Here is one of Nepal's finest journalists and one-time Sajha contributor, Akhilesh: Let me preface by saying that anybody who knows Akhilesh knows that he, like me, is someone who believes in democracy. But I too SHARE Akhilesh's Nepal-based on-the-ground observations that there is an undeniable (and puzzling to us democrats) MISMATCH between what the netas and political ideologues say about the Royal takeover and how ordinary people view the takeover. Akhilesh writes: "To start with, since February First, yours truly has met countless people?bankers, university and school teachers, housewives, shop keepers, students, taxi drivers, restauranteurs?who seem more willing to give the King the benefit of the doubt compared to us journalists and the parties, perhaps two groups worst affected by the developments post-Feb. 1." "Admittedly, there has for some time been a hole in the media?s portrayal of the state of affairs in the country. In our single-minded focus to restore democracy, indeed an extremely legitimate concern, we perhaps seem to be missing a link or two. Are we, like the parties to some extent, in dissonance with the common man?s and woman?s aspirations? Are we in a denial over the state of affairs that we no longer live in normal times?" http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=35411 ******** Again, let me be clear, these observations here do NOT mean that the King is right, and that people are stupid. Akhliesh is NOT saying that. These observations do INDICATE that the "let's give the King a benefit of doubt" viewpoint seems to PREVAIL a lot more widely in REAL Nepal than Sajha republicans, preaching us from Washington DC, would have us believe. Tetti ho. oohi ashu