Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site sbcs.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!sbcs!mohan From: mohan@sbcs.UUCP (Chilukuri K. Mohan) Newsgroups: net.nlang.india Subject: muslim_baiting Message-ID: <11@sbcs.UUCP> Date: Sun, 10-Nov-85 16:32:04 EST Article-I.D.: sbcs.11 Posted: Sun Nov 10 16:32:04 1985 Date-Received: Wed, 13-Nov-85 03:33:03 EST Distribution: net Organization: Computer Science Dept, SUNY@Stony Brook Lines: 38 This is a reply to Mr.Yakim Martillo's attempt to attack Muslims, calling for their oppression on that account, and exalting the superiority and progressive character of western colonization, because it liberates people from "Muslim" oppression. The age-old cry: we are Good oppressors, we have come to civilize heathen. History: the current state of Israel is a post-world war II creation, NOT as a result of oppression of jews by Palestinians, but BECAUSE of the oppression of jews by sections of Western (Christian?) society. How quickly have Hitler's pogroms been forgotten to be replaced with the cry: "Muslims are bad people who oppress jews"! Subjugation by westerners is never a progressive act: it has specific economic & military goals that benefit the imperialists. The plunder of India & its impoverishment by British colonizers was no boon to Indians, Muslim or non-muslim. The traumas of partition of India in 1947, and the preceding communal riots, were skilfully engineered manipulations of the divide-and-rule policy of British colonialists. A blind eye is turned to the years of inter-religious harmony. We are well aware that rulers of some communities and their henchmen have in the name of religion (Muslim or non-Muslim) perpetrated atrocities on their peoples. The answer is not to respond with more communal hatred, but rather to separate the issue of oppression/subjugation/atrocities from the communal question & fight the atrocities irrespective of whether they are perpetrated by hindus, muslims, christians, jews or by anybody else. One-time suppression by some people of one religion (among many!) cannot justify present or future suppression of people of that religion. Of course, we mustn't ignore the feudal oppression faced even by people of the SAME community as their rulers, in several countries today. While Mr.Martillo insists on classifying people as Muslims or non-Muslims, I'd prefer to see them as human beings: communalists have done enough damage in this world. -------------------------------------------------------------------