cross-posted from: https://lemy.lol/post/23035781

People who still look for or look up to a strong leader still have this feudalistic mindset, a by-product of colonialism.

They are unaware that the true rulers in a democracy are the people themselves.

The public is the King in a democracy.

The government is our servant.

We pay their salaries via taxes. We decide whether to keep them or fire them every five years.

So if you want to improve your nation. You need a strong, responsible, educated and progressive voter. The true leaders of the country. The country will only go as far as the voters demand.

So, know your right. Know your power. And if the servant tries to walk all over you and steal your power, it’s time to kick them out.

Don’t settle for less. Don’t waste your vote on communal or racial comeraderie because that’s how conmen have conned the commonwealth for thousands of years.

Don’t give up your power unconditionally because the guy has the same religion or caste as you because then they can keep looting you unconditionally.

Remember it’s your job. You have to end corruption, you have to fix inflation, you have to make sure your women are safe, you have to make sure your everyone in your family and neighbourhood is employed, you have to make sure public schools and hospitals provides the highest quality of service. And the government is the servant you delegated these jobs to.

If that servant fails to make any progress. If they have made it worse. If they have hired corrupt subordinates instead of putting them in jail. If that servant ignores sexual violence based on caste or ethnicity. If that servant fails to provide the jobs they promised. How dare that servant stole all the power from the majority and lied to them that the minorities are stealing their power. It’s time to fire that servant before he comes for your freedom.

  • I don’t know what you’re getting at, but the Indian constitution is the last vestige of civilization there is in India.

    Good sir, what exactly do you refer to when you use the word civilization? The white man’s imaginary burden?

    Some people want to replace it with a theocracy. If you’re implying that’s what India’s citizens want, that’s a complete mischaracterization. Only deranged and brain washed people would want that. Innocent people who have no say in it - especially the next generation, will be the biggest losers in such a draconian change.

    From madarssas, to waqf to AIMPL… India has been acting as a minority theocracy in the garb of secularism. Indian citizens are no longer tolerating that and that scares lots of beneficiaries of british legacy systems. Mere suggestion of uniform law makes so many cultures cry.

    And finally, the quoted write up is in British language… which is not the language of desi voters, and will never be.

    It’s better than pretending that Hindi is the national language.

    Better for whom? For a few thousand families that hold much power since the time of the British, and will not leave their power and priviledge without a fight… and no, this is not about making hindi the national language. It is about seeing a corrupt and oppressive system as what it is, and knocking out its rotting pillars.

    What we have right now is a violation of the federal system of India …

    Hold that thought. a nation is not its system. Nation is people, and people’s assets. the system and government are not ends, but means of peace and prosperity of the people. and India’s system is no different. It is not an end in itself, and any ideology which begins by making system as an end belongs to the dustbin, not to human brains.

    … where one language - Hindi, is given importance over all the other regional languages, …

    English is the only language with undue advantage over others. That advantaged must be removed, no matter how hard the old families of power fight it. Hate against Hindi is a bogeyman to defend continuing English. But the days of English are coming to an end. Better push for a multiple language system, if you are scared of Hindi in particular.

    … ultimately translating to an undue advantage for Hindi speakers. It has already started to feel like the rest of India is a colony of Hindi speaking states. It’s better to have a language from a colonial past, rather than the language of active colonizers.

    Those who want to continue being chained, will continue being chained. And slaves do not get to choose their masters.

    British legacy, not just their language, is weakening each decade and a new, more Indian system is emerging. Instead of fighting the emerging system, try to make sure that your own culture/language finds the strongest place in it.

    • Good sir, what exactly do you refer to when you use the word civilization? The white man’s imaginary burden?

      You start right away with a malicious falsehood to start justifying your uncivilized ambitions. Branding civilized behaviour as white man’s burden is a low effort attempt at discrediting it. You need only common sense and sense of justice to understand what civilized behavior is. But your vested agendas won’t fly if you do.

      In addition, India’s constitution is a uniquely Indian creation. There is nothing like it in the world. The attempt to stamp it as a vestige of colonial rule is part of a revisionist agenda with vested interests.

      From madarssas, to waqf to AIMPL… India has been acting as a minority theocracy in the garb of secularism. Indian citizens are no longer tolerating that and that scares lots of beneficiaries of british legacy systems. Mere suggestion of uniform law makes so many cultures cry.

      Ha! What a joke! Repeating lies like a Nazi won’t make it true. Hindus aren’t just the majority in India, it isn’t hard to see that only the majority interests are given any priority under the current regime. Yet we see dog whistles like these where you falsely play the victim to justify imposition of more medieval sensibilities.

      It is not an end in itself, and any ideology which begins by making system as an end belongs to the dustbin, not to human brains.

      This is exactly what you right wingers want, isn’t it? Trash the constitution and replace it with mob law. Your justifications don’t hide the hideous intent behind it. But such anarchy and might is right policy will backfire in your face, possibly balkanizing the entire nation.

      English is the only language with undue advantage over others. That advantaged must be removed, no matter how hard the old families of power fight it.

      At least English doesn’t favor anyone in India in particular. All the other options favor one group and relegate the rest to second class citizens - and that is the real reason for this push for Hindi. But there are enough people who know this hideous agenda. Your hopes to replace English is just a pipe dream.

      Hate against Hindi is a bogeyman to defend continuing English.

      It doesn’t become a bogeyman just because your majesty says so. Hindi gives undue advantage to certain Northern states in governance, parliament, central exams and a lot of others. It’s your language chauvinism that prompts you to brush off those concerns as ‘bogeyman’.

      Better push for a multiple language system, if you are scared of Hindi in particular.

      The only reason you are pushing for multi language system is because you know it wont happen. It didn’t happen in 75 years and it sure as hell won’t happen under this Hindi supremacist regime. If you haven’t noticed, Hindi imposition on other states has only increased in the past decade with other languages are being sidelined. It’s so condescending and uncharitable to suggest pushing multilanguage policy knowing how improbable it is. So we push for English, not support the agenda of wannabe colonialists.

      Those who want to continue being chained, will continue being chained. And slaves do not get to choose their masters.

      To the rest of Indians, learning English is freedom, while learning Hindi is a sure shot way to modern day slavery. Your argument holds no water. And we will continue to resist your ambition to be the new age slave masters.

      Instead of fighting the emerging system, try to make sure that your own culture/language finds the strongest place in it.

      The emerging system of religious animosity, casteist oppression and linguistic hegemony? And we have to beg for our culture and language to survive in it? No thanks! Despite us learning English, our languages and cultures are thriving well in the current system. What we don’t want is a medieval system of cultural imperialism and oppression pushed in the name of nationalism where citizens are arranged into hierarchies of privileges.

      • Good sir, what exactly do you refer to when you use the word civilization? The white man’s imaginary burden?

        You start right away with a malicious falsehood to start justifying your uncivilized ambitions.

        All I asked here is a question, and suggested the most probable answer in most simple form. You could have given a different answer, but…

        Branding civilized behaviour as white man’s burden is a low effort attempt at discrediting it. You need only common sense and sense of justice to understand what civilized behavior is. But your vested agendas won’t fly if you do.

        You don’t explain your notion of civilization, but want me to deal with your notion of common sense, justice and civilized behavior.

        Why?

        In addition, India’s constitution is a uniquely Indian creation. There is nothing like it in the world. The attempt to stamp it as a vestige of colonial rule is part of a revisionist agenda with vested interests.

        Shri Ambedkar, unapologetically disagrees:

        “As to the accusation that the Draft Constitution has reproduced a good part of the provisions of the Government of India Act, 1935, I make no apologies. There is nothing to be ashamed of in borrowing. It involves no plagiarism. Nobody holds any patent rights in the fundamental ideas of a Constitution….”

        There used to be entire chapter worth of material to mug up for exams on which feature of Indian constitution is borrowed from which white country in textbooks.

        Did you skip all of that in school?

        From madarssas, to waqf to AIMPL… India has been acting as a minority theocracy in the garb of secularism. Indian citizens are no longer tolerating that and that scares lots of beneficiaries of british legacy systems. Mere suggestion of uniform law makes so many cultures cry.

        Ha! What a joke! Repeating lies like a Nazi won’t make it true. Hindus aren’t just the majority in India, it isn’t hard to see that only the majority interests are given any priority under the current regime. Yet we see dog whistles like these where you falsely play the victim to justify imposition of more medieval sensibilities.

        There. You just lost entire argument by Godwin’s Law. Prepare better for next time.

        • All I asked here is a question, and suggested the most probable answer in most simple form. You could have given a different answer, but…

          But what? Answer your misdirections? There is only one type of civilization - one based on justice and empathy. But you project it as a white man’s creation. This is just deceitful. A malicious justification.

          You don’t explain your notion of civilization, but want me to deal with your notion of common sense, justice and civilized behavior. Why?

          Because reasonable people with common sense all come to the same conclusion about justice and civilized behavior. Only people with delusions of past glory, racial supremacy and autocracy reach different conclusions. I don’t need to pander those tendencies of yours.

          There used to be entire chapter worth of material to mug up for exams on which feature of Indian constitution is borrowed from which white country in textbooks.

          Ambedkar only borrowed ideas. That doesn’t mean that it’s foreign. Your own quotation says so - “It involves no plagiarism”. I called it unique to India because it’s uniquely adapted to the conditions in India. It also has a depth that none others have. But you keep insisting that it’s a foreign invention. I would rather live in Ambedkar’s India than Manu’s India. What you’re aspiring for is a barbaric order that the citizens are not particularly found of.

          Did you skip all of that in school?

          Evidently, being in school is meaningless for people like you. We have learned enough to see the warning signs and consequences of an oppressive regime instead of clinging to technicalities to make up frivolous justifications for it.

          There. You just lost entire argument by Godwin’s Law.

          “Godwin’s law can be applied mistakenly or abused as a distraction, a diversion, or even censorship, when miscasting an opponent’s argument as hyperbole even when the comparison made by the argument is appropriate.” Nazi comparison is entirely justified here since we are talking about the importance of the constitution and the slide into authoritarianism. So perhaps you should learn that it’s hypocritical to use Godwin’s law indiscriminately like you do.

          Prepare better for next time.

          No amount of preparation is enough to talk to authoritarian apologizers like you. You can’t be reasoned with logic or reality. You live in your own delusions. You can live in the hell of your fantasies. Please spare the rest of us. We have no intention to go back to the dark ages with the likes of you.

          • All I asked here is a question, and suggested the most probable answer in most simple form. You could have given a different answer, but…

            But what? Answer your misdirections? There is only one type of civilization - one based on justice and empathy. But you project it as a white man’s creation. This is just deceitful. A malicious justification.

            I didn’t ask anything about “type of civilizations.” Pay attention.

            You don’t explain your notion of civilization, but want me to deal with your notion of common sense, justice and civilized behavior. Why?

            Because reasonable people with common sense all come to the same conclusion about justice and civilized behavior. Only people with delusions of past glory, racial supremacy and autocracy reach different conclusions. I don’t need to pander those tendencies of yours.

            “Reasonable people” is again a loaded term which you’ll try to avoid defining. Maybe stick to using words that you actually understand?

            There used to be entire chapter worth of material to mug up for exams on which feature of Indian constitution is borrowed from which white country in textbooks.

            Ambedkar only borrowed ideas. That doesn’t mean that it’s foreign. Your own quotation says so - “It involves no plagiarism”. I called it unique to India because it’s uniquely adapted to the conditions in India. It also has a depth that none others have. But you keep insisting that it’s a foreign invention. I would rather live in Ambedkar’s India than Manu’s India. What you’re aspiring for is a barbaric order that the citizens are not particularly found of.

            Lol. You want to suck up to ambedkar’s little cult more than following his logic to its natural end. If you undetstand nothing else, take nothing else from this discussion, take this basic logic: one can borrow/steal/usurp only what belongs to others.

            FYI, ambedkar never owned India. You can never live in his India.

            Did you skip all of that in school?

            Evidently, being in school is meaningless for people like you. We have learned enough to see the warning signs and consequences of an oppressive regime instead of clinging to technicalities to make up frivolous justifications for it.

            This discuss is a sifficient showcase of what you have learned. Foresight is far from thay.

            There. You just lost entire argument by Godwin’s Law.

            “Godwin’s law can be applied mistakenly or abused as a distraction, a diversion, or even censorship, when miscasting an opponent’s argument as hyperbole even when the comparison made by the argument is appropriate.” Nazi comparison is entirely justified here since we are talking about the importance of the constitution and the slide into authoritarianism. So perhaps you should learn that it’s hypocritical to use Godwin’s law indiscriminately like you do.

            Did you forgot that calling something justified is not sufficient to make it justified?

            Again?

            Prepare better for next time.

            No amount of preparation is enough to talk to authoritarian apologizers like you. You can’t be reasoned with logic or reality. You live in your own delusions. You can live in the hell of your fantasies. Please spare the rest of us. We have no intention to go back to the dark ages with the likes of you.

            You need to learn what logic means and what reality is, and how the two are related. Education has clearly failed you @4dpuzzle@beehaw.org.