my comments were purely aimed at the commentators

I was just discussing with some others yesterday as to whether the Hindu fundamentalists are actually becoming more open, getting larger, or if I just happen to be running into them more often this days…

In my past couple years in India I have heard some really shocking racist and/or communalist things uttered openly in public spaces. I suppose, in the U.S. racists and such feel a bit scared (I guess scared??) to say such things openly… I don’t know if it just happens in the particular settings I was in at the time, or if such people really DO feel perfectly OK voicing these opinions out in the open…

Has anyone read anything regarding this lately? How is the climate changing for fundies in India?

Zainab, I don’t think I criticized Sepia at all in my comment. I like SM, i link to it in my blog and have followed it for several years now – i think it is an open forum and entertains views from all different angles just like you said. my comments were purely aimed at the commentators, not the forum.

The day there is a forum, even on the web, where South Asian Muslims can gather and freely [using their real name if they so choose] utter opinions like, “The Quran was probably penned by several human beings over a couple of centuries”, without being threatened with death and rape, you can criticize other forums like Sepia. In my experience, Sepia offers space for all sort of thought, as long as expressed with respect. Indeed, here on Sepia, I have witnessed a preponderance of Leftist and Centrist opinion, with only a sprinkling of Right. Just the way I like it. And to be honest, until we Muslims create similar forums, we will be unable to progress.

Good grief. You think i think that Gandhi deserves punishment for going against the Gita? That’s ridiculous. But that does not stop me from believing that fundamentalism of any kind is wrong, leads to unfortunate consequences, and in Gandhi’s case exacerbated many of the problems he was trying to solve. Just because Gandhi was a fundamentalist for non-violence does not make fundamentalism okay.

Yes, I was pretty shocked when I read what Divya and Kiran P. wrote here. I don’t agree with this at all.

May be detached from the reality of what happens in everyday India, they don’t realize the threat of culture or loss of identity aren’t the biggest issues in contemporary India?

That may not be true, since so much of political identity and divying of resources to give to citizens is dependent on religion, caste, blah…In the US we still deal with racial political identities (I was so annoyed how some African Americans were insinuating that I was racist b/c I supported Hilary in the primaries) but we are much, much a modern society here – that is, our identity comes from being an American citizen.

I want that for India too ….when caste/religious identities melt into an identity that comes from the Indian state, and the cross cutting socioeconomic factors that effect all Indians. I know this is there in India as well, but the more time we are a nation and I think the wealthier we get, this may become stronger. I don’t think India will be dragged into the failed theocracies…I just don’t.

Thanks for your thoughts Najeeb.

May be detached from the reality of what happens in everyday India, they don’t realize the threat of culture or loss of identity aren’t the biggest issues in contemporary India?

it is much more convenient to sponsor loonies remotely while taking advantage of the same values that you destroy.

najeeb, i think you are being too harsh on kiran. he’s not playing with a full deck, and consequently, at least he’s more honest than the rest.

“Collateral damage seems fine with you until the day it is your mother/brother/best friend lying dead in the streets for having bad luck. Then, I’m sure it will be an outrage.”

I agree. Often times, well ahead, we know what the collateral damage is going to be.