Good news from India . . . sort of

A textbook for fourteen-year-olds in the western India state of Rajasthan favorably compares donkeys to wives.

"A donkey is like a housewife," declares the Hindi language primer approved by the state of Rajasthan, according to The Times of India newspaper. "It has to toil all day and, like her, may even have to give up food and water."

"In fact, the donkey is a shade better," continues the text meant for 14-year-olds, "for while the housewife may sometimes complain and walk off to her parents' home, you'll never catch the donkey being disloyal to his master."

Um. . .

But the good news is the reaction. The women's caucus in the ruling party of the state government has loudly protested (try that in a dictatorship!) and the government is actually listening.

"The comparison was made in good humor," state education official A.R. Khan was quoted as saying.

He added, however, that "protests have been taken note of and the board is in the process of removing" the reference.

I have high hopes for India. They still have a ways to go, but at least they're moving in the right direction.