Desi Manifesto Blog: The Forum for South Asian American Men

But the willingness to oversimplify other people who are considered non-white, the idea that it’s only offensive if someone hears (and only when it’s someone of that particular “lumped together” identity), and the flawed understanding that minorities are treated differently solely based on numbers… That’s the white America I know.

As I removed my lunch from the microwave, another co-worker approached me, inhaling the aroma deeply. I awaited another compliment. Instead, I got, “Is that your curry?” …My face contorted in disgust. …Why the visceral reaction?

A few hours later, it hit me: “curry” is the n-word of Indian food.

Though it was hilarious and side-splitting, the court reporter and judge simply assigned a race to Bala224, then assumed they knew his opinions and thoughts… Worse, they didn’t give him a chance to establish his background or views. They just took it upon themselves, as the benevolent power, to put people in their proper places. I know it technically helped my boy’s case, but imagine if Bala224 has been either the plaintiff or defendant? These kinds of assumptions could screw him out of justice.

I mean, here we are, starving for brown women, and these cats back in the motherland are getting paid to lay them. At least someone’s paying the rent. And looking at these genetic jackhammers in the photo, the average (or even kind of below average) desi man would decry his exclusion from this “has sex with Indian women–more than once–while earning the rupees” club.

But, put your dandiya down, step back, and ponder. As funny as this looks, it could signal a change in India’s culture and future.

While visiting Houston recently, I passed a low rent motel. Draped over the entrance, a dingy banner proclaimed that the establishment was “Proudly Texan and American owned.”

Ostensibly, the banner is just Texas being Texas. Loud, bawdy, and oozing with unnecessary patriotism. But below the surface, something more sinister lurks.

Among India’s litany of problems, lack of education is arguably the cornerstone. With education, solutions to most of the other issues could present themselves. That’s why it’s good to see a public service announcement like this. Give yourself a good seven minutes. They may be among the best-spent time of your life…

Thus, the only way to address this was through a running commentary [re this Telugu Condom Song]:

And that’s why, Parul said, Sonny should forget about Indian women. She told him to look outside the race. And if he really wanted an Indian girl, he’d have to go for an open-minded one. “The kind,” she said, “who dates white guys.”

He could barely keep down his beer nuts.

But, like most situations, it’s not all brown and white. There are many shades of gray. Just because an Indo girl goes white, does it mean she’s a sellout? Well, I’ve met Indian girls who have said, “I don’t date Indian guys,” or “Indian guys just can’t be hot.” Net worth = 0. But there are some who have dated white guys and also Indian guys, and are open to both. Is that a different situation? Absolutely. Still infuriating? Depends how hot she is.