News Bulletin 3/1/86 (from Kapur
das
/***** orstcs:net.nlang.indi / epistemi!mukesh / 10:02 am Mar 14, 1986*/
>
>I live and study in Britain. I was born in Uganda of Indian parents
>both of whom came from Gujarat. I have visited India twice in my life.
>And I am determined to remain and work in Britain after my PhD rather
>than go to the states even though the pay here is terrible. Perhaps
>Britain (and India) would be a better place if more people took into
>account their duty to their fellow citizens.
>/* ---------- */
>
We did have a student studying here who had a similar background
as your's. My feeling after talking to him (1 year's acquaintance) is
that he did not understand India or it's problems at all, nor did
he understand Indian students and their problems either. The
interesting thing about him was that he used to visit the
Black Cultural Center out here, and when we all got into a
discussion on discrimination and minorities in USA, he was surprisingly
indifferent (????) to the whole affair. Ofcourse he was very active in the
local India Association, and never hesitated to invite non-Indians and talk
to other exotic people about how great India is, and this and that.
To him India was a happy vacation. I find it a bit funny when such people
talk about going back and serving India and being Indian etc, etc.
I did get along with him as a friend but I have found more friendly
people among students from Middle East, and Latin America who have no
connection at all with India, other than knowing the fact that it is
overpopulated.
-----
das@orstcs
...!hp-pcd!orstcs!das
Ramamohan Paturi
>
> We did have a student studying here who had a similar background
> as your's. My feeling after talking to him (1 year's acquaintance) is
> that he did not understand India or it's problems at all, nor did
> he understand Indian students and their problems either. The
> interesting thing about him was that he used to visit the
> Black Cultural Center out here, and when we all got into a
> discussion on discrimination and minorities in USA, he was surprisingly
> indifferent (????) to the whole affair. Ofcourse he was very active in the
> local India Association, and never hesitated to invite non-Indians and talk
> to other exotic people about how great India is, and this and that.
> To him India was a happy vacation. I find it a bit funny when such people
> talk about going back and serving India and being Indian etc, etc.
> I did get along with him as a friend but I have found more friendly
> people among students from Middle East, and Latin America who have no
> connection at all with India, other than knowing the fact that it is
> overpopulated.
> -----
Perhaps, it may not be appropriate to cite the behavior of a person who
can not possibly respond. This can at best help to form or to reinforce
prejudices and stereotypes.
-Ramamohan
paturi@harvard
das
>>Subject: A suggestion regarding the use of human examples
>>
>In article <2430...@orstcs.UUCP>, d...@orstcs.UUCP (das) writes:
>>
>> We did have a student studying here who had a similar background
>> connection at all with India, other than knowing the fact that it is
>> overpopulated.
>> -----
>
>
> Perhaps, it may not be appropriate to cite the behavior of a person who
> can not possibly respond. This can at best help to form or to reinforce
> prejudices and stereotypes.
>
>
Quite true! Maybe we should pick up stereotypes from Mars, Saturn, or the
galaxy andromeda, after all
Once upon a time in a far, far away galaxy ....
---
das@orstcs