SORRY ABOUT THAT

Sorry about that

The Americans have taken succinctness to a nether level. But they are relatively verbose when they say sorry, and usually appendage it with “about that”. That is how they say sorry in the land of Uncle Sam.

These days, I am grappling with a sagging paunch. The girth of which shows a hideously audacious stubbornness to any effort of reduction. And my younger son finds this appearance of mine challenging the concept that he has of his once fit dad. But visiting the United State is like redemption or even resurrection of a sagging self-esteem. Obesity and mind you, I am not saying being overweight, is a national malaise today in America. Today and average American is overweight to the state of being sick. The poorer you are more is the propensity to add casual kilos.

The reason for this is that a particular type of street cuisine (read junk food) is very cheap, And if you are less educated and poor, you are prone to gorge yourself more on such street food. And of course the consequence is in front of all of us. And a visitors tryst with this obese nation commences as soon as you board any American Carrier to reach the so famed land of opportunities. The stewards and stewardesses are all grossly overweight, and keep nudging you should you have chosen an aisle seating.

Having said this, it is a pity that some months ago, Barack Obama had the temerity to observe that Indians are responsible for the increase in food commodity prices. There are so many in India who go hungry days on end. Obama must visit their homes to see how they survive on a single meal in days, and how they struggle to feed their children. An average American is actually eating as much as a full football team in India would. More importantly, American is wasting enough food to feed the teeming millions who go hungry each day.

But who should explain this to an election bound Obama. The guy too has political compulsions and all he says cannot be practically analyzed on the altar of rationality.

What is Offensive about Aseems cartoon

Where is the disconnect? Is there something more than what meets the eye?

This young cartoonist from Kanpur, sketches something, and is charged under section 134 for sedition.

I am not for unbridled freedom of expression. My liberty clearly stops where someone else’ freedom starts. And this should veritably be the definition of freedom of speech of expression.

And of course the Hinglish speaking people scamper to debate the issue on TV under the stewardship of a high pitched moderator.

In the debate they debated no end as professional debaters. None of them tried to discuss what the cartoonist had drawn. I wonder if they were even aware of what had been drawn.

The Ashoka Emblem had been drawn with foxes instead of lions. In which way is this an insult to the symbol. This symbol is there on every MPs and bureaucrats letter head. It is on all official stationery, on which all types of irrational, corrupt and sometimes antinational notifications are scripted. This is same Ashoka which pips the shoulder of every police officer who is abetting smuggling of drugs and arms, or turning a blind eye to some antinational activity.

In fact in my view, the cartoonist laments, why the magnificent Ashoka has been so denigrated by corrupt politicians, and why the lions have been reduced to foxes by those who least deserve to be entitled to use such exalted state insignias. And by their actions bring disgrace the national symbols. He is only using satire to take his point to the corruption oppressed people.

Does this symbol not get insulted then??

And I would once again reiterate, all actions of the state reflect on the quality of the people

Just think about this??

I don’t think Indians are more patriotic or nationalist than Americans. If the Americans don’t decry the cartoon depiction of Statue of Liberty then why scoundrels like us who are selling their country at all forums become so overly sensitive.