manner. And I am talking about real Christians here, not the people who beat on their chest and pray loudly in the streets so that others might hear them. One is more likely to find Judeo/Christians engaged in humantarian causes in theatres of need where the recipients do not necessarily share that faith. You do not find this with other religions. Both Hinduism and Islam are less heterogeneous than Christianity, and their works are often homogeneously manifested. In fact the most puzzling aspect of both is that in these two faits would prefer their offspring to marry outside of the faith, than for them to marry a African inside of the faith. That is another sacred cow that people do not wish to be aired.
Look, diversity is best exemplified when the differences between groups in a nation are physically apparent. India would be a great example if like the US, the sons and daughters of slave owners elceted someone who appears in their eyes to be the son of a slave. Raqcial slurs are still hurled at Black Cricheters when they visit India. Electing someone that physically looks like you, but differs in the manner of dress, religion and so forth has been going on in the US since its establishment. In addition, a nation in which there was a great revolt against a plan to extend affirmative action educational opportunities to the “backward classes” cannot exactly be considered a bastion of diversity. Please!
The human utility of any religious belief system reside in the manifestation of its works beyond the perimeter of race, ethnicity, or other artificial boundary. About the only religion where such activity is normal is Christianity. Yes Charity begins at home, but presenting the good things one does in one’s house with ones kith and kin is not exactly evidence of cultural universality. I am not saying that it is wrong, or that it is not good. I am saying that it is awfully narrow minded to present that as an example unconditional love for humankind.
Gandhi’s Activism against untouchability….
The British had proposed a new Constitution for India which included a separate electorate for untouchables. Gandhi saw this as one more barrier, and he began a “fast to the death” in protest. “Untouchability poisons Hinduism as a drop of arsenic poisons milk.”
To say ‘Gandhi’s Activism against untouchability….’ is the most absurd statement ever made in the history of mankind. Only a racist would find a twisted, distorted way to misinterpret some event to try to make that case. If there had been no Gandhi, most of the world would still not be free, you would still be subject peoples, and Obama would not even have been able to attend university in the US. Shame on you!
Please keep your hatred to youself instead of poisoning the air with your hate filled, irrational statements. They reflect more on you than anyone else.
So many years and we are still buying into this ‘INDIAN RACE’ . The blackest people in the world are from India. http://m.flickr.com/photos/devriese/85670246/
To say ‘Gandhi’s Activism against untouchability….’ is the most absurd statement ever made in the history of mankind. Only a racist would find a twisted, distorted way to misinterpret some event to try to make that case. If there had been no Gandhi, most of the world would still not be free, you would still be subject peoples, and Obama would not even have been able to attend university in the US. Shame on you!
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And only an ass would deny that Gandhi did not actively argue against untouchability. I can go out post a lot more excerpts that prove this.
Sorry, I do not come from a culture with a belief system that rate human beings according to their appearances. Keep your baggage and don’t try to project on to those who object to your privileged perspective that you have a right to feel superior.
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So many years and we are still buying into this ‘INDIAN RACE’ . The blackest people in the world are from India.
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So what. Examine the travails of the negros who inhabit the Andaman Islands. Is Seth Maharaj an excception. People write on these blogs that black people are natural thieves. I am sure that some of them are more dark than I am.
One only has to point out the reality that as occurs in every group, some Indians are racist to bring people out of the wooodwork hastening to silence you. What do you call referring to someone black as a monkey, or the statement of a famous female film star that an Indian Director can make even an African look beautiful. Maybe you go to bollywood and advise them to present a picture that substantiates and protects your sacred cows.
There is a fact about Gandhi that neither his admirers or detactors can deny. I place it in the records here, because some younger general\tion people have short memories.
Gandhi had left India to study in England, and then settled in South Africa. As a lawyer, who considered himeself a “brown person”, much like VS NAipaul; and an educated man, he thought he was entitled to rie in the “Whites” carriage of the train. They threw him off, the white people did. This experience made him do some self reflection, which caused him to go home to India, and work assiduously to get rid of the British.
Had this train incident not happened in South Africa, he may have remained a well to do lawyer, having African clients, but not doing much else to change the status quo.
His project became gettin rid of the British, not freeing the DAlits.
The movie Gandhi is true o what was going on, true to the historical record. When Chrit was alive, he did some marvelous things. His earthly death elevated him to his God-ness.
Gandhi’s assassination, which I remember, elevated him to a saint. We often forget that saints were real people, with flaws.
None of us could say for sure what would have happened to Africans of the diaspora had Gandhi not done what he did. The Afro-CAribbean people were already free for ninety years when partition in India occurred. Let us not confuse events here.
I asked my Indian friend, Vivek,a real Indian from India, and he said the undertones of the fantastic movie “Slum Dog Millioniare”- the treatment of the Muslims in the city portrayed, are true. He is of Hindu origins, but is more of a philosopher and scientist than a religious guru. Every religion and ethnic group has its celebrants and apologists. Some of us really seek the truth.
Why is that our African brothers and sisters admit it when they are wrong? I was driving in sando when another driver completely cut me off…so I pulled up next to them, I didnt say anything, my windows were only partway down from say my eyebrows to the top of my head was visible. Now the person was actually going to apologize but when I rolled my windows all the way down, he expression changed to utmost ignorance…was it because of my crooked nose or the braided rolls that was on top of the head that my crooked nose was attached to?
Ruth, go back to school, open a hard cover book to the exact middle, out your head in it and clam it it shut. If the Indians and Ghandhi and blah blah blah did this wrong and that wrong……….Then maybe NASA should fire all of them who work behind the scene there and give them to others…say Africans?
Maybe you look up to men like Haile Selassi..a OUTRIGHT TYRANT WHO KILLED HIS OWN PEOPLE…again..you do not know what racist is. Go to the US in the middle of Carolina, kentucky or anywhere else and trust me..you will be hanged from a tree
On a positive note: http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_news?id=161498743
I blame racism on this also, but hey, at least our youths are trying for this country 🙂
” I was driving in sando when another driver completely cut me off…so I pulled up next to them, I didn’t say anything, my windows were only partway down …….Now the person was actually going to apologize..”
I’ll tell you this fellow bloggers, if folks like Nate Olumbuli, and similar misguided citizens indulged in such silly practices on our highways, then it is a great surprise that our hospital morgues only saw as little as 250 or more dead bodies for the year.
I am always amazed at the stupidity of some drivers that would rush up up to others that -whether intended or not- gave them a bad piece of driving and confront them verbally in a hostile manner for the indiscretion.
Nate we’ll hate to loose you my friend ,and therefore some words of advice. It matters not where you drive, New York, London, Paris, Munich , La Hore, Pretoria, Kandahar, Uriah Buzz Butler , or Claude Noel Highway.
If someone pull similar driving stunts your way, don’t try to be a machismo hero, and display any such temper tantrums. Keep your head straight , turn up your favorite misogynic Rap artist, or acid lacing rock/ pop star on music system, keep the tinted windows up , and live.
Ah! the King of Pop is dead! That naive, yet globally adored ,fringe lunatic ,did more to advance the wonderful cause of mankind in terms of his wonderful message of love ,peace ,and togetherness ,in a color blind world ,than all the past great exalted heroes put together since 1945 and the dropping of the terrorist bomb that launched full scale genocide against millions of defenseless Japanese by Truman and company.
Forget Kentucky, Carolina, Selassi, Nassa and global racisms Nate, as social problems have a way of taking care of themselves in time- ‘once water becomes more than flour.’
We have your back , home boy.
Remember , no more imbecilic stunts on our road. Should we loose you at the hands of one of our road rage fanatics, who are we going to point to as prime examples of another self loathing , pompous , illiterate, degenerate that would not be able to recognize logic if it hit him in the face ?