[Assam] Humanism, Drivels (sic) and The Evil of Looking for ROOT-CAUSEs
Chan Mahanta
cmahanta at gmail.com
Thu Jun 17 08:23:34 PDT 2010
This odhom's ( despicable one's) suggestion to Anurag Rudra, of
giving one's human identity primacy
over the many other identities a person might have, as a means for
sorting out the conflicts between them,
caused a lot of vitriol to spill over in the pages of this forum in
recent days, directed at this odhom's persona ?
I attempted to understand the reason why, kind of looking for the root-
cause, in itself another EVIL to a few of
our more vocal and self-assuredly fair-and-balanced fellow netters.
Evil or not, I felt it is important to
understand. But it is a 'komplikated-kotha' ( complicated subject),
too sophisticated for my little mind to gauge.
So, I had to call on my ol' friend from Dokkhin Jokaisuk, Tilok
Hatimuria, the Shrinkologist and Goru-Daktor,
who practices large-animal head-shrinking in the High Ozarks. Since
our forum does not allow a non-member
like Tilok Daktor to post directly to assamnet, I am resorting to
cutting and pasting the text of my counseling session
with the good analyst below:
CM ( That is me): Tilok, why is it that your Kamal-kai ( that would
be Kaml Jit Deka) so upset at my suggestion
that Anurag ought to consider his human identity to be his first and
foremost, just like I have and which serves
me so well? And for that matter, why is Ram-kai his defender here, he
being the one who sports the most fair and
balanced ( and even tempered too) halo ?
TD ( That is Tilok Daktor): So-kai, it is not hard to understand if
you have a little empathy . Now, now--I know
empathy is probably another EVIL to both Kamal -kai ( KK) and Ram-kai
( RK), but between you and me, we can
invoke it to analyze and understand.
CM: OK, I am cool. So what am I missing?
TD: Two things:
A: The preceding debate resulting from Dilip Deka's suggestion about a
federal-like association amongst India
and its enemies that you supported. It has a couple of catches in it.
B: As soon as you brought up your human ID, it caused problems. It is
hard to disparage humanity. So, how do you
devalue it?
CM: Yeah, but what was so bad about DD's suggestion? I realize it is a
long shot at best. But it has a potential to
ease the illegal immigration problem from B-desh. Neither KK nor RK
offered an single 'splanation as to why
it is not good or bad. They just dwelled on the attempt to devalue the
idea as kind of a hare-brained one and
attacked the messengers.
TD: You are an old man So-kai, I thought you would have learnt by now
how to spot the sub-text in these
charades. I thought you have learnt to spot the subtly screened
anxieties in these discourses. How could you
miss the fighting signals in DD's proposition?
CM: What do you mean? Sub-texts! What sub-texts ?
TD: Oh, So-kai, you are sooo naive! How can India bury the hatchet
with Pakistan, for one, for such co-operation
to take place? It will mean having to make peace over Kashmir. What
does that mean?
CM: I don't know. Maybe India will have to agree to let Kashmir go, if
not to Pakistan, at least to let it become independent
or some such thing?
TD: And---?
CM: And what?
TD: Sheesh! How do KK or RK view such an eventuality? Don't you have
any idea?
CM: Ummm, well, I see what you are leading to. You mean they won't
take kindly to loss of that
piece of real-estate? But how does that matter to them? It is not
THEIR poitrik-xompotti ( ancestral
property). For crying out loud they are just Kharkhowas who don't even
live in India any more. Why should
they care?
TD: I will let you sleep over that So-kai. I am not going to give you
all the answers. You have to do some
homework on your own. Don't expect me to spoon-feed you. I am busy.
This is rut season and many of my
patients are almost on the stampede.
CM: OK, OK! But what about the other catch?
TD: That would be the lungi-menace! How would you like them crawling
all around YOU?
CM: Wait, you are using RK's rhetoric here. It sounds very
unprofessional.
TD: I say things to make a point, to shake your lazy head up to think
on your own a little.
CM: Hey, what is this? I didn't come here to be insulted like that.
TD: Then do some thinking.
CM: OK, what about the lungi menace?
TD: Have you forgotten all the heartfelt outpourings of angst about
them Muslims hordes, the adha-kota (circumcision)
anxieties, of being overrun, of Assam being a part of Brihottor
Bangladesh ( Greater B'Desh)?
CM: No I have NOT! But DD's idea was aimed to EASE those fears by way
of lessening the immigration
pressures.
TD: Yeah, but why would they buy that idea? It is far better to stir
the anxieties of being overrun, of all Khrakhowas in
lungis and skull-caps and or women in Burkas. Close your eyes and look
at the scene for a moment. And if that fear
could be burnished in, who can they seek help from?
CM: India?
TD: Duuuh! Is there a better way to scare those Kharkhowas who want
independence out of their wits and
give ULFA the ol' heave-ho?
Why do you think they keep harping on the fear of them B'deshi hordes,
while never suggesting a way to
help stem the tide?
CM: Oh, no! I never thought of that. I knew something was amiss, when
they only say NO to everything.
Didn't realize there may be some, what was the phrase you used? Sub-
text, that's it, subtext like this to it.
TD: Well!
CM: I see what you mean. But what is the the problem about humanism?
What did I do wrong there?
TD: That is another, but related matter. I have to go. My assistant is
frantically texting me. Al's Alpaca
apparently has eaten hay with loco-weed in it and is going bonkers.
I'll explain that in the next session.
Stay cool!
**** That , my friends, was the synopsis of today's revelations. Stay
tuned for the next.
cm
On Jun 16, 2010, at 6:25 PM, kamal deka wrote:
> RS,
> I could not have said better than this.
> All these drivels with respect to human/humanity/humanism are nothing
> but hackneyed slogans.
> All those viewpoints with respect to identity has come across to me as
> phony and contrived.
> Let me magnify on the point of " support".Unless one allows one's
> intelligence to go to sleep,there should not be a problem of Himalayan
> proportion to make out as to what I was relating to.
> I am astonished,our distinguished netter has omitted the key
> difference between ' psychiatry' and ' psycosocial'.
> Well,mendacity of their reasoning knows no bounds.
> KJD
>
> On Tue, Jun 15, 2010 at 10:21 PM, Ram Sarangapani
> <assamrs at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Now, it's my turn - it's the damn English language again :-)
>>
>> No one, KJD nor I have said that there was "SUPPORT" for either the
>> Dhemaji
>> killings or that of the Biharis.
>>
>> The discussion (I presume KJD) brought up was regarding "HUMANISM".
>> If I
>> understood it correct, KJD was questioning as to why the SAME
>> HUMANISM now
>> shown at the drop of a hat, was totally absent when the Biharis were
>> killed.
>>
>> The incident was reported all over the place, and so now it seems
>> there was
>> indeed a deafening silence, from folks who are very vocal otherwise.
>>
>> It's not about "Support", it is the absence of showing the same
>> level of
>> 'humanism' in some instances, while not in others. That is why it is
>> "Selective Humanism".
>>
>> It does seem there is a dichotomy here. On the one hand, some are
>> desperate
>> to severe Assam from India, but are gung ho about uniting the
>> world, erase
>> borders of feuding countries, hug the Pakistanis, and so on. But
>> not so,
>> when it comes to Assam/Delhi/ULFA.
>>
>>> What is KJD's primary ID or what is RS's? Are they Americans first,
>> Hindus, Indians, Assamese. Muslim-hater :-), ---- what?
>>
>> Really, what does this mean? I don't support illegal B'deshis
>> crawling all
>> over the place into Assam. For that matter, I don't like illegal
>> Greeks
>> going to Assam or any other part of India. But, unfortunately,
>> every time
>> this issue is raised, we are cast as "Muslim -Haters" or lungi
>> haters. That
>> is really, really sad!
>>
>> But these are the tactics that one often has to resort to - assign
>> labels,
>> and hope they labels stick.
>>
>> --Ram
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Tue, Jun 15, 2010 at 9:48 PM, Chan Mahanta <cmahanta at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> On Jun 15, 2010, at 9:33 PM, Dilip and Dil Deka wrote:
>>>
>>> Did CM support killing of the Biharis or the blast in Dhemaji,
>>> though it
>>>> is quite apparent that he supports ULFA's cause?
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> **** If one is desperate enough to find some some reason to
>>> devalue the
>>> idea that
>>> one's humanity is the most important of identities, then it is
>>> easy to jump
>>> to such conclusions.
>>> But it would be a mindless one. Imagine KJD or RS's support of all
>>> things
>>> Indian meaning they also
>>> support the Indian army's atrocities over civilians.
>>>
>>> **** That also leads one to wonder if giving one's human identity
>>> the
>>> primacy is merely a ploy to look
>>> good, then what could be better , more honest identities ? What is
>>> KJD's
>>> primary ID or what is RS's? Are they
>>> Americans first, Hindus, Indians, Assamese. Muslim-hater :-),
>>> ---- what?
>>>
>>> Why am I mixing up national identity with religious you might
>>> ask? For the
>>> simple reason of KJD invoking
>>> Erikson's ID confusion about being a Norwegian or a Jew. How much
>>> more
>>> confused can one get?
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I do not support ULFA's cause, thus I do not have a dog in this
>>> fight.
>>>> Dilip, Houston TX
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ________________________________
>>>> From: Ram Sarangapani <assamrs at gmail.com>
>>>> To: A Mailing list for people interested in Assam from around the
>>>> world <
>>>> assam at assamnet.org>
>>>> Sent: Tue, June 15, 2010 9:11:11 PM
>>>> Subject: Re: [Assam] ‘I Am An Assamese, A Bengali And A S ylheti.
>>>> What
>>>> Exactly Am I?’ Anurag Rudra'a write up appeared Tehelka
>>>>
>>>> KJD,
>>>>
>>>> However,the same humanist failed to raise a whimper,when
>>>>> ULFA-engineered massacre of poor Biharis took place in Assam.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Hehehe, that is what one would call 'selective humanism'.
>>>>
>>>> But it's OK, one has to give a lot of leeway for folks :-)
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --Ram
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Tue, Jun 15, 2010 at 7:39 PM, kamal deka <kjit.deka at gmail.com>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> are absolutely correct in saying, you are what
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> you choose to be - ie. defining yourself.<<<
>>>>>
>>>>> RS,
>>>>> All of a sudden,humanist of mega size seems to be appearing in
>>>>> this
>>>>> Net,who now lays the claim that his first identity is nothing
>>>>> but a
>>>>> human being.However,the same humanist failed to raise a
>>>>> whimper,when
>>>>> ULFA-engineered massacre of poor Biharis took place in Assam.For
>>>>> him,it seems,everything pales into insignificance,when it comes
>>>>> to the
>>>>> question of ULFA.Is he trying to give his falsehood the gloss of
>>>>> moral
>>>>> sanction now? He can no longer fool people with his veneer of
>>>>> gentility!!!
>>>>> All this is a mystery to me,really.
>>>>> KJD
>>>>>
>>>>> On Tue, Jun 15, 2010 at 4:41 PM, Ram Sarangapani <assamrs at gmail.com
>>>>> >
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> Great assessment, Mohan. You are absolutely correct in saying,
>>>>>> you are
>>>>>>
>>>>> what
>>>>>
>>>>>> you choose to be - ie. defining yourself. The write-up by
>>>>>> Anurag is
>>>>>> well-written & from the heart, and most netters will be able to
>>>>>> relate
>>>>>> to
>>>>>> something or the other in what he wrote.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> But to more important questions: How did you grow bhaat kerela
>>>>>> & ou
>>>>>>
>>>>> tenga?
>>>>>
>>>>>> I don't think we have seen either of these in this area :-)
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Best of luck to Anurag, and hope to see more of his writings in
>>>>>> future.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> --Ram
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Tue, Jun 15, 2010 at 4:28 PM, Mohan Palleti <mpalleti at aol.com>
>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Anurag:
>>>>>>> This is beautifully written article. I liked the honest
>>>>>>> expression
>>>>>>> about
>>>>>>> your feelings.
>>>>>>> I being a half telugu and a half assamese by birth, I could
>>>>>>> relate very
>>>>>>> well with you. I lived in Assam as a young child and moved to
>>>>>>> Hyderabad
>>>>>>> therafter. I had asked the same question to myself. What am I?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> The answer is very simple. You are what you choose to be. And
>>>>>>> in the
>>>>>>> process you do not have to forget where you came from. You set
>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>> trend
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> for
>>>>>
>>>>>> the coming generations and you blend into a culture you choose
>>>>>> to.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> We lived in Hyderabad since 1973, And yet our house was a
>>>>>>> waterhole for
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> a
>>>>>
>>>>>> lot of Assamese folks who visited Hyderabad. My mother passed
>>>>>> away a few
>>>>>>> months ago. She was like a moher to a lot of young assamese
>>>>>>> folks who
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> live
>>>>>
>>>>>> and work in Hyderabad.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Although I have been living in the US for over a decade and
>>>>>>> speak 4
>>>>>>> different languages at home. I grow dhekia xaak, bhat kerela,
>>>>>>> ou tenga
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> in my
>>>>>
>>>>>> garden and have loads of Khorisa in my referigerator. It wont
>>>>>> be hard
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> for
>>>>>
>>>>>> you to guess what I consider myself to be.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I hope you get to read this email.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Cheers!
>>>>>>> Mohan Palleti
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>>>> From: Chan Mahanta <cmahanta at gmail.com <lt%3Bcmahanta at gmail.com
>>>>>>> > <
>>>>>>> lt%3Bcmahanta at gmail.com <lt%253Bcmahanta at gmail.com>> <
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> lt%3Bcmahanta at gmail.com <lt%253Bcmahanta at gmail.com> <
>>>>> lt%253Bcmahanta at gmail.com <lt%25253Bcmahanta at gmail.com>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> To: A Mailing list for people interested in Assam from around
>>>>>> the world
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> &
>>>>>
>>>>>> lt;assam at assamnet.org <lt%3Bassam at assamnet.org> <
>>>>>>> lt%3Bassam at assamnet.org <lt%253Bassam at assamnet.org>> <
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> lt%3Bassam at assamnet.org <lt%253Bassam at assamnet.org> <
>>>>> lt%253Bassam at assamnet.org <lt%25253Bassam at assamnet.org>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Sent: Tue, Jun 15, 2010 9:53 am
>>>>>>> Subject: Re: [Assam] ‘I Am An Assamese, A Bengali And A S
>>>>>>> ylheti. What
>>>>>>> Exactly Am I?’ Anurag Rudra'a write up appeared Tehelka
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> That is a believable, poignant story, Sushanta. Thanks for
>>>>>>> sharing.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> The indignities that young Anurag had to endure, hopefully,
>>>>>>> were not in
>>>>>>> vain and his account,
>>>>>>> hopefully would help turn things for the better.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Many of us in this forum have worn different shoes. And we too
>>>>>>> wore the
>>>>>>> ones that
>>>>>>> Anurag had worn,at times of being a minority, foreign, alien
>>>>>>> etc. and
>>>>>>> at
>>>>>>> times of a dominant
>>>>>>> group wearing the halo of being an indigenous. It has helped
>>>>>>> us become
>>>>>>> fuller, better people.
>>>>>>> That said, I do realize that those of us in the US or other
>>>>>>> counties
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> with a
>>>>>
>>>>>> rule of law have not, would not
>>>>>>> ( except as rare exceptions) have to undergo some of the more
>>>>>>> blatant
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> and
>>>>>
>>>>>> overt acts
>>>>>>> of discrimination, bullying or even physical assaults that
>>>>>>> someone in
>>>>>>> Anurag's shoes might have.
>>>>>>> That is where the rule-of-law plays a critical role, one that
>>>>>>> is absent
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> in
>>>>>
>>>>>> Indian governance, not
>>>>>>> just Assam's, part of the dysfunctional state of desi-
>>>>>>> demokrasy as I
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> call
>>>>>
>>>>>> it.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I agree with MM's advice: To be positive and ASSERTIVE. He has
>>>>>>> no
>>>>>>> reason
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> to
>>>>>
>>>>>> be
>>>>>>> confused about his many identities, much less be apologetic.
>>>>>>> Long ago,
>>>>>>> I
>>>>>>> learned
>>>>>>> to choose my first and foremost identity to be the human one.
>>>>>>> My many
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> other
>>>>>
>>>>>> identities
>>>>>>> fall into place, without conflict and without apologies!
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Pass this on to Anurag, if you can. I wish him all the best.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> c-da
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Jun 14, 2010, at 12:05 PM, Sushanta Kar wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> > Dear
>>>>>>> > Friends,
>>>>>>> > You will find this write up something interesting. Anurag
>>>>>>> is a B.A
>>>>>>> > student
>>>>>>> > of Cotton College. By this time he has earned a well
>>>>>>> reputation as
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> a
>>>>>
>>>>>> > poet in
>>>>>>> > English. Here he has raised a few question on the
>>>>>>> identity crisis
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> of
>>>>>
>>>>>> > the
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> > sylhetis of the state:
>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>> http://www.tehelka.com/story_main45.asp?filename=hub190610personalhistories.asp
>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>> > Sushanta Kar
>>>>>>> > _______________________________________________
>>>>>>> > assam mailing list
>>>>>>> > assam at assamnet.org
>>>>>>> > http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>> assam mailing list
>>>>>>> assam at assamnet.org
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>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>> assam mailing list
>>>>>>> assam at assamnet.org
>>>>>>> http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>> assam mailing list
>>>>>> assam at assamnet.org
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>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
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