Here are some thoughts, that spring to mind after reading the news today.
The American view of a tolerant country is equated with "loser" or "pushover". That is the reason why they really don't understand the concept of Non-Violence.
In America, guns settle things. Be it in old westerns, Chuck Norris movies or the real world, the Marines will take on any problem and where they land, there will be order established! This thought seems to be deeply implanted into most young Americans that I know (not that I know a lot of them, but the statistic is showing high probabilities!).
Also, anyone who suggests taking to guns in haste is not a good thing gets branded as a "Pu$$~", "Wimp" etc. That is the same reason why Obama gets negative ads. when he suggests diplomacy and is exactly the same reason why India is dished out crap by the US Government and there is all this "Pakistan is a victim" stuff we see in the US Media.
There is also a tremendous positive bias for Pakistan in the US Media and at best a feeling of neutrality towards India. The people we interact with daily seem to share a better sentiment of India than the media. Do not understand this.
There is also a TV program that played here every saturday, Namaste America! We stopped watching that a long time ago, because we seriously thought it was funded by Pakistan. It would always put India in bad light to an American audience. No Indian channel worth its salt would put out a "news" program that ran like an ISI infomercial!!
It is a free country out here. Except the microphones are placed in front of certain folks and of course, the loudest voice wins!
It would be really ironic that these "American Voters" would be talking to their representatives to "do something" about "India Vitimizing? Pakistan" in a few months.
When it is time to sell the next load of B15's C15's or F15's or whatever as part of the next wave of improving the American economy, downloading unnecessary weapons to unstable nations and making new foreign policy to strengthen America's ties with "its allies", killing all birds in one stone, the "informed voters" will support the worthy cause, eventhough they don't get 70 virgins for their actions!
Now,that was the cynic in me rearing his ugly head again.
What every Indian or Indian supporter needs to do right now is to undo what the media is doing. If you are an Indian go take over the press! Be a fresh voice. Go do the Mera Bharat Mahan thing, for real!
If you support India, spread awareness on what the real India is like, what real Indians are like, tell people what it meant, means and possibly will mean to be part of the Indian experience.
There are a lot of people I deal with everyday who associate India with the following words:
India =
(
East;
Taj Mahal;
elephants;
british;
rope trick;
raj kapoor;
Gandhi;
Delhi;
himalayas;
poor;
hindoo language;
religious tension;
)
That is their sum total understanding of a country of a billion plus people who have been around in that location for 4000+ years!
So, please sit with the folks and add more words to their idea of what is India. You will be doing the country a great service, and India needs more of this, now more than ever!
A country with a billion plus Ambassadors to the world, with the right message can drown out any, if not all of the negative smear tactics that the media can come up with.
Just my two cents...
ps. We were actually out in Sacramento, spending time at the zoo. The kids were promised a trip for the last two weeks and it was high time we made a trip, to anywhere! Will post pictures tomorrow. The animals co-operated very well for the photos, when the kids disappointedand vice versa, and it was a great day to be outdoors in the Sacramento area...but the thoughts kept going back to Mumbai and Chennai where my parents have to pretty much row out of their house.
pps. In case you haven't heard it in the news, (I am sure you haven't) Chennai is the new Venice!
ppps. Found Sidin's post very touching, very fateful!
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