Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Why Bother?

December 1989. Ayodhya, India.
Hindu fundamentalists, armed only with pickaxes and brute strength, brought down the triple domes of the Babri Masjid. A mosque where prayers hadn't been said for decades. A mosque allegedly built at the precise spot where Lord Rama was born,  though there is no evidence he even existed. Weeks of communal frenzy, fueled by Fundamentalists seeking political gains.

Twenty-one years later.
The politicians have held high office and retired. The nation has moved on and forgotten.
The court is finally giving its verdict. Violence is expected. Why bother, when the guilty aren't going to be punished?
_____

drabble is a story told in exactly 100 words.


And because I need a bit of cheering up after a couple of weeks of news that has left me feeling angry and helpless, I am passing on a fun Award I received from Leigh today- the "Strangely Irresistable" Award (a.k.a. the Yo Gabba Gabba Award). Now, Leigh is a person with whom I felt this strange connect the moment I met her (maybe something to do with the fact that we were born on the same day, in different parts of the globe), and in the three months I have known her, I have only grown to love her more. You have only to check out her blog, That's Write, to know why.
I am passing this Award to three people who I think are Strangely Irresistible (not so strangely, actually- they are irresistible, because they are so great) -
Kitty Howard @ The Block
Pamela Jo @ There's Just Life
Holly Ruggiero @ Scribbles and Splashes

Ladies, if I know Leigh, she would have jinxed the Award so it implodes if hoarded for too long. I implore you to pass it onto three (or more) simply irresistible people as soon as you can.

28 comments:

Mary@GigglesandGuns said...

Politics and politicians are the same the world over. They make more problems than they solve.

Carolyn Abiad said...

Trying to think of something uplifting to say...can't find anything.

Southpaw said...

That’s so heartbreaking. It reminds me of all the treasures and inspirations we as a people have lost since the beginning of time due to violence.
---
And thank you for the award and your words.

Bast said...

I'm gonna focus on the second part of your post. Congrats on the award! I don't always know how to comment or what to say, but I find your blog irresistable and always interesting.

Sueann said...

Congrats on your award!!
As for your story...so sad and so true. They seem to slip and slide out of everything. Never responsible that is there motto!!
So sorry Rayna
Hugging you
SueAnn

Natasha said...

@ Karen- pointless, needless violence. Is a building, any building, worth taking lives for?

@ Mary- that is how they remain in power.

@ Carolyn- there is really nothing to say. It is pointless and so unnecessary- there is so much more to focus on.

@ Holly- it is sad, isn't it?

@ Quinn- why thank you. That is a huge compliment.

Natasha said...

@ SueAnn - it is so sad because it is so pointless. I would rather focus on something like your babies.

Helen Ginger said...

Your drabble is spot-on. It happened long ago, yet things are the same, if not worse now.

On the other hand, that award is cute and makes me smile.

Anonymous said...

Rayna - You touch on sad facts of life that seems to transcend culture. Whenever extreme emotion and fanaticism takes over reason and compassion, we risk terrible violence. And yes, once enough time has passed it's easy to forget. George Santayana said: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." So sad and so true...

Mason Canyon said...

Sometimes it seems we humans can't learn from past mistakes. Sad facts.

The award, however, is darling. Congratulations.

Mason
Thoughts in Progress

Laura Eno said...

I've never understood politics...
Congrats on the award!

LTM said...

frustration and helplessness does make you feel so angry and sad--I'm must so glad to give you a little smile. :o)

YGG ambassadors unite! We need some irresistable happiness--tons of love floating your way through the ether~ :o) <3

Jules said...

Well, that is just sad! Uplifting...all I can think of are the two little munchkins running around your house :)

Cyber HUG
Jules @ Trying To Get Over The Rainbow

Sylvia Dickey Smith said...

The super fantastic award is great!! Love it! And love that you moved from sadness into joy.

I find I run from fundamentalist of any and all types/genres. Extremism is not who I am or ever want to be!Sylvia Dickey Smith

RA said...

It's heartbreaking. And to think that they destroyed something that cannot be replaced.... :(

Jane Kennedy Sutton said...

Amazing the amount of damage that a few people can inflict on the world.

Congratulations on your cute award!

Anonymous said...

I’ve stopped reading the news. I’m much happier for it.
Interesting award.

All the best, Boonie

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

The news is always depressing.

That's a cool little award, Rayna!

Anonymous said...

Rayna - Me again :-) Just wanted you to know there is an award for you on my blog.

Unknown said...

That's so sad and yet so typical. I'm happy you won the award, that's cheery.

CD

Theres just life said...

Individualy people are great, unfortunately get a group together and we change into a mob too easily. History keeps repeating this fact over and over. I will be happy when we learn to stick to our principals no matter what others say. We will then stand a chance as a human race to get along.

On a happier note Thank You for the award. It makes me laugh just looking at it. I will be proud to post it on my blog in a place of honor.

Tamara Hart Heiner said...

wow. that is incredible.

Natasha said...

@ Helen- Even though we want to forget, nobody lets us. What a pity.

@ Margot- precisely. Communal divides have not served us well in the past, why can't we just move on. Why can't we be allowed to move on?

@ Mason- specially not politicians. Or maybe they just don't care.

@ Laura- me neither. Nor wish to.

@ Leigh - yes, it was nice to get a cute award like that. Thank you.

@ Jules- very. And I am sure the munchkins are going to snag that award

@ Sylvia- me too. There is so much more to life than hating someone solely because they follow a different faith.

@ RA- that is a pity too, though I suspect it may have crumbled soon enough even without help

@ Jane- and how difficult it is to generate the same amount of love

@ Boonie- sensible. Very sensible.
Thailand is worse than India, though.

@ Alex- it is, isn't it?

@ Clarissa- and it is there in every country in some form or the other

@ Pamela - I wish we could cast your words in stone and force everyone to do just that.

@ Tamara- sad, isn't it?

Hart Johnson said...

One of your 'make me think' drabbles--I like it when you do that, even if the situation is irritating.

Congrats on the award!

Natasha said...

Irritating about describes it, Tami. Pointless and irritating. To quote you, why can't people just get nekkid and be friends?

Natasha said...

Irritating about describes it, Tami. Pointless and irritating. To quote you, why can't people just get nekkid and be friends?

Kittie Howard said...

Rayna, congrats on your award. I think it's cute *smiles*. More seriously, I think you've handled some tough issues with the insight, knowledge, and compassion I wish more people exercised (or had). You're a talented writer with the rare ability to condense much into few words that paint a picture of the larger issue. Again, your drabbles need to be published in book form!!

I am not a fan of exaggerated or extreme emotions or fanatism and get a pit in my stomach when people expressing such gang up with the power numbers exert. When politicians bend to this mentality, they reward this dangerous mentality.

Thank you for my award. I'm truly honored...not just words, for I think a lot of you and your blog. Hugs!

Natasha said...

Kitty, you are really too kind. Maybe someday I will collect some of my drabbles, but again maybe not. Blogging gives me so much, I am not sure if publishing a book can give me much more.
About the other thing. From the time I was old enough to understand (maybe 7 or 8), I have grown up knowing that Hindus and Muslims are enemies. Sad, isn't it?

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