Nope I am not saying that at all. Maybe we are getting lost on what "identity politics" means, definition wise and symptom wise.
Former wise...is long topic on its own....which maybe we can broach later. Its not about asserting identity genuinely though.
Latter-wise...its almost always (when intrinsic/born, rather than gained identity):
a) reactionary b) exclusionary c) mobbish
I think you will need more weathering and experience here to see more fully what some of those that you hit like for (the larger mob "latching" that goes on here from my standpoint at least). i.e What many seem to actually think of Indian muslims (at large)...and what they have even said blatantly here on this very forum (whole threads of it) before.
Not everything is a calm steady wave of undying, eternal and genuine and well-intended support...in fact probably furthest thing from it. It works in cycles you see, you have been here a few months. Give it a few years. Things get explained much better that way (and maybe already started) if you are perceptive fellow (and I notice you are), far better than I could.
Fair enough, and thanks for taking the time to explain what you wanted to convey. I would like to discuss the former, whenever time permits, and I agree to postpone it for now.
I would agree with your other sentiments though and would not absolve myself from what you are trying to say.
But you bring up an interesting point, that is, what Pakistanis think of Indian Muslims. I am aware of their varied thoughts when it comes to Indian Muslims. That is natural right? No community ever has a singular thought process.
However, what ever Pakistanis say about Indian Muslims, has little bearing on our lives in India. They can love us or hate us, but it does not change what is happening with us in India.
On the other hand, when a Hindu spews hate against Muslims in India, that has a direct bearing on our lives, because our lives are intertwined in India. Even if the hate is online or on a forum, it simply reflects what the larger society thinks of us. That cycle is only increasing, because hate needs to be fed to continue to live, and every lie or half truth that is spoken on a new day, adds fuel to the fire.
At the present moment, when we are staring at millions and millions of us becoming stateless in India, and an unending future of misery and poverty, should I be bothered what Pakistanis or Chinese or Mexicans think of us?
Both you and Joe think that this time will pass, and India will return to being that secular, democratic republic. I don't see it that way. That hate, which has consumed India, will not end one day with the average Hindu deciding that from now on, he doesn't hate Muslims anymore. Sadly, lot of Muslims will have to be killed for there to be a revulsion to this hate, before things will improve.