PublishaLetter Blog

Time magazine now has issued an apology as letters poured in protesting against its article, MY Own Private India. We had posted some excerpts from letters to the editor of Time submitted through Publishaletter.com. We had several requests to post the direct links to those letters. So here they are:
My own private India
http://publishaletter.com/editorchoiceletter.jsp?plid=20479

Joel Stein in a Dark Place
http://publishaletter.com/editorchoiceletter.jsp?plid=20478

MY OWN PRIVATE INDIA
http://publishaletter.com/readletter.jsp?plid=20449

My own private India article- Stein
http://publishaletter.com/editorchoiceletter.jsp?plid=20443

My Own Private India
http://publishaletter.com/readletter.jsp?plid=20428

Read them and draw your own conclusion.

G20 has come and gone - leaving in its wake a raging debate on whether the government in Canada (& the police force in Toronto) went over the top. To maintain peace and order did they violate the citizens’ basic liberty ? And what about the cost? Was the disruption of lives of so many people in Toronto worth it?

Here are some snippets from letters we received from Canada:

• Reflecting on the G-20 Summit held recently in Toronto is very sobering. … the excessive use of physical and psychological force against law abiding citizens appeared to be  freely exercised by police causing injury and arrest  with little regard to the obvious lack of threat by those being arrested…….We must not allow those who wield power over life, death, and detention to “lord it over us” on the whim of keeping us under control.  As a democracy we Canadians designate power back to government….The bottom line is this:  This is our country–GOVERNMENT BACK OFF!
• I don’t get it.  What are these idiots protesting?  They are just vandals looking for attention.  When I was young the kids in the US would get out of high school and be sent to Vietnam and then come home in a body bag.  And for what?  I can see protesting something that can cost your life as well as the civil rights abuses in the South a few years earlier.  But what is there to protest about the G20?  Why not protest against terrorism?
  And why criticize the most professional cops in the world who showed extreme restraint?  What whiny babies…..Grow up and get a life.  Did they not expect a gathering of world leaders to be protected?
• As a citizen of Toronto all my life I was not only disgusted with the events on Saturday regarding the G20 Summit meeting being held here.  How did Mayor Miller ever think this would be good for Toronto.  The cost has again been raised due to the damage caused by dissidents.
• The peasants are revolting! They certainly are!!!!
• Some Billion Dollar Protection!
• I feel more upset at the government than at the violent faction of the protesters…..I cannot believe this was not purposely done by the government to create enough havoc to justify their ill spent billion dollars.

Not often, we get many letters, protesting an article published in a moderate, mainstream magazine like the Time. Joel Stein’s article My own private India, proved to be an exception. Klein’s article, bemoaned the changes in his boyhood town, Edison, NJ. The changes, caused mainly  by the influx if Indian immigrants, were not for the better, he asserted in his caustic essay.

Reactions from writers of Indian origin were swift and uniform - Blatantly Racist. Most of them were shocked that the Time will allow such an article to appear in its pages.

Here are some excerpts from the letters:

• I was shocked to read Joel Stein’s commentary on Edison, NJ. and equally shocked that a prestigious magazine like Time would publish such racist and bigoted views. To mock an immigrant community and their religion. This sort of article promotes race baiting !
• Okay, I agree there have been many changes that have taken place in Edison, NJ.  This article, nonetheless is opinion and it has much bias.  Therefore, I simply would like to tell you (Mr. Stein) WHY there are so many Indians in Edison.  It’s a stepping stone just like how NYC was a stepping stone for minorities back in the day, if not still today.  Indians for the most part come to America for better opportunity as most minorities do.  Edison happens to be EASIER for Indians to become Indian-American.  It is EASIER to assimilate there than anywhere else for us.  Think of it like this… China-towns exist in every major city in the US.  The DIFFERENCE is what we become and bring to the table………………..How can you say we don’t assimilate?  30.3% of Latinos in America CAN’T speak English, whereas ~96% of Indians CAN.  Isn’t it clear we damn well assimilate.  Just because we don’t have typical American names, doesn’t mean we one day won’t.  America, as you prove through your article is a melting pot.  We just happen to be the good stuff in it, and maybe that’s why you (Joel Klein) are so bitter.
  
• I consider TIME magazine to be very reputed but I cant believe the carelessness with which you let this editorial run. Joel Stein only comes across as a frustrated racist & has hurt the sentiments of millions of Indians across America. Strong words indeed for Mr. Klein.

The Gulf oil spill and the treatment of BP is stirring up anger in many different ways. Most are angry with BP for their ineffectual response. Some letter writers, especially from UK, India and even Canada, on the other hand, are questioning why BP (a British company) is facing so much public and political anger for the accident in the Gulf. They recall, the chemical spill caused by Union Carbide (an American company, now owned by Dow chemical), which killed and maimed thousands in India and yet created very little outcry in the US.

Here are some excerpts from those letters:

• The massive Oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico on the night of April 10th 2010 resulted in a oil slick that drifted across the Shores of US ruining some of the exotic beaches and endangering the flora and fauna surrounding the waters.
  It is well known that whenever USA has suffered losses on a/c of some third Party callousness they swing into action and try to impose the maximum Penalties and get things sorted out to suit their way.Like wise President Obama is seeking nearly 20 Billion Dollars from the British Oil Giant BP to compensate the 11 rig workers who died in the holocaust and to clean up the resulting environmental mess.
  Similarly in 1984 nearly 15000 People died and about 500000 people were badly affected by the Methyl isocyanate Gas Leak in Bhopal,India the Perpetrators of the Crime namely the top boss of Union Carbide Warren Anderson was huddled out of India by the then Congress Govt on the instructions of the US Govt……
• The Americans righteous indignation at BP’s malfeasance and their call for punishment of a foreign corporation is typical of their bullying tactics. ……..

  It will be interesting to  see if they extend their righteous principles and extradite the seven Union Carbide executives and it’s CEO to India to serve their sentences for the Bhopal disaster which resulted in the death’s of some 16,000 people and the debilitating  toxic exposure of another 500,000.

• As  British citizen and a well traveled individual it is depressing to see just how narrow, ungenerous and frankly bullying this latest president of yours has become.  BP is 43% owned by US citizens and employs more people in the USA than the UK.  It has not been called British Petroleum for over a decade, to better reflect this international nature.
  What disturbs me most of all is that despite the blood price my country has paid in adventures overseas in support of your nation this President deems it appropriate for political reasons to use racist sentiment in his rhetoric - it has fundamentally damaged UK and US relations…….

Many letters (and there have been many letters on the subject) , even those that oppose the Arizona Immigration law, feel Boycotting Arizona is not the answer. A typical letter said: I feel that Arizona has the right to protect their citizens. The boarder towns in Mexico have been taken over by drug cartels, they have left signs for the law abiding citizens to leave or die. The people who have been protesting are not being loyal to America, the law protects all races from people who  would kidnap Americans, those who would bring drugs into our country, and possibly terrorist.

Another letter claimed: The Federal government has abdicated its responsibility to protect our borders.  You are leaving us defenseless in the name of political correctness.  Arizona had no choice in enacting SB1070.

Another letter writer, while questioning the validity of the law wrote: I am a former Californian who is puzzled by the LA City Councils recent 13-1 vote to boycott Arizona because of it recent passage of an immigration law……..In Arizona, we face an approximate $2 billion dollar per year tab for services that “illegal” immigrants consume. Whether it is education, health care, food programs, incarceration, or any of the other social programs we have set-up for the citizens of our State. The City Council must agree that a drain on resources such as this must be dealt with.

The situation was best summarized by a writer who wrote a little story - A story of a Man with a Camel:

Once a man set out on a journey with his camel.  At nightfall he set up his tent, set a peg in the ground and tied his camel to the peg.  After about an hour the camel stuck his head in the tent. “Hey”, said the camel, “it is really cold out here, could I just put my head in the tent with you?”  Being a compassionate man, he said “ I suppose so.”  After about 15 minutes the camel said, “ I feel much better, my head is warmer but my front feet are really cold. Could I just put in my front feet?”  “Well, there is not much room in here “ said the man , “but I guess just your front feet would be alright.”   After another 15 minutes the camel said,” I do feel much better but my back side is really cold, could I just come into the tent with you?”  The man replied, “Well, it will be really crowded but I guess I could allow it for tonight.”  Another 15 minutes passed and it was indeed very crowded in the tent, when the camel said, “ Hey man, it is too crowded for both of us, you need to go outside.”    This is what is happening in America.