A Wake-Up Call
I applaud letter writer, Jessica of New York (Contributing to America?, Letters Coumn, India Currents, August 2014) for her honest opinion, where she points out the burden American taxpayers have to bear for all the non-productive family members sponsored for immigration from India by their citizen relatives of the United States. While family integration is a good goal, it should not be implemented at the expense of American taxpayers (including children of the sponsors), but instead it should be borne by the sponsoring relatives.
Those who sponsor their older parents who cannot work in the United States and therefore would not pay social security taxes and medical insurance premiums, benefit from living with or close to them, getting free babysitting for their children, free housekeeping, and pocketing the Supplementary Social Security payments of roughly $800 per person per month, that are handed out to the older immigrant parents on their honor system statement that they do not have any assets in their home country.
This is not fair to poorer American citizens who have worked all their life in the United States, paid taxes and medical premiums (like many school teachers for example), but get a pittance in Social Security payments when they retire.
Already our welfare system is burdened by tens of thousands of illegal immigrants, and United States is no longer as prosperous as it was after World War II, to maintain such generous handouts for family integration.
Maneck Bhujwala, Huntington Beach, CA
Three Cheers!
In the letter (Want Miracles? Letters Coumn, India Currents, August 2014), Usha Kris gives three cheers for Modi.
Amit Shah, the newly promoted BJP president, is a defendant in a long running murder case. He has been absent in the court trials since the Elections. When the trial judge criticized Shah’s absence, the judge was promptly transferred. Should we be now singing “Three Cheers for Narendra Modi’s Judicial Interference?” Congress viciously corrupted individuals. BJP is corrupting the System. Cheers for both!
Mohammed Shoaib, email
A Patronizing Attitude?
Your editorial (The Heart of India, India Currents, August 2014) captures the indefatigable spirit of the people of India against all odds!
Rameysh Ramdas, CA
Your editorial (The Heart of India, India Currents, August 2014) betrays the callous and patronizing attitude toward the poor in India that most English-speaking Indians have. You are not shocked by the fact that “a young boy, barely 10 years old,” is not in school but is forced to earn a living by hustling shoeshine in a local market in Delhi. You casually mention the fact that “his face is grimy and his clothes are threadbare” without a hint of anger at the regime of linguistic apartheid that renders him inarticulate in his own country and keeps him in lifelong penury. You “laugh at his gall” and “meet his ink black eyes” and see a trite and vapid paradox about the people of India.
Kanchhedia Chamaar, email
The Modi-Obama Meet
It shall be the test for the most powerful, oldest and the largest democracies of the world. Both the leaders aspire to great things for their respective nations as well as for the whole world. Now they have to find ways to give shape to their ideas.
The Honorable Dr. A.P.J. Kalam once said that the real and the fastest progress is possible when technology meets spirituality. Here is the great opportunity for this to happen. United State’s technology and India’s spirituality can create waves in the world and can definitely make this earth, a much better place for all human beings to live.
Hope the ball shall be set to roll in this direction by the two big leaders during this meet. I wish them all the success.
A. Bhatia, email
A Vivd Picture
The fiction article (A Bag of Ashes, India Currents, August 2014) is a beautiful story by Ravibala Shenoy. It paints a vivid picture of living oceans away from aging parents in India.
Ambika Kasbekar, Facebook
Insightful Reviews
Jeanne Fredriksen (Love is in the Aril, When Worlds Collide, India Currents, August 2014) asks the most insightful questions of an author. I can’t tell you how many books I have read because of her great reviews. The Last Taxi Ride was the latest. Fabulous! City of Devi is on my summer read list.
Bonnie J Becker, Facebook