By: Awais

Awais — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 13:23:13 +0000

@V. C. Bhutani! You gave an example of Texas,USA. But your stance is not very clear. What you want readers to extract from this example?

By: Nasah (USA)

Nasah (USA) — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 04:15:43 +0000

Hajra Mumtaz — one day Pakistan will also reach the Shangrila of democracy without an 85 year old Queen — may take another 100 years — but it surely will.

By: V. C. Bhutani

V. C. Bhutani — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 00:33:49 +0000

Dear Madam, You have written an extremely sensitive paper on a subject which exercises the minds of the Scottish people. They will take the call next year, as you tell us.
Let me recount that the southernmost state of the US – Texas, bordering Mexico to the south – became part of USA by treaty, the only state of the 50 to have done this. The treaty provides that Texas could walk out of USA if the Texan senate passed a resolution by a simple majority seeking separation. Texas has been part of the US for more than a hundred years but in all this time no one ever thought that Texas should walk out of USA. The state is rich in oil. Mining oil from the ground is like a cottage industry. Every place produces oil. The roads in Texas are maintained on the oil revenues of the state. If you travel by road in Texas you will find that they are smoother than a carpet. There never is a bump. In short, the state has been left to its own devices for the most part – within the US constitution.
From time to time a small leader arises to make noise and rouse popular voice against continuing the union of Texas with USA. After a while the voice dies down and no one thinks seriously on the subject. And so, Texas remains in USA.
Conciliating parts of a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural country is of the essence in maintaining the whole. It is easy to alienate parts by insensitive policies. The world could learn a lot from US federal attitude and handling of Texas. As part of USA, Texas shares in the resources and greatness of USA. Outside USA, it would be a mere small country that no one will pay much attention to: it will not be a world power, even if it is economically viable.
V. C. Bhutani, Delhi, India, 7 Jan 2013, 0603 IST

Comments on: A place in time

By: Awais

By: Nasah (USA)

By: V. C. Bhutani