Category: X.T.M

Pakistan of the Provinces

X.T.M · May 19, 2019 · 32 comments

We’re currently doing a podcast that is exploring Pakistan and China; I’m really shocked by what I’m hearing.

I predicted after last year’s Pakistan election that the Provincial Parties (which were dynastic) would set off against the military backed Imran Khan aegis (Madinat ethics).

I’m quite impressed by how Pakistan is transforming. I’m also a bit taken aback that it seems a Saffron wave is taking over India. Karan Johan is the last man standing for Islamicate culture in Hindustan.

Finally in Bilawal’s iftar; it’s interesting the Baloch and Pathan parties did not attend. Sindh & Punjab are vested in Pakistan but the periphery not so much (no word on MQM).

Bilawal also needs to lose 10-15kg if he wants to look Presidential whereas Maryam looks transluscent (she really lives up to the Kashmiri stereotype).

Pakistani Christian teen ‘raped, forcibly converted to Islam’

X.T.M · May 18, 2019 · 18 comments

A teenage Christian girl claims she was raped, forcibly converted to Islam and then married off to a 45-year-old Muslim divorcee in the Pakistani port city of Karachi.

Neha Pervaiz, 15, a resident of Ittehad Town, told ucanews.com about her ordeal. “I was taken by my aunt, a Muslim convert, to her house on April 28 to help her look after her sick son.

But there I was asked to marry a Muslim man named Imran. When I refused, they beat me up and threatened to kill my minor brother who was with me,” Neha said.

“Later I was taken to a room where I was raped by Imran.

They then pressurized me to convert to Islam and marry Imran.“On April 29, I was taken to an Islamic cleric, who asked me to recite Quranic verses and gave me a new name, Fatima.”

Pakistani Christian teen 'raped, forcibly converted to Islam'

Unfortunately, no authentic data is available on forced conversions and forced marriages in Pakistan, but about 1,000 cases involving Hindu and Christian girls were estimated to have taken place in Sindh province alone in 2018, according to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP).

Do they even pretend to care about BAME anymore?

X.T.M · May 17, 2019 · 4 comments

https://twitter.com/barstoolsports/status/1128828665322590208?s=20

I thought the US was a lot more “racially aware” than the UK. I’ve seen countless ads that always put BAME actors in blue-collars roles.

Why didn’t they put a white UBER driver and a black couple in the back? And for those who huff and puff that Art must mirror Life; art never imitates life, have you ever seen an ugly actor? Actors and actresses are order of magnitudes better looking than the rest of the population; it’s a stylised representation of what we want life to be. Continue reading Do they even pretend to care about BAME anymore?

When Brahmins get treated like Dalits; the world listens

X.T.M · May 15, 2019 · 109 comments

https://www.instagram.com/p/BxYNcrTAw0Y/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=xogsyngrd9zr

Swipe right and you’ll see why I wrote that.

I agree white people have to learn *more* about race but how many upper caste Indians would be comfortable with their children playing with Dalits?

And yes for white people *we* (coloured volk) are all Dalits since we were their subordinates and slaves less than half a century ago (history would have turned out very different had they not destroyed each other in White War 1 & White War 2).

As an aside I find it a bit absurd when Brits go on and on about how they “died for our freedom.” Our ancestors were subjects (or rather more like glorified servants; Hindustani text books in the 19th century is how an English lady should tell her staff to do a better job) both before and after the Wars so it’s a bit rich to presume they shed their blood in our name. Even the epithet “World War” masks that though the world was at war, it was simply because it was controlled by White Powers (with the exception of Japan). Language is a masking told and all powerful in how to reshape the narrative.

I’m not going to be an icon for Hinditva (I wanted to write Hindutva but my phone defaulted to Hinditva LOL) simply because I make a daily habit of shitting on Islam.

There are some deeply disturbing aspects of Hindu culture especially with regards to treating a huge section of their population on a lower rank than animals.

Caste is the South Asian curse and makes us the laughing stock of the world. Our colour obsession stems from the simple fact that colour is profoundly correlated to the caste hierarchy (as a Chennaite once told me in Kampala- never trust a black Brahmin).

I find it a bit amusing when Indians hyperventilate that Islam is the biggest threat to world peace and Indian security. I would have imagined a significant subsection of their truly dark population (Ms. Subramanian is *not* dark in Chennai) in abject and soul-wrenching poverty should rank a bit higher on their list of concerns..

A Quick Question- when did Hindus revenge themselves?

X.T.M · May 15, 2019 · 19 comments

We just wrapped up another podcast but I listened this time and didn’t say anything. It was really dense and informative!

As I was clearing away everything (well past my bedtime) a random thought popped into my head.

At what point pre-1947 did Hindus (or Sikhs) revenge themselves on Muslims? What I’m trying to establish is that was there a justifiable fear on the part of the Muslim League to assert that a Hindu-majority India would be a no-go zone.

I’m specifically excluding the Partition events but I’m looking for a Hindu equivalent of Direct Action Day, where legions of Hindus set themselves on Muslim localities.

My distinct impression is that these mob riots emerged in the bad blood post Partition. In comparison to the Greeks, Israelis or even now the Chinese; Hindus and Indians have been particularly partial towards their Muslim population.

At any rate this is my short note and remember I’ll be (iA) live blogging tomorrow’s lecture.

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I’ve discovered the South Asian Centre at Cambridge and I’m rather kicking myself for not availing it sooner. I missed an interesting talk on Lahori resistance in the 19th century on Monday.

I’ll try to live blog the lectures where I can; there’s also the Shahnama Institute and the Ancient India & Iran Trust.

https://screenshotscdn.firefoxusercontent.com/images/2df9a5cd-1181-4544-b6ad-a410e2eea154.png/Screenshot_2019-05-14_What's_On_The_Centre_of_South_Asian_Studies.png

I’ll try to live blog lectures where I can and of course ask speakers onto Podcasts (I’m still pending some questions to Professor Foltz but since there weren’t too many, I’ll putting that on ice for now).

If commentators are interested in particular lectures please do let me know so I can make sure to attend.

Why I hate the Hijab

X.T.M · May 13, 2019 · 56 comments

The Hijab is a part of the Middle Eastern-Levantine cultural matrix so I don’t  have a problem when I see Arab women wear it . But it’s risible when Desi Muslims try to flaunt what is essentially an alien garment. If one wants to be modest why not just wear a salwar kameez and elegantly drape the dupatta?

After I ranted to V about yet another uppity Hijabi (the offending lady in question had secured herself a booth for 4 people in a crowded cafe); V made a profound remark.

V didn’t mind the Hijab per se; women should be allowed to wear what they want. However what she found to be so strange about the Muslim hijabi activists in the West is that they had no sympathy for their Iranian sisters who are dying for the right to dress as they please.

Continue reading Why I hate the Hijab

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