>I personally believe democracy is not suited to India at the moment (I don't know which oppressor you want to hand over the country to.) People vote along li

>I personally believe democracy is not suited to India at the moment (I don't know which oppressor you want to hand over the country to.) People vote along lines of caste and religion. People vote for money and liquor. But people vote. They throw parties out of power when they want to. A benevolent, even if he promises to turn India back into a golden bird, will not want you to vote. Democracy is often a mess, but is better than the rightless life under a benevolent. India is in a mess, lets not make it any worse. There are alternatives if you look close. You can educate people, unite instead of divide people. You can contest elections or vote for the voices of sanity. There will be difficulties and we will always be a work in progress, but we will have to try. Democracy is not a panacea, you still have to work to make it better. Giving away all of your rights and responsibilities, hoping some benevolent oppressor will save you is not the way to do it. Many of my friends have been saying the same thing. Indian messageboards are overflowing with hate. A certain benevolent has been identified as well. One who has proven his credentials. The chanted name has divided a state successfully, and I fear permenantly, across religious lines. The bet is to do the same thing across the country. If you don't feel the poisonous atmosphere, it is because you are wilfully ignoring the obvious and concentrating on the made up. How long should we continue living as people of a certain religion or caste? How long should we continue hating people who are of a certain religion or caste, knowing that the other person had as little a choice in selecting their religion/caste as we had in selecting ours? Xenophobia has never been India's big problem, but we know it simmers in most households, in one form or the other. We take pride in what our ancestors did and forsake everything to maintain that pride. We close our eyes trying to fit in, not believing that this life may be the only life we get. That there may be no rebirth or afterlife. That love is its own reward and hate its own punishment.