LL-L "News" 2008.12.30 (01) [E]

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L O W L A N D S - L - 30 December 2008 - Volume 01
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From: Mike Morgan <mwmosaka at gmail.com>
Subject: LL-L Update on Bombay

This is NOT a Lowlands topic, per se, but just thought maybe a SHORT
note was in order.

It is one month after the terrorist attack on Bombay / Mumbai.
Although often things are being described aS "back to normAL", in fact
it is at least equal parts "they never changed".

I am of course talkign about the life of the general populace, NOT
that of those who lost friend and family (as one of our trustees did).

As for the MOOD, it is maybe equal parts "bomb pakistan to
smithereeens before they know what hit them", fatalism, and "lynch all
politicians".


The first is because, although the the cultural and economic capital
of india, it is also the capital of Indian nationalism. Shiv Sena, MNS
(a Maharasthra for marathas regionalist party) and BJP (a political
offshoot of Shiv Sena and a nationalist, borderline Hindutva party)
are ALL strong here. (MY neighborhood, and the neighboring town of
thane are VERY strongly Shiv sena and MNS. In fact a large poster of
the head of the Shiv Sena, who is uncle to the head of the MNS, is
posted illegally just in front of my apartment, blocking the view to
the park just across the way. No one dares complain fro fear of 1)
harassment by party thugs (goons I think comes to English I think not
surprisingly from Hindi!), and 2) because they know the police are 90%
in the pockets of the above 3 groups.

The second is what we have been taught in the west is the Oriental way
of looking at life.

The third is 95% of the English press and it seems 95% of the
"westernized" (not exactly synonymous with "educated", but the two are
close) populace. (Bombay may, for those who cannot imagine, have more
English language daily newspapers than any city in the world. Some of
them quite excellent.) This week's "Sunday Indian", a weekly news
magaizine (of the Time and Newsweek variety), which comes out weekly
in English and biweekly in 13 regional and national languages and
costs just 10 rupees (about 22 US cents) so is affordable to the
average person who would be inclined to read it, had the most fiery
editorial i think i have EVER read anywhere ... calling politicians
every name in the book (but no 4-letter ones --- there are many that
are MUCH stronger that those!), and stopping a hair's breadth short of
calling for their public lynching (which may in fact be illegal).

BUT equal parts in this same English press is the message that ... and
it is our own damned fault. Which, of course, in the world's largest
democracy it should be.

my 50-paisa commentary on life in the city ...

Mike || マイク || माईक || Мика || માઈક || მაიქ || ਮਾਈਕ
מייק || மாஇக் || Miqueu || U C > || ما یک || Mihangel
================
Dr Michael W Morgan
Managing Director Ishara Foundation Mumbai (Bombay), India
++++++++++++++++
माईकल मोर्गन (पी.एच.डी.) मेनेजिंग डॉयरेक्टर ईशारा फॉउंडेशन (मुंबई )
++++++++++++++++
茂流岸マイク(言語学博士) イシャラ基金の務理事・事務局長 ムンバイ(ボンベイ)、インド
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