Ferguson, to us in India could be a name of a person or a place... till Micheal Brown happened. Sad and shocking, no doubt. However, everywhere in the world, racial violence rears its ugly head. Profiling, prejudice and prejudgement are rampant. Halo Effect- they call it. If you are well dressed, you would be unlikely to commit a crime. If you are well groomed, you are unlikely to be a criminal. If you wear a Pathani suit- you could be from Pakistan and if you wear a saree- oh! you are so Indian. And if you wear your hair long on your face- you could be a cleric, if on your head- you could be a devotee.
Where is the personal freedom to be and to do?
Where is the choice to look as I want to, do as i need to, wear what I may- if I stay within my constitutional and legal limits?
It is unfortunate that the mixing and mingling of cultures is not enough to let people have the freedom to be who they are, and live as they may.
We often used to wonder about the rights of women, and those of the poor. But this is not unusual- Simply because you look different, you will also be thought different. And when that happens in a situation where one can harm the other- bodily- suddenly- each side tries to justify itself.
False claims. False projections. Falsified justifications. Irrational rationalisations.
Where will it ever end? When?
Where is the personal freedom to be and to do?
Where is the choice to look as I want to, do as i need to, wear what I may- if I stay within my constitutional and legal limits?
It is unfortunate that the mixing and mingling of cultures is not enough to let people have the freedom to be who they are, and live as they may.
We often used to wonder about the rights of women, and those of the poor. But this is not unusual- Simply because you look different, you will also be thought different. And when that happens in a situation where one can harm the other- bodily- suddenly- each side tries to justify itself.
False claims. False projections. Falsified justifications. Irrational rationalisations.
Where will it ever end? When?
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