OP
OP
maruti
Guest
What's wrong with Brahmins declaring themselves to be a minority community? We indeed are a minority community. Sikhs, Buddhists, and Jains are breaking away from H'ism, and are being treated as minorities. Why can't we break away from H'ism, doing which we obtain similar benefits? This has political advantages, because in a country like India, minority appeasement is extremely important to every political party. Aligning with other minorities will also help, because we'll be one potent force. So why view Christians as a religious community, let's just view them as another minority community like ours, abused and attacked by the majority.
Muslims and other minorities gain worldwide sympathy by playing the Hindu Fundamentalist card. Why can't minority brahmins do the same thing? Do we have to be Hindus in order to be Brahmins? Our religion is Sanatana Dharma, and that has nothing to do with H'ism. Our religion is Brahminism, not H'ism. In short, we are a minority community being oppressed by the majority Hindus. It's on this basis we must launch our crusade.
Alliances with other minorities will fit into this scheme, because we'll then have the following in common:
#1 Common Enemy, Hindus and H'ism
#2 Similar Agenda like reservations, conversions etc.
#3 Brahmins can boycott NB businesses and do business with minorities, provided there's reciprocity.
#4 Manipulate politics and politicians
#5 Christian-controlled media can be used in favor of Brahmins
All this will help Brahmins build their community (which most ppl seem to want without cleverly going into how they're going to build it), but also make us important to politicians and media for the first time. Even if one argues that alliances are not important, we still have to build our community, and that cannot happen without political support.
Everything is political. Without manipulating politicians, nothing can be accomplished. Even if one says 'quick fixes' are not important, we have to develop our community, how can one go about it when politicians are anti-Brahmin? Suppose we want to develop our temples to promote our brahminical culture, how would you do that when govt. controls them? Or, if you want to spread Brahminical literature, again how would you set about it, if the govt. and other NB groups become inimical to this idea? As one can see, every move to "develop Brahmin community" will result in frustration, if we lack political power. And the only way to obtain it is by playing the minority card, and aligning with other minorities, because that way, we can at least influence decisions in our favor, even if we don't directly hold any power.
In conclusion, while I agree there are no shortcuts, and that we have to develop and strengthen our community, even that development can come about only if we adopt the same strategies as do other minorities.
Muslims and other minorities gain worldwide sympathy by playing the Hindu Fundamentalist card. Why can't minority brahmins do the same thing? Do we have to be Hindus in order to be Brahmins? Our religion is Sanatana Dharma, and that has nothing to do with H'ism. Our religion is Brahminism, not H'ism. In short, we are a minority community being oppressed by the majority Hindus. It's on this basis we must launch our crusade.
Alliances with other minorities will fit into this scheme, because we'll then have the following in common:
#1 Common Enemy, Hindus and H'ism
#2 Similar Agenda like reservations, conversions etc.
#3 Brahmins can boycott NB businesses and do business with minorities, provided there's reciprocity.
#4 Manipulate politics and politicians
#5 Christian-controlled media can be used in favor of Brahmins
All this will help Brahmins build their community (which most ppl seem to want without cleverly going into how they're going to build it), but also make us important to politicians and media for the first time. Even if one argues that alliances are not important, we still have to build our community, and that cannot happen without political support.
Everything is political. Without manipulating politicians, nothing can be accomplished. Even if one says 'quick fixes' are not important, we have to develop our community, how can one go about it when politicians are anti-Brahmin? Suppose we want to develop our temples to promote our brahminical culture, how would you do that when govt. controls them? Or, if you want to spread Brahminical literature, again how would you set about it, if the govt. and other NB groups become inimical to this idea? As one can see, every move to "develop Brahmin community" will result in frustration, if we lack political power. And the only way to obtain it is by playing the minority card, and aligning with other minorities, because that way, we can at least influence decisions in our favor, even if we don't directly hold any power.
In conclusion, while I agree there are no shortcuts, and that we have to develop and strengthen our community, even that development can come about only if we adopt the same strategies as do other minorities.