[Assam] From ToI
Chan Mahanta
cmahanta at charter.net
Thu Jun 12 10:26:53 PDT 2008
Yes I have. And I know of those conditions, which are also effected
by the economic conditions of the people involved.
We were, however, talking of Indians , whose economic conditions, at
least in the USA, are of a far higher caliber, per capita; than these
other communities'. Therefore the comparison does not apply.
At 10:00 AM -0700 6/12/08, Krishnendu Chakraborty wrote:
>C'da, have you been to Chinese dominated areas in US
>(like Chinatown in Boston) or the hispanic dominated
>areas (Chelsea or Revere near Boston) ? I have been
>to Devon and frequented to Oak Tree Road (Edison, NJ).
> Those are clean compared to some pockets of Boston.
>
>Not to defend desi community but it is same everywhere
>when you have a lot of people recently migrated from a
>third world country.
>
>
>
>****************************************************************
>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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