The Times of London reports that HINDUS living in Britain do not want to be described as 'Asian', according to a big study of the community. Instead, they want to be known as British Indian, Hindu — or even Desi, a Hindi word growing in popularity with the young that means being rooted in one's home country. At the time of the 2001 Census the Hindu population in Britain had reached nearly 550,000. [....] It found concern about a 'general assumption' that any brown—skinned Asian person was Muslim and shows that Hindus feel neglected, marginalised and misunderstood. The term "Asian" is so broad, comprising so many starkly different ethnicities as to be all but useless. Koreans, Tajikis, Burmese, and Mongolians are all Asians, but it is hard to see how calling them all "Asians" has any utility. But of course, here in America The Census Bureau takes it a step further and lumps in Pacific Islanders (Hawaiians, Tahitians, and Maoris, among others) as well. It is all a ploy,...(Read Full Post)