As former leader in civil rights movement, I am strong advocate of the power on non-violent protest when your objective is for equality (or some might say "justice"). This approach should be especially valid in the land of Gandhi. These protesters are seeking special treatment, not equality and not doing so by non-violent means, so I have little sympathy with them, even if their legal rights are being violated. (Only the courts should decide that question, not mobs in the streets.) That said, I am not about to fault all of India about the actions of a few as you are trying to do Baron. You like to tell SamCDkey to concern her self more with India's problems than the US's problems and external actions (and I have done the same, once or twice). Would you not also be on safer ground if you were to fault all of the Americans for the frequent killings in US schools by guns? The US is nearly unique in the lax control of these weapons that can kill many from a distance in short time. If you want to point to India's shame, there are much better things to cite. For example, the buying and selling of "wage slaves"* in the textile industry, or young girls to work in brothels. CNN two days ago in Brazil had 30 minute report on this. Amazingly 10 little girls were pulled from a low ceiling basement room measuring 3 by 3 meters, all were obviously less than 15years old, some perhaps only 9 or 10, but all stated their age as "25." Servants, perhaps even in SamCDkey own house, are often sold into servitude by their parents who can not feed them, and then given little or no eduction, cast off old clothes, table scraps to eat, long hours to work, with beating when too slow, etc. Yes India, like most countries, US included, have much to be ashamed of, but not for a mob resorting to violence in effort to gain special priviledges. At least the police were trying to keep order, not like in Selma Alabama where the police attacked with dogs and clubs people peacefully marching, etc. IMHO, both you and SamCDkey need to look around your home areas, not to the other side of the world. In your case, I wish you would at least try to understand the economic damage the slum schools in US do. If you do not like my suggestion of roughly equal funding for ALL schools, make an alternative suggestion that would move the US towards more equality in educational opportunities. ------------------- *Normally children with tiny hands still who's salaries do not cover the cost of their factory supplied food so like the coal miner who said (in hit song you are old enough to remember): "I loaded 16 tons of Number 9 coal and what did I get - another day older and deeper in debt." Once these kids become fully grown, their hands are too large to do this fine work 12 hours / day so they are dumped out on the street with no education to beg.
