Your statement “…what happened in California wasnÂ’t at all about accurately representing the past, but is very much a fight about the future” is a very nice way of saying it.

But why blame only the Hindutva side for making it a fight about the future? All groups of people are equally culpable. Indeed I believe that this is the real purpose of teaching history—to make it a fight about the future.

Consider the Dalits. They want to emphasize casteism. Such a presentation of Hinduism gives them a high moral ground. Suppose that they can get such a presentation of Hinduism to be the dominant presentation of Hinduism. They can make a better case for affirmative action. So, for the Dalits, what is in the history books is a fight about the future.

Next, consider for the upper caste Hindus. They do not want to go through life feeling guilty for being upper caste. They want a nuanced coverage of casteism. Suppose that they can get such a nuanced coverage to be the domination presentation of Hinduism. They can make a better case for sunset clauses on affirmative action. For upper caste Hindus, too, what is in the history books is a fight about the future.

I do not understand the Marxists and Communists very well. Many of them are Hindus, even upper caste and wealthy Hindus. Perhaps other mutineers can throw light.

As a person who was born a Hindu and who has now, as an adult, made a conscious decision to be a practicing Hindu, I find it absolutely >revolting that a small group of Hindutva-wallas have usurped my religion in which I find so much love and beauty and they have made it a >weapon to use against whomever they see fit.

Did all the people who supported the changes in California were “made it a weapon to use against whomever they see fit.” Can you give any examples? You are like the FOSA, FOIL types – insinuate whithout proof and scurry away when asked for details. Or obfuscate and change directions instead of giving a clear rebuttal.

I think the posts from Arun Fosa, Paresh, and HiC adequately illustrate that what happened in California wasnÂ’t at all about accurately >representing the past, but is very much a fight about the future.

I guess we are all extremists and have to be fought because we don’t subscribe blindly to the agenda of FOIL/FOSA/Witzel etc. Do you ever consider that we may have better arguments than you. Only thing is unfortunately we have pursued professions outside academia for whatever reason – economic and social circumstances, lack of opportunities etc.

What the indiatruth.org website clearly demonstrates (and which the three Hindutva supporters on this website have not refuted) is that it is > a very small group of extremists who have been pushing very hard to put forth their own very particular opinion of what Hinduism should be about (Brahmanical, anti-Islam, etc.).

It must be true that these guys are extremists since indiatruth.org says so. I guess all these guys are involved in McJihad and peruading people to blow themselves up or going and claiming they are from the one true religion and if you don’t follow it you are going to hell. Of course Witzel, Farmer, Wolpert, Lal, et al are great authorities on Hinduism and anybody who disagrees with them are extremists.

If you or your side know the correct definition of Hinduism is that can be included in the textbooks please write it up so we can evaluate it.

And before going about regurgiating that these guys are pushing a version of Hinduism that is Brahmanical, anti-Islam, please provide some facts. Vyasa, Valmiki, Kambar (who wrote the Tamil version of Ramayana) were not Brahmins and there are other saints who were not. Also provide proof that the California changes were anti-islam.

It is time to shut up or put up.

The Hindutvadis are doing these things in my name, and I strongly object.

See you in court.

M. Nam

Hi there,

I am not in any way associated with the people who created indiatruth.org and for that matter I also do not know who they are.

As a person who was born a Hindu and who has now, as an adult, made a conscious decision to be a practicing Hindu, I find it absolutely revolting that a small group of Hindutva-wallas have usurped my religion in which I find so much love and beauty and they have made it a weapon to use against whomever they see fit.

I think the posts from Arun Fosa, Paresh, and HiC adequately illustrate that what happened in California wasnÂ’t at all about accurately representing the past, but is very much a fight about the future. What the indiatruth.org website clearly demonstrates (and which the three Hindutva supporters on this website have not refuted) is that it is a very small group of extremists who have been pushing very hard to put forth their own very particular opinion of what Hinduism should be about (Brahmanical, anti-Islam, etc.).

In the discussion on dress codes, many of us agreed that the young girl, Shabina, was being used as a pawn in the game of her elders. In this case, I feel like my religion and I are being used as a pawn in the game of these Hindutva-wallas. They are doing these things in my name, and I strongly object.

(hopefully in a non-flame way!)

I’m coming down on the side of hindutvavadi here. indiatruthdotorg is all crap.

>>Can you say Christian Churches and Islamic Charities? Most of the $ 681 million is from them and not from Indian American Hindus.

Do you have any facts to support this?

More facts than indiatruth.org has to support all their thesis and various other insunations. ( indiatruth.org – Goebbels would have been so proud of the name. shades of 1984 – Orwell was so right about this commies/fascists). Did you bother to check that site? Here are the links they use to justify their assertion:

http://www.rbi.org.in/scripts/BS_ViewBulletin.aspx

The RBI site which has a bunch of PDF’s, none of which state anything about the charitable contributions

http://www.rbi.org.in/scripts/BS_ViewBulletin.aspx?Id=6033

Lists all the various deposits for NRI – FCNR, NRE etc. I guess I don’t have the ability like Indiatruth.org to make the connection from this link to the money flowing to the various Parivar orgs. My bad.

http://www.swaminomics.org/et_articles/et20050525_unexp_bonan_NRI.htm

The only link which mentions that flow of money for ‘Religious and charitable donations religious, charitable’. This includes all the contributions to all organizations – either religious or charitable. Mind you, this probably includes all the NGOs that are involved in various social and health related stuff like AIDS prevention etc. Again, my bad in not making the connection to the Hindu fundamentalist orgs.

Here are some links I Googled. There is only one hindu org (Satya Sai trust – a well known Parivar org (;- ). There is no VHP related orgs listed below and you see a whole bunch of Christian orgs. We all know what most of them do. Also it can be safely assumed, that most of the money from Germany goes for Christian causes. You could have done this too, but you dont’ have any incentive, as unlike us you follow the superior ideology and higher god:

http://www.rediff.com/money/2005/jul/06spec2.htm

http://www.rediff.com/money/2003/aug/16donations.htm

The United States heads the list of donor countries to India with Rs 1,492.62 crore (Rs 14.926 billion), followed by the United Kingdom — Rs 677.59 crore (Rs 6.775 billion), and Germany — Rs 664.51 crore (Rs 6.645 billion).

The leading donor agency was World Vision International, USA — Rs 80.43 crore, followed by Foster Parents Plan International, USA — Rs 76.37 crore (Rs 763.7 million), and Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, USA — Rs. 68.11 crore (Rs 681.1 million). The US-based World Vision is an international Christian relief and development organisation that operates in 96 countries.

The largest recipient of foreign contribution was Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust — Rs 88.18 crore (Rs 881.8 million), followed Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society India, Maharashtra — Rs 74.88 crore (Rs 748.8 million), Gospel for Asia, Kerala — Rs 58.10 crore (Rs 581 million), and Mata Amritanandamayi Mission, Kerala (Rs 23.19 crore (Rs 231.9 million).

The links above talk about foreign donations, gives the numer (which is actually greater than the number in indiatruth(lie).org) and states the following: “How many associations are registered under FCRA? Nearly 30,000. But not all of them receive foreign donations.

Which is the biggest foreign donor? World Vision International, a United States-based Christian relief and development organisation, is the biggest donor agency for many Indian voluntary groups.

Can you say Christian Churches and Islamic Charities? Most of the $ 681 million is from them and not from Indian American Hindus.

Do you have any facts to support this?

besides naming everything after peaches and CNN, the georgians also serious in the following matters:

-support for the NRA -G. Bush Shrines -KKK folloings (heck the headquarters is less than 10 miles from me..) -sweet tea -going to church (i have never seen so many TV stations dedicated to the lord… or so many churches in less than a 1 block radius..)

hmm… that is all i can muster up at this moment..i’m sure there are a ton more…