By: Ramesh Kallidai
“Anybody who holds weapons of mass destruction poses a serious threat to peace, and must be destroyed,” said a leader from the north. “But this seems a politically incorrect thing to say in public. So we just end up making anti-war noises even though we don’t really feel that way deep inside.”
My conversations with Hindus across Britain echoed a similar point. Privately many wished to see Iraq’s links with terror neutralised. But the need for political correctness meant the leaders could not admit they were pro-war. They were forced to take an anti-war stance that also sounded anti-Saddam at the same time. To me, that sounded very much like the proverbial desire to have the cake and eat it too.
Cake or no cake, most public statements were sprinkled with the half-hearted references to the need for abiding by UN resolutions or the option of giving more time to Iraq. Private conversations however were passionately in support of Tony Blair’s ruling on war and spewed hatred for Saddam.
When diplomacy fails to restore peace, force is the last, and perhaps the only option. And that is what Tony Blair has been shouting hoarse for the past few weeks. If we can only be brave enough to say what we truly believe in, we could have made the Prime Minister’s job that much easier. Unfortunately political correctness has overtaken plain old common sense. Om shantih!
Cross with the cross
Talking of political correctness, some local councils have taken the whole matter beyond common sense and into the realm of unforgivable ridiculousness.
I couldn’t believe my ears when I heard that a few local councils had ordered their schools to take hot cross buns off their menu over Easter for fear it may offend Jewish, Hindu and Muslim sensibilities.
Councils that have queued up in earnest to perform this good deed include Tower Hamlets, York, Wolverhampton, Wakefield and Liverpool. Birmingham had earlier banned hot cross buns and has now relented – it has now asked individual schools to feel free to take their own decision.
Being cross with the cross seems like a silly option. I mean, I have used the symbol of the cross umpteen times in my life without ever associating it with Christianity.
If the Councils carry on like this, it can turn all of us into bizarre freaks - we may be asked to stop using the the letter ‘X’ because it looks like a cross and will offend non-Christians; or asked to stop using the letter ‘C’ because it looks like a crescent and will offend non-Muslims.
In our unheralded hurry to prevent religious offence, we seem to have slowly changed the definition of tolerance.
Tolerance does not mean saying ‘no’ to all religions. The real option is to say ‘yes’ to them all. In a tolerant society, one can live peacefully with the practices, symbols and artefacts of religions other than one’s own. Removing all the paraphernalia of religion is a bit like chopping off someone’s head just because they have a splitting headache.
Perhaps if our Councils would stop trying to help us, we will be able to keep our heads and cure our aches too.
In any case, I feel wisely offended by all the cow-hide shoes that the pupils wear in school – cow-killing is totally unacceptable to decent Hindus. I hope they will have the good sense to ban leather shoes in schools and ask all pupils to wear rubber flip-flops instead. It is never too late to ask. And with the councils in such an appeasing mood, they may actually agree to such a reasonable request. Gau-mata ki jay!
For the bhajiya archives please visit www.oocities.org/hotbhajiya
For those of you brave enough to resist offending non-Christians, please enjoy this vegetarian recipe!
Hot Cross Buns
2 cups milk
salt
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon cinnamon
6 tablespoons vegetable shortening
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 packages dry-active yeast
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup currants
56 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon orange extract
1 cup double cream or sour cream
1 cup powdered sugar
1-2 tablespoons milk
drop of vanilla
Combine 2 cups flour, sugar, salt, and yeast.
Heat milk, water, and shortening over low heat until warm.
Gradually add to dry ingredients.
Beat 2-3 minutes.
Add cream and 1/2 cup flour, or enough flour to make a thick batter.
Beat 2-3 minutes.
Stir in cinnamon, raisins, orange extract, and enough flour to make a soft dough.
Turn onto lightly floured board.
Let stand 510 minutes.
Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
Place the dough in a greased bowl, rotate dough to oil top of dough.
Cover, and let rise till double, about 1 hour.
Punch down and rise again, 1 hour.
Punch down again, turn onto lightly floured board.
Shape as into 5" rounds and place on a greased pan.
Let rise again, 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Slit tops making an X.
Brush with melted butter.
Bake 2025 minutes.
Combine powered sugar, milk, and vanilla.
Drizzle over warm bread.