Charity - Gift or Legacy

[so what]

There you go then. There are no Bollywood movies with white lead actors and Indian sidekicks, so why complain about Hollywood not having the opposite?

And, actually, the world DOES revolve around white men, white economies and white consumption.
Although things seems to change a bit, its still the whities that rule!

If I have to believe many Asian women who cover themselves up against the sun and use all kinds of skin whitening products, being white must be super cool!

[working_mom]

But bollywood doesnt make movies where whites need to be rescued, do they?

And, actually, the world DOES revolve around white men, white economies and white consumption.
Although things seems to change a bit, its still the whities that rule!

Nope, i dont think so...Brown rice and wholemeal brown bread are far more healthier than white rice and white bread 

White is just not healthy

If I have to believe many Asian women who cover themselves up against the sun and use all kinds of skin whitening products, being white must be super cool!

So why are white men/women slathering themselves with tanning lotions and baking under the sun

I cover myself against sun and put on sunscreen because I dont want to end up with Skin cancer 

[Bagshot, Col]

In fact, they were not. They abolished thugee and sutee, with the result that the population increased.

The white man comes and saves all! Such an old cliche and still followed ardently  (Even in Avatar, a white handicap man has to come and save the natives  )

OM, google Jalianwallah Bagh and please dont tell me Britain was full of Gentlemen with refined behaviour in the past ages.

 The British with their divide and rule policy ensured that Hindus and muslims always live in mistrust. 

I say! Steady on old girl, what? That's a bit strong.
It rather sounds like you need to sit down and have a nice cup of English tea. That will cool your blood my dear. 

[working_mom]

I say! Steady on old girl, what? That's a bit strong.
It rather sounds like you need to sit down and have a nice cup of English tea. That will cool your blood my dear

I would rather drink japanese green tea...It is supposedly good for health. Check this out 

http://gojapan.about.com/cs/japanesedrink/a/greenteabenefit.htm

[Penwith]

Since we're talking about typecasting.  Hollywood almost always casts the most dastardly villains as English.  Take Robin Hood

Sir Godfrey - who plots to betray his country to the French  - Mark Strong (British)
Robin Hood (hero) - Russel Crowe (Australian)
Maid Marian - Cate Blanchett (Australian)

Die Hard - villain - Alan Rickman as a mercenary terrorist (British)
Star Wars - villain Peter Cushing as Grand Moff (British)
The Patriot - villain - Jason Isaacs as the psycopath Colonel Tavington (British)
Leon - villain - Gary Oldman as the Norman Stansfield the murderous drug dealer (British)
Rob Roy - villain Tim Roth as Archie Cunningham the rapist (British)
Jungle Book - villain Shere Khan the evil tiger (British)
Silence of the Lambs - villain Anthony Hopkins (Welsh but sounds English)
North By North West - villain played by James Mason who is supposed to be German but sounds English (Public school accent)
Last Action Hero - villain played by Charles Dance an evil drug dealer (British)

When Hollywood wants to cast a villain, they choose a Brit.  My friend, a German, is sick of Germans always being cast as Nazis.  You need to get over it 'working woman'.  Hollywood typecasts nationalities into certain roles.  Perhaps you should start watching European films which in my view are much more interesting anyway.

[Dr. Phil]

Since we're talking about typecasting.  Hollywood almost always casts the most dastardly villains as English.  Take Robin Hood

Sir Godfrey - who plots to betray his country to the French  - Mark Strong (British)
Robin Hood (hero) - Russel Crowe (Australian)
Maid Marian - Cate Blanchett (Australian)

Die Hard - villain - Alan Rickman as a mercenary terrorist (British)
Star Wars - villain Peter Cushing as Grand Moff (British)
The Patriot - villain - Jason Isaacs as the psycopath Colonel Tavington (British)
Leon - villain - Gary Oldman as the Norman Stansfield the murderous drug dealer (British)
Rob Roy - villain Tim Roth as Archie Cunningham the rapist (British)
Jungle Book - villain Shere Khan the evil tiger (British)
Silence of the Lambs - villain Anthony Hopkins (Welsh but sounds English)
North By North West - villain played by James Mason who is supposed to be German but sounds English (Public school accent)
Last Action Hero - villain played by Charles Dance an evil drug dealer (British)

When Hollywood wants to cast a villain, they choose a Brit.  My friend, a German, is sick of Germans always being cast as Nazis.  You need to get over it 'working woman'.  Hollywood typecasts nationalities into certain roles.  Perhaps you should start watching European films which in my view are much more interesting anyway.

I was recently watching what is now the equivalent of St Patrick's Day Parade in US, but it was all Indians (from India) and locals. I assume they were celebrating being Americans. The Americans love it. I guess this is because they condescendingly consider themselves a cut above Indian and Irish and all others.... except English. 

If the English were to similarly parade through a US city there would be a general call to arms and some village idiot would doubtless gallop through the town shouting "the English are a comin'". Americans can't handle the English and their self-confidence completely deserts them.
And yet, Irish are Irish Americans, African, Italian, Latino all retain their ethnicity never fully giving themselves to USA... except the English. When they adopt US citizenship, they become Americans, full stop.

Whenever Americans can put the English in their sights, they are off the leash, they go ape.
We saw this with the over-reaction against BP. They bitched and complained and now fraudulent claims is a major consideration for BP and FBI together. Obama practically destroyed a company with a majority of US shareholders and indeed US employees.
It is therefore somewhat poetic that President Obama is back-tracking and pleading with US holiday-makers to holiday on the SE coast claiming it is completely oil-free. 
   

[Old Mike]

The British with their divide and rule policy ensured that Hindus and muslims always live in mistrust.   

You omit to mention that before the British, the French and the Portugese came the Indian subcontinent was a mosaic of warring states. If it had been a united nation the Europeans would never have gained a foothold.

[working_mom]

You omit to mention that before the British, the French and the Portugese came the Indian subcontinent was a mosaic of warring states. If it had been a united nation the Europeans would never have gained a foothold.

OM, that is beside point. You asserted that English let me quote

In fact, they were not. They abolished thugee and sutee, with the result that the population increased.

The fact is they did not. They were no saviours either and they looted and killed just like other invaders.

[Old Mike]

It is totally to the point. India as a state did not exist until the partition in 1948.

See this article on thuggee
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thuggee

And this one on suttee:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sati_(practice)

I suppose the modern Indian practice of female foeticide is more merciful.

http://www.indianchild.com/abortion_infanticide_foeticide_india.htm

[working_mom]

Robbery existed everywhere....including Britain and last year's financial crisis shows it still exists even in First World countries.

As for Sati (I was wondering what sutee is  ), it was not abolished because of English, it was abolished because of activists from Arya Samaj (google it).

As for female foetocide, yes it is a barbaric pracitce and I dont condone it one bit. I am not saying India is perfect, far from it and I have quiet a long list of complaints. But, I totally disagree with the assumption that the English were saviours. Nope. They are invaders and looters. They are no different from other invaders. They looted and killed as well.

[Old Mike]

Depending on which history book you read, the bad guys change. But the myth that until the Europeans came the Hindus and Muslims lived in harmony is simply not true.

[working_mom]

Thugee (to borrow from your dictionary) were perpetuated by British as well. Maybe not taught in British schools (hardly the kind of values you would want kids to learn)but neutral historians (including those from Britain) have reported as much.
 
Yes, Hindus and muslims were not the best of friends (Muslim rulers being invaders as well) but the British only used that to their advantage to say that they actually helped keep them from each others throats is a myth. I see the same pattern in the invasion of Iraq by America. Reassuring themselves that they are there to do good and hiding the atrocities perpetuated by their troops back home. Unfortunately for America and fortunately for Britain, the media today is far more advanced than what it was earlier hence all this get the maximum coverage back home and elsewhere.

[Old Mike]

Please quote a reputable source that says how the British tolerated thugee.

The Pax Britannica did not tolerate its subjects murdering each other.

Please comment on the Aryan invasion which displaced the Dravidian aboriginal inhabitants of the Indian subcontinent and which is the origin of the caste system.

[working_mom]

Ha the aryan invasion theory...another one of those conspiracy theory in the britishers divide and rule policy.

By the way, I did not say Birtishers tolerated thugee (again look at your definition)...I said they unleashed it on the Indian population. They looted and plundered Indian wealth (one example sits on your majesty's crown  )

By the way Dravidian culture is still widely popular in India and I am from the same dravidian land. So, I know what I am talking about.