Re: [WMASTERS] Tamil Inferiority Complex (Was: Selvaa's suggestions)

["Mani M. Manivannan" <manim@ix.netcom.com>]

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Dear Dr. Bala,

At 09:11 AM 9/28/97 +1000, you wrote:
>With due respect to your viewpoints Mani, I am afraid that your reply's
>tone only goes to satisfy the key criteria for "manifest attributes of
>inferiority complex", validity of specific arguments or lack thereof,
>notwithstanding.

Sorry for not responding quickly.  I had to consult the visiting Dr. Muthu
to cure me of this "manifest attributes inferiority complex".  He didn't
succeed. ;-)) I have to admire your skill and ability in remote diagnosis,
particularly with just one sample of my text ;-)).  Well, in the words of
Nixon, all I can say in defense is "I'm not a crook!"

I would like to have some thing clarified.  Assuming that you are an expert
in mass psycho-analysis and that you consider Prof. Schifmann to be an
authority on that as well, what was the point of your public diagnosis and
of Prof. Schifmann's opinions on this?  Since you consider any Tamil purist
arguments to be manifestations of inferiority complex and since you own the
Tamil.Net, do you want such voices to be silenced?  If not, what is the
point of starting a flame considering that you strongly discourage
flame-wars in the tamil net?

>I happen to believe that the No 1 enemy to Tamil is obsession with economic
>superiority (at the expense of ethos nurturing) and the No 2 enemy of Tamil
>is English, No 3 is lack of a digital standard. I also happen to think that
>undue obsessiveness with the "Nth" enemy only serves to distract attention
>from the No 1 and No 2 and No 3 enemy. And invariably this will leave us in
>a situation where none of the enemies are taken care of and the enemy takes
>care of us. 

I have to admit that I don't understand the economic superiority point.
But then I still need lot of psychiatric care. ;-)))  I don't know who
started this enemy list.  Your list is interesting; are we allowed to
disagree with the concept of the list itself?


>Prof Schiffman's conclusions arising from his analysis of the "politics" of
>languages dead, alive, roaring and dying are right on the dot. 

Hmmm.  That is a strong statement.  Just how familiar are you with the
Tamil Nadu politics to make that conclusion Bala?  Let me ask a few basic
questions and I want you reconsider your psycho-analysis based on your
awareness of the political background of the following issues.

1. What are the similarities (if there are any) between the segregated
American South and Tamil Nadu in the '50s?

2. What is Kula Kalvi Thittam?  Who sponsored it?  What were its goals? And
how was it implemented?  Any comparisons to the experiences of the American
south?

3. What was the major historical event that took place in a sleeply little
textile town called Kumarapalayam on the banks of Kavery in the year 1965?
Why is it relevant to modern Tamil politics?  (Hint: Kent State
University).  (Look up the coverage of the event in the old issues of the
Hindu and Vellore Murasu.  Compare and contrast the coverage.)

4. What was the name of the state of Tamil Nadu before 1967?  How did the
Tamil Nadu centers of influence react to the name change?  And why?

I consider atleast minimal familiarity with some of these issues to make
any political judgement of the language issue.  I know that as a Malaysian
Tamil your understanding of the events might be very different from mine.
The difference between political analysts and me, Bala, is that I lived
through these political currents.  Admittedly, my political beliefs,
language concerns, and world view were shaped by these currents.  If that
has led me and my generation to suffer manifest inferiority complex, so be
it.  Now that I had the diagnosis, I am waiting for the cure.


>Yes, we would prefer where possible to have pure Tamil words used instead
>of Sanskrit words - that is agreed and been agreed many many times. The
>issue I'm raising has not to do with the nitty-gritties of implementation.
>It has to do with strategy. Where should the bulk of our scarce energy be
>allocated to? Against which enemy?

Yes, Yes and Yes.  Except for Dr. Anu everyone of us who expresses or is
sympathetic to the Thani Thamizh view has conceded that.  And even Dr. Anu
does seem to be reconciled to that.  Why then is it necessary to start the
flame?  I was hoping that it is one of the mail spoofs.  I would have
ignored it if it had been from anybody else.  I found it chilling that the
founder of the tamil.net would harbor such notions and express them in
public.  Yes, you are entitled to your opinions as much as everybody else.
However, as the founder and moderator of this and other lists you have a
responsibility to your subscribers;  even if you cannot fake neutrality,
you can and should avoid asking leading, flaming, hurtful questions.  But
then again, I suffer from inferiority complex, what do I know? ;-))  (How's
this mail?  more manifestations of the same complex doctor?).

>Apologies if I have unduely ruffled feathers - it's a tough area where
>brothers battle :-)

No Bala.  A simple, half-hearted apology won't do.  There's a lot I will
tolerate from you because you founded the tamil.net in spite of your less
than full comprehension of Tamil issues.  But here you crossed that fine
line.  You have enabled people unsympathetic to the Thani Thamizh views to
belittle and mock those views.  That doesn't stop me.  But it certainly
will dampen others who may hold these views.  You always claim to encourage
diverse views in this list. How can you be blind to the effects of your
flame?  I want to believe that you are not a hypocrite and you simply erred
in your judgement.


�� �. ��ׯ��

Mani M. Manivannan
Fremont, CA, USA.
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������ ��� ����� ����� ��ݍ� -   Only a sculptor knows a sculpture's flaws
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