[Assam] Obama : Anti-Immigrants ? Should go back home in a box?
Chan Mahanta
cmahanta at charter.net
Thu Jun 12 06:44:41 PDT 2008
At 9:17 PM +0800 6/12/08, Jyotirmoy Sharma wrote:
>"Can't a raging racist country be a a terrific democracy too?"
>I don't see how. Any examples?
>Another definition of democracy besides the obvious one of being able to
>elect our own representatives - "a state of society characterized by formal
>equality of rights and privileges; political or social equality; democratic
>spirit."
>JS
**** South Africa was a democracy under Apartheid. The USA too was a
democracy that approved of racism. So did Britain.
The point I am trying to lead to is for people to understand HOW a
democracy might help alleviate, if not eradicate social, cultural,
political injustices.
The reason for my bringing it up is the fact of people mouthing off
about 'democracy' without having even a rudimentary understanding
what it is all about or how its benefits can be realized. To many
'el;ekshuns' are the be-all and end-all of their demokrasy.
**** Being able to 'elect' one's representative does NOT, in any way
shape or form ensure building a
> "a state of society characterized by formal
>equality of rights and privileges; political or social equa lity; democratic
spirit."
*** A people can elect thugs, racists and megalomaniacs to represent
them. Does not the Congress party or the BJP condone criminals
among them as a necessary part of their 'democratic' ways?
*** And these 'reps' can make racist, casteist, discriminatory laws ,
can't they? And when they do, how will that ensure a fair and
egalitarian society?
Did not desi-demokrasy enact AFSPA? And do Indians NOT take that as
a lynch-pin of their 'democratic' state's 'security'?
*** There are ANSWERS for these. But I won't give it out yet. Let us
see if our exponents of 'demokrasy'
can figure them out on their own. And when they do, I will be
delighted to admit that I was wrong about my perceptions.
But until then they are free to demonstrate to the world how useless
their slogans about democratic values are.
>
>On Thu, Jun 12, 2008 at 8:50 PM, Chan Mahanta <cmahanta at charter.net> wrote:
>
>> > >..So much for the "greatest democracy in the
>> world".
>>
>>
>> What does democracy have to do with racism? Can't a raging racist
>> country be a a terrific democracy too?
>>
>> Or is democracy synonymous with all things good?
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> At 8:39 PM +0800 6/12/08, Jyotirmoy Sharma wrote:
>> >It is usually the old and the senile who refuse to change with the times.
>> >Probably you could tell the old man that it's most likely that he would be
>> >in box before Obama. That would be dangerous actually, that old person
>> could
>> >be carrying a gun :-)
>> >Maybe colour is still a big issue in the US. A black man standing for the
>> >White House is a big news there..So much for the "greatest democracy in
>> the
>> >world".
>> >JS
>> >
>> >
>> >On Thu, Jun 12, 2008 at 4:01 PM, umesh sharma <jaipurschool at yahoo.com>
>> >wrote:
>> >
>> >> Hi,
>> >>
>> >> Since many of us seem to be Obama fans amongst us or atleast Democrats
>> >> (those in the USA - NRAs) and are always criticing Iraq War etc and
>> blaming
>> >> Bush, I have a question.
>> >>
>> >> The question is not mine. Actually, it is from a couple of students of
>> mine
>> >> , who are now in the US. During our dinner conversation at their first
>> >> Indian (NRA) the students started discussing politics, one worried
>> that if
>> >> Obama wins the election then he would stop all H1B work visas which
>> they aim
>> >> for and I am on right now. They seemed to have followed tha race pretty
>> >> closely. I do not access to TV.
>> >>
>> >> However, yesterday I was at McDonalds sipping by iced coffee waiting
>> for my
>> >> job to start and then came Obama on CNN tv channel. Saying all sorts of
>> >> stuff about healthcare, tax and what not, blaming the Bush govt for
>> giving
>> >> millions to corporations etc. Along came an old guy (perhaps from an
> > >> assisted living housing nearby), might be eighty, shaking and walking.
>> He
>> >> just looked at Obama on the TV and said, "He should be put in a box and
>> sent
>> >> home." Then the gentleman looked at me for approval and and nodded
>> along.
>> >> Again he looked up at the tv at ceiling level and repeated , raised
>> in
>> >> hand , pointing with his fingers as if taking aim. And said , "shoom!!"
>> >> blew him away. I merely smiled and wondered if realized that Obama
>> >> couldn't be sent home (I could). Obama was born the USA.
>> >>
>> >> any comments?
>> >>
>> >> umesh
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Umesh Sharma
>> >>
>> >> Washington D.C.
>> >>
>> >> 1-202-215-4328 [Cell]
>> >>
>> >> Ed.M. - International Education Policy
>> >> Harvard Graduate School of Education,
>> >> Harvard University,
>> >> Class of 2005
>> >>
>> >> http://www.uknow.gse.harvard.edu/index.html (Edu info)
>> >>
>> >> http://hbswk.hbs.edu/ (Management Info)
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> www.gse.harvard.edu/iep (where the above 2 are used )
>> >> http://harvardscience.harvard.edu/
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> http://jaipurschool.bihu.in/
>> >>
>> >> ---------------------------------
>> >> Sent from Yahoo! Mail.
>> >> A Smarter Email.
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