Author Archives: A N N A

Insecurity about security guards

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Goodness gracious me, I’ve got NO love for the gulf today. First the barbaric evil that is ab-using little boys for Camel-racing, now this?

In a bid to create more jobs for its nationals, Saudi Arabia has passed a new law banning the employment of non-Saudis as security guards at private companies and organisations.

Huh. I wonder…who…might…be affected.

No, really, what I should be wondering is “whom are they going to look down on and abuse, if they aren’t importing brown people for that”?

It’s so gut-twisting (though that could also be the OJ I just had)– I refuse to visit family members in the gulf, because there’s so much odious injustice going on there…even as my cousins swear that it’s worth all the hardship and anxiety, since the opportunities are so plentiful. If laws like this continue to be passed, then that’s one way to ensure that Indians aren’t getting shat on. You can’t get mistreated in Saudi Arabia if you aren’t allowed to work there.

I want people in India to have a chance at the material success we all crave, but I can’t stand the second- and third-class…hell, no-class treatment we get in oil-y places. I can’t wait for India to become really successful; then my cousins can just stay home, and the Saudis can keep their damned jobs.

In my pleasant daydream, right after India becomes that kind of powerhouse, Pakistan grows a set and gives would-be Arab hunters the bird— and I don’t mean the beautiful ones with feathers which they already shamelessly and hypocritically provide. Continue reading →

More of the depressingly predictable

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The “B” word continues its reign of terror. Across the pond, the tally thus far:

  • One serious injury
  • One gurudwara in Kent set on fire
  • Three attacks on mosques in east London and Bristol
  • Four arson attacks on mosques (Leeds, Belvedere, Telford and Birkenhead)
  • 19 windows smashed at the mosque in east London
  • Bottles thrown at the windows of a gurudwara in south London
  • Arson in Southall, reported at the home of an Asian family

Then there was the poor Asian woman from Middlesex who, on the day of the bombings, recognized the unmistakable scent of petroleum while “liquid” dripped down her door. Remind me to add “attempted arson” to the bullet points above.

Commander Brian Paddick, a senior spokesperson for the police had this to say:

“We have had a number of incidents of hate crime, racially and religiously motivated offences, and we take these types of offences very, very seriously,” he told reporters.

So the good guys are on the case. But whose case are they on? When I first posted about vandalized mosques and gurudwaras, a fast and furious comment thread decayed in to race-baiting madness. The flames have been put out, but a remaining comment makes me shake my head.

We don’t actually know that the gurudwara attack was fomented by white people, do we? For all we know it could have been Hindus, but this board is full of remarks about British and American skinheads, etc., which simply assume the racial identity of the evil-doers.

Right. Except I don’t have to assume Jack when I repeatedly read facts like this:

The same day, five white men were arrested after bottles were thrown at the windows of a gurdwara in south London.

Maybe they were white Hindus. One can never be sure. Continue reading →

Muslim…Sikh…what’s the difference? (updated)

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Something depressingly predictable has gone down in the wake of last week’s terror attack on London (thanks, RC). The backlash we worried about has commenced:

Arsonists set a mosque in northwest England on fire on Saturday, police said, two days after a string of bomb attacks across London killed at least 50 people.

According to the Hindustan Times, authorities are searching for two white men in their early 20s, who were spotted near the mosque before it was vandalized. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the only religious edifice that was harmed:

There were also reports in the Indian media Sunday that a Gurudwara — a Sikh temple — had been vandalised in an arson attack in Leeds.
According to the spokesman, two Sikh temples were attacked.

attacks.jpg An attack for an attack and the whole world going up in smoke. Those who are responsible almost seem to be saying, “Hurt us and we’ll hurt you, too” all the while forgetting that they are attacking their own, not to mention their suffering own. As people have pointed out on this very blog, the areas that were hit are quite Muslim, quite brown. We didn’t get a courtesy warning to stay home, we died and bled, too.

The attack on a mosque is awful enough, but going after a Gurudwara…that stings in a different way. You know, I had naively hoped that this wouldn’t happen across the pond. Contrary to America, where Sikhs are more scattered and less understood, I thought that in England, people were more knowledgeable about Sikhism, that they could tell the difference between al-Qaeda and an innocent group of people who had nothing to do with transportation treachery. Perhaps some, if not most of the English can…but much to my alarm, there are quite obviously a dangerous few who can’t. To them, a turban is a turban is a turban. Bend it like Beckham and bomb it like someone ignorant.

“Such attacks are an affront not only to the great Sikh religion but to entire humanity,” the spokesman said.
“The Sikh community in the United Kingdom has carved out a highly respected place for itself in the British society through its industriousness and commitment,” the spokesman said.

None of that matters. We are foreign and we wear turbans, just like that bastard Osama. Thanks to a coincidence of complexion, we are complicit and we will pay. Continue reading →

Next Weekend in SF: The Domestic Crusaders

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crusaders.jpg I know it seems like we only post cool things to do in NYC, L.A. or D.C. but yay urrea readers, take dil: this one’s for you. Next week, you should totally drag your friends and frenemies to Mutineer Manish’s old stomping grounds, for an evening at the theater.

You’ll be watching The Domestic Crusaders, a two-act play which takes place on a single day in the life of a multi-generational Pakistani-American family–a day, by the way, that happens to be the “baby’s” 21st birthday:

With a background of 9-11 and the scapegoating of Muslim Americans, the tensions and sparks fly among the three generations, culminating in an intense family battle as each “crusader” struggles to assert and impose their respective voices and opinions, while still attempting to maintain and understand that unifying thread that makes them part of the same family.

How’s that for salient? If you’re worried about whether or not it will be good, here’s what the Contra-Costa Times had to say about it:

Wajahat Ali didn’t set out to write an earthshaking play. The Berkeley student was taking a short story course from Pulitzer Prize nominee Ishmael Reed. When his professor pulled him aside and told him he was a natural playwright, Ali couldn’t believe it. “I thought it was pure nonsense,” Ali says. Reed encouraged Ali to write a Muslim-American response to 9-11. “All I wanted to do was pass a class,” says Ali, who succeeded in doing much more than that.

Hey. All you readers who have totally reasonable gripes with the media, for not covering a broader, more accurate world– this blockquote’s for you:

“Domestic Crusaders” represents Muslim-American voices that have not been heard because we are living in a country whose media is censored…
“In the largely Pakistani-American audience at the premiere of the play, people were roaring and falling off their chairs,” says Blank. “It’s the kind of audience most original playwrights would kill to be able to contact,” Blank says, laughing.

Continue reading →

“Ram Gopal Varma ka Sholay”?

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Oh, dear. Are they fixing what isn’t broken?

His recent hit film starring the Bachchans was an ode to one of his favourite films, The Godfather. Now, filmmaker Ramu is all set to remake one of India’s cult hits – Sholay. “More than The Godfather, Sholay is my favourite film. I entered movies because of the film and owe my career to it. I remember having seen the film 27 times. With Godfather, I did not exactly do a remake. But now, I want to remake Sholay in all its essence,” the filmmaker said soon after procuring the rights for the remake from the Sippys.

Well, she-it…I’ve seen The Sound of Music 92 times, but I’m not about to re-cast the family Von Trapp… 😉

There’s a reason why I loathe cover songs, they almost never measure up to the original. Aside from Dinosaur Jr’s explosive rendition of “Just like heaven“, I can do without remakes, thank you very much. Movies are no different. Sabrina? Pffft. But what do I know? Why buck a trend?

Reworking older hits seems to be the order of the day. After yesteryear hits like Devdas and Parineeta being remade, plans are on to remake films like Don, Teesri Manzil and Sahib Biwi Aur Ghulam.

How do you replace a legend? You don’t. (Or can’t, in my snarky opinion):

…he is unlikely to cast Abhishek Bachchan for Amitabh’s role. “The casting is still open. I do not plan to work with any direct descendant of the Bachchans and the Deols for this movie,” he says.

Well, now that THAT’S decided…book ’em, Dhann-o. Or perhaps just say “no”. To remakes, 😉 that is:

As for the setting of the film, he said, “The new Sholay will be set in contemporary Mumbai and the two heroes will be fighting against Samba, the underworld don. And Basanti will be the city’s first woman cab driver and her cab will be called Dhanno!”
The film will be called Ram Gopal Varma ka Sholay. He signed off saying, “People might say this is the height of arrogance. They might even think I’ve lost my head after my recent success.”

I don’t know about arrogance, but I’d vote for quixotic. What say you, SMers? And has anyone seen the brown Godfather? Continue reading →

No civilian deserves to die

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Thanks to my Salon subscription, whenever I want to, I get to read a publication I’d normally ignore —The New Republic Online. On the 8th, an article about the attack on London caught my attention. I’ve often said that the comments on this blog are what captivate me, that the discussions which spontaneously erupt under a post are the best part of the Mutiny. This week has proven no exception, as I am surprised and provoked by what some of you have said.

Your words made me think that a few of you might also want to read “Response Time”, by Joseph Braude, an essay about how Muslim groups responded to the terrorist attack on London, especially since SM regular Al Mujahid was repeatedly asked to provide “proof” that Muslim groups had denounced the terrorist bombing that rocked London’s transit system; he responded here and here. With that in mind, I found Braude’s piece even more salient.

Yesterday’s attack on the British people gave Muslims everywhere a chance to distance themselves from the radical Islamists who claim to have perpetrated it. While Muslim governments have taken the opportunity to speak out against the killing of innocents, Muslim Brotherhood offshoot groups failed to rise to the challenge. What they offered instead were statements full of equivocation–in marked contrast to other Arab politicians.*
Among Muslim heads of state, condemnation of the Al Qaeda “raid” was just as severe as the rest of the world’s. Jordan, the Gulf states, and Egypt as well as Syria and Iran all sent official condolences on behalf of the nation. Some went further: Egypt, whose ambassador to Iraq was also murdered by an Al Qaeda affiliate yesterday, called in its official press for seamless counterterrorist coordination between Arab countries and the West. In Europe and the United States, Muslim community organizations like Britain’s Muslim Council and the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) were absolute in their condemnation: “barbaric crimes” which “can never be justified or excused,” according to CAIR; “hateful acts” which only “strengthen our determination to live together in peace,” says the Muslim Council.

The response from Hamas was predictable:

Hamas, on the other hand, laid ultimate blame for the attack on aggression against Arabs and Muslims. In an official communiqué from Gaza, the movement declared:
We call upon all states and influential international societal forces to bring about an end to all forms of occupation, aggression, oppression, and discrimination directed against the Arab and Islamic nation–particularly in Palestine, Iraq, and Afghanistan–because the continuation of these acts offers an environment of tension and repression which naturally leads to a continuance of the likes of these acts and explosions.

Continue reading →

America’s “orange” heart is with you, London

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Terrorists have struck London

, just a day after the city jubilantly reacted to winning the 2012 Olympic games. Explosions in the Tube, a.k.a. London’s subway system and on a signature red, double-decker bus murdered dozens while leaving hundreds injured. The death toll has climbed to 38 50. Responsible: the “Secret Organisation Group of al-Qaeda of Jihad Organisation in Europe”.

The BBC discovered a brief statement claiming ownership of the horrific attacks; I’ll never understand how the words “God”, “merciful”, “compassionate” and “peace” can be used right before a proud admission of guilt.

Nation of Islam and Arab nation: Rejoice for it is time to take revenge against the British Zionist Crusader government in retaliation for the massacres Britain is committing in Iraq and Afghanistan. The heroic mujahideen have carried out a blessed raid in London. Britain is now burning with fear, terror and panic in its northern, southern, eastern, and western quarters.

Sick, sick, sick. Blessed raid? Does anyone else want to cry?

A shaken Tony Blair left the G8 summit to attend to his city. Here’s what he had to say:

“They are trying to use the slaughter of innocent people to cow us, to frighten us out of doing the things that we want to do,” he said in a televised statement from Downing Street.
They “should not and they must not succeed,” he said.
“We know that these people act in the name of Islam but we also know that the vast and overwhelming majority of Muslims here and abroad are decent and law-abiding people who abhor those who do this every bit as much as we do,” he added.

Indeed, there is much concern about vigilantes exacting revenge and undermining the safety of Muslims in England. Muslim Association of Britain president Ahmed Sheikh is especially worried about women who wear headscarves. Sheik advised that they limit their travel due to their visibility. Apparently, there has been an upward trend of attacks on Muslim women on buses recently. I had no idea. Continue reading →

TOMORROW in DC: Sachal Vasandani

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Jazz Vocalist Sachal Vasandani will give a concert at the unbelievably gorgeous National Cathedral in DC tomorrow evening at 7:30pm. (Thanks, Kiran!)

With a flair for infusing the familiar with a fresh, original sensibility entirely his own and an ability to write songs of a diverse and popular style, Vasandani has captured the attention of the jazz world over the past few years from coast to coast and is quickly climbing towards the top of the music scene.
“Sachal Vasandani’s singing reveals emotion and intellect,” says Wynton Marsalis, artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center. “Versed in the blues, standards, and modern jazz…his sound is consistent and unique.”

Get there a bit early if you can; the grounds of the Cathedral are just swoon-worthy (and perfect for picnics). Check out the Bishop’s Garden, to the left of the massive edifice– it’s one of the most beautiful parts of DC, IMO

In case you didn’t click one of the earlier links, I’ll quote Mutineer Manish’s review of the talented Mr. Vasandani right herre:

Because of the friend connection, I wasnÂ’t expecting more than a pleasant evening out. And though I love jazz classics, IÂ’m not fan enough to dig the dissonance of an improv jam session. Vasandani emerged from the gloom of rear stage. He was tall and floppy-haired and stood a bit stiffly, like a pre-makeover John Mayer. He wore a blazer, but he wasnÂ’t as natty as chart-topping young fogies like Harry Connick Jr. and swing band Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. We plunged into our sidecars and lemon drops and waited for the show to begin.
When Vasandani opened his mouth, we utterly forgot about the drinks. The first time you hear a magnetic singer pull from his bag of vocal tricks, itÂ’s like falling in love. Those who hadnÂ’t heard him before were shocked.

Manish noted that Sachal sounds like other popular artists and I actually think this can be a good thing. A lot of people are either intimidated by or unsure of Jazz– though they’ll dance happily to standards at weddings and the like. If the location (like I said: swoon) and price (free) weren’t attractive enough, then the knowledge that you aren’t going to be subjected to something terribly difficult to listen to should close the deal.

Pictures of the venue, after the jump. Continue reading →

Remove head from sand, it’s the healthy thing to do

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Thanks to stupid attitudes towards gay people, an apparent allergy to condoms, prostitution, intravenous drug use and little if any testing, “there will undoubtedly be an explosion of Aids” in Asia, sayeth the UN AIDS Director, Peter Piot.

The UN estimates 8.2m people in Asia have HIV, of whom 5.1m are in India.
The risk of the disease spreading further in the region was now higher than ever, Mr Piot told a conference in the Japanese city of Kobe.

5.1 million, eh? I’m sure it’s a bit more than THAT. I hardly think that they managed to count everyone, or that people are happily volunteering such info…and that’s assuming they’re even AWARE of what they bear.

If concrete steps are taken now, the effect on future rates of infection could be dramatic:

Twelve million extra people could be infected in Asia within the next five years – an increase of 150% – he said.
But, “with major political will”, this could be reduced to six million.

I think a goal such as this deserves major everything, political will included. Education must be part of the solution– the stigma attached to being HIV+ means that the infected avoid getting treated and are in denial about their dire situation. Case in point:

The BBC’s Chris Hogg in Tokyo says the problem for Asia is that many people think Aids is not a big issue there.

No, it’s definitely not a big issue. Denial may not be in Egypt, after all… Continue reading →

“Kya kar rahe ho?”

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“Mint”, who reads my diary left a link in its comments section to an “important story” they wanted to bring to my attention. I didn’t think anything of it or have any expectations; I pasted the URL and gave it a cursory skimming. It seemed to be about a woman taking a journey by train in India…

At 3:30 a.m., my Upper Berth neighbour reaches and touches my breast. I don’t know what he was expecting. That I would simper coyly and turn away? That I would ignore him? Encourage him? Mind boggling possibilities.
I’m hugely sensitive to men touching me, often stopping calling people who even casually throw their arm around me (it’s just a thing I have), so this was trauma for me. I was up like a shot; my mind blank in my half-sleep and all I did was scream. It was strange, thinking back on it. I wasn’t angry, I wasn’t yelling expletives, or hell, even sentences or words. It was just like an animal-in-pain screaming. Shrill, loud, repetitive. No words, just screaming and screaming till the lights were flicked on, people hurriedly woke up, the TC came running.

WHOA. Suddenly, woman-in-the-train had my undivided attention. She provides, in exquisite and riveting detail, a transcript of her inner monologue as she considers what’s happening to her and how she should react.

Upper Berth man says loudly aggressively, “Kya hua? Kya hua?” (“What happened? what happened?”) and then slowly words formed in my head; the shock, the outrage, the sense of violation was replaced by a hysterical screaming, “Kya kar rahe ho?” (“What are you doing?”) Again and again and again.
The TC, sensing Upper Berth Man’s apparent complete shock turned to me, still shaking in my berth. I could barely see anything, compounding my sense of disorientation. “Madam, you must have been dreaming,” says the TC. No one else is talking. I realised in an instant that the whole episode could quickly turn against me. Everyone would be annoyed at being woken up by a silly, hysterical girl, the Upper Berth guy would be glad to evade responsibility, the TC glad to avert a potential nuisance.

This isn’t just some tale of woe– it’s a story about emotions and epiphanies, guilt and justice. We all know how hard it is for survivors of sexual abuse to come forward in this country, I’ve never thought about what that terrifying experience might be like in India. Consider what came AFTER the victim was abused: I was disheartened by the number of obstacles put in her way, as she tried to “do the right thing”. Continue reading →