| Sajha.com Archives | |
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| paramendra | Posted
on 05-Mar-03 05:31 PM
Maximus Paramendra Bhagat February 24, 2003 http://www.geocities.com/paramendra/2003/maximus.html --- Iraq is all over the map, on NPR, screaming headlines at newsstands, on the TV screen at truck stops, online in small towns when waiting to get loaded, at public libraries, Main Street eateries --- Bush dismissed the largest anti-war demonstration in history: "I respectfully disagree ..." --- Mandela charged. Bush can not "think properly." The United States has been the only power in history that has irresponsibly used WMDs. They wiped out Hiroshima and Nagasaki when "the Japanese were retreating on all fronts ..." --- Arundhati Roy appeared alongside Mandela on NPR. The author of the Booker Prize-winning book I got as Christmas gift: The God Of Small Things. "Should we bomb Bush out of the White House?" she asked ... --- "Then the girstly-bristly face contorted, and Estha's hand was wet and hot and sticky. It had egg white on it. White egg white. Quarter-boiled ... The lemondrink was cold and sweet. The penis was soft and shriveled like an empty leather change purse. With his dirtcolored rag, the man wiped Estha's other hand." (page 99) --- There's Petro, Flying J, Pilot, Love's, William's --- And there are little independent ones with local character, the Tiger Truck Stop in Louisiana, replete with live tigers and Cajun cooking, the Segovia Truck Stop in the oversize state of Texas, the one in Needles, California, and the Triple T Truck Stop in Tucson, Arizona, where several movies have been shot --- Saddam is indefensible --- But the anti-war rhetoric is not about him --- The country with the largest stockpile of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons preaches the evils of WMDs --- The talk of non-proliferation makes sense only within a framework of universal disarmament, which is nowhere close to forthcoming ... --- But then if it is the distrust of a non-democratic regime, India is the largest democracy, and there still was loud talk against India's nuclear weapons --- Since Saddam is indefensible, and there is no domestic or regional power that can get rid of him, enter USA --- Will it be liberation, or will it be occupation --- Will there be the dominoe effect of fallen autocratic regimes in large swathes of the Arab world, by any standards a welcome change --- Germany, Japan, and now Iraq --- A country apparently willing to spend a few hundred billion dollars to "liberate" Iraq --- A costly repartee to Saddam's attempt on the senior Bush's life --- The same country should be able to pay the UN a billion when it is due, or spend about 10 or 50 billion dollars each year to fund domestic movements in every country that lacks democracy --- For democracy --- Non-violent, domestic movements, domestic leadership --- Much, much cheaper in terms of dollars as well blood --- But then too many American companies benefit from war: those bombs get manufactured somewhere --- Yes, oil, yes, profits, capitalism, bottomline, special interests --- The racism of double standards --- A trucker talking to another at a L.A. terminal informs a friend of his has offered to "whack" his ex-wife, and then, in the same breath, he launched into a tirade on Iraq --- The US is the new colonial power --- The kind of folks for whom Bush paints simplistic pictures of good and evil, for ready consumption, people who Bush screws with his massive tax cuts for the super rich, but who are for him anyway --- They would invent war if they did not have one --- No signs the U.S. economic meltdown is about to slow down --- "I nominate Secretary Powell for President of the United States," a fawning Senator says at a hearing --- Is this a slightly different kind of Republican --- One that finally shows Trent Lott the door --- Lott once wished lightning strike Hillary Rodham Clinton --- He still had his job after that --- The remark was sexist, not personal, or partisan --- Lott, Helms, representing poor, white, racist males whose vitriolics have been to the tune of concentrated sulphuric acid --- If it is about democracy --- The right to vote is a Homo Sapien thing --- One person, one vote all the way to the top --- A different kind of United Nations --- Yes to a universal spread of democracy --- Yes to world government --- Globalization needs political wings © 2003 Paramendra Bhagat |
| surya | Posted
on 05-Mar-03 07:17 PM
Arundhati Roy should stick to her fiction. She is a great fiction writer. I remember that scene. very disturbing. Very beleivable. I like Arundhati... as a writer of fiction, but all her political rhetoric so far has left me cold. What a dumb comment for a supposes proponent of far... yeah even if it was supposed to ridicule Bush and the current US policy on Iraq. And Hillary. Hillary. Hillary Rodham Clinton! I don't think I would mind seeing her being struck by lightning! Nothing sexist about that! Trent Lott is obviously a racist! But an open bigot is better than a closeted bigot in my opinon! Hillary and Bill did more damage to the cause of women than Trent Lott will or ever did to the cause of race relations! And world government! No thank you! Maybe someday. But not today! Don't know if ever! I wanna hear more about those little truck stops. |
| SITARA | Posted
on 06-Mar-03 05:15 AM
Paramendra ji Some more plzz! :) |
| MunnaMobile | Posted
on 06-Mar-03 05:33 AM
Wow Sitara..dont you think it too early to post...hehehehehe "The early bird catches the worm" or was it the strong coffee thats keeping you awake?..Just wondering:P |
| kale_ko_chartikala | Posted
on 06-Mar-03 09:14 AM
With spirit of Paramendra "They would invent war if they did not have one", here is humor for you guys. Enjoy :) During a propaganda tour, president Bush visits a school to explain his politics to kids. He invites the kids to ask him questions. Bobby stands up and tells him "Mr. President, I got 3 questions:" 1. How come, that although the count of votes was not in your favor, you still won the election? 2. Why do you want to attack Iraq without an imminent reason? 3. Don't you also consider the bombing of Hiroshima the biggest terrorist attack of all times? Before the president can answer, the recess bell rings, and the kids leave the room. After they came back, Bush invited them again to ask questions. Joey stands up and tells him "Mr. President, I got 5 questions:" 1. How come, that although the count of votes was not in your favor, you still won the election? 2. Why do you want to attack Iraq without an imminent reason? 3. Don't you also consider the bombing of Hiroshima the biggest terrorist attack of all times? 4. Why did the recess bell ring 20 minutes early? 5. Where's Bobby? |
| paramendra | Posted
on 19-Mar-03 02:40 PM
Surya: "...Hillary and Bill did more damage to the cause of women than Trent Lott will or ever did to the cause of race relations! ...." This comment blows my mind. You mind explaining. How do you feel about the Bushist attacks on the pro-choice movement? Sitara: "...Some more plzz! :) ..." It is in the offing. It is just that I get to go online rarely these days. But I will comply, if only for you ji. :-) kale_ko_chartikala, wow. A nice tale. A statement perhaps on the Bushist attacks on civil liberties. They harass 5,000 Arabs, and then catch one bad guy, and claim the policy is just fine. |
| surya | Posted
on 19-Mar-03 04:26 PM
The Clintons and Lott... As you know what Lott said has rendered him jobless. He was called on his racist remark and made to step down by his peers. He has been shamed and a very strong message has been sent to all political leaders who aspire to legitamate public life that being a bigot and supporting racist divisive agendas are not only not rewarded, but will be swiftly condemned and that not tolerated. On the other hand, Bill Clinton through out his career as a governor and while at the helm of the country, abused his privledge and position to take advantage of women. It is considered totally unfashionable to condemn his relationship with Monica Lewisnky among a certain set, because 1)it's supposed to be consensual adult relationship and 2) it's sexual prudishness on the part of those who think otherwise. Therein lies one of the bigest problem. Bill Clinton, and Hillary's silence and implicit support of the creep, undermined work done by anti-sexual harassment activists. Bill and Hillary - along with their supposed "feminist" buddies who turned their back on the women who spoke up about their abuse at the hands of Bill - have basically said sexual harassment, gendered abuse of power is okay. That speaking up against powerful men who abuse women is only going to mean you will be ridiculed, harassed, publicly humiliated and ostracized. That is psychologically as well as politically pretty damaging for the cause of women. Hillary's choice to stay with her adulterous husband is her personal decision, but I would rather not have someone like her being held up as some sort of "feminist ideal" of womanhood. The woman is power hungry and she has traded in her own dignity and respect her for gender for the glory of the governnor/president's wife and now capitalizing on her husband's coat tails as a senator. As for the pro-choice movement... thank goodness for the democratic processes in place, President Bush's personal views don't become law. There is room for debate and advocacy and activists are making sure they are heard and heeded. I am pro-choice, but not blindly so. The pro-choice/reproductive rights arena is not all black and white. I truely beleive women must have the right to choose, but women also need to be responsible for the choices they make. The intense focus on abortion alone has muddied the waters and taken away from other important issues like education and contraceptives. Bushist .... what is that now? Name calling? lame. |
| paramendra | Posted
on 19-Mar-03 04:42 PM
Surya: Every fatassy of Bill Clinton's right wing enemies is not gospel. Hardly. Lurid fantassies on that. The Clintons have also been accused of murder. Do you buy that accusation? Don't believe all printed words. The Anita Hill episode of 1991 (?) actually helped Clinton's 1992 pro-choice agenda. I take serious issue with this: "Hillary's choice to stay with her adulterous husband is her personal decision, but I would rather not have someone like her being held up as some sort of "feminist ideal" of womanhood. The woman is power hungry and she has traded in her own dignity and respect her for gender for the glory of the governnor/president's wife and now capitalizing on her husband's coat tails as a senator." This is so anti-Hillary. The woman who has been called the Madonna of politics. On the world stage today, she happens to be the woman with the greatest political power as well as promise. How can you claim to be for the further empowerment of women and be so blindly, strongly anti-Hillary!? This dog won't hunt, as Bubba would say. "I truely beleive women must have the right to choose, but women also need to be responsible for the choices they make." This is revealing. The pro-choice movement is not a pro-abortion movement. It is a pro-choice movement. A pregnant woman may choose to have the baby. That is just fine. But that has to be the woman's choice. Have you noticed, the staunchly "pro-life" people also happen to be those who think the only place for women is the kitchen, the "home?" If they are so pro-life, why don't they help fund the vaccinations of children in the Global South, or are those children not "LIFE?" |
| surya | Posted
on 19-Mar-03 07:12 PM
Fantasy of Clinton bashers, huh? Well, I guess I am labelled gullible by Mr. Paramendra. I am so hurt! Just like I thought! If I don't agree with you, I must be wrong and stoopid. Did I expect any differently? Not really! As for being anti-hillary as you have now labelled me... Who cares if she's been called the "Madonna"... which one BTW... the marketing queen or the Virgin? I think it makes a difference. What is revealing? I don't know what is so revealing in my statement where I say women have to be responsible for the choices they make? Yeah there are cookes who are pro-life and think women belong at home... whatever. I care less about those morons, except how they might bomb clinics, attack doctors and women and reverse Roe Vs. Wade. Being pro-life is not the same thing as being insular and xenophobic. It's people's rights to choose where they want to spend their money... if they want to invest in the children of the "global south" thats great, if not, well what to do? It's their money isn't it? And whose children are they now? What's with the sense of entitlement? |
| SITARA | Posted
on 20-Mar-03 04:02 AM
Paramendra ji Plzz do "comply"...but not only "for me"; there are Many who enjoy your writing; your knack for observing details and analyzing them. I may not agree with everything you say but I like how you write and reason. How about some more on your trucking? |
| paramendra | Posted
on 14-Apr-03 12:37 PM
Sitara. I will be back with more shortly..... PKB Hopkins, MN |
| paramendra | Posted
on 14-Apr-03 12:38 PM
Talk about Bill Clinton. We were in the same town last night, the two of us. But I only learned of his presence this morning. The local public radio broadcast his speech here not long back. The twin cities. Minnesota. |
| paramendra | Posted
on 17-Apr-03 01:23 PM
Maximus (II) Paramendra Bhagat March 20, 2002 http://www.geocities.com/paramendra/2003/maximus2.html --- Topless men and women by the oceanfront in Miami Beach, displaying bodies of diverse shapes, sizes, masses and contours for the benefit of the passing oceanliners --- One holds more cargo than maybe 500, maybe a thousand trucks --- "Watch out for the four-wheeler in the left lane, mile marker ..." --- Spring Break leftovers --- USA Today has numerous pages of coverage on the first day of the war in Iraq --- You fuel up at one end of Texas, and then you fuel up again at another --- "There's nothing west of San Antonio" --- Going west on Interstate 10, coming back on Interstate 40, through the spring time snow in Flagstaff, Arizona, the two casinoes in Acoma, New Mexico, caching, loop --- The Little America Truck Stop in Flagstaff ... the place is actually carpeted, the bathrooms dry, parking plentiful and one way like at the Rest Areas --- "Fat people are stupid" --- "I've been called Osama before" --- "Honey" --- The bluest blue Pacific, the green Atlantic --- Pasadena, just passing through --- Before ever setting foot, or rather tire, into the state, I thought of California in terms of dot com dares, software, Hollywood and referendums --- But it's also a major farming state --- Chanced upon a fair in Tulare where kids in different age groups were showing off their sheep, pigs and cows in competitions, replete with referees --- The animals walk, as does the thoughtful looking referee --- "All the lambs on display today do our industry proud. I am impressed with their muscularity ..." --- "This county produces more milk than any other part of the world. Used to be Wisconsin, not any more ..." --- The valley in California, the only part of America I have seen flat like the floor, like my homevillage and hometown in south-east Nepal ... they even have tall mountains on the horizon --- Sacramento, Janakpur --- "I have not been to Nebraska" --- "You will go to Nebraska" --- An aspiring entrepreneur of a brother --- Internet Cafes at the major chowks in Janakpur --- A rupaiya millionaire in the making perhaps --- Warren Buffet does not buy stocks these days ... he buys into privately held companies --- What is the percentage return on your investments --- What interest rate does your credit card charge --- Are you swimming --- Or is it a sinking feeling --- Salt on the skin, salt in the mouth, salt on the undone bikinis, salt perhaps on the blaring sun --- "They can track your truck down ..." --- Satellite communication --- Engine idling, no engine idling --- And you feel the truck slide, it can't have been ice, must be rain water and engine oil on the pavement; you manage to stay in lane --- Accidents happen, you see a few each day --- Cars slide off the road every time it snows, you see it --- Speeding tickets are given aplenty --- Except to the biker who sped up to over a hundred in the tunnel in Baltimore --- It is a window office, it is just that it moves at 70 miles per hour --- Alligator meat, ostrich, bison --- Coming down to warm to hot Florida air from the snow in Flagstaff --- The interstates get predictable, but the five hours down US 27 to Miami feels different each time --- The panhandle, the everglades --- The gulf, Key Point West --- "Trucks, use lower gear, 6% grade next five miles, speed limit 35 ..." --- Lost Hills, California, much fog --- The new leaves on the twisted grape thuds --- Wine country --- Jack Daniels in Tennessee --- Al Gore on the board of Apple Computer --- Steve Jobs pulled one --- Solo, 27 cents a mile --- Team, 18 cents for every mile the truck runs --- Trainer, 27 cents for every mile the truck moves --- Mithila art on the storeys to be added --- A "khapada" roof, San Jose style, tiles --- "You've been sending postcards to my mechanics? ..." --- The Dixie Chicks are ashamed Bush is from Texas --- Bill Clinton and Bob Dole are on TV, again --- Tax cuts, Iraq, the United Nations --- Dole: "I've heard many jokes about the United Nations, but nothing tops the real thing ..." --- Clinton: "Sure it is frustrating to work with the United Nations, as it was for me to work with a Republican Congress ..." --- Painted Desert --- Petrified Forest --- Sky City Casino --- Dancing Eagle Casino --- Caching --- "Do you want to drive eight or 10 hours? ..." --- Centrum, multi-vitamins --- Hot plate, the stove for a moving truck, pressure cooker mechanism, aluminum foil --- Rice, daal, canned vegetables, trips to Indian grocery stores --- Pepsi two-litre bottles of water filled up at the company terminal --- Laundry bag --- Showers on the Petro card --- Clippers for hair and nail --- Failed attempts at imitating Amitabh Bachchan was back in the day, now it is Nana Patekar, or rather Demi Moore in G. I. Jane --- Shorts and sandals, wallet and keys --- Billboards, pop-up ads --- Ads next on foreheads --- Lower bunk, upper bunk --- Refrigerator, CB radio --- "Swift, do you copy?" ... " --- The accent silences the conversation --- Going online at a public library is "home time" --- "Do you think Colin Powell will become President some day?" --- "Are you crazy? They will kill him also. Like that other guy." --- "Who? Martin Luther King?" --- "Yes." --- Tax cuts --- Personal responsibility --- God, honor, country, family --- "And then you get a letter out in the desert telling you your wife is f-cking your friend ..." --- A soldier who fought in the 1991 war, now a trucker --- "The rich have too little money, and the poor too much..." --- He felt listened to, and then he said, "I have thought of running for President. All you have to be is 35, and an American citizen. I mean, how many truckers there are out there? Just look at the numbers ..." --- Pines, short cuts to greenery along the highways © 2003 Paramendra Bhagat |
| NK | Posted
on 24-Apr-03 08:22 AM
Was browsing. Came upon this. Enjoued reading Param- indra! :) |
| Nepe | Posted
on 24-Apr-03 03:29 PM
Kabyaatmak Shabda-chitra. Damn good. Keep painting, Param ! |
| Lalupate*Joban | Posted
on 24-Apr-03 03:48 PM
Paramendra, you do rock! Kind of. At times. |
| forget-me-not | Posted
on 24-Apr-03 07:44 PM
greaaaaat paramendra bro... |