Are We The Most Racist Of Them All?

#17 ranjit
No, Pakistanis are absolutely not racists like Indians.

Mohajirs were plundered and looted by Hindus in 1947 and then they migrated to Pakistan. Pakistan has wellcome them with open arms. They were never treated inferior in any aspect. Sorry, your presumptions are wrong. President is Mojagir, PM is mojagir. so. what is left?

I think N. Indians need to learn one S. Indian language as part of their regular curriculum. That will rid them of their Hindi chauvinism(my own mother tongue is Hindi btw).

Also each year should be celebrated by govt., educational institutions and general public as the year of 4 chosen states, one from each South, North, East and West during which those states` arts, literature, culture, language, history, tourism, etc is celebrated by the whole country. The next year should be the year of another 4 states. It shouldn`t be left to chance or circumstance for Indians to know about each other.

Re:this article

Of course, India is racist. Why is that surprising? For the past 5000 years, the subcontinent has a history of fair skinned outsiders coming and ruling over the natives. Starting with the Aryans, then the muslims and finally the british. It is the same pattern that has been repeating for millenia. No wonder, we have an inferiority complex towards white skin and Aryan looks. Even today, we have slur words in hindi/urdu for a dumb guy like `Anari` which translates exactly to being non-Aryan.

It is claimed that the caste system originated as a racist construct between aryans and non-aryans and later on adopted other attributes like profession. No one has maintained accurate records on this matter, but just from racial features, upper castes across India tend to have fairer skin and aryan looks on the average as compared to lower castes.

The real issue is whether we can transcend the racism in our culture. The answer is absolutely YES. Americans have managed to control racism in the past 40 years when they had the most outrageous segregation. South Africans have managed to control it when they had vicious apartheid 20 years back. Europeans have grown out of it when they were extreme racists just 60 years back. As compared to all that, India is on a much better moral footing. We have outlawed casteism since 1947 and instituted quota based affirmative action. Of course casteism/racism still exists but the government does not sanction it unlike the US/South African/European governments in the recent past. Most important aspect is India`s economic growth and our emergence as a economic superpower. It is indeed breaking racist and casteist stereotypes as we outperform the west and we realize that it is the individual that matters, not his or her race/caste.

Re:Zeena

You think Pakistanis are not racist? Are you kidding? Pakistanis are 10 times more racist than Indians. Just look at the way they treated Bengalis which led to 1971 and the behavior towards Mohajirs in Karachi. That is pure racism!! We Indians have race and ethnic issues but at least our country didnt break up due to racism, unlike Pakistan in 1971.

Zeena,

God forbid you be called a desi :)

Some Pakistanis do identify with the word. Mr. Mani could have had those people in mind. Please give him the benefit of doubt. Overlook this grievous error on his part.

#12 kaura
[There is another affliction that is worse and peculiar to Desis.......cannibalism.........]

Dear Kaura,

Are you a desi?
If so, are you cannibalistic?
(If so, do your neighbors know?)

#13 bjkumar
No, all Pakistanis are not one race. But, all Pakistanis are chained together through this beautiful chain of nationality called Pakistani, which is their only idnetity. Once, they are Pakistanis, then all other races are left far, far, far behind. Thanks

#10 Anirudha

Those are fabulous points. Just brilliant! (You are not a chowk editor, by any chance? (I did not think so.))

I would add a few more points to yours (the term ``you`` is generic and not just for you):

(4) Be honest and don`t apportion your compassion based on prejudices and don`t beat up on the underdog (i.e., you don`t HAVE to be a Hindu to sympathize with the plight of Kashmiri Pandits, for example. (OR a Muslim to feel for Bangladeshi migrants - sympathizing for one side and vilifying the other shows a hollowness of your own core))

(5) Be honest and accept it when you screw up on issues - there is no real RESPECT from people who claim to do so because of your rigidness. Those who have the courage to tell you when you screw up are your true well-wishers.

I got to think some more.

By the way, Anirudha, why didn`t YOU write this article - probably it would be more complete.

#9 Zeena
Are all Pakistanis one race?

There is another affliction that is worse and peculiar to Desis.......cannibalism.........

their behavior towards their own is despicable at best....

for ex- an Indian official at the airport will treat a fellow Indian as a piece of garbage....while gingerly perform a fellatio on a gora......

#9 Aha_Snark
This article is all about being racist among Indian society itself and about competing it`s racism with out of the country.

There is no difference between caste discrimination and race discrimination. What is your point then??

When Hindus discriminate untouchables as lower caste, it is same as discriminating on thwe basis of a race.
Well, if, I take your point as to be valid then Hindus should include untouchables as their own race, why this discrimination? Obviously , their caste is based on their race.

I made my point based on this article, sorry , you made totally wrong assumptions on my post based on your own opinion.

All I am saying is, Indian and Pakistani societies are different based on their cultural systems, we shouldn`t mix them or diffuse them as one. That is the sole reason, we do not wish to be called desis. We wish to save our own identity based on our separate nation and country, called Pakistan.

#8 nasah
I don`t have any problem with this word,``desis``. The point I am making is, this word is absolutely used for Indians. I am not Indian, so, why should I use this word for my identity.
Thanks

Re: # 6
re: bjkumar

Off the top of my head,

1. Make your displeasure known when your peers/co-workers/parents say something racist.
2. Remain alert for prejudices inside oneself.
3. Compel opinion makers to take public positions on race. Sustain the debate that ensues.

Wishful thinking:

1. Movies to be made that take strong positions on the issue, clearly breaking race taboos.
2. Break prevailing stereotypes in advertising. Can we finally get over Padosan?

Re: # 7
re: Zeena

If you choose not to describe yourself as not being a desi, that`s your prerogative. *shrug* *roll eyes*. I believe the author of the article was referring to various racist practices that he believes are endemic to the societies of both India and Pakistan. And, as far as he`s concerned, he didn`t even address caste. nasah and I were the ones to bring up the issue of caste.

You say:

``Yes, I agree with you, there is too, much discrimination in India based upon cast system. Untouchables and high class hindus is a clear cut racist discrimination.``

You`re agreeing with a point that no one is making. The point of the article is not about caste discrimination in India - it`s about race bias in India AND Pakistan.

What, for example, are your views on race / colour discrimination in India / Pakistan ?

Zeena -- desis means natives....

Dear writer
I beg your pardon, when you talk about (desis), collectively for Indian and Pakistanis. I do not agree with this word(desis). This word desi is only for Indians, not for Pakistanis. We do not call ourselves desis. Although there is nothing wrong in using this word, but, the origin of this word being used in your article is from India. You and I both know, India and Pakistan are two separate countries with their separate cultures and identities.

I am not being racist here, yes, I do need to have my own identity being Proud Pakistani with my own identity. I am absolutely NOT Indian desi. Indian desi is a beautiful term to be used by Indian people for their own identity. I respect their identity. But, I respect my own separate identity as well.

If, I am not Indian, then why should I be called(desi)?

Yes, I agree with you, there is too, much discrimination in India based upon cast system. Untouchables and high class hindus is a clear cut racist discrimination. thank you for good article.

I am really glad you figured out that Indians can discriminate. What an earth-shattering discovery! The next time an NRI starts ``discovering`` India from a distance for the millionth time - it will be - well, it will be for the millionth time!

NOW we are all set!

Down with the discrimination! On with the clean-up brigade!

Let`s get those culprits all straightened out.

Ooops, there is just ONE problem - how do we do it?

(I personally would start out with many chowkies here - but leave out the editorial staff - they NEVER discriminate - you see, they don`t have that ability. (They can`t even discriminate between a blog and a legitimate article!))

Rakesh and AS, is `kala Madrasi` still a commonly used label? I thought those kinds of experiences had become somewhat less frequent, and every kid in India now wanted to be like that kala Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam.

If we are still stuck where we were fifteen years ago then we are in deep trouble.... :(

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Some color consciousness seems to be built into our genes. Have you guys talked to some Africans?