[Assam] From ToI
Ram Sarangapani
assamrs at gmail.com
Thu Jun 12 10:02:30 PDT 2008
C'da,
You have touched on one of may favorite topics:)
I have to say, I mostly agree with you. Regarding the long haul flights to
Dilli/Kolkatta, I have a theory:
Use the facilities within the 1st 5 minutes or so. After that you are on
your own. Those flight facilities can make the best of us hardy, and after a
few such flights, one can declare just like George Bush - 'Bring 'it on'.
This past month, on our way back from Europe, we caught KLM from Amsterdam.
That choice flight was also picking up passengers from India. Needless to
say (and as I expected), the toilets were rendered useless in no time. They
ran out of water (it was all on the floor), with toilet paper strewn all
over.
> And I have witnesses, from Houston , who will testify to that to you.
>They drove us there
You could be correct - there are some areas concentrated by Pakistanis and
B'deshis too, and one can easily mistake them for desi desis :):)
But, this much I can vouchsafe, at our Bihu celebrations, after the show,
the young men (and some not so young men :)) and ladies had the place
looking spotless in no time. The same with the afternoon session.
>Is there something genetic here :-)?
C'mon C'da... we don't want to indict ourselves, do we?
--Ram
On 6/12/08, Chan Mahanta <cmahanta at charter.net> wrote:
>
>
>
> I do believe that people have a capacity to learn and they usually
> do. But my own observations are that Indians take a loooong time to
> learn civic lessons, particularly when they are in any concentration.
>
> I am sure you know all too well about the environment inside
> transcontinental flights in their last legs into India, Ram. Don't
> you?
>
> I remember a desi-shopping center parking lot and surroundings in
> Houston from about three or four years back that looked quite filthy.
> There was trash all around. And I have witnesses, from Houston , who
> will testify to that to you. They drove us there.
>
> Similarly on and around Devon Street of Chicago.
>
> And last but not the least, right here at the Mahatma Gandhi Center
> of St. Louis after a gathering of certain communities. Being in the
> Board of this facility I also know, first hand, how they trash the
> place, remove property, stuff the toilets --- you name it. What was
> even more disconcerting was when a Board Member of the Temple next
> -door told me a few weeks back, in whispers, of the horror stories
> they experience, in their TEMPLE!
>
> Is there something genetic here :-)?
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> At 10:54 AM -0500 6/12/08, Ram Sarangapani wrote:
> > >Like the Houston desi-enclave ( I am not sure what it is called), or
> >>Devon Street area of Chicago, or Jackson Heights in NY. Are they
> >>particularly unkempt, with trash strewn around for example?
> >
> >In Houston, we have the Harwin/Hilcroft area. The area (at one time) had a
> >drap look. But today, modern shopping centers, and mini malls have been
> >built (all by desis), and attracts shoppers from many parts of Texas (not
> >just desis though).
> >
> >I remember, some years ago, there were several paan dukanis (paan shops)
> >there, and desi paan chewers would spit (peek pelai) the paan crud around
> >the shop. The city health dept. couldn't figure out all the 'blood' around
> >the place... when they did, they gave a stiff warning to the paan dukani.
> It
> >doesn't happen now.
> >
> >The Houston desi population is still small compared to Southhall (London)
> >and so it has managed to keep clean even in areas where there are higher
> >concentrations..
> >
> >--Ram
> >
> >
> >
> >On 6/12/08, Chan Mahanta <cmahanta at charter.net> wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >> I was inquiring about heavily desi-immigrant populated neighborhoods
> >> in the USA or Britain or such other western countries.
> >>
> >> Like the Houston desi-enclave ( I am not sure what it is called), or
> >> Devon Street area of Chicago, or Jackson Heights in NY. Are they
> >> particularly unkempt, with trash strewn around for example?
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> At 9:51 AM -0500 6/12/08, Ram Sarangapani wrote:
> >> >C'da,
> >> >
> >> >>*** Is there any reason for such a perception among westerners or >is
> it
> >> a
> >> >case of racism?
> >> >
> >> >I don't think one can call it 'racism' but rather some sort of
> prejudice
> >> >or perceived notion.
> >> >
> >> >If one were to visit certain parts of India, citizens are least
> bothered
> >> >about throwing garbage out of the windows and on to the
> streets. Public
> >> >sanitation and health is huge problem in India.
> >> >
> >> >Guwahati for instance, most will agree, that while homes are usually
> very
> >> >clean, the streets outside are strewn with garbage & filth everywhere,
> and
> >> >the Bharalu and the Brahmaputra are where everything winds up in the
> end.
> >> >
> >> >I understand there are many reasons for this, but public apathy and
> lack
> >> of
> >> >'ownership' of the surroundings must have contributed something to the
> >> >plight of Guwahati.
> >> >
> >> >The 'racism' part comes from some Westerners when they probably relate
> to
> >> >what they see on TV about India, Africa, the Sudan, and then see some
> >> >Indians reiterating whats seen on TV.
> >> >
> >> >BTW: Yesterday, while listening to a 'right wing' talk radio, and they
> >> were
> >> >talking about Korean Restaurants feeding dog meat to customers (in the
> >> US).
> >> >
> >> >Many callers were convinced that was the case (even though they had
> never
> >> >visited or actually knew about Korea, and were sure that dog meat was
> was
> > > >there (but of the menu). Now, that is a problem of perception
> >> >
> >> >--Ram
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >On 6/12/08, Chan Mahanta <cmahanta at charter.net> wrote:
> >> >>
> >> >> "----blaming Indian immigrants for littering."
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >> *** Is there any reason for such a perception among westerners or
> is
> >> >> it a case of racism?
> >> >>
> >> >> cm
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >>
>
> >> >>***********************************************************************************************************
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >>
> >>
> http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/British_councillor_apologises_for_racist_remarks_on_Indians/articleshow/3123690.cms
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >> LONDON: A local authority councillor in London has been forced to
> >> >> apologise after blaming Indian immigrants for littering.
> >> >>
> >> >> Lucy Ivimy of the Hammersmith and Fulham local authority in west
> >> >> London was slammed after claiming in an email that Indians in an
> >> >> apartment block were throwing rubbish out of the window.
> >> >>
> >> >> While such practice was "normal behaviour" in India, to do so in
> >> >> Britain was "not acceptable behaviour", she said in the email.
> >> >>
> >> >> Residents said there was no evidence Indians were tossing rubbish
> out
> >> >> of the window -- or indeed that there were any Indians at the
> >> >> Woodford Court apartment block.
> >> >>
> >> >> In a statement issued on Wednesday, Ivimy said: "I am aware that
> some
> >> >> ill-advised comments of mine in a private email have been
> interpreted
> >> >> as something that I never meant and have given offence, for which I
> >> >> unreservedly apologise.
> >> >>
> >> >> "I should stress that I have no idea who are the specific culprits,
> >> >> or even if they are estate residents."
> >> >>
> >> >> "I never meant to imply that this sort of careless behaviour
> belongs
> >> >> specifically to any one particular group."
> >> >>
> >> >> Stephen Cowan, leader of the Labour group in the Tory-run council,
> >> >> said: "This shows her inherent prejudice."
> >> >>
> >> >> He said Ivimy, as a member of the council's cabinet looking after
> >> >> housing, was responsible for 14,000 tenants' homes and over 4,000
> >> >> leaseholders' homes and all the housing association homes in the
> >> >> borough of Hammersmith and Fulham.
> >> >>
> >> >> "Many of those people, like the whole of London, come from all
> sorts
> >> >> of backgrounds."
> >> >>
> >> >> Dang Sakares, who has lived on the apartment block for eight years,
> >> >> said: "I don't think I've seen any Indian people in this block."
> >> >> _______________________________________________
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> >> >>
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> >>
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