What is this nonsense about Sunita Willaims?
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Like most things in life, there are no absolutes in Ms Williams case. It depends from person to person. Ms Williams familly(father in her case) is part of that immigrant group(till the learly 90's) where many, if not all, never missed an opportunity to diss India at every turn and remind all people concerned on how dirty/corrupt/idiotic Indians in India were/are.
Now that India is the current flavor of the month in westrern media, some ABCD's and their parents (note I have mentioned some and not generalised for all) are busy associating and belonging to India and Indian culture.
Have they, in the past(when it was not so fasionable to do so) loved their land of origin like the Irish/Jews/Eastern-Europeans did for their troubled and impoverished lands? I think not. So the resident Idnians and the recent immigrants(especially since the mid-nineties) are justified in being skeptical when people like Sunitha Williams claim attention.
Would they continue to claim their roots if India falls out of fashion? It remains to be seen. OTOH, Sunitha Williams could be the new breed of diaspora that can pioneer in building bridges and have an emotional connect with India.
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Originally posted by BlueLobster
Thanks for speaking for them but like I said before, its obvious you haven't read all the posts in this thread.
-- Yes, I have read the whle thread. But we have different opinion about some points and that's okay with me, that's all. I am expressig my opinions and I agree with them - I am not speaking for anybody. Thanks for your sarcasm anyways.
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Bending backwards? Who's bending backwards?
Can you connect your example to the situation at hand here? Seems totally off to me. Nobody is celebrating her birthday.
The more appropriate example would be "If Mandela or the late Edison were to visit India, would it be wrong to give them a rousing reception"? And now, would it be wrong if the reception had a different flavor if either one of them had an Indian parent? Would you call the people giving them a rousing reception "crazy"?
-- Yes, bending backwards - means overdoing. I just gave an example of Gandhi Jayanti and you told me that nobody is celebrating her birthday. See, since you did not even understand this, I cannot expect you to understand my views. May be even if you do, you will not agree with them. And as I said, that's fine with me.
It will not be wrong if any celebrity/scientist comes to India and if they are given a rousing reception. But it will be wrong to connect them to India/call them Indian ONLY because one of their parents is Indian (if one of the parents was Indian as you have said). In that case I WOULD call it crazy.
BTW, I totally agree with Jamookha-Khan's post above.
Quote:
Originally posted by jamookha-Khan
Have they, in the past(when it was not so fasionable to do so) loved their land of origin like the Irish/Jews/Eastern-Europeans did for their troubled and impoverished lands? I think not. So the resident Idnians and the recent immigrants(especially since the mid-nineties) are justified in being skeptical when people like Sunitha Williams claim attention.
Would they continue to claim their roots if India falls out of fashion? It remains to be seen. OTOH, Sunitha Williams could be the new breed of diaspora that can pioneer in building bridges and have an emotional connect with India.
Attention cannot be claimed it can be commanded. Sunita did not claim it she commanded it.
Moreover, I did not understand why to make current resident of India and recent immigrants(since mid 90's) in one group. Why? so that you can justify yourself(hope in that category) with the current resident of India and against Sunita. Great selfish imagination.
Location: God's own country
Posted on: 29-09-07 22:46:13
Quote:
Originally posted by jamookha-Khan
Now that India is the current flavor of the month in westrern media, some ABCD's and their parents (note I have mentioned some and not generalised for all) are busy associating and belonging to India and Indian culture.
Jamookha Khan,
You posted this at 12:17 pm. I was parking lot at the Sherway garden mall at that time and ws thinking about the same thing and telling myself that I would post the same thing when i reached home. Remember my surprise when I started reading the posts in this thread after 9:30 am (when i lasted chjecked it ) and you had written the same thinng! I hope we 2 are not the same person or that you are not Sankaracharya!
Anyways to add the rest of what I thought in bullet form.
1. I am sure that Sunitha's dad / husband whold have compelled her to take samosa's/ganesh idol along with other things that the Slouvekians consider as sacred so that they could do the sympathy thing. I am sure that her dad/ husband or even sunitha would have thought that in the future (Note that American economy is going to be down permanently in the near future and that Indian/ China /Brazil economy is going to rule the world soon), they might be able to be retained by ISRO as a Rocket Driver to the moon or elsewhere. What more does she need to do to get that job. She had even eaten samosas in space, She has visited Indian 3 times in the last 42 years, her father is an Indian etc.... A country which retains foreign coaches to train Indian cricketers can surely be expected to do the same to other professions.
2. As said before, Indians suffer from massive inferiority complex and all the more so when it is a woman. When I was in Tamil Nadu (Mid 80's and fresh from my 4 year stint in Nigeria. People in villages would pinch my cheeks in admiration just b'cos all because I would combine a few english words along with my tamil. That is just a sample of massive inferiority complex. When have Indians more so Tamilians been proud of their culture / heritage?. We still have the colonial legacy) I saw a visual news clip showing her interview along with Narendra Modi. Modi was trying to take credit for having set up a meeting with her and they showed in the back ground Sunita. She was being mobbed by people and more so women who were holding her hand / touching her watch etc.... Looked very funny to me in this age of "India Shining".
3. I will not blame Sunita for anything. She is just an American looking to cash on her Indian (Imaginary) roots. OTOH, I would also not blame the citizens of India to have acted so inappropriately. They are just guys with massiive inferiority complex that they will worship any woman who comes with terrific credentials/ english speaking capabilities. Also Do remember that most Gujju's in Gujarat canot speak one word of English (Learnt that personally when I was in A'bad in 1992). Also remember that one of the objectives of any NASA top official(and also other top secret US org's) is to visit the 3 rd. world nations and spread American glory/ vision etc.... Who knows. Maybe Sunitha was sent by the Americans to foster good relations between India and American and after that America would pass of f some weapons to India rather that India buy from Russia. We again, never know.
TK A
Footnote : I really miss Chandresh's view on this matter. As far as I have seen, He is one person who approaches a specific problem with a very different but very realistic perspective
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I am a Gents and not a Ladies.
Firstly I d like to know why are the feelings generated by this thread being spread on other threads ? Is it now becoming an ego clash b/w us - Cant we simply discuss things in this thread and leave it here instead of carrying on the feelings- I understand our agreements and dis agreements should be issue based and not personal .
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Fido.
OK - I am asking some basic questions and no one is replying to them in stead of digressing the thread . I have not said 'shame on her ' on anything of that sort - I strictly maintain that though she has achieved a lot and that acts as an inspiration to ALL people and more so to American - Indians need not consider this as their own prize and celebrate her Indian ness for that Indian ness is now compromised - she visited India only thrice in 42 years - so much for Indian ness does not know any Indian language - has been born and bred in the US - married an white American - what Indian ness do you expect remaining in her. She did not come to India when one of her cousins a minister was murdered in 2003 ~ although paid homage to him now.
And if you are celebrating her as an International figure then what about the other crew members who went with her - why not celebrate for them also .
Bottom line - do not claim her Indian lineage and success on that for that Indian lineage is has been transitioned and compromised . Inspiration ~ if someone has to get inspired by her , he /she will also be inspired to leave India , become and American to achieve her success..... thats not the right kind of inspiration as far as India's growth is concerned . That s America's growth.
Try reversing the scenario a little bit - An American comes to India , is impressed by it stays on takes Indian citizenship - his daughter is born in India and lives in India for 42 years before flying out in and Indian mission - do you think Americans will celebrate that ???
BL ~ Sorry for missing out your q earlier - I hope you / puttoo would now answer mine oft repeated ones.
Sunita Williams, an accomplished AMERICAN female astronaut who is of Indian lineage from her father's side and wishes to connect to that heritage in some way lands in India.
SHE DOES NOT WISH TO CONNECT WITH INDIA ELSE SHE WOULD NOT HAVE STAYED AWAY FOR 42 YEARS AND VISITED ONLY THRICE - ITS A MARRIAGE OF CONVENIENCE AND LIP SERVICE .
1) In the India in Fido's mind, what happens next?
2) Some Indians would like to welcome her. What does Fido do about this?
JUST GO ABOUT BUSINESS AS USUAL . NOTHING HAS BEEN ACHIEVED FOR INDIA.
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Fido.
Thx to all the guys/gals who understood my opinion on this issue. This is my last post on this.
DIO
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