Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site watdaisy.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!watdaisy!mvramakrishn From: mvramakrishn@watdaisy.UUCP (Rama) Newsgroups: net.nlang.india Subject: Re: In defense of caste-based reservation Message-ID: <7210@watdaisy.UUCP> Date: Sat, 27-Apr-85 13:17:18 EDT Article-I.D.: watdaisy.7210 Posted: Sat Apr 27 13:17:18 1985 Date-Received: Sun, 28-Apr-85 08:11:49 EDT References: <403@sftri.UUCP> <1638@ut-sally.UUCP> <189@uscvax.UUCP> <1693@ut-sally.UUCP> Distribution: net Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario Lines: 78 > This is in response to Baparao's article. My position is this: > > Yes, the caste system is and has been an unsavoury instance of one > ..... > . On moral grounds. I don't think the way to eliminate one set of caste > distinctions is to introduce another. Two wrongs don't make a right > (although two Wrights may have made a wrong - Ogden Nash on the airplane!). > They merely underline the differences, and further split our society. > And yes, I think I am entitled to use the word moral. I don't think > I am obligated to bear the cross for my forefathers. (If someone > differs on this point, I would be obliged if they took the trouble > to read Ayn Rand, say 'Atlas Shrugged', before they took up cudgels. > ........... Two wrongs? Well, then every body agrees one wrong has been committed. We are talking about : Is reservation justified? So don't assume it is wrong and proceed. 'bear the cross for my forefathers' Here again it seems to be implicitly assumed that forefathers did sin. Nobody has put the upper castes behind bars OR guillotined the upper castes for the sins of their forefathers. It it was done, then you may say what you have said. What the victims of SIN/WRONGS are asking is for corrections/compensations for their sufferings. If I may say so without intending any offence, it is clear you are too emotional in this issue, because of your wordings "TWO WRONGS" "BEAR THE CROSS FOR MY FOREFATHERS", "REVENGE"(I am not sure if it was you who used this word, but somebody did use this word). I would rather say that WRONGS have been committed and some people have suffered. The current forward caste people have some advantages because of this and the current lower castes have certain disadvantages. To set these things right, SOME concessions have to be extended to the lower castes for SOME years until The lower castes reach their natural level. This will invariably cause some loss to the upper castes. This is the price to be paid to set the wrongs of our society.(Here I said "our society" because if the lower castes never let the upper castes dominate in the past, then there would be no problem now. So we all have to agree that they have some part for their status. Upper castes should feel happy that what happened in FRANCE etc didn't happen. If it did then I agree for "TWO WRONGS", "BEAR THE CROSS", "REVENGE" etc., are the right words to use). If a rich man killed some body while he was drunk and driving, then it seems logical to expect the rich man's son, (who inherited the property) to pay something to the victims son. I certainly do not support too high a percentage of reservation which would significantly affect the best competant people and hence the country's progress. FACT: I have seen SC/ST having been invited for dinner in a brahmins house in city (ofcourse he was an officer, having benifited from reservations) and untouchability practiced in rural areas. FACT: To get admission in BANGALORE UNIVERSITY medical and Engineering colleges, you need to have I class even if you are a SC/ST.(There are enough first class(marks!) candidates among SC/ST to fill the reserved quotas). I mentioned these facts to illustrate the effects of reservation. May I suggest that future discussion should consider the realities and mentalities of common people in India rather than well educated residents of USA. (As we are reading this there is a school teacher out there, who is very nice ofcourse, but grew up in a rural orthodox brahmin's house and he/she doesn't even think that untouchability is wrong. Well, nobody can blame that teacher). If the whole population consisted of people like us (who are reading this news group) then ofcourse there is no need for reservations and indeed it will be "WRONG" and "SIN". I also think it is wrong to single out brahmins in this regard since the other upper castes also practice untouchability etc. -------- Ramakrishna -------- UUCP: {decvax,utzoo,ihnp4,allegra,clyde}!watmath!watdaisy!mvramakrishn CSNET: mvramakrishn%watdaisy@waterloo.csnet ARPA: mvramakrishn%watdaisy%waterloo@csnet-relay.arpa