Curry Bear’s thoughts on Joel Stein’s article about Indians in Edison
Here is Joel Stein’s original article on Time.com.
After reading Joel Stein’s article, I’m not angry. A couple years ago, an article like this would have pissed me off. You don’t want to see an angry bear like me. I would have broken into his house, eaten his honey, chewed on his sofa, and crapped on his rug. But I am no longer angry. I am at peace with the world and I want to share my philosophy with you.
I read Joel’s article several times to understand what exactly he was trying to do. I didn’t want to label him a racist just because everyone else is fuming about his article all over Facebook. I wanted to be fair and objective. I believe that Joel was trying to be funny but didn’t quite succeed. Oh, and he just might be a little racist. I think Joel needs to know that when making comical statements about an ethnic group, it usually helps to be of the same ethnicity. Black people can say the N-word all they want. But when a white man says it, black people get pissed off. Remember when Michael Richards from Seinfeld used the N-word couple years ago? That didn’t end well for him. Joel’s statements may have some truth in them but most of them are just purely offensive and a few are funny. Take this quote for example:
In retrospect, I question just how good our schools were if “dot heads” was the best racist insult we could come up with for a group of people whose gods have multiple arms and an elephant nose.
I’ll be honest, that was kind of funny. If comedian Russell Peters had said something similar about racist Indian insults in one of his stand up routines, most of us would be laughing. I don’t want my readers to think that I am condoning what Joel did. He may have written a few funny lines but his article is full of offensive statements. Take the following sentence for example:
In the 1990s, the not-as-brilliant merchants brought their even-less-bright cousins, and we started to understand why India is so damn poor.
Yeah, that statement is more offensive than funny. Coming from a non-Indian, that statement is just going to piss people off. Seriously Joel, what were you trying to do with that one?
Joel had a lot of questions/comments in his article. I figured I’d try to respond to them.
I never knew how a bunch of people half a world away chose a random town in New Jersey to populate. Were they from some Indian state that got made fun of by all the other Indian states and didn’t want to give up that feeling? Are the malls in India that bad? Did we accidentally keep numbering our parkway exits all the way to Mumbai?
Well Joel, Edison was not chosen randomly. It was Manifest Destiny. Indians have a belief that they are destined for Westward expansion. You remember Manifest Destiny from History class right? It is the same belief Americans used in the 1800s to acquire more land and kill an entire ethnic group of, ironically, Indians. Now that Indians have taken over your childhood town, you can think of this as karma.
For a while, we assumed all Indians were geniuses. Then, in the 1980s, the doctors and engineers brought over their merchant cousins, and we were no longer so sure about the genius thing. In the 1990s, the not-as-brilliant merchants brought their even-less-bright cousins, and we started to understand why India is so damn poor.
Did you know that prior to the British takeover, India was the richest country in the world? True story. It only became poor after the British came in and stole all the resources. Whitey be holding us down yo.
As for your comment regarding the “not-as-brilliant merchants”, well, that’s questionable. Indians run a majority of businesses like Dunkin Donuts, Subways, newspaper stands, gas stations, hotels, motels, convenient stores, and many more things, both big and small. Most of them are running their business legitimately. I don’t think they are running a Ponzi scheme and robbing people of their life savings with bad investments. But then again, it’s pretty tough to come up with a Ponzi scheme that involves donuts and sandwiches. If you still have doubts about how “brilliant” Indian merchants can be, take a look at the Forbes list of billionaires and see how many Indian names you can spot. It’s like where’s Waldo, except Waldo is a Hindu guy with a lot of money.
Unlike some of my friends in the 1980s, I liked a lot of things about the way my town changed: far better restaurants, friends dorky enough to play Dungeons & Dragons with me, restaurant owners who didn’t card us because all white people look old. But sometime after I left, the town became a maze of charmless Indian strip malls and housing developments. Whenever I go back, I feel what people in Arizona talk about: a sense of loss and anomie and disbelief that anyone can eat food that spicy.
You know Joel, I understand where you’re coming from. No one likes change, whether it’s for good or bad. But one of those lame quotes I read on someone’s Facebook profile said “Change is the one constant in this world”. People change and places change. Did you honestly think that Edison would stay the same way even after you grew up and moved away? Is your penis the same size as it was when you were born? I hope not. If yes, may I suggest paying more attention to spam in your inbox?
I am very much in favor of immigration everywhere in the U.S. except Edison, N.J. The mostly white suburban town I left when I graduated from high school in 1989
You are looking at Edison as if it is “your” town. You don’t own Edison. Edison belongs to the people. It’s a place just like any other place in this country where people can come, make an honest living and lead a successful life. Whether it’s one Indian or a million, every one of them has a right to come into Edison and make an honest living. If all the Indians in Edison were criminals, then yes, I would support anti-immigration laws. The next time a bunch of Indians rob a Tilda Basmati truck in 3 suped up black Honda Civics, I promise you Joel I will start supporting anti-Immigration laws in Edison.
You can either be fearful of the changes, or you can embrace them. It is your choice. You could have written a nice, polite article about how Edison has changed due to the increase in Indian population. But you decided to write an angry rant about how Indians have ruined your precious “white” town. People fear what they don’t understand, and I feel that you Joel are a victim of this. You don’t have to be scared of Indians or Indian things. Let me explain a few Indian things to you:
Samosas – Don’t be afraid of them. Do you think that an Indian man is going to throw a samosa in your eye like a ninja star? No man, that samosa is meant to be eaten. The only thing it will hurt is your wallet. If you’re paying more than $3.00 for a samosa anywhere on Oak Tree, you’re being ripped off.
The red stuff on the pavement – I swear, it is not blood. If you think that Indians have started their own Fight Club on Oak Tree Road, you’re way off. Indians have this thing called “paan”. Just think of it as chewable tobacco. They chew it and spit it out on the street. That’s what all that red stuff is. I know it’s a nasty habit, but old habits die hard. I promise you that we’re working on getting rid of this nasty habit.
Bollywood movies – Have you ever seen an Indian movie? Check out some of our women. They’re hot and they seduce you with songs in the rain. Seriously, white guys get all the Indian bitches these days. If you tried your luck, you could be the chutney pimp of Edison.
Kulfis – I know the name sounds like some ancient sword, but I assure you it’s just a very delicious ice cream. I also suggest trying out a cassata and King Alphonso mango ice cream.
Thums-up – Remember when you were a kid and you’d drink a Coke and have burping contests with your friends? Thums-up is the steroids of burping contests. Coke is for pussies.
Cricket bats – Ok think of your Baseball bat lying in the driveway. Now picture your mom driving her car over the Baseball bat and making it flat. That sir, is a Cricket bat. Cricket is a great game and you can use words that sound dirty like “sticky wicket” and “googly”.
Joel, if your article was meant to be satirical, then you should tell Indian people that so they don’t think you’re racist. I didn’t really get the satire, but that’s mostly because I lost my satire detector when I went camping last week. That’s also how I lost my sarcasm detector too. Man, I need to order new ones on E-Bay.
Finally, to all my fellow Indians (and also my fellow Pakistanis, Sri Lankans & Bangladeshis who are like collateral damage in Joel’s article), how should we react to all this? We can all be angry about it like most of us already are. That is the easy thing to do. We can send Joel nasty emails and tell him what a racist bastard he is or we can take the high road. We can show him we’re better than what he thinks of us. If we choose to be angry, call him a racist and send him nasty messages, then we will only prove the things Joel fears about us. If you’re going to email Joel, then don’t email him an angry rant. Email him nice messages telling him that Indians are not here to ruin his life and his once sweet home. Tell him that he doesn’t have to be afraid of the changes in Edison. Tell him that you’ll take him out to dinner at Moghul. Send some laddoos to his office. It is easy to be angry and let our emotions take over. But it is much harder for us to keep our composure and show our compassion. You will only alienate people like Joel further if you treat him like an enemy. But if you show him compassion and show him your good character, you might turn an enemy into a friend.
“An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.” – Mahatma Gandhi.
“Did you honestly think that Edison would stay the same way even after you grew up and moved away? Is your penis the same size as it was when you were born? I hope not ” haha ….you may have a point there currybear … maybe its stein’s lil wein … that bothering him … again !.
Something I’d like to point out that I’ve noticed in this article is that the author never brings up anything about Stein’s jewish background. A lot of ppl on other sites are bringing up the holocaust and things like Jews running hollywood in the comments. I said to myself, what’s the point? How does that make us different from Mr. Stein?
Well said, Curry Bear!
I was extremely offended and felt like someone touched me inappropriately when I read the said post by Mr. Stein. But reading your article was like applying malodorous yet soothing Iodex on my aching head.
If he had written about blacks, Jews, hispanics, or any other group in that manner do you think he would still have a job? TIME sucks donkey balls 4 life
THIS IS SOO GOOD <3
@Sanchari,
I came here to reply to my comments and kick ass. And I’m all out of replies.
Props to anyone who gets the movie reference.
Back in the early eighties, I was in grad school at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. I overheard a group of Indian students saying “Those Chinese are taking over our university.” I laughed along with them because the graduate school was Indian in the sense that many of the star researchers were Indian. I was happy to be competing with the some of the best scientists in the world.
I was left with the nagging question “With this much talent, why wasn’t Britain an Indian colony?” The question still remains.
As for Mr Stein’s remarks about less than stellar Indians immigrating later, I’ll just say that as a gentile mathematician with many stellar Jewish professors, I thought someday I might actually find a stupid Jew. I should thank Mr. Stein for ending my search.
I liked the last para the best! As Indians we need to show the world we will react differently!!
Dude…Stein….You are an ignorant piece of shit. You did this to aid yourself in bringing attention to your sagging career….How bout you use material that is of your own good sence and not picking on a nation of people that are not bothering you. Oh I remember now, you and your boys in Isreal have a habit of picking on folks that are not bothering you…
Here is Joel Stein’s personal e-mail address.
thejoelstein@yahoo.com
I hope his server crashes and he gets fired soon. The guy is a piece of shit and needs to read Holocaust for toddlers to learn what racism will do to his own kind!
Please send e-mails to editors of time at letters@time.com
And please sign the petition at
http://www.change.org/petitions/view/tell_joel_stein_and_times_magazine_that_racism_isnt_funny
R
I say we start a “Pork vindaloo campaign” (inspired by http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pink_Chaddi_Campaign.)
Let’s all order delivery of some pork vindaloo to Joel Stein at the NYC offices of TIME magazine
t is fine & dandy for others to ask us to take the “Gandhian way”–being nice to jerks. It does not work in this world.We all know that it is the squeaky wheel that gets the grease. Rise up all south asians -not just indians. Boycott Time magazine & it’s sponsors & advertisers.
wow you guys are a bunch of pussies. Grow up and learn to appreciate a little bit of humour. Agreed it wasnt real funny, but was clearly not a racist message. It feels you want to construct racism against you so we can all sympathise for you.
The latest thing in India now is a trained driver cum armed guard who wears a full uniform and is, well, a person of a particular colour who worked for the special forces of Umrika or Vilayat. At the end, it all evens out, and the sooner those who give it can take it, the better.
Joel Steins article could be re-written, about Jews or Mormons or even the Amish, and that would certainly be found very obnoxious, if not terribly unacceptable. Likewise, some home truths about Palo Alto East when writing about Silicon Valley, or the Tea Parties in Arizona and Georgia, hey, aren’t they terribly funny, too?
No, Indians drink a lot of tea. Start again, Joel. Now everybody knows you. Including the newspaper hawker at DehraDoon Railway station, who proudly refused to sell TIME’s India edition.
well i think he should think about auschwitz and anti semitism and persecution before he makes racist gestures… no wonder jews get owned everywhere
“wow you guys are a bunch of pussies. Grow up and learn to appreciate a little bit of humour. Agreed it wasnt real funny, but was clearly not a racist message. It feels you want to construct racism against you so we can all sympathise for you”
Naaa no one s complaining here. Actually it aint humor.. India is not poor as u think.. There is a lotta money in wrong hands not equally distributed..
As far as the gods having many hands and elephant face.. there is a deep meaning to how a human should lead his life. and each arm signifies certain duties as human beings.. U have no clue about the indian religion.. it is the OLDEST and rich and many aspect of abrahmic religion is a sunset of that.
Well Indians are with good IQs . its a disgrace that these guys leave india and wor abroad.. had they worked for the development of India it would have been a superpower by now..
Jew “STEIN” being racist LOL!!! Oxymoron.. take him to the auschwitz .. Let him write a funny article abt the dead jews and how the Nazis owned them.. WE WANT SOME HUMOUR..
“Ein Jude ist ein parasit mit einem grossen Nase. Er ist verräter gefüllt mit Gift.” Joseph Gobbels.
aww cmon ….its not that bad …its funny in a lot of ways …and it cant be a peice of satire if it says its a peice of satire ….and ya i can understand why it rasies the heckles of the diaspora ( i dont have the same problem, i am in indian in india) ….but seriously when was the last time a pole laughed at a polish joke….maybe its worse out there cuz american society is so politically correct and any abberation sets people onfire …
Who is Joel Stein?
I thought Jews were smart people! LOL
What a moron!
I say its time to exterminate the Jews again. These cockroaches have multiplied. Hitler really should the job unfinished. Where do we get RAID for Jews?
Are Jews white? Someone told me Jews are a mongrel race, a mixture of europeans & semitic race? Is that true? The the Jew is a Mutt?
an awesome reply to Mr.Joel
@Death to the Jew
I feel like people like you are just as bad as Joel Stein. What’s the point of getting angry at Joel Stein if you’re going to be a bigot yourself?
*Sniff*
Do I smell a Paki ?
How come Stein bashing is being hijacked by jew haters ?
All bigoted Pakistanis are requested to refrain from airing their reprehensible views.
@Singha
funny how you are calling people bigoted when you are the first to accuse pakistanis of being jew haters on this site. Barely any pakistani people have commented on here..as you can see by all the facebook replies almost all have hindu names. Not only is ur comment as offensive as the comments ur bitching about it’s highly inaccurate. THat’s urself you are smelling.
“I don’t think they are running a Ponzi scheme and robbing people of their life savings with bad investments. ” You forgot an Indian was running CitiBank (although he was the only banker to agree to a temporary pay cut) and there also was a big hedge fund manager — still, they probably just just assimilated with the wrong investment banking crowd !
While snarky return-fire is a reasonable response, the rants about Jews are not — Stein has written enough stupid things that he can be embarassed with his own writings.
I really respect this article bc curry bear does not go after Stein’s jewish background like so many commenter and people on sepiamutiny and other blogs. Kudos to you CB on taking the high road and still being funny.
Joel Stein can kiss my brown ass!!
He was too harsh.
Some say that if it was Russell Peters saying this stuff, it would be okay. Yeah it would be okay. He’s a comedian. Joel is not a comedian.
Why not go after his Jewish background? He decided to go after Hinduism and mock their god. I know it’s better to take the high road, but whatever.
The problem to me is that they published it in Time magazine and Time’s website.
If Indians or any other minority in America said this type of stuff about Jesus, there would be hell.
What Joel stein said is his findings. If you look at US Television shows, you can see they make lot of fun, which goes far beyond its limits. When some one speaks of another country or tribe they get furious.
You have to be very tolerant over others remarks and give no importance at all.
Immigration at large number to another country or even a state changes its heritage. If somebody makes some remarks over that pain of loosing the original heritage, it is obvious.
Joel’s article was tasteless and silly. I blame TIME for allowing it to be pulished.
Unfortunately…..Edison has gone downlhill since the 80′s. I have lived in NJ for 30 years. I know a lot of people that grew up in Edison in the 80s. They no longer want anything to do with Edison. They moved away from Edison soon after college. They see Edison as an immigration hub. They don’t want to be a part of it as 1st/2nd generation Indian Americans.
At 40 years old Mr. Stein hasn’t matured at all..hmm Should we be questioning what JP STEVENS teachers were teaching the kids in school during the 80′s…stealing, racial remarks, that was the product Edison was producing at that time. Look at it now, I’m quite sure none of the kids that live there have “stealing”, “vandalism” etc on their resumes.
“. The next time a bunch of Indians rob a Tilda Basmati truck in 3 suped up black Honda Civics, I promise you Joel I will start supporting anti-Immigration laws in Edison.”
OMG, this is made of win. I could not stop laughing…
I’m so glad Joel Stein took on the Indian American crybabies. The Indian Americans are always out there insulting the so called FOBs for being from a “rustic and backward country with backward values”.
I guess you have, after all, been good modern Americans and absorbed the victim mentality that is so prevalent in America today. Ha Ha…someone kicks you in the nuts and you go all hysterical ..bringing up stories of Native Americans and what not. What a steaming pile of bullshit.
You wanna be real Americans? Then, grow tough hides and dont whine. Develop a sense of humour. Free speech can step on your toes. Dont write to TIME magazine in the spirit of “I’ll tell my mom on you”.
To all the proud Indian Americans who are feeling injured and hurt, I say: Whiny baby says what?
[...] well. The last big controversy was the Joel Stein article in Time magazine. I had a lot of fun writing a response to that. In fact, sometimes I wish there were more such controversial things so I could get a [...]