Thanks for flagging this up. Have you heard if any Asian media outlet is planning such a programme/series?

If anyone’s reading, thanks Rumbold for posting this!

Also in terms of practical steps to help destabilise the culture of honour crimes, I believe one area is within reach of a campaign.

The Asian media outlets provide no dedicated content for mixed couples. This helps reinforce the idea that mixed Asian couples are somehow less Asian than other couples. A programme dedicated to mixed couples, on a major Asian media outlet, would provide more legitimacy for these relationships (and piss off morons like Ashik).

no doubt a couple of gays

Dammit, how many times do I have to keep saying that incident with Ravi was a one-off mistake. That’s what happens when the other person’s wearing ambiguously fruity aftershave. How the hell was I supposed to know it wasn’t really the lovely Cheryl Cole ?

In my defence, it was dark, we were both drunk, and (most of all) Ravi has a very small Adam’s Apple.

and yes ravi, that is the BNP mindset and also the Nazi mindset and every other mindset that has prized racial purity. if he were white, he would be in trouble with the things he says. anyway, as andy says its not about ‘attacking’ ashik but recognising the problematique contained within that thinking. and yes, its far more widespread than people like to admit, which is also the problem.

of course this all goes to show just why Brick Lane the novel was so threatening.

anyhow you have to accept the us/them divide to accept the notion of an ‘outsider’ – i don’t accept that notion and when it suits them, neither does the ‘community’. there is no us/them. Sorry, this isn’t India.

The problem with PP is that it really isn’t representative of the diverse cultural and religious thinking out there in the UK amongst the South Asian diaspora.

And you are? No, sunbeam, you have no more ‘right’ to claim to speak for folk than, oh, I don’t know, the MCB, say.

All you seem to be representative of is of your own version of cultural apartheid. Which failed in South Africa and it will fail in the UK too.

You are a Boer, and I claim my five pounds.

Tax breaks are tempting… is that 50% for each child

50% for the first, 100% for the second, have three or more and the state actually pays for all your child care costs (clothes, nanny, pocket money).

having unstable family dynamics with regards her immediate family

So people should submit to abusive ’stable’ ones?

its nothing but manifestation of what people choose to believe. Thats why I call it a way of life.

Agreed. And it is difficult to argue that Hinduism is a religion, when it includes – among other things – this.

But they just laughed at me and said that rule was just for girls, basically its girls who are the lucky holders of the family honour

Heh.

I’m not attacking *you*, Ashik – rather, the things you say…

>”Resolving issues of forced marriage and honour crimes are better tackled within South Asian communities with due regards to culturally sensitive matters eg, the Young Muslims helpline councelling service, than by outsiders with their agendas.”

“culturally sensitive matters” – is this a ‘veiled’ (sorry, couldn’t resist) reference to men/families wishing to break the laws on domestic violence with impunity simply because they think (rightly or wrongly) their supernaturalism-of-choice says they can? Or because their “didn’t know any better” ancestors who regarded women as property used to?

And surely part of the “agenda” of the “outsiders” is simply to offer the victims the full protection of the law in these instances? Something their “community” isn’t quite so keen on, perhaps?

>”For example efforts should be focused on mediating forced marriages and violence, upon which society as a whole has a consensus.”

Yes, the consensus is that forced marriage & domestic violence are illegal, so perhaps we should concentrate on *prosecuting* the perpetrators, rather than “mediating”, hmmm? Or maybe you could form a political party to have the law changed, so that we could all share the benefits of having “community mediation” when we’re beaten-up by someone’s relatives…?

>”Digressing to upholding the relative merits/demerits of arranged marriages and inter-racial/religious marriages tends to mean that such efforts become controversial.”

“such efforts become controversial”?? For whom? The people within the marriages, who might actually benefit from them? Wider society, which might become more understanding of the truth of the matter? Or people like yourself, who have expressed a personal prejudice against them? Oh, and your use of the label “controversial” is just another version of the ridiculous “I’m offended” narrative…

Finally, you say that amongst your detractors there are:

“no doubt a couple of gays and a chest thumper or two who hold views similar to mine but don’t have the guts to voice them.”

Which am I then? I’m intrigued…

But again, why the fuck do I bother arguing with you?

Because he writes coherently, which is a trait not usually shared by other bigots. He seems to be very traumatised with mixed marriages and people who embrace diversity as opposed to being communal twats – not very different from the BNP mindset if you ask me.

Don’t worry about it. It took a while for the white supremacist regieme in South Africa to fall apart. I suspect Ashiks’ version will get kicked up the arse rather quicker than that.

I wont have any credibility in your circle — that I am sure of — just don’t make that the entire South Asian Community.

Just because bigots have taken over Hinduism — the original concept of its very different from any other religion. Its a way of life in my opinion, because it varies from all the other major religions; its a huge umbrella. There is no one path and thats why jainism, buddhism, Sikhism etc came out of hinduism without bloodshed etc etc.

Secondly, Hinduism and all the religions/faith that came out of hinduism believe in the coexistance of good and evil and creation and destruction. Its a non linear philosophy that underpins the religion. Its circular and there is actually no begining or no end. And the more I read about it I am more and more convinced that it was destined to be a way of life. Hinduism changes its deity’s (except for the major ones) according regions — its nothing but manifestation of what people choose to believe. Thats why I call it a way of life. But to expect you to understand all that I wrote would be rather difficult.

But you are spot on when you attack me about me not having any credibility in your ” South Asian Community”. I would protest most of their actions and their community knows best attitude. I argued when them when I was a kid and I told one of them if he so doesn’t like being part of Britain – why doesn’t he fuck off to where he wants to go.

Thirdly, my mixed marriage heritage (religion wise) and without any pressure from anyone as to what religion I should follow — makes me very proud of that heritage. You might want to look down upon me and stamp on that pride but everytime I would pick it up and wear it as a badge of honour my friend. But again, why the fuck do I bother arguing with you?

lets not get carried away.

The clue is in the PP caption: current affairs for the progressive generation.

By the way I am ‘within’ my religious & community fold. Does that qualify my being able to criticise your regressive stance or am I banned too?

PS must dash off to a soiree – oh no I’ve been found out to be a party girl

To most South Asians the idea that their 17 year old become a ‘party girl’ with multiple sexual partners, experimenting with and having unstable family dynamics with regards her immediate family (these issues are often conflated together to represent being too ‘Westernised;) is JUST AS UNACCEPTABLE as forcing their daughter to marry at 17.

Does anybody seriously think an individual like Gibs is likely to gain the trust of parents and their children or would be able to mediate problems with a scintilla of credibility?

“Arranged marriage for the 21st century: Don’t do it. Let ‘em shag whoever they want to.”

Well said !

The problem with PP is that it really isn’t representative of the diverse cultural and religious thinking out there in the UK amongst the South Asian diaspora. Many of these people simply couldn’t voice their views amongst South Asians company. They are considered excentric and lack credibility for what they’ve done or are. For example the half a dozen people attacking me (like I care) includes someone who ‘married out’ against her religion and now wants 1 billion Muslims to change their religion to suit her, an offspring of a mixed relationship who thinks that the Hindu religion isn’t a ‘proper’ religion but just a ‘way of life’ (no, really, this twat is ironically mouthing Islamist insults usually hurled at the Hindu religion), no doubt a couple of gays and a chest thumper or two who hold views similar to mine but don’t have the guts to voice them.

And why on earth doesn’t Rumbold post a few topics about domestic violence amongst the majority white community in the UK? Maybe some of the young white thugs terrorizing council estates who have earned dozens of asbos by age 16 need parenting lessons more than our parents generation! Too close to home, eh.

Ideological crusades on izzath issues won’t get you far. Need genuine efforts.