A few weeks ago, Manish graciously asked me to contribute to the ultra-brown world of arts&letters in which he lives and since that time, I’ve been a wreck. Why? Because I’m a man of minor accomplishments and bearing the sheer weight of even the lowest expectation is too much for me…

Thus, in an effort to make my debut post a spectacular and well-cited offering, my mind has become a seething mess of half-witticisms, too-clever insights and others things which I thought might impress you. Therefore, I’m forced to turn to the Internet for inspiration, information and this bit of glory from our wonderful India:

Row over Hitler-themed restaurant

The Jewish community in the Indian city of Mumbai is outraged by a new restaurant named after Adolf Hitler. The restaurant, Hitler’s Cross, opened last week… The owner of the restaurant, Puneet Sabhlok told the BBC he was ‘very sorry’ but he would not be changing the name of his restaurant… ‘Just like Hitler wanted to conquer the world, I want to conquer at least my area through the food served in my restaurant.’ [Link]

What’s interesting, if not compelling, is that unlike most defenders-of-the-cultural-faith who argue [correctly] that Nazis adopted & distorted the swastika from Hinduism, the owner of this restaurant makes no attempt to defend the symbol as even remotely relevant to Indian culture but instead identifies it as a distinct symbol of Hitler. But why would a restaurant, of all places, do that:

“We are not promoting Hitler. But we want to tell people we are different in the way he was different.” [Link]

It’s an interesting philosophy, kind of like selling the sizzle not the steak, but if I want people to know I’m different, I wouldn’t call myself “Caligula” and name my child “Pol Pot” unless I wanted people to know I was stupid in a entirely “different” way. Then again, if the people eating at this restaurant are the same ones applauding Springtime for Hitler in The Producers …

Whatever the case, the only person among us who can verify how bad this really is, is the one who stirred my coals enough to elicit this meek, little post. And although I could write more and draw vague comparisons between South Park, its culture of irreverence and the advent of Western attitudes & imagery in a country that once held everything to be sacred…

What I really want is for Manish to grab his camera and finish this thought for me.