[Buddha-l] India: dalits and tribals in thousandsheadto Mumbaiforconversion to Buddhism

[jkirk]

Check his autobiography, The Story of My Experiments with Truth--I can't
recall it now, perhaps he never came right out supporting the caste system
per se--but he supported social roles for the rich in society as having
moral custodianship of the poor, etc--I can't recall the name of one of his
rich Marwari patrons, whom he defended against criticism. Gandhi once went
on a self-purification fast to end untouchability after Dr Ambedkar won
separate voting rights for untouchables, which Gandhi was against as he was
against all special political treatments for any of the divisions in Indian
society (like being against affirmative action in this country).
  JK 




----- Original Message -----
From: "jkirk" <jkirk at spro.net>
To: "'Buddhist discussion forum'" <buddha-l at mailman.swcp.com>
Sent: Monday, May 28, 2007 7:58 AM
Subject: RE: [Buddha-l] India: dalits and tribals in thousandsheadto
Mumbaifor conversion to Buddhism


>
> >
> Gandhi was too much trying to be a good Hindu and a good Indian. Being an
> excellent actor he got more credit then he deserved. In South-India
Periyar
> (Ramaswami Naiker) was the one who stood up for the Dalits against the
> Brahmins and that was something Gandhi never dared to do.
> And that again made Gandhi more popular.
> Naming someone a child of God, a Harijan, is a good way of belitteling
him,
> of repressive toleration.
> Erik
>
> ===========
> Gandhi can be "read" a few different ways. I never said he was perfect.
> IMO he wasn't working on being a good Hindu or a "good Indian." He got
> involved in the nationalist movement in India from the start, basedon his
> earlier experiences in South Africa. He was bestowed the mantle of a
> spiritual leader by thousands of avid followers and sympathizers, and took
> this role to heart, but his spiritual beliefs were concoted from different
> directions. He read Cristian and Muslim texts as well as the Gita. He kept
> trying to unify the masses away from their various social and religious
> divisions, and failed, partly because he became wedded to the Congress
> Party. As for standing up "for the dalits against the brahmins," Gandhi
was
> a man of north India and was a Gujarati as well, both characteristics of
> someone who supported the caste system, which he did. Periyar came from
the
> south,  where anti-Brahmin movements got started early on, and they
weren't
> led only by people who were standing up for dalits.
>
> Joanna
>
> No virus found in this outgoing message.
> Checked by AVG Free Edition.
> Version: 7.5.472 / Virus Database: 269.8.0/821 - Release Date: 5/27/2007
> 3:05 PM
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> buddha-l mailing list
> buddha-l at mailman.swcp.com
> http://mailman.swcp.com/mailman/listinfo/buddha-l
>


_______________________________________________
buddha-l mailing list
buddha-l at mailman.swcp.com
http://mailman.swcp.com/mailman/listinfo/buddha-l

No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition. 
Version: 7.5.472 / Virus Database: 269.8.0/821 - Release Date: 5/27/2007
3:05 PM
 

No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition. 
Version: 7.5.472 / Virus Database: 269.8.0/821 - Release Date: 5/27/2007
3:05 PM