WITZEL, HARVARD PROFESSOR LAUNCHES ANTI-HINDU CRUSADE
and/or www.mantra.com/jai
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Witzel, Harvard professor launches anti-Hindu Crusade
Dr. Srinivasan Kalyanaraman
Quiz #1:
"Hindus in the USA are lost or abandoned people!"
"NRI stands for Non-Returning Indians!"
"Indians in the USA do not invest in the higher education of their
children!"
Who in the USA do you think would have made derogatory statements to
this effect?
A. A Ku Klux Klansman
B. A Bible thumping fundamentalist from Alabama
C. A Xenophobe who is paranoid about immigrants settling in the USA
D. A Harvard Sanskrit professor
Correct answer: D.
I am sure none of you scored right on this. So, read on and get
informed.
Harvard professor disparages Hindus
Recently, in a Communist-leaning political list better known for its
uncritical beliefs in myths like Aryan Invasion and its negation of
historical facts, Harvard professor Michael Witzel made some
startling claims about Hindu immigrants to the USA. One of his
acolytes invented the acronym HINA for Hindus in North America.
Witzel disingenuously and infamously transliterated it as "hiina"and
translated it as "lost" or "abandoned." This Sanskrit word has many
other derogatory meanings such as "inferior," "insecure," "lowly" and
"defective."
It caught my attention that Witzel had described Hindus using the
very same phrase -- "lost people" -- which a rabid Christian
fundamentalist and anti-Semite had used to describe the Jews a few
years ago.
Rev. Bailey Smith, then-president of the Southern Baptists, had
infamously declared:
"God Almighty does not hear the prayer of a Jew" and added, "without
Jesus Christ, they [the Jews] are lost." [1]
One does not know whether, or to what extant, Witzel shares Smith's
fanatical and bigoted beliefs. But Witzel was instrumental in urging
activism against the Hindu initiative, as a result of which his
cosignatory urged a Hindu-bashing Christian fundamentalist to
mobilize a show of strength against the Hindus of California, as we
will see later. Witzel also makes fun of the Hindu custom of
cremating their dead:
"[Hindus immigrants to the USA] have begun -- as an old, very
conservative US Brahmin friend pointed out to me already in 1994�
building crematoria as well." [2]
Witzel also makes fun of Hindu Gods, rituals and second generation
American Hindus:
"Second generation [Hindu] people just understand [Hinduism] as
"boaring rituals" (puja, etc.), temple visits and Indian
(mythological) comic books ... All such items add to the heady brew
that we have seen emerging here..." [3]
Considering that our Harvard professor has specifically enclosed the
words "boaring rituals" within quotes, one cannot but assume that it
was intended to make fun of the Hindu God Vishnu, who incarnated as a
boar.
Background
Some of the proposed textbooks for grade six of the State of
California portrayed Hinduism in the most derogatory manner. A
textbook described Goddess Kali as "bloodthirsty" and, while talking
about the Ramayana and Lord Hanuman, asked the students to look
around and see if there was a monkey in the classroom. Another
textbook claimed that Hinduism taught that women were inferior. Yet
another textbook repeated the long discredited racist theory, which
contrasted the supposedly tall, blond and blue-eyed invading Aryans
with the supposedly curly-haired, snub-nosed native Dravidians.
Naturally, Hindus in California were offended by this offensive
treatment of their religion and culture. So, they worked with the
State Board of Education, understood the procedures and submitted a
list of proposed changes with due explanation. Perhaps, Max Muller,
the 19 th century German racist and Christian fundamentalist, who had
stated very clearly that Hindus as a race are inferior to the Whites
but superior to the Blacks, [4]would not have countenanced such
audacious gestures from erstwhile colonial slaves seeking parity with
other religionists according to rules. A section of Eurocentric
academics that faithfully propagate Muller's racist theory and
chronology of Indian history too did not tolerate such a gesture from
the Hindus.
'Rev.' Witzel launches anti-Hindu Crusade
Witzel and some of his cosignatories admitted that they knew nothing
about the nature of the changes proposed . But, in the same breath,
they concluded that this is an unacceptable Hindutva initiative,
which must be opposed tooth and nail. On Sunday, November 06, 2005
9:46 AM Steve Farmer [a cosignatory and originator of Witzel et al's
protest petition] wrote:
"There is little time to research and respond to exactly what is
happening in California, since we only learned about organized
Hindutva challenges to California history textbooks yesterday. ...
The final School Board meeting on this will apparently occur in
Sacramento (the state capital) in three days. Even given the short
time, a collective response of some nature by internationally known
S. Asianists is certainly in order. At a minimum, the Board should be
made aware in some way of the religious and political nature of the
attacks, be provided with a quick overview of similar attacks on
textbooks in S. Asia in the last decade, and be given notice of the
opposition of the vast majority of S. Asian researchers to such
changes. Given the short time frame, the response may have to be
largely symbolic, but a letter endorsed by a dozen or more
internationally known S. Asianists from every continent might still
have some effect."[5]
Witzel, on behalf of another 46 signatories, petitioned the State
Board of Education [SBE] against the proposed changes [the nature of
which he and his cosignatories were unaware]. He launched an ad
hominem and slanderous attack on the Hindus who had proposed the
changes.
The petition, like Lallu Prasad's election campaign, provided a
"balanced" mix of ignorance, slander and comic relief. Jonathan Mark
Kenoyer, whose parents were Christian missionaries in Asia, was one
of the signatories on the petition. He is also the author of the
proposed textbook from the Oxford University Press. California Hindus
had reviewed the OUP textbook and suggested changes in a meeting with
OUP officials. The OUP officials informed in writing that Kenoyer
agreed with the suggestions. Should one then suspect the inclusion of
Kenoyer's name in the petition or was Kenoyer filled with the Holy
Spirit and began speaking in tongues [The New Testament, Acts 19:6]?
Sometime back, in a review of Edwin Bryant's 2001 book, The Quest for
the Origins of Vedic Culture -- the Indo-Aryan Migration Debate,
Witzel wrote:
"[Bryant's book is] A balanced description and evaluation of the two
century old debate dealing with the origins of the Indo-Aryan
speaking peoples of South Asia. [Bryant] presents both sides of the
issue, that is the traditional western, linguistic and philological
consensus of immigration from Central Asia, and the more recent
Indian position that denies any immigration and that asserts an
indigenous South Asian origin."
Now, the same Witzel calls it Hindu Nationalistic propagandawhen
California Hindus say the same! Perhaps, he is filled with the Holy
Spirit and speaking in tongues!
The SBE of California capitulates
In 1850 CE, when the Harvard Medical School admitted three black men
and a white woman, racists protested against the move. The school
capitulated. [6] Just like those racists offered no substantive
arguments for throwing out the blacks and the woman, this time too,
the infamous petitioners offered no substantive reason for
campaigning against the changes suggested by Hindus. Still, the SBE
capitulated. One wonders if the SBE wanted to emulate the Harvard of
1850 CE.
The SBE went a step further. It appointed two of the signatories --
Michael Witzel and Stanley Wolpert -- and James Heitzman, who
protested at the venue repeating Witzel's ad hominem attack to review
the suggested changes. Is not appointing a petitioner to review
suggested changes tantamount to conflict of interest?
On the other hand, the SBE is not known to have acted on a letter
signed by over 30 distinguished experts that included world's
foremost archeologists who have been working on the IVC and its
script for decades. These signatories cited many references showing
why Aryan Invasion is merely an unsubstantiated myth.
The above said letter was sent on November 21, 2005. The SBE, for
reasons unknown, did not accord it the same respect it accorded
Witzel's defamatory petition.
Crusaders form an axis of protestors
Witzel made it clear that he was a political activist. On November
26, 2005 17:26, he wrote his fellow petitioners:
"There will be a meeting with California Dept. of Education [...]
Please note that on Dec. 1/2 a higher body than last time, the
Curriculum Commission, is scheduled to take up this issue in the
morning on December 2 (note all times are tentative�if they move
through the agenda faster than expected, things will happen earlier).
This is not a public hearing. But all that means is that there is no
official published time for the public to speak before the
commissioners take action . Nonetheless, each meeting has a time for
"public comment" and people will be allowed to come up and speak.
(Thus, we have to be present).
If they follow the order of the published agenda, public comment
comes after the actual vote. They will only hear Tom Adam's (CA Dept.
of Education) report on the earlier (Hindutva-inspired) and our
(Wolpert, Heitzman, Witzel) findings.
But if they see the huge Hindutva crowd expected and decide to let
them speak first, it is possible votes will be swayed back the other
way simply because no political person likes to say no, in public, to
an unhappy minority group seeking redress of grievances.
It also appears that in the afternoon of December 1, the day before
the vote, the History-Social Science subcommittee will hear reports
about recent events in the adoption of the text books. This should
not involve any discussion of the "Hindu" issue. But the Hindu groups
might show up for that discussion too. Public comment is allowed and
it will give them a chance to speak to some of the commissioners
before the vote the next day.
SO PLEASE TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION: Alert your friends in California
to attend!" [7]
How appropriate is it for a reviewer on contract with the SBE who is
expected to be neutral, to indulge in political activism, falsely
label California Hindus as of a political persuasion and seek
unethical mobilization of support? How appropriate is it for the SBE
to hire such politicized academics to review school textbooks?
In any case, Lars Martin Fosse, a cosignatory on the petition and a
collaborator of Witzel, wrote John Dayal and Amarjit Singh, citing
Witzel's letter:
"It would probably be an advantage if Dalits were present and could
demonstrate that the Hindutvavadins do not speak for all Indians. I
have been reluctant to announce this on the Dalit lists because we
don't know if they are infiltrated, we therefore turn to you for
advice and help. Is there a way to (discretely) mobilize Dalits in
California and elsewhere in this matter? Could you get some support
from Afro-American organizations here?We don't want to create the
impression that only a few outsiders are against the Hindutva version
of history." [8]
Please note that Fosse uses the word "WE," clearly indicating that he
is writing on behalf of a group while seeking mobilization of
protestors. The only group one could think of in this situation is
the list of cosignatories on the petition whom Witzel had addressed
in his email. So, who are these people -- John Dayal and Amarjit
Singh -- whom Fosse writes? P.N. Benjamin, a distinguished Christian
scholar and the coordinator of Bangalore Initiative for Religious
Dialogue [BIRD], says of John Dayal:
"[John Dayal] opens his mouth and wields his pen only to spew venom
on the Hindu community." [9]
Benjamin then goes on to expose the kind of lies that the likes of
Dayal perpetrate when they invent stories of Hindu rape of Christian
nuns and propagate those abroad with the sole intent of discrediting
the Hindus. John Dayal is also infamous for ardently supporting Benny
Hinn, who defrauds the poorest illiterates in the Third World by
promising them "miracle healing." [10]
According to the South Asia Terrorism Portal [SATP], Amarjit Singh is
closely associated with the banned terror organization International
Sikh Youth Federation [ISYF]. [11] Many countries such as the USA
[12] and the UK [13] have designated ISYF as a terrorist
organization. Singh also heads the Khalistan Affairs Centre [KAC]. I
am not implying that KAC is connected with Khalistani terrorism as I
have no means to judge that but it is a well-known fact that
Khalistani terrorists have massacred 21,000 innocent civilian Hindus
and Sikhs, and have committed untold crimes such as rape of countless
Sikh women. [14] A US State department notification states:
"Sikh terrorism is sponsored by expatriate and Indian Sikh groups who
want to carve out an independent Sikh state called Khalistan (Land of
the Pure) from Indian territory." [15]
Khalistani terrorists were also tried for the bombing of the Air
India civilian aircraft"Kanishka" in 1985, killing hundreds of
innocent passengers. [16] Amarjit Singh is an advocate of Khalistan
ideology.
There is no indication that Witzel or any other signatory on the
petition condemned Fosse [himself a signatory] for unethically
mobilizing political support and that too, by instigating highly
controversial persons. It is beyond my comprehension how an academic
could join hands with a rabid Christian fundamentalist and a
proponent of the lethal Khalistan ideology. What kind of academics
would sign the petition but remain silent and not condemn unethically
seeking support from such controversial individuals?
Quiz #2:
"The miraculously undecayed body of Saint Francis Xavier is still on
public view in a glass coffin at the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Goa."
Who in the USA do you think would have made a statement to this
effect?
A. A pre-school child visiting Goa for the first time
B. A Bible thumping Catholic Christian fundamentalist
C. A Creation scientist
D. A U C Davis history professor
Correct answer: D.
I am sure you got this too wrong. So, read on and get informed.
An SBE appointed reviewer advertises Christian miracles
James Heitzman, professor of history at U C Davis, is one of the
three reviewers appointed by the SBE. It does not seem as if he
accepts that mummified bodies do not decay. [17] He is wonderstruck
that it is a miracle that the mummified body of the infamous St.
Francis Xavier, who sought the terrible Inquisition of Goa, [18]
which persecuted Hindus, Indian Orthodox Christians, Jews and Muslims
in the most vicious manner, should be preserved for five centuries.
Someone needs to direct our distinguished professor to any museum of
natural history, where Egyptian mummies are preserved. Of course, one
cannot guarantee that Heitzman will return scientifically informed.
He may see the hand of miracle in their preservation too!
It seems as if Heitzman strongly believes that history should be
supplanted with false propaganda if it suits the proselytizing
efforts of the Christian Church. He writes:
"Christianity, represented by almost all denominations, traces its
history in India back to the time of the apostles and counted 19.6
million members in India in 1991." [19]
Numerous scholars have refuted this dangerous fiction, which falsely
painted the Brahmin ethnic minority as Thomas-killers, and resulted
in their demonization and persecution, just as the false myth of the
Jews as Jesus-killers resulted in their historic persecution. The
Vatican itself has declared that this is an unverified claim.
Numerous distinguished academics such as E.J. Rapson, Sylvain Levi,
K.S. Latourette, Fr. H.Heras etc, to name a few, have refuted that
St. Thomas ever came to India. [20] It seems as if Heitzman prefers
dangerous Christian fiction to facts.
Heitzman believes in revelations
Heitzman unquestioningly accepts revelations. He writes:
"Muhammad received visions in which the Archangel Gabriel revealed
the word of God to him . After 620 he publicly preached the message
of these visions, stressing the oneness of God (Allah), denouncing
the polytheism of his fellow Arabs, and calling for moral uplift of
the population." [21]
Since Heitzman is mesmerized by revelations, he is unimpressed by the
inquiries into the truth, a common feature of Hindu philosophy, which
he dismisses as speculations. He writes:
"Some of the later hymns of the Rig Veda contain speculations that
form the basis for much of Indian religious and philosophical
thought." [22]
Heitzman, while discussing Hindu festivals, calls Hindus cross-
dressers:
"Major Hindu events include Ramanavami, the birthday of Ram in the
month of Chaitra (March-April), and Holi, celebrated at the end of
the month of Phalguna (February-March), when people engage in cross-
dressing, play tricks on each other, and squirt colored water or
powder on each other." [23]
How can the SBE nominate an academic, who believes in miracles and
fits history to suit Christian propaganda, to review contents
relating to Hinduism in school textbooks, especially when he is also
a signatory on Witzel's petition? Does the SBE agree with Heitzman's
uncharitable remarks on Hinduism and Hindus?
Quiz #3:
"The most important invasion in all of India's history, since the
Aryans brought with their Caucasian genes [is Aryan invasion]."
Who in the USA do you think would have made a statement to this
effect?
A. A Ku Klux Klansman
B. A eugenics advocate
C. A White Supremacist
D. A U C Los Angeles history professor
Correct answer: D.
I am sure you got this too wrong, unless you have by now learnt that
only Western historians can make such statements. Anyway, read on.
Wolpert celebrates the Caucasian gene
While discussing Aryan invasion theory [AIT], Stanley Wolpert, a UCLA
historian writes:
"This was the most important invasion in all of India's history,
since the Aryans brought with their Caucasian genes a new language --
Sanskrit -- and a new pantheon of gods�"[24]
It seems that to our UCLA professor the importance of an invasion
depends on whether it involved the inflow of Caucasian genes! Hey,
what is next? The most important invasion in all of Americas' history
is the 16 th century invasion of Europeans because it brought in
Caucasian genes? Thank god, African Americans, who do not possess
Caucasian genes, did not invade Americas!
I could not but think of the 18th century racist Benjamin Rush's
writings on "Lovely White"skin contrasted with the Black skin as I
read Wolpert wax eloquent on the importance of coming in of the
Caucasian genes. Benjamin Rush, a medical doctor, attributed Black
skin to leprosy and advocated "curing" African-Americans by bleeding
and purging. [25]
Not to be outdone by Heitzman, Wolpert also repeats the dangerous
Christian propaganda of the imagined visit of St. Thomas to India. He
writes:
"A small but influential group of Syrian Christians in Kerala persist
in claiming that their sect was founded by St. Thomas, who may have
sailed to Malabar in the first century and who was supposedly
martyred at Mylapore , a suburb of modern Madras, in A.D. 68. The
tiny Jewish community of Cochin also claims to have been founded in
the first century, but no clear historical evidence of such early
Jewish settlement in Malabar has as yet been discovered." [26]
The reference of Mylapore is to the mythical killing of St. Thomas by
a peaceful and scholarly ethnic minority of Tamil Brahmins. A
rational person might be at a loss to understand how St. Thomas, who
did not even visit India, could have been killed there. But, Wolpert
has no compunctions in repeating this perniciously false propaganda,
which, since the Portuguese colonial period, has resulted in the most
terrible persecution of Brahmins. Is anything acceptable if it helps
demonize Hindus and help perpetuate Christianity?
Why is the SBE nominating such a biased academic, who is also a
signatory on Witzel's petition, to review contents relating to
Hinduism?
Conclusion
1. I have shown that the SBE capitulated to political pressure
by nominating a trio of academics who have indulged in the most
despicable form of political activism, disparaged Hinduism or
collaborated with controversial elements.
2. The SBE did not accord any respect to the scholars who
supported the Hindu initiative by presenting solid references.
3. One of these academics has also expressed his admiration for
Christian miracles, while another has propagated falsified [over 80
years ago!] Christian propaganda.
4. Is it not a clear violation of guidelines, and law, to
subject Hinduism and Hindus to such treatment? Does the SBE want
Hindu children of California to be indoctrinated in false propaganda?
5. It is heartening to note that the Commission constituted by
the SBE dismissed virtually all demands made by this trio -- Witzel,
Wolpert and Heitzman -- with the contempt they deserved. According to
a report of December 4, 2005 by the HPI, Heitzman unsuccessfully
pleaded to replace Aryan Invasion Theory [AIT] with Aryan Migration
Theory [AMT]. But Commissioner Metzenberg, a biologist, objected on
scientific grounds. He said:
"I've read the DNA research and there was no Aryan migration. I
believe the hard evidence of DNA more than I believe historians."
It was finally agreed to say, "Some historians believe in the
theory of an Aryan migration."
This shows how false theories motivated by racist politics never
stand scientific scrutiny. Of course, there is no justification even
in retaining AMT, which is merely a belief, and not supported by
facts. Hindus must meet the SBE to ensure that theories which are not
scientifically substantiated be removed altogether.
6. Heitzman, apparently frustrated that his advocacies failed
the test of scientific evidence, said to the Commission:
"I advise you to err on the side of conservatism and be very careful
about adopting any of these changes."
Commissioner Metzenberg replied pointedly:
"On the contrary, to err on the side of conservatism, we should use
the Hindu suggestions. After all, it's their religion."
7. Metzenberg also felt a comment by Witzel's panel on one edit
was "insensitive."The edit was to fix the incorrect statement that
the Ramayana was written later than the Mahabharata. Witzel's group
wrote condescendingly:
"Who in Sixth Grade cares which epic was 'written' first?"
Metzenberg observed that "it obviously matters to Hindus."
8. Hindus must also make it very clear to the SBE that no
academic that is known to be inimical to Hinduism or known to have
distorted facts to fit pet beliefs be not allowed to have any say in
the process of reviewing and amending textbooks. As such, the trio of
reviewers was admitted into the process without justification. I have
presented solid evidence that they indulged in political activism
contrary to the spirit of their contract with the SBE. Hindus must
demand that the SBE should terminate their contract right away.
9. Hindus must demand that the SBE does not entertain any of
the signatories of Witzel's petition in the textbook review and
adoption process as I have already demonstrated that they are biased
and politically motivated.
10. Witzel has ridiculed the most sacred of the Hindu mantras or
sacred chants. He writes:
"Many short mantras (the later biija mantras) like oM have humble
origins the Veda. Him (hiM) is used in the Veda to call your goat ..
and your wife." [27]
Steve Farmer's [who initiated the petition] and also signed on
Witzel's petition declared, in pathetic attempt at humor, that he
would try this mantra on his girlfriend. [28] Hindus must demand that
academics with a history of disparaging Hinduism cannot influence
what goes into textbooks meant for children.
11. Finally, only academics and experts on religion with a non-
controversial record should be nominated to influence the process of
textbook adoption. Academics that are accused of having used
unethical means of scholarship should not be used for this purpose.
Prof. B.B. Lal, the world's foremost archeologist and expert on Indus
Valley Civilization, in his most recent publication,The Homeland of
the Aryans -- Evidence of Rigvedic Flora and Fauna & Archaeology, pp.
85-89 (New Delhi, 2005) writes that Dr. Witzel unethically and
willfully assigned two opposite meanings to two occurrences of the
same Sanskrit word to artificially make the verse support Aryan
migration into India, whereas the verse actually makes it very clear
that Aryans migrated in two branches, one to the West and another to
the East, from northwestern India.
It was a very sad day for Sanskrit scholarship in general, and
Harvard in particular when one of its academics was accused of and
disgraced for willfully and unethically mistranslating a verse. When
the error was pointed to him in the past, Witzel conveniently blamed
it on the editor of the relevant publication concerned, despite the
fact that the same mistranslation has been printed by him in many
other publications of his.
12. Even in the petition he sent the SBE, Witzel claims that one of
the signatories, S. Palaniappan as: "S. Palaniappan, PhD, Indology,
Texas." It must be pointed out that Palaniappan, who works for the
Minute Maid Company in Texas, is not an Indologist by any stretch of
that word. Certainly, he is not a Ph.D. in Indology as Witzel
misleads in his petition. Palaniappan received his doctorate in
engineering. Should one then infer that Palaniappan is a 'made in a
minute' instant Indologist? Did Witzel use Heitzman's miracle to
transform engineer Palaniappan into an Indologist?
Dr. Srinivasan Kalyanaraman, a former Sr. Exec. of Asian Development
Bank, is a Hindu. His two grandchildren, US citizens, study in US
schools. His email id is kaly...@gmail.com
[1] http://www.religioustolerance.org/jud_chrr.htm
[2] Vide message number 2300 at Yahoo groups Indo-Eurasian_research
[3] In the above message
[4] Muller, M.: History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature, page 294.
Also see, a paper presented by Arvind Kumar at the SBE
hearing:
http://jitnasa.india-forum.com/Docs/ProAryanInvasionTheoryargumentspresentedbyaWitzelsupporter.htm
[5] Vide message number 2225 Yahoo groups Indo-Eurasian_research
[6] Takaki, R.T.: Iron Cages -- Race and Culture in 19th Century
America, p. 137
[7] This email was posted vide message number 8893 at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Bahujan/message/8893
[8] Cited from the abovementioned email
[9] Benjamin, P.N .: When Intolerance Begets Loss Of Reason.
Available at
http://www.hvk.org/articles/0905/43.html
[10]
http://www.rickross.com/reference/hinn/hinn32.html
[11]
http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/kpsgill/security/04Feb21Pio.htm
[12]
http://www.state.gov/www/global/terrorism/1999report/appb.html andhttp://japan.usembassy.gov/e/p/tp-20040430-33.html
[14] Bruce Hoffman "Holy Terror": The Implications Of Terrorism
Motivated By A Religious Imperative RAND Paper P-7834, 1993
http://www.nwcitizen.com/publicgood/reports/holywar3.htm#endn39
cf. Komerath, N:
http://www.geocities.com/charcha_2000/essays/Lashkar-e-Pinocchio.html#_ednref6
[15]
http://www.state.gov/www/global/terrorism/1999report/appb.html
[16]
http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/india/states/punjab/backgrounder/Kanishka.htm
[17] Heitzman, J. and Worden, R.L.: A Country Study: India, Chapter 3
-- Religious Life by James Heitzman (section: Other Minority
Religions -- Christianity), Library of Congress Call Number DS407.
cf. a paper presented by Arvind Kumar at the SBE hearing:
http://jitnasa.india-forum.com/Docs/ProAryanInvasionTheoryargumentspresentedbyaWitzelsupporter.htm
[18] Priolkar, A.K.: The Terrible Tribunal for the East -- The Goa
Inquisition. In a letter dated May 16, 2005, St. Xavier writing D.
Joao III, king of Portugal, demanded Inquisition against the Jews and
Muslims of Goa. Even though the wise king turned down the demand,
ultimately, due to intense pressure from the Catholic Church, the
most terrible Inquisition would be unleashed, first on the Jews of
India, then the Muslims and finally, in a most oppressive manner, on
the Hindus.
[19] Heitzman, J. and Worden, R.L.: A Country Study: India, Chapter 3
-- Religious Life, Library of Congress Call Number DS407 .I4465 1996,
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/intoc.html
cf. a paper presented by Arvind Kumar at the SBE hearing:
http://jitnasa.india-forum.com/Docs/ProAryanInvasionTheoryargumentspresentedbyaWitzelsupporter.htm
[20] For an excellent discussion, see Sharan, I.:The Myth of Saint
Thomas and the Mylapore Shiva Temple, p. 73
[21] Heitzman, J. and Worden, R.L.: A Country Study: India, Chapter 3
-- Religious Life by James Heitzman (section: Islam -- Origins and
Tenets), Library of Congress Call Number DS407 .I4465 1996,
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/intoc.html
cf. a paper presented by Arvind Kumar at the SBE hearing:
http://jitnasa.india-forum.com/Docs/ProAryanInvasionTheoryargumentspresentedbyaWitzelsupporter.htm
[22] Heitzman, J. and Worden, R.L.: A Country Study: India, Chapter 3
-- Religious Life by James Heitzman (section: The Roots of Indian
Religion -- The Vedas and Polytheism), Library of Congress Call
Number DS407 .I4465 1996,
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/intoc.html
cf. a paper presented by Arvind Kumar at the SBE hearing:
http://jitnasa.india-forum.com/Docs/ProAryanInvasionTheoryargumentspresentedbyaWitzelsupporter.htm
[23] Heitzman, J. and Worden, R.L.: A Country Study: India, Chapter 3
-- Religious Life by James Heitzman (section: The Ceremonies of
Hinduism -- Public Worship -- Festivals), Library of Congress Call
Number DS407 .I4465 1996,
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/intoc.html
cf. a paper presented by Arvind Kumar at the SBE hearing:
http://jitnasa.india-forum.com/Docs/ProAryanInvasionTheoryargumentspresentedbyaWitzelsupporter.htm
[24] Wolpert, S.: A New History of India, Fifth Edition, page 27 cf.
a paper presented by Arvind Kumar at the SBE hearing:
http://jitnasa.india-forum.com/Docs/ProAryanInvasionTheoryargumentspresentedbyaWitzelsupporter.htm
[25] Takaki, R.T .: Iron Cages -- Race and Culture in 19th Century
America, pp. 28-32
[26] Wolpert, S.: A New History of India, Fifth Edition, page 84.
[27] Vide message number 2133 at Yahoo groups Indo-Eurasian_research
[28] Vide message number 2164 at Yahoo groups Indo-Eurasian_research
A REFRESHER -- DOWN "MEMORY LANE"!
http://tinyurl.com/c3f4b
End of forwarded message from S. Kalyanaraman
Jai Maharaj
http://tinyurl.com/24fq83
http://www.mantra.com/jyotish
Om Shanti
Hindu Holocaust Museum
http://www.mantra.com/holocaust
Hindu life, principles, spirituality and philosophy
http://www.hindu.org
http://www.hindunet.org
The truth about Islam and Muslims
http://www.flex.com/~jai/satyamevajayate
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Kick RSS ass
> Forwarded message from S. Kalyanaraman
>
> Saturday, July 4, 2009
>
[...]
> Some of the proposed textbooks for grade six of the State of
> California portrayed Hinduism in the most derogatory manner. A
> textbook described Goddess Kali as "bloodthirsty" and, while talking
> about the Ramayana and Lord Hanuman, asked the students to look
> around and see if there was a monkey in the classroom. Another
> textbook claimed that Hinduism taught that women were inferior. Yet
> another textbook repeated the long discredited racist theory, which
> contrasted the supposedly tall, blond and blue-eyed invading Aryans
> with the supposedly curly-haired, snub-nosed native Dravidians.
>
> Naturally, Hindus in California were offended by this offensive
> treatment of their religion and culture. So, they worked with the
> State Board of Education, understood the procedures and submitted a
> list of proposed changes with due explanation.
So why do these offensive and derogatory descriptions of Hinduism not
find mention in the list of edits proposed by the Hindu Education
Foundation and the Vedic Foundation? The Vedic Foundation, btw, is the
same group that claims that the Hindu religion was revealed 111.52
trillion years ago, that the Indian civilization has existed
continuously for 1,972 million years, that Sanskrit "has been in its
perfect state since millions of years ago", and that Rama ruled Ayodhya
18.144 million years ago.
List of edits suggested by HEF and VF:
http://www.friendsofsouthasia.org/textbook/TextbookEdits.html
--
THE NAZI-STYLE HATE-MINORITIES MESSAGE OF THE `RSS BIBLE'
"The foreign races in Hindusthan must either adopt the Hindu culture
and language, must learn to respect and hold in reverence Hindu
religion, must entertain no idea but those of the glorification of the
Hindu race and culture, i.e., of the Hindu nation and must loose their
separate existence to merge in the Hindu race, or may stay in the
country, wholly subordinated to the Hindu Nation, claiming nothing,
deserving no privileges, far less any preferential treatment -- not
even citizen's rights. There is, at least, should be, no other course
for them to adopt. We are an old nation; let us deal, as old nations
ought to and do deal, with the foreign races, who have chosen to live
in our country".
-- Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar's, We or Our Nationhood Defined
fanabba
>
> read more »
Crusade Watch, Evangelism Watch and Conversion Watch
www.christianaggression.org
www.crusadewatch.org
War is being waged against Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism.
The aggressors will not stop. All inter-faith dialogues are for the
benefit of the aggressors. The sooner Hindus, Buddhists, Jains and
Sikhs understand this, the better for them.
The hate-filled ideology of Christian Missionaries and Evangelists:
"Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and other non-Christian
religions must be destroyed. Hindus, Buddhists,Jains, Sikhs and other
non-Christians must be converted to Christianity."
Charles Dickens on missionaries:
"Missionaries are perfect nuisances and leave every
place worse than they found it. "
Rudyard Kipling to Fundamental Christian Missionaries:
"Now it is not good for the Christian's health to hustle
the Hindu brown for the Christian riles and the Hindu
smiles and weareth the Christian down; and the end of the
fight is a tombstone while with the name of the late
deceased and the epitaph drear, "A fool lies here who
tried to hustle the east".
anal...@hotmail.com
>
> 10. Witzel has ridiculed the most sacred of the Hindu mantras or
>
> sacred chants. He writes:
>
> "Many short mantras (the later biija mantras) like oM have humble
> origins the Veda. Him (hiM) is used in the Veda to call your goat ..
> and your wife." [27]
>
The arch-nerd professor attempts bathroom graffiti - except that it is
so unfunny - I have heard home-grown raunchy parodies of the Ramayana
etc. that are actually funny - the professor is really kidding himself
if he thinks his combination of Sanskrit-proctology, NRI bashing, good
old fashioned racism etc. will make the tiniest dent on Hinduim.
Panu
Jai Maharaj) wrote:
> Forwarded message from S. Kalyanaraman
>
> Saturday, July 4, 2009
>
> Witzel, Harvard professor launches anti-Hindu Crusade
>
Gee! Where can I join?
hari....@indero.com
themselves in this childish tirade.
The person in question opposed the wholesale introduction of radical
political and religious material in american textbooks which was
introduced in a backdoor tactic and failed.
ranjit_...@yahoo.com
> It is good to see the radicals squirm and squeal and making a fool of
> themselves in this childish tirade.
>
> The person in question opposed the wholesale introduction of radical
> political and religious material in american textbooks
BS. He didn't oppose it. He opposed its being done *by Hindus*.
hari....@indero.com
> themselves in this childish tirade.
>
> The person in question opposed the wholesale introduction of radical
> political and religious material in american textbooks
"BS. He didn't oppose it. He opposed its being done *by Hindus*."
Bs, those who introduced the radical revisionist history happened also
to be a radical minority of the entire view of hindus. There were
hindus who supported his effort to oppose the radicals. They also
happened to be residents in america, did that make his response
anti-american also?
ranjit_...@yahoo.com
I didn't say his response was anti-anything. I merely indicated that
he didn't oppose revisionism by non-Hindus, such as revisionism by
Muslims, Jews, Christians, etc.
hari....@indero.com
of
> > themselves in this childish tirade.
>
> > The person in question opposed the wholesale introduction of radical
> > political and religious material in american textbooks
>
> "BS. He didn't oppose it. He opposed its being done *by Hindus*."
>
> Bs, those who introduced the radical revisionist history happened also
> hindus who supported his effort to oppose the radicals. =A0They also
> happened to be residents in america, did that make his response
> anti-american also?
I didn't say his response was anti-anything. I merely indicated that
"he didn't oppose revisionism by non-Hindus, such as revisionism by
Muslims, Jews, Christians, etc."
Of course not, because his area of academic interest is s. asia dealing
directly with the proposed backdoor revisionist history the radicals
wanted. He caught them at their game and it blew up in their face.
There are others who look to see what christians for example who are
radical want to introduce in textbooks and oppose it also. The long
fought battle against fundamentalist so called "creation science" is one
well known example. People whose academic interest was in that area led
the oppisition.
Many american academics because of any attempt for any religious
fundamentalist to force their narrow revisionist views are on constant
alert. The academic in question is one of them for his area of work.
ranjit_...@yahoo.com
> > > It is good to see the radicals squirm and squeal and making a fool
> of
> > > themselves in this childish tirade.
>
> > > The person in question opposed the wholesale introduction of radical
> > > political and religious material in american textbooks
>
> > "BS. He didn't oppose it. He opposed its being done *by Hindus*."
>
> > Bs, those who introduced the radical revisionist history happened also
> > to be a radical minority of the entire view of hindus. =A0There were
> > hindus who supported his effort to oppose the radicals. =A0They also
> > happened to be residents in america, did that make his response
> > anti-american also?
>
> I didn't say his response was anti-anything. I merely indicated that
> "he didn't oppose revisionism by non-Hindus, such as revisionism by
> Muslims, Jews, Christians, etc."
>
> Of course not, because his area of academic interest is s. asia dealing
> directly with the proposed backdoor revisionist history the radicals
> wanted. He caught them at their game and it blew up in their face.
>
> There are others who look to see what christians for example who are
> radical want to introduce in textbooks and oppose it also.
Who are these others? For example, who is opposing omission of the
fact that women were unequal to men in Christian, Jewish and Muslim
societies too? If this is worth mentioning when discussing Hinduism,
it should be equally worth mentioning in a discussion of other
religions. Conversely, if it is not worth a mention in a discussion of
religions other than Hinduism, it shouldn't be worth a mention in a
discussion of Hinduism either.
> The long fought battle against fundamentalist so called "creation science" is one
> well known example.
Irrelevant since the contentious textbook was not a science textbook.
hari....@indero.com
> of
> > > themselves in this childish tirade.
> > > The person in question opposed the wholesale introduction of
radical
> > > political and religious material in american textbooks
>
> > "BS. He didn't oppose it. He opposed its being done *by Hindus*."
>
> > Bs, those who introduced the radical revisionist history happened
also
> > to be a radical minority of the entire view of hindus. =3DA0There
were
> > hindus who supported his effort to oppose the radicals. =3DA0They
also
> > happened to be residents in america, did that make his response
> > anti-american also?
>
> I didn't say his response was anti-anything. I merely indicated that
> "he didn't oppose revisionism by non-Hindus, such as revisionism by
> Muslims, Jews, Christians, etc."
>
> Of course not, because his area of academic interest is s. asia
dealing
> directly with the proposed backdoor revisionist history the radicals
> wanted. =A0He caught them at their game and it blew up in their face.
>
> There are others who look to see what christians for example who are
> radical want to introduce in textbooks and oppose it also.
"Who are these others? For example, who is opposing omission of the fact
that women were unequal to men in Christian, Jewish and Muslim societies
too? If this is worth mentioning when discussing Hinduism, it should be
equally worth mentioning in a discussion of other religions. Conversely,
if it is not worth a mention in a discussion of religions other than
Hinduism, it shouldn't be worth a mention in a discussion of Hinduism
either."
No one of whom I'm aware oppose those exact things being taught in
textbooks in the higher levels for any religion. Most of the proposed
changes which did not include the revisionist history of the radicals
was accepted. This included many things that were misunderstood about
indian cultures. One can in fact speak of the topics you mention and
not one word of religion be used, it is a social reality that anyone can
see for themselves. These textbooks were so called "social studies"
which deal with the entire range of social and historical information,
including a minority sub section on the religion of areas of the world.
>=A0The long fought battle against fundamentalist so called "creation
scien=
ce" is one
> well known example.
"Irrelevant since the contentious textbook was not a science textbook."
Totaly relevant and showing lack of information on the history of this
topic. Several states tried to introduce radical religious based ideas
into the science books and academics and others opposed them and won
every time.
> =A0People whose academic interest was in that area led the oppisition.
>
> Many american academics because of any attempt for any religious
> fundamentalist to force their narrow revisionist views are on constant
> alert. =A0The academic in question is one of them for his area of
Kick RSS ass
> On Jul 6, 7:47 pm, hari.ku...@indero.com wrote:
>>>> It is good to see the radicals squirm and squeal and making a fool
>> of
>>>> themselves in this childish tirade.
>>>> The person in question opposed the wholesale introduction of radical
>>>> political and religious material in american textbooks
>>> "BS. He didn't oppose it. He opposed its being done *by Hindus*."
>>> Bs, those who introduced the radical revisionist history happened also
>>> to be a radical minority of the entire view of hindus. =A0There were
>>> hindus who supported his effort to oppose the radicals. =A0They also
>>> happened to be residents in america, did that make his response
>>> anti-american also?
>> I didn't say his response was anti-anything. I merely indicated that
>> "he didn't oppose revisionism by non-Hindus, such as revisionism by
>> Muslims, Jews, Christians, etc."
>>
>> Of course not, because his area of academic interest is s. asia dealing
>> directly with the proposed backdoor revisionist history the radicals
>> wanted. He caught them at their game and it blew up in their face.
>>
>> There are others who look to see what christians for example who are
>> radical want to introduce in textbooks and oppose it also.
>
> Who are these others? For example, who is opposing omission of the
> fact that women were unequal to men in Christian, Jewish and Muslim
> societies too?
You wouldn't know this if it isn't mentioned in discussions of earlier
Christian societies. What the HEF and the VF want to do is erase the
realities of earlier Hindu society from history books, and thus from
discussion.
> If this is worth mentioning when discussing Hinduism,
> it should be equally worth mentioning in a discussion of other
> religions. Conversely, if it is not worth a mention in a discussion of
> religions other than Hinduism, it shouldn't be worth a mention in a
> discussion of Hinduism either.
>
>> The long fought battle against fundamentalist so called "creation science" is one
>> well known example.
>
> Irrelevant since the contentious textbook was not a science textbook.
I believe it is taught in the sixth grade under "social sciences"(world
history and geography).
http://www.teachingamericanhistory.us/standards/pdf/Grade_6.pdf
>> People whose academic interest was in that area led the oppisition.
>>
>> Many american academics because of any attempt for any religious
>> fundamentalist to force their narrow revisionist views are on constant
>> alert. The academic in question is one of them for his area of work.
>>
>>>> which was
>>>> introduced in a backdoor tactic and failed.
--
Kick RSS ass
He didn't opposed edits by Hindus either. He was opposed, as someone who
is arguably at least as knowledgeable(if not more so) of Hinduism and
Indology than the representatives of HEC and VF, to revisionism
masquerading as historical fact by would-be revanchists posing as
legitimate representatives of *all* Hindus. For the record, virtually
all of the "offensive anti-Hindu material" alleged by various saffron
websites simply doesn't exist, as can be seen by the list of suggested
edits from the HEC and the VF. One would expect that more egregiously
"offensive" material would surely have been addressed in the list of
edits, and I have previously in these fora asked that they be pointed
out, with no response so far.
>>> which was
>>> introduced in a backdoor tactic and failed.
--
ranjit_...@yahoo.com
How is that different from what Christian, Jewish and Muslim reviewers
of this particular social studies textbook succeeded in doing?
ranjit_...@yahoo.com
... but at a lower level, they must be taught only when teaching about
Hinduism? I distinctly remember reading observations from a female
Hindu reviewer saying that this topic was covered only in the section
on Hinduism and not in the sections on other religions.
Kick RSS ass
ranjit_...@yahoo.com
Assuming that that female Hindu reviewer was correct about the topic
of equality for women was covered only in the section on Hinduism,
then the reviewers neglected to point out that the topic must be
covered in a discussion of other religions too. If the author/
compiler of the material in the book wanted to erase the history of
sexual inequality in Christian, Jewish and Muslim society, the
reviewers cooperated with him rather than call him on it.
ranjit_...@yahoo.com
Here is a complaint about the Hindutva gang's edits:
http://dissidentvoice.org/Jan06/Chatterji07.htm
Their history makes Hinduism uniform, monotheistic, and monolithic,
dismissing the disenfranchisement of women, dalits, adivasis, and
religious minorities under centuries of Hindu ascendancy in what is
today India, and therefore their ongoing struggles for justice and
self-determination. What message are we sending children?
Does the textbook cover the disenfranchisement of pagans under
centuries of Christian ascendancy and therefore the elimination of
Europe's native pagans and the struggle by which neopagans gained some
measure of recognition and equality? Does it cover the
disenfranchisement of dhimmis and kaffirs under centuries of Islamic
ascendancy and therefore the elimination of the Middle East's native
pagans and the ongoing struggles of minority Christians and Jews? Does
the textbook cover similar topics in the context of Judaism and
therefore the ongoing Palestinian struggle? If not, why haven't
Christian, Jewish and Muslim reviewers and critics of Hindutvavadi
reviewers (including this Chatterji) asked what message we are sending
children about Christianity, Islam and Judaism?
hari....@indero.com
> textbooks in the higher levels for any religion.
... but at a lower level, they must be taught only when teaching about
"Hinduism? I distinctly remember reading observations from a female
Hindu reviewer saying that this topic was covered only in the section on
Hinduism and not in the sections on other religions."
The textbooks under review were for higher levels only. The current
state of culture in india is the topic. If those social matters of
which you speak are now a social reality they might recieve comment. I
would be very surprised that such social matters in muslim cultures
would not also cover such things.
You are trying to make a religious argument for what from these textbook
perspectives is a cultural view. Most of the matters that concern you
are equally the case for all the major religions in s. asia of today.
India is not hinduism and hinduism is not india. Social realities are
social realities, would you have students ignorant of them? You can be
sure that when reflection on american history is made no past social
evil is spared from presentation.
In fact a discussion where religions are compared would be unlawful
according to federal law. Hinduism placed against any religion wuld not
be accepted. The radicals confuse that hinduism is india and india is
hinduism. And they demanded that their view alone prevail when comment
on cultural matters was given.
Kick RSS ass
Don't assume that. Not sure which "female Hindu reviewer" you are
referring to, the CAPEEM article perhaps? I don't see any evidence that
the writer is a reviewer, rather than someone giving his/her opinion
based on hearsay.
--
Kick RSS ass
How were Europe's native pagans "eliminated"? Were they eliminated by
foreign Christians? Who eliminated India's native pagans of the period
prior to the Vedic Aryan invasion? Are students in India taught that the
spread of Buddhism in India probably also involved the "elimination" of
pagan beliefs?
Here's a look at what is being taught to school children in Gujarat:
http://www.indiatogether.org/2007/feb/edu-gujtexts.htm
> Does it cover the
> disenfranchisement of dhimmis and kaffirs under centuries of Islamic
> ascendancy and therefore the elimination of the Middle East's native
> pagans and the ongoing struggles of minority Christians and Jews?
Read the California schools history textbooks, and let us know. I don't
have access to them.
Perhaps the children performing this skit thought they were re-enacting
Native American excesses:
http://www.svcn.com/archives/cupertinocourier/10.03.01/news-witches-0140.html
> Does
> the textbook cover similar topics in the context of Judaism and
> therefore the ongoing Palestinian struggle?
I don't think the 6th grade curriculum covers all of history. In fact,
this particular 6th grade syllabus doesn't even seem to address Hinduism:
http://www.sfds.net/Academics/Social_Studies/6.html
> If not, why haven't
> Christian, Jewish and Muslim reviewers and critics of Hindutvavadi
> reviewers (including this Chatterji) asked what message we are sending
> children about Christianity, Islam and Judaism?
In the context of ongoing burnings at the stake of witches, etc.?
Perhaps you could point out what is objectionable, from the point of
view of Hindus, in this syllabus for 6th graders:
http://www.teachingamericanhistory.us/standards/pdf/Grade_6.pdf
You and I would just be whistling in the wind to "debate" what is there
in the textbooks and what isn't, without having read them. You cannot
make insinuations of what is being taught, and I cannot refute them. But
looking at the list of proposed edits, it is clear that HEF and VF* are
only looking to sanitize history, and homogenize Hinduism to their vision:
http://www.friendsofsouthasia.org/textbook/TextbookEdits.html
*The Vedic Foundation is staffed by "scholars" who produced the
following astonishing conclusions:
http://web.archive.org/web/20030803191007/http://thevedicfoundation.org/communities/do_you_know.htm
I wouldn't look to them to provide accuracy and fairness in California
school history books. They spend most of their time fabricating things
like this:
http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/i/indiansciencewhiz.htm
http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-anSUePswcLFVZCTyHBc-?cq=1&p=45
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India_rising_in_US_Govt_falls_victim_to_net_hoax/articleshow/2856295.cms
http://bharatelections2009.blogspot.com/2009/04/advani-pledged-to-bring-back-rs.html
ranjit_...@yahoo.com
It was some article I read last year; I don't remember her name.
Kick RSS ass
> *The Vedic Foundation is staffed by "scholars" who produced the
> following astonishing conclusions:
> http://web.archive.org/web/20030803191007/http://thevedicfoundation.org/communities/do_you_know.htm
>
>
> I wouldn't look to them to provide accuracy and fairness in California
> school history books. They spend most of their time fabricating things
> like this:
> http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/i/indiansciencewhiz.htm
> http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-anSUePswcLFVZCTyHBc-?cq=1&p=45
> http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India_rising_in_US_Govt_falls_victim_to_net_hoax/articleshow/2856295.cms
> http://bharatelections2009.blogspot.com/2009/04/advani-pledged-to-bring-back-rs.html
Forgot to add this one:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/12/071214-giant-skeleton.html