Monday, June 8, 1998
Fighting for India’s pride
PRIDE: Despite sanctions, disdain from outside world, country
finds strength in sense of nationalism
By Olin M. Ghosh
Ever since the Indian government conducted its underground tests
of its new nuclear arsenal I haven’t known what to think. I realize
that we now stare straight down the barrel of a threat of nuclear
war and an arms race in South Asia. What is worse is that India and
Pakistan are both led by what I will politely call extremist and
corrupt governments, to say the least.
The comparison of India and Pakistan to Russia and the United
States during the Cold War is ephemeral. Realize that a first
strike during the Cold War would have resulted in quick retaliation
from either the United States or former USSR, thus the motivation
to do so was low. A first strike would have instigated a full-scale
war and decimated both nations.
In the case of India and Pakistan, a first strike is tantamount
to a checkmate and would decimate cities and populations on a scale
that has been estimated to be five times worse than Hiroshima or
Nagasaki.
This means the first nation to launch one missile to a place
like Karachi or Bombay would instantly kill some 500,000 people in
seconds. While its true that the countries of South Asia have now
graduated to the status of superstars (with the eyes of the world
now focused on them and the undivided attention of the United
States and United Nations) and now have possession of a nuclear
bargaining chip that makes them a power to contend with, what have
they accomplished? It seems that South Asia has merely earned
kudos, for now they officially live "life under the gun."
Now for the "things that make you go…. hmmmmmmm?" Was it worth
it? Hmmmmmmm. My answer, "I don’t know." Here’s where the soul
searching begins.
When you are an Indo-American, you don’t always grow up with the
greatest sense of pride in your heritage. In fact, subconsciously,
you learn to loathe certain aspects of your culture and even your
fellow Indians. I mean who are our heroes in this country? Apu on
the "Simpsons." I’ll also bet every Indian on this campus has done
his or her best impression of an FOB at least five times last
week.
Understand that I am the last person to play the "race card" or
whine that I am oppressed. No, I am far from it. But everything
Indians have in this country they earn for themselves. Most of us
hold lives of affluence and luxury because of pride, work ethic,
and an undying will to educate ourselves and succeed. As much as
we’ve accomplished and as far as we’ve come we still get ridiculed.
I have grown up with people doing impressions of Indian accents and
asking me if my parents own a 7-11.
Come on, people, we are talking about a nation whose history and
greatness precedes and rivals that of the ancient Greeks. I am
talking about the world’s largest democracy, and yet India can’t
even get a permanent seat in the United Nations? So what is the
world trying to tell India, huh? All we are good for is our spicy
food? Are we just another piece of meat to you? And now the U.S.
government thinks they can chastise India with self-righteous
rhetoric and $150 million in sanctions? How insulting!
First of all, the sanctions bring two words to mind – pocket
change. In fact, the United States has consistently supported
India’s foes with considerably more aid, so gee whiz, thanks and go
to hell. Secondly, I have another two words for the United Nations,
Congress and the President – respect due.
After reading Parta Banerjee’s article "Nuclear testing
distracts from political crisis" (Daily Bruin, June 4), I was
moved. So much of what he said was right on the money. Anyone who
knows the BJP, India’s ruling party, knows that their followers are
slaves to rhyme, wit and reason about a return to India’s former
glory through nostalgia and nationalism. The BJP leaders preach
this while they rob the people blind. (Suharto ain’t got nuthin’ on
the BJP, trust me.) They talk in native tongue and preach of a
purist Hindustani India while they send their own children to
English-speaking British or Catholic private schools.
Banerjee was not off base in showing the nuclear tests as a
political maneuver to reignite a faltering BJP party wrought with
allegations of corruption. However, for all the BJP’s bullshit, I
don’t think they are completely wrong. Now I know some of you are
going to get offended by this and I am going to get accosted on
Bruin Walk for the next week, but bear in mind, they preach
nationalism. They remind us that if you live in India, religion or
immigration status aside, you are Indian first and anything else
second.
To have a strong nation that couldn’t be closer to the truth. I
live in America and I feel the same way towards the United States.
I am a proud American first and everything else second. To some
extent the BJP has unified a splintered India and brought back
pride. They took a stand in obtaining nuclear arms and protecting
their own interests while the United States wallows in its
hypocrisy. The United States would have done the same thing if it
were in India’s position. Now isn’t it ironic that as talk of
sanctions subside, more of the world is at India’s doorstep wanting
to talk and negotiate. If the United States, or any country,
sanctions India, the only entities hurt are international
businesses which stand to make a killing in India’s fast-paced,
growing market economy. So another two words in regards to the
threats from the United States and United Nations – forget you.
At this point I am functioning on three hours of sleep and am
too tired to go on ranting and raving. I just wanted to use my
lunch break to do something productive. Also the computer monitors
at Powell Library are about to throw me out. So I hope I have given
you something to think about and spurred some dialogue. I am dying
to hear some counterpoint. I don’t like the threat of nuclear arms
at all, but think twice, there is a lot more at stake here than the
naked eye can see upon first glance.
As for India, I guess I am proud of the motherland, kinda sorta.
India made a move and they made it strong – or as Shaquille O’Neal
would say, "[They] took it to the hole." (Which always sounds like
"Take it to the hoe" when he says it but I’ll save that discussion
for another time.)
Oh and before I forget – if you haven’t met an Indian woman on
this campus (or guy, we are pretty slick, too), eaten Indian food,
heard Indian music or don’t have a clue where India is even located
– talk to one, go to Bombay Cafe or any good Indian restaurant (see
the Yellow Pages), check out the upcoming UCLA Ethnomusicology
Department or Wadsworth concerts or get a map. You won’t
regret it!