[Assam] Humanism, Drivels (sic) and The Evil of Looking for ROOT-CAUSEs

Thu Jun 17 08:58:07 PDT 2010

Well,well,the same threadbare excuses and the same stock answers which
boils down to a lot of hot air.
Ko-kai.

On Thu, Jun 17, 2010 at 10:23 AM, Chan Mahanta <cmahanta at gmail.com> wrote:
> 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
>
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> 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
>>>>>>>> http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>> assam mailing list
>>>>>>>> assam at assamnet.org
>>>>>>>> http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>  _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> assam mailing list
>>>>>>> assam at assamnet.org
>>>>>>> http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>> assam mailing list
>>>>>> assam at assamnet.org
>>>>>> http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
>>>>>>
>>>>>>  _______________________________________________
>>>>>
>>>>> assam mailing list
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>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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