Since elections are largely a game of perception, the upcoming US presidential elections is at feverish pitch with smear campaigns. For Barack Hussein Obama, it’s working both ways on the perception scale. Those who are for him are accused of terrorism, while those against, of racism. The McCain-Palin camp brands Obama a terrorist. A Muslim-sounding name can easily be associated with Radical Islamism a.k.a. terrorism. So, if Obama wins, the hugely-budgeted US-sponsored campaign towards global collective panic and power of nightmares called War on Terror would have obviously worn out its use.

What’s in a name? A lot. A Muslim-sounding name makes for a Muslim stereotype which, in turn, makes for the terrorist stereotype. This is so because, in this day and age, the pervading mindset is that not all Muslims are terrorists, but all terrorists are Muslims. So, someone with a Hussein in his name is “palling around with terrorists,” as Sarah Palin averred.
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I am worried about terrorism in India. Not just Islamic, which without any questions and doubts does get addressed and taken adequate action against, but also Hindu terrorism, which always escapes from the grip of authorities for lack of hard evidence. Honestly, if nothing is done about the situation in Orissa we shall probably have yet another terrorist group, but this time participated by Christians.

The ‘gorious’ work of the Bajrang Dal in Orissa is not a figment of anybody’s imagination. Innocent people are murdered in cold-blood, burnt alive, nuns raped…do we really need more facts to take a call against the religious group? PM Manmohan Singh wants to ban the group immediately but defiance within his party is problematic because they fear the BJP may reap dividends out of it. So, in the political plotting nobody really suffers but people like the Armyman who fought for our country in the Indo-Pak and Kargil War; his paralysed brother gets torched by fanatics chanting “Jai Hanuman” in Orissa.

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It is surprising to note that Muslims in the U.K have a greater freedom than anywhere else and they receive governmental grants and funds to build mosques in prime locations in British cities including London. A predominantly Christian society, the British have been quite tolerant in accepting immigrants and also allowing them to practice their personal beliefs. However, the fate of Christians in the Muslim world is one that has to be dealt with cautiously. Christians have been persecuted and marginalized in most Middle Eastern countries and recently, in India too.

However, the idea is to live peacefully and with religious tolerance. Though Atheism and non-religious societies are always welcome and of course safer too, it is difficult to change the way people think. If the British decided to avenge the persecution of Christians in the Middle East and promptly persecute the Muslims of Britain, it would be harking back to the Middle Ages. The Old Testament law of an eye for an eye and a hand for a hand would not work in a modern society and free societies must set up an example by not tolerating ‘other’ religions but in fact discouraging overt religious behaviors anywhere. In fact, avoiding religious topics and stopping the funds for religious institutions would do well and the money could be diverted to saner purposes like education and research.

The concept of religious tolerance must be thought over and when it is thought over, we would know that there really isn’t much to think, except allow others to live productive lives while we live our own live productively.

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Via: Guardian

If you had been wondering from where all the heroin of the world comes, it must not be too difficult to guess. It’s from the most troubled nation on earth, Afghanistan. The country depends literally on the money that comes from the sale of homegrown opium and poppy and also the derivatives like heroin and morphine. These narcotics make way to Western Europe through the neighboring Tajikistan.

Just 13 hours ago, many afghan smugglers were killed in a shootout in Tajikistan when they were caught red handed smuggling heroin into Tajikistan’s borders. These drugs after reaching France, Germany and elsewhere, are sold at exorbitant prices. What I fear is that the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan has actually encouraged the Afghan opium farmers to grow more as lawlessness has increased many folds after the Americans have entered.

Only through proper negotiations with the U.N. and afghan government can the drug route and trade be blocked. I wonder how things will go in the near future. Though listening to the news of the smugglers being shot dead isn’t a very pleasant one, it may just have the right thing to do, for the Tajik forces, whose land is being used as a transit for drug delivery to Europe.

Via: AfghanConflictMonitor

It’s more than shocking when I read Maati Saari’s merciless psychedelic killing spree that took ten of his classmates’ lives and also his own post the massacre. The most horrible part of the whole scene was when he put them on fir post the massacre. The victims have been left beyond recognition due to the results of the severe burns received by the corpses. What dumbfounded me the most is the bold step that he took by uploading a video on YouTube, which shows him shooting at a range. The question is, why couldn’t the Law react to this illegal video on time? Reports validate that this particular video was posted on Finnish social networking site and with circulation it had reached the YouTube.

It seems to me that the Law is washing its hands off and not taking the charged completely on its own, obviously for political issues. But who will control this killing spree which is reported to occur frequently especially in educational institutes. It’s a tough nut to crack, as nothing seems to be conspicuous. Nobody has the precise clues as to why this heinous crime is committed by the school and college students. What stimulates these youngsters to take themselves into this scandalous crime should be the Law’s concern. This merciless crime should be nipped in the bud not by the Law alone but collectively which involves all the citizens.

Educational institutes are no more safe. Acquiring education has equally become as dangerous as facing a troop of army in the battlefield. Who will save the innocent people now? Whose fault is it that the innocent lives have been taken forcefully. Maati Saari killed his ten classmates but who will control this insane crime? How many more Maati Saari are people going to withstand? Acting upon this serious issue at once will perchance ameliorate the safety of the innocent people. It’s time to wake up and be harsh on the concerned people who are responsible for this kind of an unforgiving crime. One must obliterate this crime forever. Can a one person alone do this? Possibly not, so join your hands together and allow no more such a crime to be registered in the history.

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Via: TimesOnline

A lot has been said and done about drug users and addicts. However, we fail to realize that behind all the drug abuse and addiction issues lies a story, a human story that is often untold and seldom heard. Most drug users face not only bias and prejudice but also self-hatred and depression. Lack of proper support groups, social stigma and other problems are enough to make sure a drug user goes ahead and finds solace in the very drugs that have consumed his or her life.

In my opinion, labeling someone who abuses drugs as an addict or a drug abuser must be avoided at any cost and it must be made sure that the addict receives proper detoxification and rehab. However, the interest on the part of the user also matters a lot. A drug user usually suffers from various other mental disorders such as borderline personality disorder, psychosis, depression and others. Finding the root cause of these mental ailments and coming up with a plan to detoxify the person is a better idea than just going ahead with the rehab and detoxification process.

In my opinion, the growing problem of drug usage can only be controlled through awareness campaigns, support systems and timely psychological interventions. Moreover, the society has to be open minded and friendly enough to accept slight deviations in a person.

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Via: ADreamForABetterworld

‘Muslims are turning away from terrorism and the world is turning against them’. This line caught my attention in a very interesting blog I read today. It was heart warming to finally have a non-Muslim discuss the plight of an ordinary God-fearing Muslim who just wants to lead a peaceful life like the rest of us. The blog discussed the Pew Global reports that have found anti-Muslim feelings increasing significantly between 2006 and 2008 the world over. And perhaps this was exactly the time when the rigid domination of fundamentalists was being taken over by modernisers within the Islamic community across the globe.
Then again we must remember Muslims do not support the terrorist attacks but the irony is that these very attacks that they condemn further increase the hostility that non-Muslims already feel towards them.
My question is will Muslims be the next Jews? An act that the generations to come will repent all their lives!
Please read
http://nitawriter.wordpress.com/2008/09/22/muslims-turning-away-from-terrorism-but-the-world-is-against-them/

With the growing terrorism in our country, especially after the serial bombings in Delhi, demands and cries for more anti-terror laws like POTA could be heard from far and wide. Now, this is a solution that came to almost everyone’s mind. But in all honesty, I am thankful the government did not pay heed. Hey do not question my love for my country, I’m as concerned about terrorism as you are but we can’t take hasty decisions in a moment of calamity. POTA we know was misused to trouble innocent people, so enforcing a law like that all over again may not be a very wise thing. We have to have foresight. Our country has a strong infrastructure and a series of laws to tackle terrorism. It’s just that the protectors of law as well as the citizens will have to be more alert in spotting mediums of terror. Yes, that is perhaps the only feasible solution.
I won’t say more, just check out
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/we-dont-want-pota-in-the-hands-of-modi-sibal/74025-3.html

Indians and our limited minds will never stop having problems with anything that offers a new aspect to our long kept beliefs. Don’t worry this is not an accusation aimed at the uneducated alone, but the likes of the deputy mayor of Delhi and a pro-Vice Chancellor of a north Indian university who have raised a lot of hue and cry at the SC. The reason being an essay called ‘Three Hundred Ramayanas’ by acclaimed Indian writer A.K. Ramanujam in the Second year B.A English Honours syllabus. They object to references in the essay where Hanuman is called a ladies’ man and Sita’s morals are questioned. The intellectuals are angry for the harm the essay has done to the sacred belief of Hinduism.
OK, so here’s the dope! Ramanujam was a great scholar with responsible work to his credit and was even honoured with the Padamashri. And this essay of his throws light on the many many versions of the mythical epic Ramayana. His idea is not to denigrate the revered characters in the tale but yes, he talks of how the story changes in different parts of India to be more contemporary. C’mon Hinduism is all about Anthropomorphism; that means gods are also equated as human beings susceptible to folly and deceit. Well, that’s exactly what ‘Three Hundred Ramayanas’ is all about. It tells that there are almost three hundred versions of the great tale. Let’s great realistic, the most celebrated villain of the Ramayana, Ravana, is worshipped in Sri Lanka. Do we need more proof?
Via ibnlive

It’s romance time for the Iraqis who are just enjoying themselves out in the open air for once. The power of love has once again strengthened the cupids of Baghdad. It’s indeed an unusual scene in Iraq that couples would be seen having a romantic time in public places. But this time of the season, the Iraqis have broken all the boundaries of constraints. It dumbfounded me completely when I learnt that the Iraqis too are more often than not caught for involving themselves in carnal knowledge in public places. With these scandalizing activities reporting from Baghdad, one may often mistake Baghdad to be New York or London. But the Iraqis have proven themselves that they are no longer behind the rest of the Western World when it comes to romance.

What strikes me even furthermore is that the Iraqis are enjoying this freedom during the holy month of ‘Ramadan.’ This justifies that no lovers can be grounded by anything, be it the insurgencies of Iraq or the conservative society of the Iraqis. It’s more than interesting, and exciting to see that the Iraqi lovers have successfully managed to come out from their dingy and claustrophobic cocoons. It’s absolutely pleasing to see them exercise their personal rights and to assert them authoritatively and in the most fashionable way with full of romance.

Behind the romantic nerves of the Iraqis, there’s still the fear and respect for the elder brothers and fathers in every Iraqi man. They still cannot propose to a woman of their choice fully on their own without the concerns of their elder brothers and fathers and make the latters take the decision. This perturbs me to know that individuality is not encouraged in the Iraqi society. This should be obliterated once and for all, and instead, personal freedom should be nurtured. The Iraqi lovers should be given all the freedom to exercise their personal rights.

via: TimesOnline