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From: jcp@brl-tgr.ARPA (Joe Pistritto )
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: Re: Burning Indian brides--one who won't
Message-ID: <7516@brl-tgr.ARPA>
Date: Fri, 18-Jan-85 15:22:47 EST
Article-I.D.: brl-tgr.7516
Posted: Fri Jan 18 15:22:47 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 21-Jan-85 02:22:54 EST
References: <2283@mit-hermes.ARPA>
Reply-To: jcp@brl-tgr.ARPA (Joe Pistritto )
Distribution: net
Organization: Ballistic Research Lab
Lines: 20

In article <2283@mit-hermes.ARPA> jpexg@mit-hermes.ARPA (John Purbrick) writes:
>I had an Indian friend when I was a student, who has since returned to India
>and married. His wife is also American-educated, so they understand each
>other's bi-cultural outlook. My friend was in town last week and we went out
>for drinks one evening. Getting in a dig at him (not expecting that a forward-
>looking Indian would ask for a dowry, of course) I said,
>	"So, how much dowry did you get with your wife? Did they pay plenty
>to get rid of her?"
>	And he said "No, nothing; _she's_ the dowry!"
>
>Now that's the right way to think about it.

A more common attitude in India today than you might think.  I am
currently negotiating with an Indian family to marry their daughter,
they asked if I wanted a dowry, to which I replied no (although it
was an interesting idea).  Incidentally I'm not Indian.  Actually,
the family was pleasantly surprised, (since they knew that I knew
I could ask for one, and apparently expected me to.)

						-JCP=