fucktoyprincess
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quote:
ORIGINAL: tweakabelle
Any one who has visited India is immediately confronted with culture shock on a scale impossible to convey to those who haven't been there. Most (Western) people react to the in-your-face poverty by asking themselves: What can I do about it? That's the way I and everyone I know who's been there reacted.
The short answer, I'm sorry to say, is nothing. The problems are far too immense for any individual's actions to make a significant difference. Nor are they 'our' problems to solve - any solutions must come from within India, from the Indian peoples themselves.
This realisation opens up a possibility of doing something constructive, of doing something that can make a difference. We can support those organisations of Indians and Indian women in particular who are fighting for cultural change and practical change (eg education for girls) to end this quasi-genocide against girls and women.
A quick search of the net will supply websites and contact details for such organisations. Those organisations can tell us how we can most effectively support them. A relatively small amount for us - say $10 or $20 per month will make an amazing difference in India. Donations of unwanted clothes, household effects, school books and educational materials etc might make an amazing difference too. Moral and spiritual support does make an enormous difference to people struggling with these enormous issues on a daily basis. So there are some practical effective options open to us after all !
This links to the google page for Indian feminist organisations:
http://www.google.com.au/#hl=en&cp=28&gs_id=33&xhr=t&q=india+feminist+organisations&pf=p&sclient=psy-ab&source=hp&pbx=1&oq=india+feminist+organisations&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=&gs_upl=&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=4c26890357e371b1&biw=1152&bih=742
Yes, I think the perspective expressed here is very thoughtful. There are many in India who do not agree with what was in the video. Remember India is a very large country. When you have a billion people, when even a small percentage of people are doing something egregious, in terms of sheer numbers it is still a large impact. Most middle class and upper class families there do not practice gender selection - in other words, just like controversial issues in the U.S., not everyone thinks the same way on this issue, and the conflict is playing itself out.
For any of you who feel outrage, I think it is important to support the feminist and progressive groups in India who are working tirelessly, and often severely underfunded, to help them make the necessary changes within their own country. Please remember that India is a liberal democracy - it is not essentially a theocracy like many countries in the Middle East nor is it Communist like China. Change in India takes time in part because the government and religion does not force people to be a certain way or do certain things. The culture is antiquated, but it is slowly coming into the current century.
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~ ftp
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RE: Civilized Discourse or Passion? - 
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