[Assam] From TOI
Krishnendu Chakraborty
krish_gau at yahoo.com
Thu Jun 12 11:58:49 PDT 2008
As for Chinese, the per capita income is NOT far
behind Indians. Per 1990 census, Chinese were at 14K
while Indians at 17K. I could not get hold of latest
figures but it would be safe to assume that it is
catching up since the recent migrations from China are
mostly in the high tech jobs.
Further, if you attribute it to Economic conditions
then you get your answer --- the whites are
economically better then recently migrated Indians ,
in general.
**************************************************
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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