Tuesday, November 01, 2005
HAPPY DIWALI
From the Taxman
Now that is a novel idea, provided everyone has given their "correct" mobile number to the Taxman!
We have heard of the Company boss making his employees redundant by text messages so why not send the tax demands? Mobile phones are getting like a growth on people's body, extra limb! I am guiltier of that than anyone else. My phone hangs on my neck 17 hours a day. No wonder I am beginning to suffer from neck pain.
I was not supposed to talk about any other subject but to wish everyone Happy Diwali and a Happy Hindu New Year tomorrow. We talk about integration and complain about segregation but how many people know or care what a small part of our community is celebrating today?
I am not defending the ones who never try to get along or mix in but do we think why people of ethnic origin live in a ghetto? It is animal instinct. We all like to be in familiar surroundings. We all like to be acknowledged and treated the same. We all like to seek support and help in the time of need. We all like social recognition. You cannot expect people to give up or change their inbred generations long traditions and ideas that easily and that quickly. So turning the nose up to their culinary habits or their dress sense isn't going to encourage them to move into non-ethnic area, is it?
Just like we expect the "foreigners" to learn our ways and adapt our ways do they not like us to learn something from them? The argument that they are in "our country" is a weak one, isn't it? We need to look deep inside ourselves and ask did we or would we give up our identity when we go to live somewhere else in the world?
Again that is another subject at another time. I have celebrated Christmas in India and today I want to celebrate Diwali in England so here we are wishing everyone in the world happiness and peace.
Now that is a novel idea, provided everyone has given their "correct" mobile number to the Taxman!
We have heard of the Company boss making his employees redundant by text messages so why not send the tax demands? Mobile phones are getting like a growth on people's body, extra limb! I am guiltier of that than anyone else. My phone hangs on my neck 17 hours a day. No wonder I am beginning to suffer from neck pain.
I was not supposed to talk about any other subject but to wish everyone Happy Diwali and a Happy Hindu New Year tomorrow. We talk about integration and complain about segregation but how many people know or care what a small part of our community is celebrating today?
I am not defending the ones who never try to get along or mix in but do we think why people of ethnic origin live in a ghetto? It is animal instinct. We all like to be in familiar surroundings. We all like to be acknowledged and treated the same. We all like to seek support and help in the time of need. We all like social recognition. You cannot expect people to give up or change their inbred generations long traditions and ideas that easily and that quickly. So turning the nose up to their culinary habits or their dress sense isn't going to encourage them to move into non-ethnic area, is it?
Just like we expect the "foreigners" to learn our ways and adapt our ways do they not like us to learn something from them? The argument that they are in "our country" is a weak one, isn't it? We need to look deep inside ourselves and ask did we or would we give up our identity when we go to live somewhere else in the world?
Again that is another subject at another time. I have celebrated Christmas in India and today I want to celebrate Diwali in England so here we are wishing everyone in the world happiness and peace.
# posted by butterflyuk : 11/01/2005 02:11:00 pm
