Fighting the racism demon
We have all heard about the problems in Australia. Our media and foreign ones are going putting forward different versions of the story, depending on what their perception is. In all this, one thing strikes me as rather strange. I came across a discussion on Greatbong’s post that vehemently and passionately defends Australians and challenges the perception that all Australians are racist. So far so good. But, what gets my goat is that the commentators seem to suggest that we must set our own house in order before complaining about the Aussies. Read one commentator’s post on his blog here. Wait a sec! Just because I don’t have certain rights in my home country, I must never get them elsewhere? What’s the logic?
Tejaswy’s post is especially infuriating. He (She?) justifies practically every action (or inaction) in Australia, blaming it on stress, tension, loss of jobs, recession…you get the picture. Take this for example.
Indian students come back from jobs late at night and well they are walking back and there is some drunk chap who is drunk and is looking for free cigg or money and well mugs you. I am not supporting the guy who is mugging but this is not racism If you want examples of racism then it would be you not getting a job on the basis of your color. This does not happen in Australia.”
Yeah right! If you get mugged on you way back, it’s probably because you exist rather than because of your skin colour. There is nothing racist about it. Of course not! Australians are not racist. They are very sensitive about racial issues you know? The Symmonds issue must have told you that much. They are sensitive, children!
I am definitely not implying that we Indians are angels. We are most certainly not. We have our flaws, our prejudices and our weaknesses. But that does not mean we deserve crap from the rest of the world. Just because we are not free from prejudice, we are casteist or even racist, we do not deserve to tolerate racism elsewhere. The Indian government and its embassies are famous for their inaction and inability to assist an Indian citizen abroad. But, this time, they have at least taken notice, thanks to the media hype. Let them at least show the diaspora that they are there for us. Don’t berate them for a job well done. It’s stupid to do that.
Finally, regarding the statement that you are not discriminated against because of skin colour. I find that this is completely and totally untrue. Nita, a friend of mine, (a very occasional blogger) living in Australia can vouch for it. Without going into details, I can safely tell you that she has been discriminated against in various situations and even at the workplace on racial grounds. Denying that Australians are, in general racist is one thing. Denying the existence of workplace discrimination on racial grounds is quite another. All we need is some perspective on the issue. Please, let’s not lose it.
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11 Comments
Tejaswy
I will repeat what i said at great bong’s site.
Getting mugged is not racial abuse.
Australians are racist …Australians are not racist…you decide.
Getting mugged for walking in a bad neighbor hood ….”? ??? ???? ??? |”
Rest is up to your reader to decide.But i would recommend you reader to visit the link that you gave,read my posts, before coming to a judgment.
PS your link is not working
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Read one commentator’s post on his blog here.
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Corrected the link. Am glad you liked the blog. My reservations on your views apart, I am really glad to have come across a new blog. 🙂 Will keep visiting. And thanks for not taking too much offense.
Tejaswy
I love your blog though, Lovely word press theme.I was looking for a word press theme like this.
I think I will use it.
Thanks dear.
I have my exams going on so please bear with me for my replies will be late
Cheers MATE ;P
Tejaswy
We agree to disagree I’d say..If I had time I’d post more articles and avoid the typos .
Yes. That we do. But you really must write more. Despite exams and work and all…
Tejaswy
You want me to flunk my exams ???
Come on….. That’s mean
I quit my job and came here to study… 😀
Lol. Hmmm…good point. You do your exams well. All the best.
Tejaswy
How did you get a search option in the side bar ??
I cannot get one in my side bar.
Can you give me the code to it
Tejaswy
You cannot keep adding stuff to your post,, that’s just not fair.When i made a comment the last line was
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Indian government and its embassies are famous for their inaction and inability to assist an Indian citizen abroad.
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If you keep adding/editing stuff then my comments will be use less.
Think of it like this, If i edit the post to which you have linked to say some thing else then ……. I hope you get the point.
Well let me tell you, when I came to Perth I had a home stay with an Australian (White) family i lived with them for 3 months before I moved to a place near UWA.They were lovely and treated me as a part of their family.
I work as a linguist in UWA (part time).The Bharatnatyam school here in perth has 5 white disciples.
I sure do hope your friend has filed a complaint of discrimination.
Its taken very seriously here.
Please go to the great bongs site and read the comments posted by Indians in Australia …you will see they are echoing what i have said
Regards
PS
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I was hoping you could help me out with the word press theme…the search bar function and the archives section.
I only see one post per month in my archives section
Tejaswy
Don’t bother about the wordpress thing..Done..sorted it out:D
Hmm… glad you sorted the problem out. I did not change anything in the post itself. I just responded to the comments. And yes, you are entitled to your opinion. But, I can only talk from my experience or by that of those I know really well. That’s what I did. Maybe Australia is really not racist. But, let’s not deny that racism could exist somewhere in the Australian territory. Acknowledging a problem does not make us any less special. In fact, it’s the first step to solving it.
Tejaswy
Well I wanted to ask you politely, if you would like to be a guest blogger on my website (blog).You are entitled to your views and you can say what ever you want in that blog,No sensors nothing.
You have my email,so do respond.
Regards
Tejaswy Appalla
selvan
Sorry to say something unpleasant.Indians, especially the north Indians are very proud of the colour of their skin and are very proud of claiming some foreign origin. The southerners are no exception.I have a Telugu speaking colleague who makes it a point to claim Aryan status as according to him Sankskrit is the mother of all languages and hence as one speaking a language born of the mother of all Indo- European group of languages he too is an Aryan.IF I tell him that the Indians are the only people who need the prop of foreign origin to assert their assumed superiority he becomes indifferent.The English consider all non English people as the lesser breed without the law.To the Chinese all others including the whites are devils belonging to the netherworld.
The man has no use for this kind of argument.He wants to cling to the idea that he is an Aryan and hence a superior being.He is an outsider in the Varnashrama scheme of things.Perhaps this Aryan or rather Indo-European origin gives him some pride in himself or a sense of security as one belonging to a superior conquering tribe.Hitler was a staunch believer in the superiority of the “Aryan” race.I don’t think he had in mind the Indians claiming to be the descendants of the Aryan hordes who conquered the Indian sub-continent and drove away the natives to the farthest corners from the fertile gangetic belt.
I feel our people feel bad because the whites don’t accept them as equals in the racial pecking order.The fact that their claims to European origins are not enough to gain acceptance of the whites hurts.Anything beyond this will be considered offensive and hence I am stopping with this.
Noella
>But, what gets my goat is that the commentators seem to suggest that we must set >our own house in order before complaining about the Aussies.
The comments dont just talk of receiving justice in our country but also of us perpetrating the same crimes.We therefore become bigoted in raising a hullah bullah when it happens in australia but have no hang ups with letting it happen in our own country.Be it in the form of dalits getting killed or women so pyschologically affected that they try to get a Caucasian skin tone.
tejaswy
Where have all you comments disappeared.?
Changed your views on ozzy i see?