Withholding Credit Where Credit Is Due Part II

THE GENTLEMAN FROM INDIA, using bad grammar and broken English, usually posts something inane about religion.Things like: Prove me that there is no God"...Or "Why atheists deny God"? Inane. But this time he posted a picture of three or four Indian astronauts, and included something about India's successful landing of a probe on the surface o of the moon. This inspired and uplifted me for two reasons. First, finally,something from him other than some angry, clumsily stated religious spew. Secondly, the inspiring and hopeful realization that India has entered full steam ahead the noble human quest to explore and understand the universe. I posted a broad smile. The vacation from spew didn't last long. He typed in: "Why do you laugh, bro? All nations have to begin somewhere, in order to make themselves into a super power". Aside from how and whether India is intent on becoming a superpwoer with lunar landings, his obvious misinterpretation of my beaming smile for laughter I found alarming, as if he might be deliberately misinterpreting me for the sake of conflict, which he seems to relish. Thus I responded: "I am smiling with happiness at the intrepid entry of the great and beautiful naton of India into the quest for understanding of the universe. Furthermore, I have great respect and admiration for India, a great nation which has contributed more culture and history to the world than my young country which, sadly, is often tragically flawed." I meant every word of it. India is indeed a great nation, with a great and beauiful curtural heritage, beautiful people, and beautiful geographic characteristices,including vast mountain ranges, magnificent rivers, and much more. India's enduring poverty derives directly from nearly two hundred years of European conquest and imperialism, with primarily Great Britain but also France, among others, having combined to thwart and strangle India's economic development, which before the mid eigtheenth century was among the most advanced industrial powers on Earth. Before the Europeans ransacked and stole Inia's wealth, for instance, India had the most thriving locomotive manufacturing industry in the world, far surpassing anything in Europe, where the industrial revolution supposedly began. Whether my critical friend knew this I have not a clue; I would be happy to educate him if need be. I awaited his response to my sincere praise of his country. None came. Losing patience, I typed in: "In my country, and perhpas in yours, when one mistakenly impugns the motives or actions of another, one offers an apology." None was forthcoming. Mildly disappointed but unsurprised, I left the room. Giving it one more chance, I returned a bit later to take a sneak peak,and, wonder of wonders, there it was, a "thumbs up" from India. No, not exactly a heartfelt apology, but, as they say, better than nothing; we must take what we can get. And, at least, if nothing else, the faint hint of acknowledgement was, mercifully, unaccompanied by any hysterical religious prolamations.