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Narada
21 January 2010, 05:00 PM
I am new to this forum and look forward to interacting with this wonderful community. I must admit that I have been lurking in the shadows for some months reading some very interesting posts, but since we all must eventually come into the light, I have joined and hope to participate to the best of my ability.

Onkara
22 January 2010, 09:19 AM
Welcome to the forum Narada. I look forward to hearing your thoughts and perspectives.

sunyata07
22 January 2010, 09:29 AM
Namaste Narada,

Welcome to HDF and enjoy your stay with us.

Eastern Mind
22 January 2010, 10:37 AM
Namaste Narada: Welcome to these forums. Hope you derive benefit from this place.

Aum Namasivaya

Spiritualseeker
22 January 2010, 11:14 AM
Welcome to the forum! I love the signature, much wisdom in that phrase alone that could fill pages and books.

Sherab
22 January 2010, 11:58 AM
Namaste, and welcome to the forums.

Znanna
22 January 2010, 07:48 PM
Namaste,

Welcome, to this most gracious of communities. I hope you will learn and enjoy from those here as much as I have.

ZN

Narada
23 January 2010, 04:54 AM
Welcome to the forum! I love the signature, much wisdom in that phrase alone that could fill pages and books.

Thanks for the kind words everyone.

That quote from the Mahabharata really cuts to the bone. We can learn a lot from death (the death of others that is, although our own will be the ultimate lesson). I find a great meditation is to read the death pages in the daily paper; puts everything in perspective for the day - there but for the grace of God go I.

goodlife
24 January 2010, 05:48 AM
Welcome Narada

Tell us more about yourself. are you from India? how did you fidn this site.

enjoy your stay here.

Om Namah Shivay

Narada
25 January 2010, 06:46 AM
Welcome Narada

Tell us more about yourself. are you from India? how did you fidn this site.

enjoy your stay here.

Om Namah Shivay

Not India, Australia. Converted from to Hinduism. Parents were nominal Christians (not church goers). I've been looking for an interesting and active Hindu on-line community, and HDF is the place.

goodlife
26 January 2010, 04:31 AM
Not India, Australia. Converted from to Hinduism. Parents were nominal Christians (not church goers). I've been looking for an interesting and active Hindu on-line community, and HDF is the place.

OK. welcome again to the community. could you shed any light on recent spat of incidents on Indian students in Australia? Is it racial, directed particularly at Indians or just that Indian students happen to be at the wrong place more than others? Also if it is on Indians what could be the reason?

Thanks

goodlife.

Narada
27 January 2010, 08:08 PM
OK. welcome again to the community. could you shed any light on recent spat of incidents on Indian students in Australia? Is it racial, directed particularly at Indians or just that Indian students happen to be at the wrong place more than others? Also if it is on Indians what could be the reason?

Thanks

goodlife.

Namaste goodlife

Tough question. Let me say from the outset that Australia is a very peaceful place with an open and accepting multicultural society. Of course like any society, you will always have some xenophobes, especially in tough economic times. In the large migrations from Europe in the 50s and 60s to Australia, it was the Greeks and Italians that copped flak. In the 70s it was the Vietnamese. No one cares about Greeks, Italians or Vietnamese these days; they’ve become part of the scenery. Today we have a growing Indian community (and many Indian’s just studying in Australia); they’re new and different, so let’s pick on them now until we get bored or another group come along (as long as they are not big tall guys from Africa). There is some of this attitude around, but it is a very very small minority. I think also that this is also a reflection of the escalating violence in societies in general. As I said, it’s a small minority, and there might also be some copy-cat acts now happening. Additionally, many Indian students, due to economic circumstances, are living in lower socio-economic areas, which can have more problems. Further, they work many late/night shifts (to accommodate study), they use public transport or walk to work late at nights in areas where you would prefer not to do so. One of the reasons this issue has gotten wide coverage is because this is a quiet country when it comes to those sort of things, so this stands out. I hope it is a glitch.

goodlife
29 January 2010, 11:09 PM
Namaste goodlife

Tough question. Let me say from the outset that Australia is a very peaceful place with an open and accepting multicultural society. Of course like any society, you will always have some xenophobes, especially in tough economic times. In the large migrations from Europe in the 50s and 60s to Australia, it was the Greeks and Italians that copped flak. In the 70s it was the Vietnamese. No one cares about Greeks, Italians or Vietnamese these days; they’ve become part of the scenery. Today we have a growing Indian community (and many Indian’s just studying in Australia); they’re new and different, so let’s pick on them now until we get bored or another group come along (as long as they are not big tall guys from Africa). There is some of this attitude around, but it is a very very small minority. I think also that this is also a reflection of the escalating violence in societies in general. As I said, it’s a small minority, and there might also be some copy-cat acts now happening. Additionally, many Indian students, due to economic circumstances, are living in lower socio-economic areas, which can have more problems. Further, they work many late/night shifts (to accommodate study), they use public transport or walk to work late at nights in areas where you would prefer not to do so. One of the reasons this issue has gotten wide coverage is because this is a quiet country when it comes to those sort of things, so this stands out. I hope it is a glitch.

Namaste Narada

Thank you for that wonderful reply.aptly put. i do understand that its a very small minority which is indulging in these acts. Just nit picking but south asians from Pakistan, India , Bangladesh etc have racially similar color and features and its difficult to separate them just by looking at them. If these attacks are racially motivated it appears crazy that every time only Indians get picked.

Nonetheless Australia is a peaceful place to be in. Do have plans to visit that country in future if things work out right.

Lets pray things sort out soon.

goodlife

Narada
01 February 2010, 04:20 AM
Namaste Narada

Thank you for that wonderful reply.aptly put. i do understand that its a very small minority which is indulging in these acts. Just nit picking but south asians from Pakistan, India , Bangladesh etc have racially similar color and features and its difficult to separate them just by looking at them. If these attacks are racially motivated it appears crazy that every time only Indians get picked.

Nonetheless Australia is a peaceful place to be in. Do have plans to visit that country in future if things work out right.

Lets pray things sort out soon.

goodlife

Namaste goodlife,

Indeed as you say "Pakistan, India , Bangladesh etc have racially similar color and features and its difficult to separate them just by looking at them".
I think the attacks are a statistical outcome, since the Indian population outnumber the others significantly. I believe under the current situation however (I don't wish to make this a big issue, because it is not, except for the poor souls directly affected) that all "Indian" looking people are at risk at present, but first and foremost, turbaned Sikhs stand out and should be careful.
As you most likely understand, these people (if we can call them that) that carry out these attacks are not the sharpest tools in the shed, and they would not know the difference between a Muslim in robes and a Hindu in a dhoti and kurta, let alone an "Indian looking" person's geographical origin. Indeed, I personally believe that this whole issue first started at about the time the media/government here was very vocal on the Afghanistan/Iraq/terrorism issue, and anyone of a "middle eastern appearance" became a potential terrorist, thus opening the door for racist elements to vent their anger by demonstrating their inhumanity, ignorance and stupidity on innocent people regardless of their ethnic origins.

Eastern Mind
01 February 2010, 08:14 AM
Namaste goodlife,

Indeed as you say "Pakistan, India , Bangladesh etc have racially similar color and features and its difficult to separate them just by looking at them".


Here in Canada this is very complex. The highly derogatory term 'Paki' is used. In my city a survey was done and 3% of the population with the label were actually from Pakistan. Racists even use the term Paki dot describing bindu which is a contradiction in and of itself. Here is the mix from my city:

Islam
Ismaili Muslims from Uganda fleeing Idi Amin
Iranians
Afghanis
Iraquis
Moroccons
Indian Muslims
Pakistanis

Indentured labour second migration (all with ancestors from various states in India, which reflects more diversity) For example there are South Indian Fijian, and North Indian Fijian)
Guyanese
Trinidadian
other Caribbean
Fijian
Mauritian
South Africa
Malaysia

India
We have a counsel of Indian societies that has some 15 member groups. Includes Islam, Christian, Hindu and Sikh religions. Each member group is based on a state usually such as Bengali cultural Association.

Sri Lanka
Not in Edmonton so much (maybe 200 families) but in Toronto it is the highest group with over 200 000 now, largest Sri Lankan expat community anywhere.

The solution in my opinion is education, at the primary, and other levels. Diversity training all around. But first teachers need to be trained. Of course the laws should be upheld, but to suggest it is always racially motivated in my opinion is unjustified. There are many other factors going on.

Aum Namasivaya

Ramakrishna
04 February 2010, 12:09 AM
Welcome to HDF! I am new here as well. I look forward to getting to know you. :)