ARE WE RACIST???

The word racist is defined as "prejudice or discrimination based on the belief that race is the primary factor determining human traits and abilities. Racism includes the belief that genetic or inherited differences produce the inherent superiority or inferiority of one race over another ". Now ask any Indian you know the question, are a racist???And you will get a resounding no!! With some supporting adjectives such as “obviously not”, "are you mad" and so on.

I have till recently felt the same. In my mind racism was something to be associated with the color of skin. Demeaning people based on their color was mostly what was engraved in my mind. Thus I was very assured that this does not exist in India. Especially now considering, you can change your color using some cosmetic products. Basically it felt in India being fair was desirable but dark was also acceptable and that was about it.

But then when I thought about things like untouchability, caste system and regionalism I was not so sure any more. And then reading the headlines of papers these days where one can see politicians such as Raj Thackery and Modi make statements that openly lay siege to the very fabric of secular India. One cannot be at fault for wondering if it were true?? In case of the politicians what scares me is the fact that, such people are endorsed by our society due to a sense of misplaced communal pride.

I have experienced this communal divide first hand, during my first year in college I was ragged but I came in for special treatment from my seniors for the fact that my friend circle consisted of people who were not telugu speaking people. Absurd would you not agree?? Here comes the best part in my college which has students from all over the country, ragging was strictly community based that a telugu would rag a telugu , a mallu to a mallu and so on….

I am not free of such a charge either, I seem to harbor a sense dislike for certain communities too… which is wrong I know but it seems to have been inbred in to me. I am now in College Station, Texas. Sadly enough even here we seem to find ways to distinguish between ourselves. For example in the local cricket league here teams are named “Made in Andhra”, “Tamil Twisters” and so on…. Unfortunately I must confess in this season I played in the “Made in Andhra”. No disrespect to my teammates all fine people, I have decided not be a part of such communal symbolism in the future if it even means me not playing cricket.

We are biased in more ways than we accept but hey nobody’s perfect right. May be we are not at racism as such but we are not far from it either… The days of caste system may or may not be upon us anymore but I am sure communal sentiments and extreme feelings about religion are things we can do without. It definitely good to be proud of who you are and your culture but so as long as it not at the expense of the other. We have enough reasons to fight among ourselves … we do not need another.

HISTORY BEING MADE:

On the 4th of November 2008 Barack Obama became the 44th president elect of the United States of America. For many people in the USA of it was day they had been waiting for from time immemorial. People rejoiced in the streets with celebrations, the likes of which one had never seen before. The tears flowed from the eyes of one and all irrespective of the background. The walls of old had been torn down. And yes!! Then there was the victory speech that gave even the most uninterested person a Goosebumps or two...

At the risk of sounding very dead.... I would say was this not expected?? Ok i Guess there is a lot of difference between expecting and happening. But still why were there people in Italy, France, India and other corners of the world celebrating?? It was not like they had got a new president right?? Not like their lives were going to undergo a drastic change. Basically you get the picture.

May be just may be for those few hours.. The people of the world forgot about differences brought about by flags and history. It was like the world had united for one cause, to weed out the division of race. It did not mean that from that moment on we would not have racism anywhere in the world. It just said we can change one small step at a time in the right direction. Was he the right choice for office? Is he the one that will steer America through its toughest times in nearly a century...? Only time will tell. But for now let us rejoice in the fact that all challenges that face human nature and our deepest darkest evils can be overcome.

I was fortunate enough to hear Obama's victory speech live (thank you BBC) and at every single moment of that speech I felt history was being made. I have not been a witness to much history being made in my time and what I have been witness to has only been the worst that can be brought out in man. From assassination of the prime minister of my country, to riots that have shook the very fundamental principles of my nation, the birth and rise of terrorism. I have also seen good but it has always been overshadowed by the bad and the ugly. But that speech and what had transpired before it has proven to me things can change and will change but everything needs time and effort.





So maybe I am... Sorry let me correct that... I know am not wrong in thinking of India's moment of change is coming too. Hope is very integral to our cause and we should never lose sight of it.

P.S if you have not watched the speech I suggest you watch it!!!