Replies

Ok, I apologise. Yesterday wasn't the best day for a rational argument, given the frame of mind I was in. So, yes, ok, I take back the personal attack.

Now, lets discuss your arguments rationally, personal attacks aside.
1) The opinion you formed from a few Indians working abroad, whether true or not, doesn't justify the generalizations you make about 1.1 billion people.
2) India’s history is closer to 7000 years old. Islam wasn’t even around 3500 years ago. So pre-Muhammedan Islam doesn’t exist. Pre-Islamic Arabia has little influence on Indian culture and history.
3) “That feeling of superiority to the rest of the Hindus, the very caste system itself, drove MILLIONS to Islam, understandably so. But Brahmins and other higher castes KNEW they were superior to the rest of the world too.”
a. I presume that it was the casteism in Christianity that converted Bosnians and Albanians to Islam then…Going by your own argument that is…Have you heard of the Jeziah taxes? The beheading of non-Muslims who couldn’t pay taxes, or for that matter, the violent methods muslims around the world used to convert people to Islam? These were the same reasons that people converted in India too…It might be true that a small section converted because of casteism, but in India, even Islam has its castes. There was no escaping the casteism by changing religions. I suggest that you read up a little more before you argue on this point.
4) “The point is, the OVERCONFIDENCE stems from their very soul. I don't think they or Pakistan should have nukes EITHER.”
a. And your point is?? What has the overconfidence of one community which you seem to target often in your posts, if it exists, got to do with the “overconfidence” of the government and the establishment that is the focal point of the article? I also see a clear pro-Islamic stance in because I don’t see even a mild comparison between the 2 religions. Besides, what bearing has casteism got to do with this topic at all? Or for that matter Hinduism?
b. You must remember, we are not begging nuclear weapons from you, we already have them. Unlike the chicoms and the pakis, we developed them ourselves. The deal is for us to be able to buy nuclear material in the market. You can’t decide on whether we should have nukes or not, we already do, the point is whether we can buy more nuclear fuel. We are going through with this deal at a significant cost for ourselves as well. So don’t for a minute think that we are at your mercy. The US needs us a lot more in geo-political terms than we need them. Among the first things Bush said when he got off the plane in India was “ I want this deal”. So there…
5) “Too bad so few Americans really know so very little about India and Hinduism.”
a. This is a significant indicator of your anti-Hindu bias. What do you know about Hinduism? Do you think you’re on of the very few Americans who really know India? More than people who your state department pays to study India, the Fulbright scholars who come to India? A tourist on a one month trip to India barely even sees the surface. Working with a select few Indians for no matter how long barely even touches the tip of Hinduism or India, so I wouldn’t claim I knew India if I were you
6) “Our country got rid of legal slavery in 1861, less than 100 years of our being a nation. At least we got rid of the laws....and worked on the rest. At least we tried before we were TOO old.”
a. Our “Country” is less than 60 years old, we got rid of legal caste system in our constitution’s first draft, 3 years after independence. We have been working on it ever since,we still are, and we are definitely not old. We are a young dynamic nation that changes every minute. It’s obviously been years since you have been to India, especially since you seem to mention problems between Sikhs and Hindus, that was in the 80s. may I suggest another trip, this time longer than before, and a more detailed itinery than a hotel with a good view of the Taj Mahal perhaps.
7) “I KNEW that. Apparently you didn't as this quote was one of Jesus' MORE FAMOUS and difficult teachings to follow.”
a. I think An_Indian quoted it to say how we have adopted humility in our culture. Not to claim that we gave the quote to the world. He just said that “Gandhi once said”…nothing more. Given that you say you knew that it was jesus and An_Indian didn’t, I see a pathological inferiority complex, because you are constantly trying to prove you know more than someone else when such a statement was unwarranted. Nothing personal this time, I am just analysing psychology that’s all. I would think the same of anyone else who said something like that.
8) “Perhaps none of your American friends ever worked with Indians or Pakistanis the way I did.”
a. Perhaps you would like to elaborate, because I am not sure exactly what way you worked with Indians that other Americans who see Indians in good light may not have. It may help us understand where you’re coming from

9) Keeping the above in perspective, Starfish, my dear friend, I will return the advise to you. “but try doing some reading before you open mouth and insert foot”