Thursday, July 13, 2006

Salaam Mumbai

july 12th, 2006

this was forwarded to me by reader manoj, presumably because he thought it was a great message of bravery and fortitude.

but i am personally baffled. if i were the terrorist who planned and carried out the attack (let us call him, oh, M) i'd read this and think, "well, there is nothing in here that indicates that me, M, my family, or my swiss bank account is going to be hurt in retaliation for this attack. therefore let me plan my next attack at leisure. i'll do this whenever i need a little entertainment."

what is to prevent M from thinking along these lines? are we a millimeter closer to preventing another carnage and the deaths of another 250 people? no. then what's the use of this feel-good stuff about the spirit of mumbai or whatever?

this email, while it is talking about the courage of the common person in the street -- and i certainly applaud it -- is an example of the tolerance of the weak. the weak *have* to tolerate oppression -- they have no choice; and there is nothing noble about it. if you tolerate evil from a position of strength, there is something admirable in it.

better to live one day as a lion than a hundred years as a lamb.

(roman/tibetan proverb, also quoted by, take your pick, hemingway, mussolini, et al.)

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: manoj

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: margaret dacosta < margaret.dacosta@gmail.com>
Date: Jul 12, 2006 4:34 PM
Subject: Salaam Mumbai
To:



Dear Terrorist,

Even if you are not reading this we don't care. Time and again you tried to
disturb us and disrupt our life - killing innocent civilians by planting
bombs in trains, buses and cars. You have tried hard to bring death and
destruction, cause panic and fear and create communal disharmony but
everytime you were disgustingly unsuccessful. Do you know how we pass our
life in Mumbai? How much it takes for us to earn that single rupee? If you
wanted to give us a shock then we are sorry to say that you failed
miserably
in your ulterior motives. Better look elsewere, not here.

We are not Hindus and Muslims or Gujaratis and Marathis or Punjabis and
Bengaliies. Nor do we distinguish ourselves as owners or workers, govt.
employees or private employees. WE ARE MUMBAIKERS (Bombay-ites, if you
like). We will not allow you to disrupt our life like this. On the last few
occassions when you struck (including the 7 deadly blasts in a single day
killing over 250 people and injuring 500+ in 1993), we went to work next
day
in full strength. This time we cleared everything within a few hours and
were back to normal - the vendors placing their next order, businessmen
finalizing the next deals and the office workers rushing to catch the next
train. (Yes the same train you targetted)

Fathom this: Within 3 hours of the blasts, long queues of blood donating
volunteers were seen outside various hospital, where most of the injured
were admitted. By 12 midnight, the hospital had to issue a notification
that
blood banks were full and they didn't require any more blood. The next day,
attendance at schools and office was close to 100%, trains & buses were
packed to the brim, the crowds were back. The city has simply dusted itself
off and moved one - perhaps with greater vigour. Plus, unlike other
countries, other people don't go on the rampage plundering, looting,
stealing and raping at such times.

We are Mumbaikers and we live like brothers in times like this. So, do not
dare to threaten us with your crackers. The spirit of Mumbai is very strong
and can not be harmed.

Please forward this to others. U never know, by chance it may come to hands
of a terrorist and he can then read this
message which is specially meant for him!!!

With Love,
From the people of Mumbai (Bombay)
 

19 comments:

iamfordemocracy said...

It is a good time to ask why people have been voting Congress, Communists, and RJD type of parties. To get back to the OBC-Brahmin issue, I believe a lot of OBCs and SC-STs voted against BJP because they love to defeat shetji-bhatji party. It is time to ask them whether they prefer Muslims and Mullas over shetjis and bhatjis. And there is a need to be direct with this question. Once for all, let us know whether India will be a free and fair society or not.

kautilya said...

One look at Manmohan and anyone can tell that he will pee in his pants if Madam sonia scolds him...

This lion goes on the national TV and quite courageously thunders..."We won't kneel"..
Wow..gutsy...!! The "militants" must be trembling in their pants..

Yes.. all this talk of mumbai spirit and all is bull shit..
frankly the people directly affected are not amused.. their lives are devasted.. this mumbai spirit bull shit is one of the potent weapon's used by the "sickular" press to keep the focus away from the real issue..

It looks like its business as usual at Indian Express, TOI etc. Their darling UPA has gone unscathed once again..

siva said...

Best example for the stupid Hindus’ indifference. They think it is tolerance and perseverance. It is not. It is sheer indifference and choosing to do the easy thing. Hindus are screwed for good.

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daisies said...

The weirdest comments were ManMohan Singh's:

"I salute the people of Mumbai and Srinagar for speedy recovery".
"Recovery shows Mumbai's contempt for terrorism".

This is really washing his hands of any responsibility. He has not apologised to the people. He isnt mourning the tragedy and the grief of the families affected. He is celebrating Mumbai's spirit and showing great pride in it (as if he is the maker of that spirit).

This is really the govt's way of saying "Nothing can be done. Brave people of India, please continue with your lives and routine whenever such incidents happen".

The least he could have done is declare national mourining and draw WORLD ATTENTION to terrorism. Invite all countries to join in an urgent meeting to combat terrorism worldwide. Seek co-operation from ALL countries.

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daisies said...

Folks,

I quote from a major city major newspaper July 13th (today).

Sri Sri Ravishankar, Founder of Art of Living:

"The world can no longer keep quiet at such violent acts of terrorism. Citizens, Religious Instituitons, NGOs and Givernments should now come together, cutting across religious divides, to isolate the extremist elements and fight terrorism."

jeeva.r, you ask who will come to our help ?

if you begin with self-doubt, and pessimism you will go nowhere. but if you start with confidence, do what you can, and everyone do what they can, then pretty soon, the world will be working together on this.

this is not a battle any country or govt. can fight alone.

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hUmDiNgEr said...

Dear Rajeev and others here,

I heard from one of my friends ( his cousin is top police brass in one of those north states) that this kind of attacks are known well in advance to all the politicians and police. It is the high political pressure that makes police indiffernt towards such attacks. We can clearly see that there is no police at the scene around that time. He also gave an example. Rajeev Gandhi's assasination. One particular Jayanthi Natarajan was his spokes person at that time. She and other personal assistats are supposed to be with him...but "only" Rajeev Gandhi was killed in that blast ...how? how could all other politicians beside him could escape?

so, Manmoron Singh, Sonia Gand, Shivaraj patil etc all know about this well in advance. They might have their swiss bank a/cs doubled by this time.

Aprops that Mumbaikar spirit...it is all crap. Manmoron singh sounded like a lamb in that speech. He couldnt utter a strong word against terrorists. What a bastard he is..!! What is our "genius" president doing other than fulfilling all his childhood fantacies? These crisis very vlearly indicate one thing...that "all these are bloody s*cking bastards..". If we keep the ballet in the hands of those illiterate fools who sell themselves for a liquor bottle this kind of leaders will thrive in India.

habc said...

Compare Shikhandi Eunuch Singh to PRESIDENT Putin

Talking to France's LCI television, which translated his remarks, Mr Putin accused critics in the West of using Russian "colonialist" language towards Russia.
"If you look at newspapers of 100 years ago, you see how, at the time, colonialist states justified their policies in Africa or in Asia. They talked of their civilising role, of the white man's mission," he said.
"If you change the word 'civilising' to 'democratisation', you find the same logic, you can read the same things in the press today."

Pointing to the fact that he was elected directly by the Russian people, he asked how that can be seen as undemocratic.
But he stressed that Russia would "categorically object to using all possible levers, including the idea that our society needs democratisation, for interfering in our internal affairs".
He called Mr Cheney's criticism of Russia's record "a failed hunting shot".


KYA DIALOG MARA BHIDU - ASLI MARD HAI YEH - WAH WAH - Desh Ka Neta Kaisa ho - Putin Jaisa ho

Another version of the Putin interview with more detail

"In three interviews with Western TV networks posted on the Kremlin Web site Wednesday, days before the summit in St. Petersburg, Putin set out what sounded like ground rules for dealing with an increasingly assertive Russia, saying his nation is open for constructive criticism but will not be pushed around"

daisies said...

"Daisies, the world might come to our aid if we learn to start fighting our enemies on our own strength...It is exactly expecting sympathy & empathy from the world, that has gotten us nowhere."

--- Darkstorm, I am not talking of world coming to "our aid".

Terrorism affects the whole world and the same elements are doing it everywhere. So it is a problem that belongs to the whole world or at least all countries being targeted.

Especially when terrorists are networked worldwide.

_

daisies said...

They are following their own agenda and have called it "Global War on Terror" which involves sending F-16s to Pakistan."

-- Yes, they shouldnt be sending F-16's to Pak. And for that reason, India should not have have N-deal with them.

But also, since Pak is hideout for Osama and Taliban types, America cannot afford to isolate Pak, diplomatically speaking. The price will be disaster.

The only way for USA to get Pak to help in war on terror is being very diplomatic with them.

And also notice that US isnt giving unconditional love to Pak. They recently reduced military funding for Pak, one grounds of "poor performance" (words in quote are mine).

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slim_shady said...

Hi Rajeev,

Please take a look at:

"Wider War on Terror" by Greg Sheridan

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,19770035-28737,00.html

thank you.

daisies said...

the article by Greg Sheridan above is very interesting. worth keeping a copy in case they dont archive.

here is a line that explains what I meant by "poor performance" of Pak, as viewed by US:

"Similarly, it is telling that in all of its long months of alleged co-operation in the war on terror, the Pakistani army has not captured a single senior Taliban leader."

US is upset with Pak for their own reasons, which is why they reduced the military funding for Pak. We would now like them to join our upset feelings and also join hands with us.

I dont think bombs going off in Indian cities is any assurance that bombs will not go off in USA.

But there are viewpoints and viewpoints....

_

indusAquarius said...

In Greg Sheridan's article just who in the dark hell is "Indian analyst Kailash Budhwar"

Looks like another sterling soldier of the BSP (Brigade of Sickular Pinkos).

Following is verbatim from the article:

===================================
There are also Hindu extremists who have engaged in communal strife with Muslims and driven some of them into the arms of extremists. This has particularly been a problem in Mumbai and it may be that these bombings were designed in part to produce a Hindu backlash to radicalise Muslims.

As Indian analyst Kailash Budhwar commented yesterday: "These fanatics are hell-bent on isolating and segregating India's Muslims. They cause carnage to create a backlash so that all the minorities will be driven into their arms. It's a war between civilisation and barbarism."
===================================

LOL! Somethings tell me that the more the "West" tries to change the more they stay the same! They have to judge everything through their own "Impartial" minds.

siva said...

Even a Psychiatrist agrees with most of the visitors here....

13 yrs and still no conviction

MUMBAI: The blasts have blown the lid off Mumbai's patience. It is an anger more palpable than merely the deflation of the city's fabled spirit.

The anger is directed at the authorities for being unable to prevent the carnage, as well as at fellow-citizens for attempting to take the crime in their stride by putting on a "spirit of Mumbai" face.

"This is the second set of serial blasts that the city has suffered. Is anything going to change?" asked former police commissioner A S Samra, who was in office when the 1993 blasts took place. Samra's anger was also felt by many fellow Mumbaikars on Wednesday, as the reality of Tuesday's blasts sunk in.

"I feel tremendous anger, but I also feel impotent, unable to do anything," said right to information activist Shailesh Gandhi. The civic and state administration and security agencies have been too soft on terrorism, he said.

"Apparently even when there are heaps of evidence, justice cannot be delivered," he said of the 1993 blasts case. "People feel very angry that nothing has been done."

Civic activist Neera Punj of Citispace said she received calls throughout Tuesday and Wednesday from frustrated citizens. "People are angry. Why weren't the police better informed? Mumbai is always a target, so why weren't the police and other security agencies more vigilant?"

Gerson Da Cunha of AGNI said a "very senior bureaucrat" had said to him, "God knows what intelligence-gathering capacity the government actually has."

Da Cunha added that since serial blasts such as Tuesday's seemed to require months of planning, "maybe we need to ask what is the quality of intelligence the government has".

Former chief secretary J B D'Souza, however, said the fault was not of the police. "Even the Israelis, despite their methods, are still suffering attacks. The government needs to address the basic cause, which is resentment.

What action has been taken after the Srikrishna Commission report identified those responsible for the 1992 riots?" he asked.

Not all the anger was directed towards the authorities, but at fellow-citizens who a day later went about their daily routines as if nothing had happened.

"It seems as if the entire population suffers from a socially crippling condition caused due to long-time exposure to a certain kind of life," said Nimish Dutta, a fund manager from Lokhandwala, referring to the regimented existence whose most defining face is an hour-long train journey in sub-human conditions.

"It's scary that many react to such incidents with such casual indifference." And therein lies one of the biggest differences between 9/11 and 7/11. "Here, we don't demand justice," said Shalini Sahni, a teacher.

Psychiatrist Dr Harish Shetty diagnosed such behaviour as 'chronic disaster syndrome'. "The resilience we talk of is hyped. It's a method of coping. But, justice is an important aspect that the healing process cannot do without.

And in this city, not a single person has been convicted for any of the blasts so far," Shetty said, adding that when everyone goes to work the next day, it's a sign of denial.

siva said...

I am not a fan of Sonia but isn’t this nonsensical peace bus exercise was started by Hajpayee and Advani who are now crying foul that UPA is weak (I my view UPA buffoons are eunuch bastards, that is not for debate). What did they do when the barbarians of Beggerdesh mutilated 18 of our brave jawans?

We need leaders like Modi or Togadia, not another Hajpayee or Advani who proved to be paper tigers. What do you all think?

daisies said...

IndusAquarius,

I thought the fanatics mentioned in the article are minority community fanatics - who else would want to create "hindu backlash" ?

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daisies said...

indusaquarius, I withdraw the last comment. I think it did mean hindu fanatics.

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daisies said...

"It is preposterous to suggest Hindu...."

Shahryar, I wasnt suggesting that. I was only trying to figure out what the analyst was trying to suggest.

Thanks.

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