02-03-2006, 04:39 AM
American association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers published the following in regard to California Textbooks.
http://www.aacrao.org/transcript/index.cfm...ew&doc_id=3027#
I sent them the following response:
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Dear Ms Rodgers,
I'd like to submit the following in response to Ms. Jessica Snyder's
piece titled "Religion in History Books: Who should control the
texts?" published in the transcripts section on 01/27/2006.
1. Hindu groups (two groups but mostly parents) have *not* swamped the
California Board with revisions. Edits suggested by Hindus (153) is a
quarter compared to Islamic groups (600 for grade VII), and a fifth
compared to Jewish groups (700). Revisions of the others have been
accepted without a murmur.
2. Status of women: In Ancient history, inferior status of women was
not a sole preserve of Hinduism. Parents object to the discriminatory
treatment of Hindus. If status of women is not discussed about Jewish
& Christian faiths, why should it be discussed about Hinduism?
3. Untouchability: VI grade History textbooks in California end their
narrative at 550-600 AD. Before this period, untouchability was a very
marginal phenomenon. It is more appropriate to introduce this practice
in High School textbooks that discuss later Indian history. Parents
demanding changes are *not* objecting to its retention there (High
School textbooks).
4. Concern of Scholars led by Prof Michael Witzel has little roots in
concern for history. Their interjection itself is politically
motivated. A position driving these "scholars" against Hindu parents
and one Ms Snyder's report misses is the "Aryan Invasion Theory"
(AIT). In this regard:
(a) The Aryan Invasion/Migration is merely a theory, with no evidence
to support it. Even Intelligent Design theories have more evidence
than AIT or related Aryan theories. This theory assumes that different
languages correlate to different races of people. While the membership
of Indo-Aryan languages in the larger Indo-European family is
undisputable, it is questionable if we can assert that Indo-Aryan
people were a branch of Indo-European people. Language is just one
indicator of ethnic identity.
(b) History must take into account evidence from Hydronomy,
archaeology, astronomy, metallurgy, genetics and other scientific
methods. Scientific data forces us to reject the AIT - a fact attested
to the board by a trained geneticist.
© Scholars led by Prof. Witzel have spent decades retro-fitting data
into these old paradigms and they cannot watch the entire work of
their lives getting rejected.
(d) Besides, the Aryan Invasion and Migration theory are rooted in
racism, colonialism and other despicable ideologies and maintain links
to these even today. These theories are highly political in nature,
with little evidential basis.
5. Therefore both Science and Hindu parents reject the narration of
history with reference to AIT- inviting the ire of "Scholars" led by
Prof. Witzel as an upshot.
6. Dalit Freedom Network [DFN] is hardly an advocacy group of
untouchables. It is hardly even Indian. On the contrary, it is an
American evangelical Christian group. If you call their toll-free
number 1-866-921-1333, a Caucasian American will answer the call from
Colorado. Ask for their contact information in India, and she will
direct you to the All India Christian Council [AICC]!
Hope this throws in another perspective to readers.
Sincerely,
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
http://www.aacrao.org/transcript/index.cfm...ew&doc_id=3027#
I sent them the following response:
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Dear Ms Rodgers,
I'd like to submit the following in response to Ms. Jessica Snyder's
piece titled "Religion in History Books: Who should control the
texts?" published in the transcripts section on 01/27/2006.
1. Hindu groups (two groups but mostly parents) have *not* swamped the
California Board with revisions. Edits suggested by Hindus (153) is a
quarter compared to Islamic groups (600 for grade VII), and a fifth
compared to Jewish groups (700). Revisions of the others have been
accepted without a murmur.
2. Status of women: In Ancient history, inferior status of women was
not a sole preserve of Hinduism. Parents object to the discriminatory
treatment of Hindus. If status of women is not discussed about Jewish
& Christian faiths, why should it be discussed about Hinduism?
3. Untouchability: VI grade History textbooks in California end their
narrative at 550-600 AD. Before this period, untouchability was a very
marginal phenomenon. It is more appropriate to introduce this practice
in High School textbooks that discuss later Indian history. Parents
demanding changes are *not* objecting to its retention there (High
School textbooks).
4. Concern of Scholars led by Prof Michael Witzel has little roots in
concern for history. Their interjection itself is politically
motivated. A position driving these "scholars" against Hindu parents
and one Ms Snyder's report misses is the "Aryan Invasion Theory"
(AIT). In this regard:
(a) The Aryan Invasion/Migration is merely a theory, with no evidence
to support it. Even Intelligent Design theories have more evidence
than AIT or related Aryan theories. This theory assumes that different
languages correlate to different races of people. While the membership
of Indo-Aryan languages in the larger Indo-European family is
undisputable, it is questionable if we can assert that Indo-Aryan
people were a branch of Indo-European people. Language is just one
indicator of ethnic identity.
(b) History must take into account evidence from Hydronomy,
archaeology, astronomy, metallurgy, genetics and other scientific
methods. Scientific data forces us to reject the AIT - a fact attested
to the board by a trained geneticist.
© Scholars led by Prof. Witzel have spent decades retro-fitting data
into these old paradigms and they cannot watch the entire work of
their lives getting rejected.
(d) Besides, the Aryan Invasion and Migration theory are rooted in
racism, colonialism and other despicable ideologies and maintain links
to these even today. These theories are highly political in nature,
with little evidential basis.
5. Therefore both Science and Hindu parents reject the narration of
history with reference to AIT- inviting the ire of "Scholars" led by
Prof. Witzel as an upshot.
6. Dalit Freedom Network [DFN] is hardly an advocacy group of
untouchables. It is hardly even Indian. On the contrary, it is an
American evangelical Christian group. If you call their toll-free
number 1-866-921-1333, a Caucasian American will answer the call from
Colorado. Ask for their contact information in India, and she will
direct you to the All India Christian Council [AICC]!
Hope this throws in another perspective to readers.
Sincerely,
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->