Honouring African Americans - Published in Palestine Times (2001)

The following article was published in Palestine times (in addition to Pakistan Link), around 2001. The paper Palestine Times, stopped publishing in 2007

Information about Palestine times:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palestine_Times#:~:text=Palestine%20Times%20was%20the%20only,Jerusalem)%20and%20the%20Gaza%20Strip. 

Link to the following published article: 
https://web.archive.org/web/20010108030200/http://www.ptimes.com/issue81/articles.htm#anchor765307*

Legacy of Urdu Poetry

 

(36) Legacy of Urdu Poetry

12-2-98

by Fazeel Azeez Chauhan

Language is an important asset of a community. Language connects people to their culture, religion, history, ancestors and expression of feelings. Urdu is very beautiful and by definition is a multi-cultural language. When Urdu is your mom's first language you can study English for 20 years and still be unable to reach the depth of certain feelings. Poetry is the language of feelings and can be a good test of a person's identity. If you find that English poetry sufficiently expresses the range of your feelings, then you lean toward that language. If you find that conveying a wide spectrum of feelings in English can be cumbersome at times, then you may savor Urdu poetry. Does that mean that Urdu speakers feel more than English speakers?

Urdu also connects us to our ancestors. Authentic Urdu poetry is a good means for connecting to our roots. Sometimes, a person doesn't realize the value of roots, until he's in his 30's or when she becomes a mother. If you want to destroy a people, cut them off from their roots. Without sustenance, even the most beautiful plant will wither away and die. So the work that Nayyar Apa and Urdu Markaz have been doing for a decade is extremely crucial for our survival, specially in America. People might be staring at you with judgemental glances, but you can shrug them off your shoulder by humming some Urdu poetry which transports you to another place.

If you are a person who gets confused about his identity, three easy things can help clarify feelings. One, go to Pakistan and absorb the authentic things of the mother land. Two, intake the positive things of the culture by making friends with wise Pakistani elders. Three, submerge yourself in the works of bona fide artists like Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Khusro, Ghalib, Iqbal and Faiz. Some poets specialize in writing love songs about women. But self-realization is even higher, as emphasized by the awesome inspirational poetry of Allama Iqbal. What's important about Sha-ir-e-Mashriq (the Poet of the East) is his U-Turn. He got a PhD of Philosophy in Germany and was well versed in Western thought. Yet he didn't sell out and promoted Islamic and Eastern values.

The authenticity of the arts of non-western people is endangered by TV and other forms of invasion. Authentic Urdu poetry quickly connects us to our ancestors, and to the truth. Urdu Markaz attempts to promote poets who are carrying on the bona fide traditions of a long line of great poets. They organize wonderful poetry readings at least once a year. The audience has been increasing greatly, as hundreds of people attend and partake in the flavorful verses. Writing poetry is very hard work. Good poets also have a deep understanding of philosophical, social, political and psychological influences.

Talking about Urdu poetry in English is a peculiar idea. The best thing is to read the poetry yourself and attend Urdu poetry readings. You may learn many lessons through the experiences of poets and don't have to re-invent solutions from scratch. Like tribal music or ancient rituals, at a Mushaira, you get the sense that your ancestors have practiced the same traditions, hundreds of years before you. It is an un-adulterated experience of our culture.

On November 6, Urdu Markaz held the Mushaira in Buena Park, near Disneyland. But niether Disneyland, nor Magic Mountain can offer the rides that the Urdu poets piloted. Plus, the Mushaira was much cheaper, and the experience meant something beyond pure entertainment. Peerzada Qasim did an excellent job of hosting the event. Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi was the honored president. Jameel Badlavi and Gain Chand were the honored guests in the audience. Some of the poets were from U.S. including: Farooq Taraz and wife Noshi Geelani, Zarreen Yaseen, Zafar Rizwi, Iqbal Mian Zaidi and Iftikhar Naseem. Abdul-Rehman Siddiqui was given the 1997 Poet Of The Year Award for his book "Naghma-e-Zanjeer". Amjad Adaya also presented him with a $5,000 check. A pleasant surprise was the Community Service Award given to Abu-Bakr Vakil for his consistant assistance.

Mansoora Ahmed had won the Academy Of Letters Award in Pakistan. She brought tears to our eyes with her verses about the political and social unrest. Nawaz Dayo-Bandi, Mansoor Usmani and Irfan Siddiqui had come from India. Waseem Baraylvi, Peerzada Qasim and Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi arrived from Pakistan. It would be unfair to acknowledge one poet and not another. You had to be there. If you weren't, you missed an thoroughly fulfilling experience. The program journal handed out was the best ever. It was generously sponsored by community businesses. Printed on glossy paper with colorful roses on the covers, it had poetry of all the greats. At the end, it included works of the evening's featured poets. Many thanks, wah wah and muqarrar irshaad to Urdu Markaz International!!

Thank you South Asian Network

 

(34) Thank You SAN

12-19-96 by Fazeel Chauhan

To Mr. Hamid Khan, South Asian Network

I would like to thank you for all the help you've provided me through SAN over the past four years. For me, South Asian Network has been a place where I can come to and get the precious feeling of belongingness. There are many South Asian people, specially the youth, who are in the same predicament as me. You have been educating and teaching them about Career Development, English, Yoga, Laws, Health issues and Immigration. The greatest benefit I personally gain is through the group discussions on Immigration and Family issues.

South Asians are an extremely new group of people to immigrate to America. Here, we lack the roots or background of a historical presence. Since our numbers are very small and we arrived here very recently, we don't have proper political representation. There is also a lot of misinformation about our people in the media. Those of us who are Muslims are falsely and frequently misrepresented as terrorists who are violent and oppressive toward women. These major issues, combined with the stress of adjusting to the new country and culture can really isolate a person. The fast paced and unfriendly culture of Los Angeles also adds to the difficulties that our people encounter. Often we feel misunderstood, isolated, out of place and longing for a feeling of home.

Really, the only option available to us when we want to be with our community is through religious affiliation. I can go to the Mosque and pray with other Muslims. But there aren't any social activities that take place there. For example, no classes about American culture, English or Career Development are offered. There also aren't any programs like mentoring, personal counseling or group discussions. South Asian Network fills the void for these needs. Most people in our community have not heard of the important services that SAN is providing. It is a fairly new organization, but its vision is very critical for the progress of our community. As more people find out about what SAN is offering, the available funds will increase and so will the services to the community.

Many people like me also lack a family because we immigrated here alone. The sincere people at SAN have given me tremendous support. You have provided me with a lot of understanding through personal attention because of which I don't feel so lost and alone anymore. The volunteers at SAN, like you, give me the greatest respect as a human being. And this makes me feel like I have some worth and that I have something of value to give back to my community. In southern California, it is nearly impossible to find people who genuinely care about other human beings. Everyone is just too busy. But SAN has a different vision, and you embrace me for who I am, rather than judging me. This makes me feel like I belong here. Otherwise, I frequently feel like I am slipping through the cracks of society.

I commend you for having the courage and for taking the time to help our community. I also thank you for teaching me, for educating me and for genuinely caring about me. I am always grateful to you. You can call me to help you with any volunteer work for SAN.

Are You a South Asian Hero?

 

(22) Are You A South Asian Hero?

by Fazeel Aziz Chauhan

5-9-97

There is a famous African proverb "Until the lions have their historians, tales of hunting will always glorify the hunter". Being minorities in America, we owe a lot of gratitude to African Americans. We enjoy a lot of freedoms and Civil Rights, because of their hard work. About seven years ago, three or four friends of Indian/Pakistani origin decided to start a community service organization called South Asian Network. This non-profit organization's mission is "People Helping People". The goal is to unite South Asians and network with other communities and organizations to empower people.

SAN is a non-religious organization which strives to overcome barriers of culture, race, country, gender and political orientation. SAN operates in a way which is respectful toward all human beings. They work for social justice and human rights but their main thrust is community outreach. Over the years, hundreds of people have participated and benefited from their programs. Monthly discussion meetings are held to address real issues faced by the common South Asian, such as cultural adjustment, solitude, relationships, conflicts of values and belongingness.

Since about a year ago, SAN's community center has been located right in the heart of the South Asian community in the Cerritos / Artesia area. Hamid Khan is one of the pioneers of SAN. Together with Pam Grewal, Assad Zaidi and other members, they have been doing the courageous and heroic work of reaching out and helping people. They serve as excellent examples of what one or two people can do to make a big difference in someone else's life.

A few days ago, a Free Heath Clinic was organized at SAN's office. The need for this service was realized because of the recent government cutbacks in health care. That eliminated the safety net for a number of people who ended up with no health insurance. Many can't afford to pay the high cost of common medical services. SAN's results were very successful, specially since 90% of the people were in genuine need of health care, because they didn't have it available. A bunch of volunteers showed up to help with various medical tests, as well as with general administration. Some even brought snacks and sweets to serve with the traditional free flowing hot tea.

A few doctors and a nurse volunteered their services to provide physical exams and counseling to the 64 people served. A pediatrician, two general practitioners, a dentist and a psychiatrist examined each person's case thoroughly. Various tests were performed on site and the results were given back right away. People were tested for Blood Cholesterol, Urinalysis, T.B., Blood Glucose, Hepatitis, HIV and Blood Pressure. After each case was evaluated, referrals were provided to the people for no-cost or low-cost health care which is available from various sources in southern California.

Look for the next Free Health Clinic at SAN, in June. Also coming up on May 18, there's a Free Legal Clinic, to help you with such issues as immigration. In the past, SAN has provided free mammograms for women over 40. SAN's ongoing programs also include English classes for senior citizens, Urdu and Yoga Classes, Job Search Workshops, Cultural awareness and much more. Since SAN is a non-profit agency, your Tax-Deductible Donations would be extremely helpful. Volunteers are always encouraged to get involved in "People Helping People".

Often, a person who wants to give back to his community finds that very few open channels exist. Frequently, leadership at our organizations actually discourages people from volunteering. Their scope can also be very limited and disappointing. Our organizations are usually politically oriented or are geared to serve only a subset of the South Asian community. In such an environment, SAN's example of community outreach is a great one.

As South Asians, we need to unite together, especially because of the recent backlash against immigrants in this country. Unfortunately, we often get caught up and focus on our differences. Taking a closer look, we realize that the differences are very little compared to the vast amount of commonalities. I for one, really wish that we could give the benefit of the doubt to the next person, and just draw on the richness of what we can offer to each other. The Jews are an excellent example of a group of people uniting and taking care of the real needs their people. Like Jews, South Asians are settled in all corners of the world. It's a fact that we are extremely spiritual people. Imagine, if we unite that spiritual power, we can truly change the world.

Maybe YOU are the Hero who will get a program started in your local community, to help somebody. Are you going to pass the buck, like the next person? As the Bolivian activist Che Guevarra put it "To be powerful, we have to work together, because by ourselves, we are nothing"

Lata Shines at the Shrine

Lata Shines at the Shrine

by Fazeel Aziz Chauhan

(Published ~ 10-10-95 in Pakistan Link, Los Angeles)

Last Saturday, the Legendary Lata Mangeshkar performed at the beautiful Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Lata embarked on a U.S. tour after an absence of over a decade. The anxiously awaiting fans bought out all the tickets a month before the show. The performers included a variety of musicians and singers and the audience sat back and relaxed in their seats to enjoy the show.

Being a Desi event, it was a pleasant surprise that the show began on time. Mr. S.P. Balasubrahmanyam began the show with a few popular songs from Hindi films including "Yeh Bandhan Anjana". During his introduction of Lata, he asked the audience not to whistle and to give her the respect of a mother. This set the tone for a very quiet and mellow audience.

As Lata walked onto the stage barefoot, the crowd gave her a warm welcome with their applause. Balasubrahmanyam and Lata sang a few duets, beginning with "Sundariya". The next song was very upbeat and three background female singers came on stage to join the duet "Dulhay Kee Saliyo". These vocalists came on stage for various other songs throughout the show, to add more depth and color to the orchestral sound. Jyotsna Hardikar, Sumati Antrolekar and Kirti Pai were dressed in ornate orange sarees, and sang enticing harmonies to the chorus lines.

Lata took a break and Adinath Mangeshkar sang a few popular tunes. He humbly introduced himself as a young performer. The crowd gave him a lot of encouragement and respect as Lata is his aunt. He sang the hit "Ik Ladki Ko Dekha To Aisa Laga" from the movie "1942". It is a simple yet beautiful and catchy tune. Jyotna joined Adinath for a duet "Tumhi Main" from the movie "Criminal". The song was partly copied from a hit by the band "Enigma". But Jyotna sang the haunting melody which sweetly melted in the listeners' ears.

Many of the performers were closely related to Lata and I was surprised at the incredible artistic talent that exists in this family. Usha Mangeshkar who is Lata's sister sang a couple of oldies from the movies "420" and "Nikah", including "Aichak Dana". She is also a painter and award winning movie producer.

The most vibrant performer of the night was Sudhesh Bhosle. He joked with the audience and captured their attention by talking about the "Upar Walay" - the people sitting in the dark, at the very top. His success began with the song "Jumma Chumma" from the film "Hum". He has the ability to accurately copy great singers like Kishore Kumar, Rafi and S.D. Burman. Sudhesh began with Kishore's hit "Hum Na Karain Gay Pyar" and it felt like Kishore himself was in the room. He also sang one of my favorite tunes "Chaand Mayra Dil". The guitarist who was sitting during the whole show, stood up to play this hip song. Sudhesh got the audience involved and asked for their participation. They got energized and responded with their applause to "Tum Kya Jano Muhabbat Kya Hay", "Amma Dekh Munda Bigra Jaye" and "Gata Rahay Mera Dil".

Lata came back on stage and talked about the great composer S.D. Burman. The first song he composed was for Lata. Her last song with R.D. Burman was the hit "Kuch Na Kaho". When she sang this song, an older couple in love got up and started dancing with a strong embrace. Security was called to have them sit down again. In this set Lata sang a few historical songs like "Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya", "Aa Janay Jaan" and a 50 year old song "Lara Lappa".

After the intermission, Lata sang a beautiful classical duet with her brother Hridaynath Mangeshkar. It started with only the tabla and drone and later the whole orchestra joined in. It was a 13 member orchestra with all the men dressed in the same white shirts and embroidered black vests. These were the unsung heroes who provided the vocalists with the necessary rhythm, strings and melodies. They were lead by the musical arranger and conductor Anil Mohile. There were six musicians on percussion including Raphael Satamkar on and electronic drumset called Octopad, Narayan Naidu on Dholak, Maqbool Khan on Bongos, Kishore Bham on Mallets, Vishal Mhatre on Congos and Ramakant Mhapsekar on Tabla. Amar Mohile played synthesizers and Ajay Madan played Guitar. Kishore Desai was on Mandolin, Prakash Patel on Violin and Vivek Paranjpe on Keyboards. An important part of the sound mix was Suraj Sathe who played Accordian. This variety of instruments gave the orchestra a very broad and rich sound.

Lata ended the program by singing about 20 one-liners from her hits. These included "Aye Ga Aanay Wala", "Raja Key Aye Gee Baraat" and "Aap Key Nazron Nay Samjha Pyar Kay Qabil Mujhay". Some people responded with applause and praise for their favorite songs. Lata asked them to "Remain peaceful and not to create too much comotion". The last song was "Yeh Zindagi Usee Key Hay Jo Kisi Ka Ho Gaya" which creschendos on a high note "Alvida". Lata apologized for her sore throat and thanked all of the musicians and promotors. It was indeed a very professional, rich and memorable show.

Pakistanis love great Indian singers like Lata. Such musicians and artists can bridge the gap between "us" and "them" and help create peace. Good artists are not confined by territorial or political boundary lines. It is unfortunate that there is division among the people who lived together and got along for hundreds of years. Our differences are few and our similarities are numerous. We have a common legacy and ancestry. Let's focus on the things we have in common and create peace with our neighbors

Independence Day

                         Independence Day

by Fazeel Chauhan

8-14-93

What does independence mean to me?
It is many things: Freedom, autonomy, maturity, connectedness and open mindedness.
Our goal should be to be the best that we can be - intellectually, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Trouble is, we as human beings are very tempted by our comfort zones. We arrive at a comfortable point in life and then stop to enjoy it. This resting point represents a stagnation in our growth process. The giant sequoias, evolve from a small seedling. Their growth doesn't stop and because of their adaptability, they are able to flourish for thousands of years. Those of us who do not continue to grow, change adapt, stop evolving and perish. the chains that bind us are all the things, beliefs and excuses that stop our growth. Our goal should be to break these chains and strive to be free in the truest sense.

One essential value is open-mindedness. We need to be accepting of other people's views and feelings. Why is it that I don't see any signs on the buses here, that forbid political arguments? People don't have violent fights over politics, honor and religion here, because they are somewhat open-minded. Egocentrism, tunnel vision and narrow mindedness are signs of ignorance and fear. When children start growind, they ask why about everything. Questioning should be allowed so that people can form their own opinions. "Other" opinions that "they" have should be tolerated by "us". As immigrants, we may be viewed as different and separate. But the fact is that we are all connected. We are the same- all "one".
Discrimination is a blindfold and it is psychological genocide. There is no doubt that it exists in the world, but as individuals, we should avoid it. Somebody's last name, economical status or social status, their gender or religion should not be viewed as inferior to our own. At CSULA, on the statue of Confucious it states: "Among truly educated people, there is no discrimination". We should educate ourselves in and out of school. But there are those who are educated but still ignorant. We should allow the education and learning experiences to change us and expand our views.

This is what independence means to me. One day soon, enough of us will join hands and embrace each other, to celebrate the independence of our souls

The Honorable People

by Fazeel Chauhan

(Published in Pakistan Link  ~  10-5-95)

Forty Eight years ago, millions of Muslims of the Indian Sub-continent gained their freedom. They did not want to live under the oppression of the British or the Hindus. They wanted independence and the freedom to practice their religion and culture without restrictions. Half a century later, we're still slaves. We are not independent and free. Our actions and current circumstances show that we are not living those values that the founders envisioned practicing. Corruption, injustice, oppression and civil war are the diseases destroying our country Pakistan.
The Westerners came hundreds of years ago and enslaved our ancestors. Their motive was greed of power and money. They ruled our people and stole the material goods and ancient treasures of our land. They made us conform to their thinking, laws and values and attempted to divert us away from our magnificent heritage. They used the tactics of divide and conquer to oppress and control us. The brave people who stood up to fight them were killed or bought. They were our enemies and they taught us to hate ourselves. They looked upon us as the "dirty natives." They made us learn their English language and steered us away from our own richer languages. So they brainwashed us into believing that our old traditions and native values were wrong and that it was good to be modern and westernized. We began to lose our integrity, got confused, and started becoming like them.
The British were able to come in and invade the land, hearts, souls and minds of our people because we had become weak. Specifically, we lost the values which had made us powerful, honorable people and the integrity which had kept us on the right path. When we became weak on the inside, both the devil and the British were able to conquer us.
Our forefathers dreamed that things would be different after independence. Our ancestors gave their lives to attain freedom for their future generations. They hoped that we would live happily ever after in our sacred and "Pak" land. The dream has turned into a nightmare today, especially for the people in Karachi. With so much unrest and lawlessness, nobody knows who could get killed next. So many people have guns that it has become like the wild west. Corruption is rampant in our motherland. A poor man who does not have money or connections, is powerless and vulnerable. Freedom of speech means that a person may be killed if he says what he really feels. The basic human rights that we enjoy in America have to be bought and sold in Pakistan. We are still weak because we still allow ourselves to be divided and conquered.
Part of the problems in Pakistan is the covert operations of outside forces like the CIA. We should learn planning skills from the British, Americans and Jews. Their planning is for the next five hundred years. The imperialist British said "We will not only conquer their lands and minds, we will rule their hearts and souls for generations to come." Today, many generations later, our hearts and souls are slaves to the west. A Caucasian man told me proudly "Don't fool yourself. Just because the British flag was replaced by the Pakistani flag in 1947 does not mean that you are free. Any imperialist government still rules the colonies even after granting them "independence.""
The language we are communicating in today is English. It's difficult to communicate feelings and emotions in this language. For example, there are so many different words for love in Urdu. But English is a necessity in today's world. That's fine, but what's really repulsive is when in Pakistan people proudly and abundantly use English words in their Urdu conversations. The more "westernized" a person looks, the more respect and admiration he gets. Today, a popular song is "Goree". Why is white considered more beautiful? Is it because we believe the Caucasians who told us that we are the "dirty natives" and the whites are godly?
Religion and spirituality are very personal things which are between a man and his God. Yet so many people are oppressed in the name of religion. In Pakistan, many people are not educated enough to properly interpret and analyze the teachings of a religion. The people are threatened not to question "religion". The biggest enemy in our culture is self-righteousness. There are so many egocentric people who think that only they are right and everybody else is wrong. They have no tolerance and are threatened by a difference of opinion.
Twenty years ago a boy was born in Karachi. At a very young age he started having dreams in which the great heros of the world appeared to him. Men like Tipu Sultan, Hazrat Imam Hussain, Nelson Mandela, Bob Marley and Allama Iqbal would talk to him in his dreams. They urged him to be a righteous man and lead his people out of their miserable state. For several years, he strengthened his spirit. Then he started teaching people the ancient ways to make them honorable again. He asked these people of integrity to join him and formed a movement called the "Honorable People".

About a million of these warrior souls are now working for human rights in Pakistan. Their values are rooted in their own rich and ancient eastern heritage. These men and women do not compromise their principles and choose death over slavery. These humanitarians are united and are willing to give up their lives to wrong the rights in Pakistan. They will jump off a cliff before taking a bribe. They are not hypocrites or jealous of others. They protect and empower women and children. They ensure that the poor and needy also get the same basic human rights as everybody else. They make peace among warring factions. They talk to the men who want their own little kingdoms and persuade them to join the Honorable People. As leaders of our society, they make long range plans and visualize where our society should be in five hundred years. They care about other people and are not selfish. They believe that their purpose in life is to serve other people. Will you become an honorable person to help your children? What stops you from joining the Honorable People?

Gambling

by Fazeel Chauhan

(Published in Pakistan Link  ~  3-15-95)

Kamran has lived in this country for the past six years. He came here on a student visa to pursue higher education and has just completed a master's degree in Computer Science. Now he's faced with a dilemma. Should he go back to Pakistan or stay here. I have frequently met people who have had to make this important decision. Like the major choices in life, it's a big gamble. Weighing the pros and cons of either option can be very difficult. Here's what his situation is:
"Up until a few months ago, I wanted to stay here. I had planned to send resumes to various companies to look for a job. Someone out there would hire me, I thought, and sponsor me, so that I could live in this country legally. But now I'm not sure whether it's wise for me to stay here. To extend my visa and to buy myself some more time while I'm in the process of making a decision, I have enrolled into a MBA program at my university.
"I have talked to a few of my colleagues who are in the same boat as me. One of them is from Algeria and he was the top student of my university. He was doing an internship with one of the defense contractors. As a project leader, he designed some technically difficult systems, using the latest tools and proved himself a valuable asset to his company. He worked extra hard and obtained awards and recognition from the employer. Yet, even after all of that, the company did not sponsor him. He ended up going back to Algeria and opened up a school there to teach computers and became very successful.
"It seems like I will not be able to stay here. The economy is in bad shape and many computer professionals have been laid off from their jobs. How can I compete with someone who has working experience and citizenship as well? I'm scared and unsure of my future and I don't want to make the wrong decision. I have been in school all my life. Now it's time to get a job and I don't know if I will be successful. That's the main reason I haven't really tried to get a job and have been procrastinating.
"One option I have is to work on my own by assembling and selling computers. But I will be illegal and always concerned about it. Another choice is to marry my girlfriend. She's American and we've been dating for about two years. She says she's in love with me and wants to marry me. But I just don't know. My family would not approve and seems like inter-racial marriages are much more susceptible to failure. When I consider getting married to her, the line between genuine care and taking advantage becomes cloudy. It will break her heart when I go back to Pakistan.
"I know these guys who are in the Desi mafia in New York. They can get me a fake passport or green card. But I've rarely done anything that illegal and risky in my life. The FBI is after them and I'd probably end up getting caught and deported. I don't want to get into that kind of trouble. I think I'll just head back home to Pakistan.
"I love this country and there are so many opportunities and choices available here which are not in Pakistan. I have grown tremendously in the years I've lived here. Twenty years of living in Pakistan could not have taught me the things I have experienced in the last six years in America. But the dirt beneath my feet is not mine and these people in the streets are not mine. This language and culture is not mine and I feel isolated. Friends are hard to find here and people are spiritually starved. Then there is racism and lack of acceptance of "colored" people.
"I think I'll be able to readjust in Pakistan. I have a family that loves me and friends that genuinely care about me. If you have money over there, you can live like you were in America. There's a lot of things I don't like about my country. And I'll have to get involved in trying to correct them. I should work to help my own people. I'll open up a computer school there and improve the life-scope of my own folk. I'll get married to one of my own kind and hopefully not live unhappily ever after. Life is a series of choices, a bunch of gambles. Each choice you make opens up a new world to you and simultaneously shuts out another universe of options. I hope I'll make the right decision. Only time will tell"

Bandit Queen

by Fazeel Aziz Chauhan

(Published in Pakistan Link  ~  8-7-95)

 
"Bandit Queen" is the name of a new Indian movie. It is a true story based on the life of a famous woman named Phoolan Devi. At one point in time, the film was banned in India because of its controversial content. The movie is not just about Phoolan Devi, however, because it deals with some of the deep social issues of India and Pakistan. This is a very remarkable and socially conscious movie, which makes the viewer look inside. For the Desi viewer, the reality of this movie is hard to accept.
The film opens with an image of a young eleven year old girl. She stares right into your eyes and tells you in a powerful and assertive voice "Yes, I am Phoolan Devi..." At the end of the sentence was a common curse word. This was very unexpected and really grabbed my attention. A young, cute, innocent little girl is not supposed to talk like that. It made me sit up in my seat and I wondered "What was that." From the beginning, the movie was very disturbing. But this ugly discomfort had a very strong and positive effect on my psyche.
Another nice touch in "Bandit Queen" was that Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was the music composer. There was a haunting song which was sung by a child. Khan kept the music in its raw form and gave it a rough edge. Even the music was packaged in a very real way. This movie represents one of those very rare occasions when the film medium has been used to present the truth to people. Almost all Pakistani and Indian movies show us a romanticized view of life. Like tv, movies can become a drug that we use to escape from real life. We've all seen enough of these movies about fictitious characters who live in a nonexistent world, that we start expecting our real lives to be like that too. But when real life strikes us over the head, it is a very disappointing experience. Films and tv can be very powerful and motivating tools if we want to bring a positive change in the world. That is one reason why this is such an awesome movie.
In Bandit Queen, there were issues which were absolutely the truth but these were hard to swallow. The ugly realities of our society were very difficult to accept. I found myself sitting at the Nuart Theatre in Santa Monica. Almost everybody in the audience was American and there were hardly any Desi people. This made it worse. My first reaction was that I don't want Americans to see all these evil things about my culture. It will give them another excuse to discriminate and belittle us. But if our own society will not acknowledge these problems in our culture, then it might take outside observers to convince us that hey, this behavior is not right.
So what was so disturbing in this movie? It exposed the worst kind of child abuse. It slapped me to show me the severe oppression of women. It demonstrated how rich people can take poor people for granted and make their lives so cheap. It shouted of how human beings who don't have enough money or status are treated worse than animals. It screamed with the pain of women who have no choices and who have to live their whole lives like prisoners and slaves. It makes you sick about the class system which exists in both India and Pakistan.
The movie really shook me up. It woke me up and reminded me of the society that I come from. It showed me who I am. It made me realize the truths about myself and my people, which I didn't want to accept. It showed me the suffering of the masses of India and Pakistan. It reminded me of the raw, blunt and painful prejudice that my people have. Prejudice against how others look, against women, against the poor and against people who have a lower class. It is very powerful movie. If enough of us see it, then making positive changes in our society will become easier. You will realize that there are a lot of things you want to change. You will feel like taking some action to help somebody. And maybe you will follow through and do something to stop the oppression, injustice, prejudice, and other crimes against humanity. What do you feel?

Are You a Fish or a Frog

Are You A Frog Or A Fish?

by Fazeel Azeez Chauhan

(Published in Pakistan Link ~ 10-11-96)

Hey, where are you from? This question is asked of us because we are viewed as different; Frogs among Fish. Maybe the issue is not Frogs and Fish but Cowboys and Indians. Yea but what's this Fishy Froggy business anyway.......
Well, I'll quote my Amphibious friend from Ottawa, Canada "I believe it was Imam Abdullah Hakim who told me about fish and frogs. He used these two animal types to describe the two basic kinds of Muslims: "fish" and "frogs". Fish, being water-dwellers, rely on their special environment to carry out all of their activities of life; on the other hand, frogs, which are amphibious creatures, can thrive both in water and on land. "Fish" require ever-present, supportive and homogeneous environments to function successfully. But "frogs" can make it ANYWHERE. Do you seek to spread yourself beyond the scope of your comfort zone? Are you a frog? How far are you willing to venture? If you have thick, slimy, green skin then come along with me!".
Hybrids like us live in the U.S. but are linked to other countries, through an invisible umbilical cord. Those of us who've lived in the "old countries", swam and played among the local schools of fish. There we were fish and not viewed as frogs. The millions of beautiful and colorful fish were of all shapes and sizes. To a large extent, we understood our people and our surroundings, and enjoyed a certain amount of comfortable belongingness there.
Now we've come out to a new land, a different world. Some of us hybrids were born here yet don't feel we belong solely to this land. We long for a swim in the deep ocean and sometimes we venture out there with our friends, fish and frogs alike. As frogs, we are likely to float on top of the water, near the shore, with our vision reaching into the heavens. Through the clouds and the pollution, we try to ponder who we are, where we are and where we belong. And how many years more will we have to live here to be not considered "Foreigners". We may experience that today, fish in both the Indian and Pacific Oceans view us as strange green aliens. So it makes us speculate where can we fit in.
Young people like us often wonder "Who the hell am I? Am I American, Pakistani, or Muslim"? We wonder which group we belong with, Caucasian, African, or Hispanics. Sometimes application forms force us to be incorrectly classified as "Asian" by which they mean Pacific Asian only. Other times we're stereotyped as Arabs or Middle-eastern people. As we ponder these questions and form our self-identity, we beg, borrow and steal pieces of ourselves from various sources. An African American friend recently educated me about the idea of the "Looking Glass Self". It states that we look at ourselves through other peoples' eyes. Us Frogs don't often have the luxury of looking at ourselves through our own people's eyes. So we often see ourselves through American eyes. And sadly, the American eye usually captures us at our worst, and presents negative images about us through the media.
My friend ZZ from Washington D.C. says "I think an important issue that we, as the "first generation", face is culture. What are we? We are hybrids, that is a pertinent term. But where do we draw the line? As an American born citizen, I think I should consider myself an American. The only life I've known is being in America. But I also value my parents' roots, Pakistan. But their parents were Indian. It's really confusing, living in a "hybrid-culture". During the day, we work and hang out with Americans, talking to them, eating their food, experiencing their values. Yet, when we come home to our families, we are eating curries and rice, speaking Urdu and listening to Indian music. At least my parents usually do. I enjoy that too, but, jeez I gotta turn on MTV and watch Alternative Nation to get a grip. And adults wonder why so many of us are so messed up. We have no idea who or what we are. At least, I feel that way sometimes."
How can we ease this situation of duality? That will come from supporting each other. To help each other deal with our common predicament, we need to share our tools. We need to really talk and listen to each other. We need older people to be open to their children and also to mentors youngsters. We may not be able to solve all our problems, but sometimes it helps greatly just to express our feelings and to know that we're not alone in feeling like a fish out of water. Our people lack a survival manual, a history and power in this land. But gradually, our Pakistani community is getting more established here and our broader, amphibious views are benefitting other communities as well. We can also learn valuable adaptation techniques from other communities. Achieving a healthy balance within ourselves is not easy, but none the less, it's a great adventure

Community and Belongingness

Community and Belongingness

by Fazeel Aziz Chauhan

(Published in Pakistan Link ~  3-15-95)

We come to the United States in search of something better. In the process, we may gain a lot, but we are also uprooted. We lose many precious things, including our loved ones and our home. To combat the hardships of this new land, we need the support of our fellow Pakistanis. A strong community can provide us with the feeling of belongingness and make us feel like home.
The famous psychologist Abraham Maslow identified a human being's five most important needs as:
1) Physical
2) Safety
3) Love and Belongingness
4) Self-Esteem
5) Self-Actualization
To fulfill the love and belongingness need, we must have the support of our community. In our house, our family provides us with this warm and comforting feeling. This is how we define a place as "home". At home we feel like we really belong there. It's a place where we are loved, accepted, sheltered and nurtured. We have left our homeland - Pakistan, and have now moved into our new house - the United States. In this new house, our community can serve as our extended family to turn it into our home.
Personally, I've tried to blend into the American lifestyle, but often I am treated like an outsider. We may not be considered as equals, based on our differences in culture, language, religion and color. These are the harsh realities of life in the United States. Discrimination is psychological genocide. Such obstacles seem overwhelming if we attempt to combat them all alone. But we can face them better if we know that we have the support of a strong community behind us. This "community" is not a vague and abstract entity some where out there. We have to think of it simply as you, and me.
These comments are not intended to create reverse discrimination. What I am suggesting is that our Pakistani community can serve as our home base, offering us stability. We should be able to feel confident that we can always return to this safe haven. As individuals, we have to implant our roots deep into our community. From there, we can go out to succeed in the rest of the world. Otherwise, we are liable to drift away like a ship without an anchor. We have to start with ourselves.
There is an emphasis on individuality here, but there is also a lot of isolation. As lone individuals, we run the risk of losing our identity. We can become discouraged enough to lose our hopes and dreams. It can turn into a terrible situation, making our life here very difficult.
Under these circumstances, the support of our fellow Pakistanis becomes extremely important for our survival and well being. We need role models and friends. We should be able to interact intimately and bond with each other. Together we can form this united community.

Instead of pointing out each others' human weaknesses, we should focus on the other's positive qualities. We should embrace the common threads that unite us. We can overcome fearing each other and stop allowing our differences to create distances between us. It will be very helpful if we have an objective attitude and are more tolerant of other people. Our culture teaches us to be sensitive and caring. I appeal to you to use these abilities to get close to, and empathize with each other.
Life in the U.S. can become very challenging indeed. Therefore, the circle of a tight-knit community can serve as an essential refuge, where we can frequently come and feel at home. If each one of us does our part in helping one another, we can make this place our home away from home. A strong community can be a homeland and like a mother, comfort us in her loving arms. She can give us the feelings of belongingness and acceptance, and help erase our feelings of homelessness. Isolation makes us feel weak and rejected. Belongingness charges our batteries and makes us feel strong and empowered.
Let's have community gatherings more often, to preserve our roots and identity, as well as our sanity. More importantly, let's focus on the individual level. If each one of us offers their support to all the people they come in contact with on a daily basis, we can develop this powerful community. Let's offer our trust and friendship to each other. We can share a few laughs to ease each other's sorrows. Some times all we need is a few words of kindness. Let's embrace each other and unite in a strong circle of our community, where we can help and love one another, through the limited time we have left here together.

American Born Pakistanis

American Born Pakistanis

by Fazeel Chauhan
(Published in Pakistan Link ~  2-19-91)

Eighteen year old Uzmah Multani is the founder and current president of the Pakistani Student Association at California State University, Los Angeles. Two years ago, she decided to form the organization on this campus to encourage Pakistanis to get involved in social and cultural activities. Her intention was to provide a common platform where Pakistanis could meet and exchange their views about life in the United States and to offer support to each other. She has worked very hard to serve our community in a positive manner. Personally, I have found valuable friends and support, through this organization. The following is a synopsis of a conversation I had with her about what it's like being an American born Pakistani. She talks about some of the difficulties posed to Pakistani Americans. I believe these statements also ring true for those of us who have been here for many years.

"I was born in California and have lived here all my life. As I was growing up, my family enriched my life by instilling in me, the traditional Pakistani values. While at school, the American culture also had an influence on my life. When I was a child, some people viewed my identity with a bit of mystery. Their reactions would some times make me wonder what I was: Pakistani or American. My physical characteristics, language and values were Pakistani, yet my spirits were somewhat American.

  

"Most first generation Americans like me, seem to live two roles. Yet it is not like two separate and parallel lives, one American and the other Pakistani. Usually people take the best of both worlds and carefully sculpture a good combination that best suits their individual personality. Like myself, they still consider themselves as Pakistanis. But Some hardliners disagree and question our freedom of choice and want us to be just like a picture in their minds - a stereotype. If our individuality and uniqueness makes them uncomfortable, they become afraid and their narrow minds cannot accept us. This is the unhealthy "either / or" thinking. To them, it has to be either "A" or "P". They want to classify us and put us in a convenient box or category. Prejudice is based on this type of thinking that "I am right and you are wrong", or "We are good and they are bad." But the fact is that there are very few absolutes in the world. The definition of a pure American or a pure Pakistani is extremely subjective. Some ethnocentric and egocentric people want to divide humans into such categories so that they can discriminate against one group or the other.

"Some Caucasian Americans are prejudiced against other Americans who are non-white. I'm sure that just like us, most other non-whites have witnessed plenty of discrimination of this type. I founded PSA because I consider myself a Pakistani. I'm sure you're aware of the sad reality that some Pakistanis are prejudiced against each other. For example, some Pakistanis discriminate against American born Pakistanis. Yet most people do generally accept and respect Pakistani Americans for exactly what we are. They accept us as equal and don't get hung up on differences in languages, religion, culture, gender or place of birth.

I think that being a Pakistani American is a gift. Friends have commented to me that having two identities is far more beneficial than one. We can have Pakistani friends as well as American. Pakistani Americans have the capacity to look at things in a different light and in a more open-minded perspective. I believe that one person's culture, language or gender does not make him or her better than the next person. What really counts is what we have inside of us. Pakistani Americans are exposed to more than one ethnic group, culture and language. This educates them in different areas of life and enables them to relate more openly to people with different backgrounds. They usually view themselves as world citizens and are more willing to accept people of different ethnicities as equals.

"I used to attend Arabic classes at the Islamic Center every Sunday. I mixed with children from various other backgrounds. However, the common denominator of being Muslim united all of us. Students were not classified into different categories, they were just educated. It was then I realized that individuals who classify others are simply trying to prove their own superiority. Religion always taught us unity and equality. Yet humans persistently attempt to supersede all moral codes by implementing their own personal rules and subjective values. Around the world, this factor encourages separatism, ethnic violence, prejudice and war.

"Man has created borders that divide countries and their people. We should not view "us" as better than "them". Rich or poor, Pakistani or American, Punjabi or Sindhi, Shia or Sunni, we are all equal. We have to climb over these walls to the "other" side to get the "other's" perspective, an additional point of view. We are all mirrors and what we see in others are reflections of ourselves. If "others" seem different than "us", we should overcome our fears and try to relate to them objectively. Growth is not possible without objectivity. I wish that we'll soon see a day when Pakistanis can get along with other Pakistanis, Americans can get accept other Americans and people of all "colors" in the world can peacefully and harmoniously unite together, like a beautiful rainbow"

Needed / Not / What is

Needed   /   Not   /   What is

Cop feels like force is needed

Soldier brags killing is needed

Ruler flaunts controlling is needed

Bartender supposes alcoholics are needed

Warmonger exclaims sanctions are needed

Banker shows debt is needed

Lifeguard surmises drowning is needed

Politician rejoices breakdowns are needed

Doctor begs disease is needed

Parent prays dependents are needed

Butcher contends slaughter is needed

Preacher professes his intercession is needed

Surgeon bets injury is needed

Celebrity touts his spotlight is needed

Lawyer reckons conflicts are needed

Photographer proclaims image effects are needed

Super power schemes coups are needed

Artist imagines audience is needed

Fireman proves fires are needed

Princess pretends maids are needed

Football lover conceives violence is needed

Spy argues assassinations are needed

Religion portrays hell is needed

Weapon seller brandishes bogeyman is needed

Dentist knows bad teeth are needed

Beautician insinuates ugliness is needed

Imperialist glorifies war is needed

   

Spouse advertises love is needed

Paramedic figures emergencies are needed

The paranoid avow enemies are needed

Cleaner presumes dirt is needed

Judge alleges guilt is needed

Warden realizes prisoners are needed

Insurance agent deems loss is needed

Economic hitman extols overthrows are needed

Performer perceives show is needed

Architect considers emptiness is needed

Graveyard reveals dead bodies are needed

Movie hero enshrines villains are needed

Pharmacist ponders illness is needed

Non-vegetarian surmises butchering is needed

Plumber envisions leads are needed

Magician implies illusions are needed

Secretary recognizes bosses are needed

Leader convinces followers are needed

Janitor contemplates excrement is needed

Liar affirms fools are needed

Global godfather shouts 6 billion slaves are needed

Therapist reminisces stress is needed

Priest claims sins are needed

White-supremacist projects minorities are needed

The haves announce the have-nots are needed

Humans submit death is needed

                                                                                     by Fazeel Azeez Chauhan 5-28-19