THE GREYER SHADES OF US

One of the most difficult questions that I’m asked more often than not is “where are you from? What is your native place?”

And I’m left fidgeting and thinking hard trying to come up with an appropriate answer. I never could quite grasp the necessity of the question. What does it matter from where I am?  Because the moment the other person gains knowledge of your roots his mind sets about judging you and marking you to be a character that you might not be. Oh! His mind goes a bihari- bunch of betel spitting crass egotistics, a Bengali- too opinionated animated and always clinging to their Os and SHs, a delhi-ite- a bunch of show offs with no content of character, a Marwari- shrewd and miser and this goes on for almost everyone and every kind there is in the country. Stereotyping someone is our favourite task and the easiest one too.

As a child I had to travel a lot, in the process also had to change a lot of schools. So I sort of grew all over the place and got exposed to a lot of cultures. I love enjoying all their cuisines and mostly find their languages and attires interesting. Our cultures are vibrant and harmless. Hence I find it difficult why a young north-eastern boy would be killed just because he looked different, or why all African nationals would be targeted for a few who are involved in drug-cartels (a rampant business where lots of Indians are involved too in different parts of our country), or why certain people with different lifestyle choices are ostracized!

Very recently the debate on every newspaper and every news channel and every discussion at cafes and dinner tables at home was: Are we as a nation racist?

But is it even the correct question that we are asking ourselves? It is not so much a question of racism as it is about tolerance. We are growing intolerant by the day, by the hour, by each second that is passing by. As soon as we start feeling insecure, threatened - we start lashing out, being intolerant. That is why Indians today are, instead of moving forward, are seemingly running backwards. That is why we are intolerant of our women, of muslims, of dalits, of people with different appearances, of LGBTs and God knows what. Whatever we do not understand we put in the Hate-list without even making an effort, without even giving a chance (not a second chance but a first one too), without even opening our minds. Stereotyping has to go. Period.

We are a bunch of mediocres (because excellence takes hard work), who are happy taking shortcuts, judging others but not okay with being judged ourselves. We weigh others in the balance of Black and White when we ourselves live in the grey!

LOVE J

Too less YESes and Too many NOs

ADITI