June 14, 2010 on Russia Today
In India, clan councils want the government to ban marriages within the same sub-caste. But some couples who choose love over tradition pay the ultimate price: death at the hands of their own family.
Monday, June 14, 2010
"Honor Killings" of Inter-Caste Couples in India
June 14, 2010 on Russia Today
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I know historians typically point to British influence for the rise of inter-caste violence and discrimination in India. But what can be said of this issue now? How can people free themselves from the violence and stereotypes?
ReplyDeleteI was confused for a minute: the title should have used intra- rather than inter-caste.
ReplyDeleteThis begs the question, does all bat-shit-crazy tradition qualify as religion?
ReplyDeleteGood point. Generally, Hinduism and it's offshoots have always tended to avoid fanaticism. There's countless gods, and 10 members of the same family have always been usually free to persue their own inclination.
ReplyDeleteArguably, Hindus learned about intolerance from the introduction of Islam centuries ago (and Christianisty relatively recently.)
Some scholars say Caste is (like the sacredness of cows) a Hindu instruction, others say there's no direct connection. Either way, many Hindus have always embraced it. It's that delightful propensity of people everywhere to need someone to look down on.
I know on highly educated CHRISTIAN East Indian who feels extremely uncomfortable eating off the same plate previously used by an untouchable.
JEEBUS. Is there anyone here who wouldn't praise Allah to step into the same burka with the muslim babe pictured in the muslim singles ad just below these comments?
ReplyDeleteAgreed. There should be a clear distinction between religion, culture and tradition. Mixing those three is a devious way of cementing communal habits into universal law.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I have serious issues with the whole notion of "tradition". It is my understanding that tradition is something that is passed on from one generation to the next. And however cute that is, it has as much value as has religion in a secular society: only on a mere personal level and it is potentially harmful. It is when tradition is confused with culture that it becomes a real problem. Think bullfighting. I bet the bull loves being part of a culture where it is publicly slaughtered. It's tradition!
And the most dangerous form of tradition is one that hides behind religion. That is a tradition which is endorsed by the most highest of authorities, the Maker. These traditions we can REALLY do without.
Traditions should only matter when they can prove that they work for a particular reason. And then we call them "rights" or "common law" or somesuch.