Comments on: A Rush of Blood to the Head

By: raj the razor

raj the razor — Sat, 03 Jun 2006 22:29:07 +0000

It’s easy to get jaded by Indo_Pak relations but reading about the Kominas doing this fundraiser was very moving. I grew up listening to ska, punk, metal and ragas of course. I’ll definitely be at the Brooklyn show. Cheers.

By: Aanjal

Aanjal — Fri, 02 Jun 2006 22:22:46 +0000

Sharanya, thanks for the links. The poem is also very relevant. SM, pick up on this soon: What’s happening in Malaysia is serious.

By: Basim

Basim — Fri, 02 Jun 2006 09:09:29 +0000

Wow, it means a lot to get plugged here. I read about Tipu Sultaan, and the Mutiny of Sepoy all the time, you could say I’m a junkie. As my urdu’s gotten better, I’ve been trying to dig into classic literature, or at least have excited uncles guide me through it. It’s all this struggle to dig into some kind of identity for myself, and I’m glad the conclusions I reach resonate with others. That “teach them the meaning of civilization” line was lifted from Public Enemy’s “By the time I get to Arizona”. That was a track, wasn’t it?

PE in effect! See you at the show Basim

By: Shehan

Shehan — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 23:55:31 +0000

I’m from the Twin Cities not born but definitely raised and I’d have to say that Minnesota is probably one of the more progressive and inclusive states in our beautiful Union despite our lack of diversity. It would be difficult for me to see myself in any other place given how beautiful and kind our state is– I think that the Maple Grove incident is a blatant hate crime given the fact that minus a few Catholic Churches that have been vandalized around the area it is not a matter of coincidence that it was a Hindu temple and not a Lutheran or Baptist or anything else— we’re obviously in stark contrast to the Nords, Swedes and Germans that abound in Minnesota and i have a feeling that some idiot burbanites with little to do in a growing suburb decided to take part in some good ol’ bigotry. I think this sort of thing needs to be publicized more. A Hindu temple esp. one so large in Minnesota is a big deal and it says to the Desi community and the larger Minnesotan community as a whole that we are here to stay and that we ‘belong’. I was a little upset that there wasn’t more coverage in our state about it and I think that when any sort of vandalism occurs there needs to be outrage– somehow I don’t see that coming from our parents and I think it needs to come from their more vocal/rebellious offspring. Not sure where I am going with this– I suppose I just wanted to put in my two cents given that this happened so close to home.

By: the_chakman

the_chakman — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 17:40:43 +0000

They sound like a bunch of typical dumb asses, but not hate criminals per se. Just dumb as rocks.

By: Maitri

Maitri — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 16:31:08 +0000

Muslim youth in NY helping a Hindu temple in MN, and a priest returning it with Salaam Aleikum. This is what I hoped coming to America would do for our multi-faith, multi-hued culture and moves me to no end. There is hope yet.

The fear some Hindu Minnesotans say they feel about living in that state is paranoia. Two kids wrecking something they don't understand due to their own racism, angst, ignorance and boredom doesn't constitute a hate crime. Now, if police can prove the kids' link to a larger, violence-inciting organization and/or more such incidents sprout up, the hate criminologists have a case.

By: DJ 88

DJ 88 — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 16:10:01 +0000

I'd just go to minnesota to stop off at prince's place and grind mud into his couch. Oops that was rick james my bad

That wasn't Prince's place, it was Eddie Murphy's... I believe his exact words were:

F*ck yo couch, n*gga, buy a new one you rich motherf*cker! http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Charlie_Murphy's_True_Hollywood_Stories:_Rick_James

Not sure how that quote will fly with the SM police... but it's funny, so maybe it'll stick.

By: Sharanya

Sharanya — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 15:38:01 +0000

This was an act of vandalism, as upsetting and ugly as it was. But what is happening in Malaysia — where six temples (some of which are over a hundred years old) have been demolished by official authorities in the space of under three months, often with barely any notice — feels pre-genocidal. I don’t say this with the intention of hyping my own thing, but there are several links and some posts on my blog related to this. Fewer but equally disturbing attacks have also been made on Buddhist and Christian places of worship. There has been a media blackout in Malaysia with regards to the issue, but hopefully the international desi community will start paying attention to the deliberate and institutionalised persecution that the country’s Hindu minority — minorities in general, in fact — are facing.

By: Saurav

Saurav — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 06:05:07 +0000

He said Salam Aleikum to me! I canÂ’t get over how cool that is. As Indians, Pakistanis, Bengalis, Sri LankansÂ… just as a huge diaspora, thereÂ’s a lot we can do to reinforce the ties to our des. Especially nowadays, when hostility regarding out sourcing, Islamophobia, and Johnny AppleseedÂ’s own American bigotry has been piled on the shoulder of every Desi in America.

This is really cool. Thanks for posting this--it's heartening to see amidst what sometimes feels like a sea of confusion and negativity on religious relations in South Asia.

By: Gagandeep

Gagandeep — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 02:54:42 +0000

Is it just me or crimes committed against “brown” people going up? I have a theory, may be the ignorant in America are being stirred up by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. I don’t know, what do other people think.