I don't keep the blog very serious, it's supposed to be a fun exploration of life here in India. But there are times I get a bit serious. This is one of those times.
Pakistan is a mess. Amongst the countries that border India, it is the most problematic. And that is a strong statement when you consider how screwed up Myanmar is....
There was huge explosion in Lahore today. Maybe 150 or so killed.
Then there is the Swat region in Pakistan's north west, which is essentially the same since medieval times. And the government brokered a deal to hand the region over to the Taliban a few months back *and then* asked for them to lay their arms down.
Now they are shooting at each other.
Is it me, or should they have seen this coming?
I have stated that it is a shame that we all watch Pakistan devour itself and just go on about our days. But, what can one do? So, we shake our heads and go back to our computers....
*And then*
I am not sure if the American media covered it, but there were today a few shootings in Austria. By Sikhs. Killing other Sikhs.
Yeah, if it doesn't make sense - that is fine. It doesn't make any sense to me, either.
It appears that Sikhs also follow a caste mentality, which is to say that there are some Sikhs who are higher than other Sikhs. As I have learned more about India, I have realized that caste is a living set of categories for more than just religious Hindus. It is an elaborate set of definitions of family, region, class, religious status and a series of other things.
If anyone tells you that casteism is no longer practiced in India, don't believe them. It is alive and well. And, based upon what happened in Vienna, it also appears to be exportable.
Well, the context of the shootings is that some Dalit (lowest on the caste totem pole) Sikhs had the audacity to speak in a gurudwara (Sikh temple) in Europe, asking for equality with other Sikhs of higher castes. So, they were shot at. A few folks died. Now there is rioting in Punjab, the Indian state where Sikhism was founded and still is a major force of life.
This is not to be confused with Pakistani Punjab, which was divided up during a bloody stife back in....... never mind, you have heard me talk about that before.
It's all so infuriating.
I have recently read that certain Scandinavian nations have asked that a resolution be created that equates casteism with racism. I like this idea, although a caste is not a race. We should just call it a form of injustice. That's exactly what it is.
It is times like this that I appreciate what has been achieved in the US. As hard as it will be to return there, I am looking forward to certain things, like the general momentum toward respecting the dignity of all people.
Anyway, enough for today.
