Via Times Of India

“Angry youths in this Kerala capital on Friday burnt an effigy of US President George W. Bush, not because they are anti-American but because he has named his cat India.

Members of the citizens group Prathikarana Vedi assembled before the Kerala assembly saying that Bush calling his cat India was an insult to the country.

“This is a disgrace to our great country and this has come from none other than US President George W. Bush. This is nothing but an insult to India because there are hundreds of thousands of Indians in US, and many who occupy key posts in the White House,” said M A Latheef, president of the group.

“He should make amends,” Latheef added.

The members of the group walked to the front gate of the assembly building but were stopped by police. After a brief speech and some slogans, the members burnt an effigy of the US president.”

All this timed on the eve of the long weekend marking the American Independence day. But I ask you, to what end does this sort of display bring us? It's not like Dubya is going to say, “Ummm, people in Kerala are sure a sensitive bunch, let me call the cat ‘Chechnya,' instead.”

Burning people in effigy is, in my opinion, old hack. It's been done before and quite frankly, I am not impressed. The television cameras focus on the ruckus and then they are gone. Vying for media attention in this manner is a sheer waste of energy. And what a topic to protest! There are so many inequities in India to address. Let me say this – being disgruntled over the naming of a cat, which supposedly has nine lives, isn't going to advance your own karma.

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Relax your restless mind here. Part commentary, part art. At least, that's how I see it. If you would like to take part in this web project, click here.

If you are newspaper photographer it's easy to be disgruntled with your assignments, with the subjects you photograph or with the business of photography.

Here are a few web sites to get you juiced up again:

Pictures Of The Year 2004
Past POY contests

Best of Still Photojournalism 2004

College Photographer Of The Year 2004:
Past CPOY contests