Bengali Nationalism. Where do you stand?

[Roey Haque]

Originally Posted by Zeeshan
Shesher dike dom furiye gelo mone hoy dada....peace out likhlen na?

Hahahahaha. A little variation keeps things fresh, not unlike changing your hairstyle.

BTW, I love your Bengali articulations. Very cheery, heart warming and relevant too. Much like Chuadangan Bangla (where my dad's from, I refer it in my song about Shakib).If all people spoke in this manner, I myself might have been encouraged to speak it more often.

You take care Z.

PO

Roey

[Roey Haque]

Originally Posted by bujhee kom
What is a Willy Bengali?

Man, the name Bujhe kom has never been more appropriate! Haha, kidding.

Well what's there not to get, it's a Bengali who's willy.( crafty, clever, etc.)

Like from the cartoon Roadrunner, where the antagonist "Willy Coyote" chases the roadrunner around. Hope this helps.

PO

Roey Haque

[Purbasha T]

Originally Posted by Roey Haque
Well what's there not to get, it's a Bengali who's willy.

You mean he's the only Bengali who has one? That's disrespectful.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=willy

[Navo]

Roey, I think you mean wily with one l.

[Roey Haque]

Originally Posted by Navo
Roey, I think you mean wily with one l.

Indeed! How silly of me.
Thanks!

PO
Roey

[Roey Haque]

Originally Posted by Purbasha T
You mean he's the only Bengali who has one? That's disrespectful.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=willy

LOL. It's with one L.Wily. My bad.

BTW, what kind of player is Saudi Capital?

PO
Roey

[Purbasha T]

Originally Posted by Roey Haque
LOL. It's with one L.Wily. My bad.

BTW, what kind of player is Saudi Capital?

PO
Roey

Just say out loud the capital of Saudi.

[Tiger Manc]

Originally Posted by Roey Haque
Ayo,
What's kicking Tiger fans worldwide?

I thought it would be interesting to know all your viewpoints on Bengali nationalism. As an avid lover of history, I'm always correcting revisionists on the net who claim that we simply seceded from Pakistan with the help of India, and that there was no prior age long discrimination inflicted upon us. I feel it is a duty of mine to do so to being a full blooded Bengali.

And worse still, these ignorant people with driven agendas always make it a point to stress that us and the Pakistanis are Muslim brothers, and how the Hindus created a rift between us. Non sense! It isn't even a question about religion, I will take a bullet for a Bengali whether he's Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Jew or even athiest. And fact of the matter is, brothers don't inflict genocide upon one another like what the Pak army did to us starting with "operation searchlight."

Which brings me to the point, I always envisioned an united Bengal, with west bengal and Bangladesh together. It would be beautiful. Our cricketing team might've improved slightly, and without doubt we would have an excellent soccer team as west bengal is one power hubs of Asian soccer.

What are your views? Discuss in details. I've scrounged through these forums recently, and the folks seem very intelligent and it is not beyond you to engage in such ideological concepts.

Peace out,

Roey

Interesting thread and post. Gotta admit your apperance on here has been a breath of fresh air and spiced up the forum. Keep it going.

Peace out,

Tiger Manc

[Roey Haque]

Originally Posted by Purbasha T
Just say out loud the capital of Saudi.

Damn sonnnnnnnn! ( I don't know if I'm allowed to say damn on BC)

Knowing so much about geography, I should've pronounced Riyadh out loud first.

PO

Roey

[Blah]

"Nationalism is an infantile disease – it is the measles of mankind" (Albert Einstein)

[ammark]

Originally Posted by Blah
"Nationalism is an infantile disease – it is the measles of mankind" (Albert Einstein)

^^^ Blah, cant you see how this thread has degenerated beyond belief from its stated purpose? This thread is infantile, let alone nationalism!

[Shock]

There is no such thing as Bengali Nationalism. Anyone born or citizen of Bangladesh has a nationalism called Bangladeshi Nationalism or Bangladeshi, mejority which is 98% is a race named Bangali. Bengali is just a bustardism of Bangali.

[tiger_bright]

I am very proud and committed to progressive bangladesh

[BANFAN]

What is Bengali???

Our Language is Bangla, Ethnicity is Bangali, Nationality is Bangladeshi.....that's what it was when I last checked. Anything has been changed by the govt...recently...?? Please update.

[Purbasha T]

Yeah, what's the history of Bangla turning into Bengali? Is it simply one of those words that got British-ized during the British reign?

[tiger_bright]

Principle is same.

[Zunaid]

Let's ignore the red-herring about Bengali vs Bangali. Yes, it is a red herring and some over sensitive people take too much offense at benign things. It is just was valid for English speakers to refer Bangali as Bengali as for us to refer to the US as 'Markin' Juktorashtro. Their language. We should be the last ones to dictate language.

Now going back to the question Roey raised. Once you raise the specter of ethnic based nationalism that transcend geographic boundaries, are you willing to see it through it's logical conclusion.

Bengali nationalism implies a pan-bangla community that sees itself as a nation. While we might feel an affinity to our fellow Bengali speakers across the border, is this sufficiently strong to label it Bengali Nationalism? And isn't the implicit assumption in an ethnicity based nationalism that one is naturally superior to all other states. Once we do that, we might as well put our first step on the slippery slope of ethnocentrism that the infamous German of the last century stepped on. And less morbidly, haven't the two Bengals diverged enough since the partition of India that we cannot be conceived of as an organic unit with a cohesive social hierarchy?

While the world is not ready, we need to see beyond the blinkered views of nationalism. That is a pipe dream for now, because there are so many aggrieved groups who rightfully or not feel they are in a situation of anomie whether via active discrimination or past.

[mona]

Originally Posted by Zunaid
And less morbidly, haven't the two Bengals diverged enough since the partition of India that we cannot be conceived of as an organic unit with a cohesive social hierarchy?

Ding ding ding ding ding. Case closed.

Who is this guy?

[Habib]

Originally Posted by mona
Ding ding ding ding ding. Case closed.

Who is this guy?

He is a Bengy rapper sis.

[Roey Haque]

Originally Posted by Zunaid
Let's ignore the red-herring about Bengali vs Bangali. Yes, it is a red herring and some over sensitive people take too much offense at benign things. It is just was valid for English speakers to refer Bangali as Bengali as for us to refer to the US as 'Markin' Juktorashtro. Their language. We should be the last ones to dictate language.

Now going back to the question Roey raised. Once you raise the specter of ethnic based nationalism that transcend geographic boundaries, are you willing to see it through it's logical conclusion.

Bengali nationalism implies a pan-bangla community that sees itself as a nation. While we might feel an affinity to our fellow Bengali speakers across the border, is this sufficiently strong to label it Bengali Nationalism? And isn't the implicit assumption in an ethnicity based nationalism that one is naturally superior to all other states. Once we do that, we might as well put our first step on the slippery slope of ethnocentrism that the infamous German of the last century stepped on. And less morbidly, haven't the two Bengals diverged enough since the partition of India that we cannot be conceived of as an organic unit with a cohesive social hierarchy?

While the world is not ready, we need to see beyond the blinkered views of nationalism. That is a pipe dream for now, because there are so many aggrieved groups who rightfully or not feel they are in a situation of anomie whether via active discrimination or past.

Mind you Zunaid, I'm not in favor at all of just language uniting us. Knowing Bengali is not half as important to me as knowing the region's geography and history.

PO

Roey

[BANFAN]

Let's ignore the red-herring about Bengali vs Bangali. Yes, it is a red herring and some over sensitive people take too much offense at benign things. It is just was valid for English speakers to refer Bangali as Bengali as for us to refer to the US as 'Markin' Juktorashtro. Their language. We should be the last ones to dictate language

I think, neither you, nor the thread opener, nor any of the other guy in the thread who calls me a Bengali or my language as Bengali ... Are English speakers.....

It's like a Brit calling them Engrez... And I'm sure none of the Brits will accept it as easily as you accept to be a Bengali..... Such is our sensitivity to our own identity........to say the least... And we dare to discuss it for for what?? That how intelligent I am?? .. We should feel ashamed to call us Bengalis ... Just an English would feel ashamed to call him Engrez.... just like we can't dictate their language, they can't dictate ours.... So it's insulting for me or my language to be called a Bengali.

We probably don't need your approval on this.... You are first and American and then a Bangladeshi... That's your statement....so I can understand your mindset. it's not red herring for us...as you insist...may be for you but not for all....

I love to be called a Bangali for ethnicity, I spell my language as Bangla and my nationality as Bangladeshi.... I don't compromise on these terms... Let the English or French call it anything, that doesn't bother me... Ohhh the Chinese call it Mongjala.... So should we start calling our language Mongjala??? Red herring??? Ya...

[Zunaid]

Originally Posted by BANFAN
I think, neither you, nor the thread opener, nor any of the other guy in the thread who calls me a Bengali or my language as Bengali ... Are English speakers.....

It's like a Brit calling them Engrez... And I'm sure none of the Brits will accept it as easily as you accept to be a Bengali..... Such is our sensitivity to our own identity........to say the least... And we dare to discuss it for for what?? That how intelligent I am?? .. We should feel ashamed to call us Bengalis ... Just an English would feel ashamed to call him Engrez.... just like we can't dictate their language, they can't dictate ours.... So it's insulting for me or my language to be called a Bengali.

We probably don't need your approval on this.... You are first and American and then a Bangladeshi... That's your statement....so I can understand your mindset. it's not red herring for us...as you insist...may be for you but not for all....

I love to be called a Bangali for ethnicity, I spell my language as Bangla and my nationality as Bangladeshi.... I don't compromise on these terms... Let the English or French call it anything, that doesn't bother me... Ohhh the Chinese call it Mongjala.... So should we start calling our language Mongjala??? Red herring??? Ya...

The thing is, we are communicating here in English. Therefore Bengali and Bangla should be equally acceptable. I prefer Bangla and I call myself Bangali and I use both terms throughout my VirtualBangladesh.com sight. That does not mean I take offense if someone calls me a Bengali. I have less to no tolerance to the other variants I notice, such as bengies, bangy, bong, bangla etc some of which have pejorative underpinnings. Regardless of my nationality, I am still a Bangali. It does not change with my citizenship. I could be a Chinese citizen and still a Bangali.

As for the vacuous response in the post following yours, the less said the better. I enjoy the conversations we have, as you are rational and devoid of spite.

[idrinkh2O]

My ethnicity: Bangali
My language: Bangla
My nationality: Bangladeshi

[mar umpire]

Divide and conquer
Nationalism
No to blindness
Justice and truth

[bujhee kom]

Hello Ke? Ke eta? Who is this bhai?