So you thought I was done expounding on the issue of resentment toward the privileged?
You’re right. I was.
But some very articulate folks aren’t, the Lord be praised, and here’s what they have to say:
Any and every attack on one’s country and fellow citizens is shocking and upsetting, no matter who the perpetrators or what the cause might be. There is no part of the country that is “okay” to be attacked. And yet the scale of our reaction to these attacks is very different. As a lot of people have pointed out, some of them on this very blog, the Mumbai attacks, while shocking, are not unprecedented in terms of style. They’re been all the rage in Kashmir for quite a while now, for instance.
So why haven’t I ever felt quite as strongly about those attacks? They too were outrages perpetrated against Indian citizens on Indian soil and dealt with by the Indian army.
Short answer? Because I don’t feel about Kashmir the way I do about Mumbai.
If you do, then good for you, but I don’t. I’m very sorry, but there’re certain parts of India of which I’m more fond than others. These tend to be places that I have visited or places that I intend to visit someday. Kashmir, thus far, is not on that list. I feel like a traitor for saying that because it’s Kashmir, you know, and I grew up in an age where you had to be rabidly invested in Kashmir’s status in the Indian union, but that’s precisely why I have such different feelings for Mumbai vs. Kashmir.
…………….
But last month as I watched the Taj burn on TV, my world fell apart. My blood is intrinsically connected to Colaba. A lot of it has to do with the fact that I get to gawk at a lot of rich people, everybody speaks Hindi with an accent and it’s the only place in the world I get confectionery which I can multiple orgasm over and then dance a Mexican Hat Dance while waving a glass of cold coffee over my head while shouting “I’MMA GONNA MARRY THISA PLACA.” A lot of it has to do with the fact that when my mother was busy treating me like the illegitimate child that my dad went and had on their honeymoon while she had to clean up cat poo for three weeks, Colaba was the fat lady next door who baked me cookies and showed me glittery things and kept me distracted. Colaba was the best friend who stayed up all night to hear me sob, Colaba was the boyfriend who hid me in his room till I could sneak out early in the morning.
Colaba took away my home and with it my three days of a childhood spiralled up like coloured bits of paper in the billowing smoke. I guess we have strange ways of growing up.
………….
Salman Rushdie on Arundhati Roy’s disparaging remarks about the iconic status of the Taj:
I thought that particular remark in her piece was disgusting. The idea that the deaths of the rich don’t matter because they are rich is disgusting. The idea that 12 members of the Taj staff who heroically gave their lives to save many of the guests are to be discounted because they are, presumably, lackeys of the rich—this is nauseating. This is amoral. She should be ashamed of herself.
Okay? Okay. NOW I’m done.
Wisdom Wears Neon Pyjamas 
The rich and privileged do grieve. I wonder why people think that they cannot/should not.
Just yesterday i was marvelling at the tirade of anti-AR letters to the editor of the latest Outlook; at how just one award-winning book gives her the authority to rant as she does; at how she hasn’t got an honorary citizenship of the countries whose causes she so fervently espouses; at how………never mind, am ranting!
Oh come ON. Agreed, Arundhati Roy is India’s Michael Moore, damaging the cause she believes in.
This article, if you read it, states clearly that
(a) Her grouse is with the media ignoring the tragedy at CST in comparision to the totally overblown coverage of the Taj. One of the points, that BTW, even Holy Miss MoleyBarkha admits *may* have been a *tad* wrong in the coverage.
“The terrorists did not distinguish between poor and rich. They killed both with equal cold-bloodedness. The Indian media, however, was transfixed by the rising tide of horror that breached the glittering barricades of “India shining” and spread its stench in the marbled lobbies and crystal ballrooms of two incredibly luxurious hotels and a small Jewish center.”
This is the exact text of her article, and while the media may agree/disagree, it doesn’t talk of the rich themselves , victims or otherwise.
(b) She does consider the Taj an obscene symbol of power in a poor country. Entitled to her opinion. Smearing her to imply that she somehow condoned/denigrated the deaths there is merely to borrow a leaf from one of those idiots who came on TV saying something like “Teesta and Arundhati (or whoever) , I hope you are ashamed of yourself” in order to highlight the problems that cops face.
And in itself, the article (undeniably poorly written, but nonetheless) is talking about whether we need to look within. I wouldn’t exactly agree with it, but your take, I felt, is unfair.
Woo hoo!
As for AR, I wish I could hate her first and only book, but unfortunately I can’t. As for the rest…well, I jolly well can!!
What is this Rich poor thing.. i totally don’t understand it at all… Look, in d end all are humans..
😦 AR is one Specimen,with something gone terribly wrong in her head
I wonder why people think people should tell people how people should feel? ( too many people me thinks… )
*…still wondering*
Pain is pain dammit & rich or poor does it really make a difference ?
This reminds me of the movie (I forget the name) where Nana Patekar smashes the nails of 2 guys &as the blood oozes out mixes the 2 & asks bystanders to identify which is Hindu blood & which Muslim.Same logic applies here & I’m sick of people who try to distinguish & analyse instead of doing something constructive to help.
And yes if a tragedy takes place in my backyard it will affect me more than if it takes place in an area of my country I’ve never been to.That’s human nature & I’ll be damned if I have to apologise for that.
Wish people would step back and understand why terrorists with larger aims choose larger targets such as NYC or Mumbai. It isn’t personal. (usually.) They need to hurt a economic power or a political entity – as these are considered as the enemy. We all will agree that on a humanity scale – a rich life is the same as a poor life. But on scale of the business of terrorism – they are not the same. And because our government, the citizens and the media are dealing with and are impacted by the business of terrorism – greater energies are spent in covering attacks which are more economically or politically relevant.
Deal with it. The terrorists aren’t making it personal… you shouldn’t either.
Its surprising how sanctimonious people become – who gives anybody the right to decide who should grieve and about what. And whether that grief is genuine or feigned? Astounding really!
Apologies for getting back to you late on this one, people.
Thanks for your responses, each of you made valuable points.
Grimescene: As of this minute, you are my official speechwriter.