The controversy regarding race and the Shilpa's incident in Big brother show how racism is prevalent everywhere.Jade was a loudmouth ugly commoner.The clips shows her true colour and why was her voice so shrill and loud.She can audition for a horror movie role which will give her some fame and visibility she lost at big brother.Why is the whole world reacting and why in India.The simple truth is we in India are the most racist.With caste and communities flare we are constantly fighting among ourselves.Fair is beautiful and dark skin is ugly and 90% of Indians are dark skin.Its embarassing to give so much importance when half the world knows Indians adhere caste system even today.
The discrimination shown between us is worse than the subtle racism in britain. I am in britain and watched Bigbrother. I feel that the discrimination in our country ( regionalism/ south-north discrimination/ caste supression) is worse than these subtle things over here... It is better we clean our houses first than asking to clean the neighbour's!
I can see NorthIndians behave like brits(!?) and treat southIndians badly here in britain..., (like cat wearing a tigers' skin!!!!! whether north or south,or Pakistani, brits know us of as ASIANS..... we northis can better treat our fellowcountrymen better and speak about others!)
All these issues are the same with respect to treating humans as our peers and contemporary species... irrespective of which nation it happens.
Better we have clean and open hearts, then we can be proud of ourselves and then we can talk of others...
Nearly everyone seems to be coming out with all sort of comments and criticism for Racism. I agree, a world free from it 'ld be a much better place to live. I stay currently in UK and see the causes and reasons for all these.
But why haven't we raised anything against Regionalsim we is so obvious in our own country. Many seem to follow it but nobody seem to notice. Or are we so much used to it that we have become immune to it. Isn't it a kind a discrimination. When we are not able to pay respect to everyone in our own country regardless of his/her origin.
How eligible do you think, are you, to raise your finger?
Ofcourse Indians should respond, why not? Shilpa is not the only Indian to be targeted by racist, every Indian in every part of the white world is plagued by racist remark some time or other. We must let the world know that this cannot be tolerated any more. If the world wants to cash on the benefit of India's booming economy, they learn to behave with the Indians(NRIs). Having said this, it is also true that India stll practises casteism and has a history tainted with religion-based riots. So Indians please also wakeup to this malice that plagues our society and cleanse it from within, before pointing fingers at others.
I {Infact most of us should }feel this is just how most of them(Westerners )behave with Indians . Racism needs to categorized in different manner .Different types of discrimination are practiced Rich/Poor,Black/White, Intelligent/Stupid,uppercaste/lower caste etc etc,and all are done with a reason and purpose.There is a reason behind every racism .Thats why castism problem or other racism usal issues in our country cannot be compared to what has happened in Big Brother .Discrimination due orgin of Countries cannot be accepted .I Gurantee you there is no place in Bombay where Africans are not allowed or prevented .Please do not post any wrong message . A MARATHI DISCRIMINATING AGAINST BIHARI IS DIFFERENT CASE AND WHAT GOODY AND FRNDS DID IS DIFFERENT .HERE PURPOSE IS JUST TO INSULT HER . Pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee do not cooooorelate different things. If you get insulted please accept that and Understand whats happening , jade N friends All were trying to prove the same thing in different manner . Anup
RE:Dominate
by Slice on Jan 29, 2007 08:28 PM
How can you say Regionalism a different issue, when its nearly based on same terms as Racism. We Indians are very good at pointing others but what happens in our own country no one ever makes point of it. How can you say what happened to Biharis in Maharashtra(when they went for Railway exam) and recently in Assam as a different issue.
I am not saying what happened to Shilpa was right, I do criticise that. But I want to make a point why aren't the discriminations inside the country not being highlighted.
RE:RE:Dominate
by taruna on Feb 18, 2007 04:03 PM
hi anup,
i dont think here is anyone who can understand what u want to say. we indians are such a spices, that "the story of forgs pulling the legs of one who try to get out and reach to outer world", is made for us indians only.
we are all frogs who thinks that the well in which they liveis the whole world.
The comments were the result of jealousy.Shilpa was being paid much more than the British participants.No wonder she was the target of other ladies.No doubt her entry and poise generated envy and consequential inferiority complex.Such complex almost invariably brings out the worst from the people suffering from.I would like others to comment on my opinion
I at my work place sit next to one Marathi who is the biggest racist I have ever seen in my life My God!! According to him people from UP and Bihar are coming to Maharashtra and are spoiling his great state , every now and then I come across a word from him while he talk to his friends on phone %u2018Jai Maharashtra%u2019 sitting in US he say like that, I feel like laughing at him some times, he is not in India and expect people to behave equally with him but at the same time he is behaving racially with his own fellow Indians. This is not just one incident there will be 1000 of incidents like this which shows that we are ourselves racist. Is it not true that we call Punjabis sardar and make fun of them, we call southis as Madrassi / idli dosa We call northis as UP/Bihariis stop pointing others and look at urself.
RE:Shame on such Indians
by saju NP on Jan 30, 2007 05:31 AM
Yeah i can co relate to this , this is mere ignorance , hope they should travel a little ..the same guys complain abt whites dicriminating, we can just laugh !
since it is the case of Ms Shilpa Shetty, she got coverage. our children,reciding inU.K., are facing such humiliation every day from children/adults. Should it not compell indians/asians to react? Remember the case of a Sikh boy. N.Bhattacharya
I have been reading this whole Big Brother and Shilpa issue, and also read the responses of the pepole over the issue.
Rasicm is true and it exsits in our world, and it is a word which originated in west.
But to my surprise many of the readers here have mixed this rasicm with casteism in our country, which i think is not right, since when we make a remark or say about anyones caste its just a refernce to a section of a socitey in our country, absolutely not out of hatered and ill feeling,while on the other hand the remarks on resicm in west is always and always a result of hatered and made purposely to hurt the person and humilate him. I think we Indian are too liberal on ourself, we can never be united on one thing which can be called Indian rather than our national flag,i mean to say a characteristic as a pepole of India. Look at all the remarks made by Shilpas mother on the episode, we are one spices on this planet who will never say that other person is wrong, why?Even when it comes to our dignity and self respect?Why?Where this liberal view will lead us, we will continue to allow them to make fun of our nationality, our religion, our accent,our names, ourselfs??????? The worst part of all this episode was that shilpa didnt knew what was happening and what those remarks ment, it was only after there was such a outspoken no of complains against the thing that we became aware of the happenings and what actually it meant. Imaging if there were no complains made could shilpa on here would have asked for an action,no, infact never.
The saddest part of all is that we still are unaware of the world history of rasicm and how much boold it has drank. We have castism in India, but i dont remenber any such incident n our history of 10,000 years, where a king has killed pepole only because they belonged to different caste,if any one here can remember, pls write.Our castism is not coloured in boold of pepole, it is much liberal and not atall filled with haterate.
I hope we will now get up an look at this world in the way it is not as it is made to be seen to us.
RE:Rasicm
by aravind bharathan on Jan 24, 2007 10:21 AM
you must be really joking saying that racism is different from casteism. In india (or for that matter any other country), you dont have to differentiate between north indians and south indians to see the effect of racism. Even a fair skinned north indian makes rude comments about a dark skinned north indian and a fair skinned south indian will do the same to his dark skinned south indian brethern. Even within a family we have seen people making fun of others based on their complexion.
As for caste it is entirely in a different league. A brahmin anywhere in india will not allow a lower caste person to even enter his house even in this modern day india. You were talking about 10000 years. You just have to read about the life of Ambedkar to know how caste plays a role of brewing hatred amongst Indians. He was even openly abused by even his so called upper caste peons, in spite of his education and refined manners. And he was a fair skinned person which made even Gandhiji think that he was a brahmin. Imagine his plight had he been dark skinned.
Indians are the worst racists since they discriminate people based on complexion as well as caste. So in my opinion, the author arun krishnan has mentioned rightly that india should not react to this issue
RE:RE:Rasicm
by A N Balakrishnan on Jan 29, 2007 02:08 PM
Mr.Aravind Bharathan, you have written exactly what I wanted to write. In a nut shell, I have nothing more to add.
I remember reading an article in 70s about some ongoings in the then apartheid South Africa. Indians were better off than blacks, rich in many cases. There was incident of some Indians filling the swimming pool in their compound with sand, when they came to know that they may have to share the pool with blacks. I do not have any word to such behaviour other than 'racism'
RE:RE:Rasicm
by A N Balakrishnan on Jan 29, 2007 02:17 PM
Mr.Bharathan, you stole the words from my mouth. I have nothing more to add.
I remember reading an article in 70s about some on goings in the then apartheid South Africa. Indians were generally much better off than blacks and in many cases quite rich. In a particular incident, some Indians filled the swimming pool in their compound with sand when the heard that they may have to share the pool with blacks. They would rather not have a pool than share it with blacks - what else is it but stark racism?
RE:RE:Rasicm
by Amruthavarshini Worldlight on Jan 25, 2007 07:46 PM
very well said Aravind.Shilpa Shetty was not a officail nominee from Indian Government to represent in such reality shows where cameras have been fixed to show the bathing & sensual aspects of so assumed celebrity human body & mind.We Indians are worst racist bcos we take pride & superiority even in our own defects without giving room for the introspection to lift the spirit of humanity above the nationality.
RE:RE:Rasicm
by A N Balakrishnan on Jan 29, 2007 02:09 PM
Mr.Aravind Bharathan, you have written exactly what I wanted to write. In a nut shell, I have nothing more to add.
I remember reading an article in 70s about some ongoings in the then apartheid South Africa. Indians were better off than blacks, rich in many cases. There was incident of some Indians filling the swimming pool in their compound with sand, when they came to know that they may have to share the pool with blacks. I do not have any word to such behaviour other than 'racism'
RE:RE:Rasicm
by A N Balakrishnan on Jan 29, 2007 02:14 PM
Mr.Bharathan, you stole the words from my mouth. I have nothing more to add.
I remember reading an article in 70s about some on goings in the then apartheid South Africa. Indians were generally much better off than blacks and in many cases quite rich. In a particular incident, some Indians filled the swimming pool in their compound with sand when the heard that they may have to share the pool with blacks. They would rather not have a pool than share it with blacks - what else is it but stark racism?
RE:Rasicm
by priya r on Jan 24, 2007 04:09 AM
Your are grossly mistaken Taruna. Racism and Casteism are not exactly about hatred but superiority of one section over the other. This sense of superiority can result in hatred for the "other", or it could simply be condescension - both of which are WRONG.
And to your claim that people have never been persecuted on the basis of caste, you only have to go as far back as 100 years, let alone 10,000, to see this.
RE:RE:Rasicm
by connie on Jan 24, 2007 03:42 PM
you are wrong priya, the mere fact that there is caste system, it means some members of the society are discriminated and being victimised by racism. do you remember the reservation issue? some backward class, if not because of reservation, will they have the chance of enrolling in some universities and colleges? No, because they belong to lower caste of society, now, tell everyone that that's not racism!
RE:RE:Rasicm
by Priya Jay on Feb 03, 2007 05:31 PM
what about the killings of innocent people in assma just because they belong to neighbouring states?! Regionalism is as dangerous as racism and terrorism... AS ALL THESE ARE MANIFESTAIONS OF INTLOERANCE!
RE:Rasicm
by priya r on Jan 24, 2007 07:44 AM
Your are grossly mistaken Taruna. Racism and Casteism are not exactly about hatred but superiority of one section over the other. This sense of superiority can result in hatred for the "other", or it could simply be condescension - both of which are WRONG.
And to your claim that people have never been persecuted on the basis of caste, you only have to go as far back as 100 years, let alone 10,000, to see this.
RE:Rasicm
by A N Balakrishnan on Jan 29, 2007 02:16 PM
Mr.Bharathan, you stole the words from my mouth. I have nothing more to add.
I remember reading an article in 70s about some on goings in the then apartheid South Africa. Indians were generally much better off than blacks and in many cases quite rich. In a particular incident, some Indians filled the swimming pool in their compound with sand when the heard that they may have to share the pool with blacks. They would rather not have a pool than share it with blacks - what else is it but stark racism?
I believe that I am %u2018civilised%u2019 enough to write this article. The timing just couldn%u2019t be any better than this. After watching the %u2018Celebrity Big brother%u2019 reality show on Channel4, reading articles and blogs in the British and world media, I believe that it is time for all to do some serious thinking. I feel that the western society must come into terms of what%u2019s is actually happening within their so called tolerant society. It is very easy to make an excuse that the reality show is after all a television programme and shouldn%u2019t be taken into consideration. This show has been viewed all over the world and discussed by the public and mass media. Sadly, more than 2.3 million teenagers do watch this reality show for the last 7 years in Britain. Don%u2019t the housemates know these facts? Doesn%u2019t the show reveal some reality? In the show, housemates Jade Goody, Danielle Lloyd, Jo O%u2019Meara have had %u2018ganged up%u2019 against fellow housemate Shilpa Shetty and made fun of her English accent, nationality, ethnicity, were not prepared to call her by name, were reluctant to eat the roast chicken cooked by her, described her a %u201CPaki%u201D, the disgraced Miss Great Britain Danielle even called her a 'Dog', used %u2018very filthy%u2019 language repeatedly, and even asked her to %u2018Go back to the slums and find out what real life is%u2019. If this is not racially motivated abuse, please define what is %u2018racism%u2019 in your terms? If you say %u2018Oh..no..it is nothing but just bullying%u2019, log into YouTube.com and watch the recorded show and then come back to read this article. It is quite easy to argue and dispute that all these were the result of total ignorance, stupidity and playground type bullying. Grow up!! Bullying and racism are not two difference things. They are indeed the same wine in two different bottles, served to two different people!!
Understandably, the feelings and emotions are now running high on all corners. The British media regulator ofCom and Channel4, which broadcast the show, had received more than 55,000 complaints from the public in just four days!! This issue heads in all local newspapers, news websites, blogs and chatrooms. Blair was forced to comment on this row. The next British prime minister-in-waiting Brown is having tough time in India!! I believe that Indian Prime Minister Mr.Manmohan Singh and Indian President Mr.Abdul Kalam are the only people left to comment on this issue!!!
I live in the United Kingdom, so I would like to see the whole issue in two mirrors. I honestly respect all %u2018Non-Racist British%u2019 in Britain. I am fortunate enough to have few of them as my friends, who understand that the colour of our blood is always going to be red but the colour of our skin is unfortunately not. (We blame it on God%u2019s politics!)
Let me begin with the very root cause of this whole issue. Even the Asians who were born and brought up in Britain are being classified as %u2018British Indian%u2019, %u2018British Sikh%u2019, %u2018British Pakistani%u2019 and %u2018British Muslim%u2019. This is how they are tagged in government forms and documents. How sick these race tags are? Aren%u2019t they British enough to be %u2018British%u2019? This is surely leaving negative impact on the minorities. They think that how much ever British they are, they will always remain as minorities in Britain. This is pure racial dejection. Then, what is the point of talking about that minorities are not integrating well into British society? The sad thing is that nobody seems to care about it including the British government. The same British government, every year does celebrate Diwali and Ed festivals in a spectacular manner!!! Surprised? I personally think that the British government itself is very confused about it%u2019s racial policies or they are playing very tricky %u2018double game%u2019. This is clearly sending the wrong message among majority British. That%u2019s why many think and act that it is OK to racially abuse anybody from the minority community. The result is what exactly the world had witnessed for the last six days in Jade-Shilpa%u2019s race row. It is time for the British government to wake up.
I am not surprised at all on this wildfire racial row. The three Big Brother gang girls are drop of the today%u2019s British society and surely reflect the growing new generation of future Britain. The Big Brother house is actually a small portrait of today%u2019s modern Britain. Don%u2019t mistake me? In a large portrait, this is how the great British society will exactly look like in next 50 years time. I mark my words without a second thought. The abuse and racial comments on Shilpa do 1,000% truly reflect the British and European societies attitude on racism especially on all non-whites. It is time for the western world to publicly admit that racism in all forms and size still does exist in the society. Because, many who receive racial abuse, usually tend to ignore rather than challenge it out. That doesn%u2019t mean they accept it at heart. It%u2019s a serious problem. Worth fighting than %u2018War on Terror%u2019. For all those who are not minority British, it isn%u2019t easy to realise how serious racism can be. Asians living and working in Britain such as students, doctors, nurses, taxi drivers, teachers, shop owners, restaurant waiters, call centre personnel and even community police officers do often go through more or less the same kind of racially motivated verbal abuse. At the worst, get beaten by group of racist thugs. I swear on my words. I am not exaggerating it. I had gone through the same sort of verbal abuse before and still go through it now and then. I have been called %u2018Indian%u2019 on many occasions in a tone, which is definitely not polite and friendly way that anyone would like to be called upon. I don%u2019t like to call any non-Asian like that. The arrogant, ignorant, economically, ethically and culturally failing western society is facing some serious social problems. Racism will top in that list without doubt. Who is going to handle these problems?
The reality show indeed reflects the reality of British youth%u2019s attitude towards the society and living. I am not at all surprised to hear abusive language in reality show. Certainly you could hear them from groups of young boys and girls on British streets. Well..What else would you expect from the boys and girls of today%u2019s British society, where 13 years old lads and girls smoke, drink and use drugs, losing virginity at the age of 14 is just a matter of self-pride, having babies at the age of 15 is OK and becoming common, the average life span of a formal marriage is just over 16 months, many live together unmarried, many don%u2019t know who is their mother or father is and the divorce rate is 40% higher than any European union country. There are various reasons for this social catastrophe. Today%u2019s young British are not well educated, they distance themselves from Maths, Science, and general knowledge subjects, they are very proud of binge drinking, smoking, sex on the streets, honking the car horns and yelling racist remarks. They are ignorant souls and sadly the face of future British society. Who is going to teach them about racial tolerance and respecting people as humans? Their stupid British prime minister is very busy with the arrogant American president on bringing back democracy and peace in Iraq and Afghanistan!!! In this nation, some think that waging war on a country is just like playing a video game. It is OK to think like that in this so called developed country with underdeveloped people. Many British do have big attitude disorder and do think that the rest of the world is still ruled by their great grand fathers & company. They still do believe that the Sun will never ever set on their kingdom. What else I can say? The British public is not aware of what is happening within their country and in rest of the world. They don%u2019t have the necessary urge to learn new skills, acquire knowledge, and stay competitive in the global world. They probably don%u2019t want to know about anything as long as they can afford to buy fish & chips and pukha pies. All they know is to eat, to do binge drinking in 24 hour pubs (Yes. 24 hour pubs!!!), to be illiterate (I bet many can%u2019t read and write English properly) and claim free government social benefits to go on holiday abroad. Can anyone say this is not what is happening in Britain today?
In a country like Britain, racism doesn%u2019t just exist due to ignorance. Ignorance is the result of confusion. I could sense the fear of failure among British in this rapid world, in which they are struggling to keep up with the changes and challenges. Today%u2019s Britain is steadily losing its ground on economical, cultural, and social front, which were once the proud symbols of British colonialism. The British are confused about their obsessed identity in multicultural Britain. Instead of turning it into their advantage, they are turning it away. In general, the British are not sensitive to accept other cultures into their lives. The Asians are far more broadminded, tolerant, patient when it comes to living in multi-cultural, multi-ethnic society such as Britain. Even though, Asians didn%u2019t integrate 100% into the British society, I would say that they are well on their way towards it or realising the necessity to do it. So, I am prepared to put a bet that before the end of this 21st century, Britain will have an Asian Prime Minister. I am not joking.
The British public and politicians do think that the non-Europeans are culturally and economically invading all corners of Britain. They are getting jealous of dominant Asian minority. That%u2019s why there are tougher visa restrictions, delay in issuing visas, and recent %u2018motivated%u2019 HSMP revision to keep the %u2018Browns%u2019 away from Britain. Let me explain it a bit more. Today%u2019s great British politics, lifestyle, business, economy and national cuisine (Chicken Tikka Masala is the national dish of Britain since 2000!) are being greatly influenced by the Asians. A very remarkable feat that the Scottish, Irish and Welsh trio couldn%u2019t able to do for several centuries and had totally failed. Also, majority of the Asians are well educated, intelligent, beautiful in heart, hard working and economically prospering than ever before. If the first wave of Asian migrants helped to revive the shops and stores on Britain's streets, the second and third generation of Asians are now making their mark on the financial and business world. Now, India is the third largest global investor in Britain next only to US and Japan. Indian companies are taking over many not-so-profitable British companies and turning them into profitable. Thus, creating jobs for the British. Remember richest citizen of the United Kingdom is not a native British but India born Steel billionaire Lakshmi Mittal. He has recently donated £2 million pounds to the cash-strapped ruling Labour party, almost certainly bailing it out of financial crisis. There is a list of endless contributions made by the Asians to today%u2019s modern Britain. It is just impossible to blindly ignore the imposing stature of Asians and Asianism in Britain. Without the Asians, the British public services and healthcare will crumble in matter of days. Without the Asians, the British economy will not survive for more than a month. Don%u2019t the Asians deserve to be treated as %u2018British%u2019 in %u2018Britain%u2019?
On the other side, this whole issue raises the same questions about our own society. Are we Indians really not racists? Is it OK and justified to racially discriminate fellow Indians? But, it becomes an issue when Non-Asians dish it out on us? We actually don%u2019t respect fellow Indians in India and abroad. Don%u2019t we? We have got several racial problems within our country and society. Don%u2019t we all know that the North Indians bully and discriminate the South Indians as %u2018Madarasis%u2019. The South Indians bully the North Indians by calling them as %u2018Biharis%u2019. We are the largest racist society on this planet, which practised and still practising all forms of racism, discrimination and bullying in the name of god, caste and culture. We are talking about it for more than 100 years. Nothing has been changed significantly. When are we going to change it? Let us bring our house in order before pointing out finger at others.
One of India's great strength is its ability to adapt diversity. That%u2019s what India is all about. It is indeed a very quite remarkable for a country like India, where the majority of the population is Hindu. But, our current president is a Muslim, the prime minister is a Sikh and probably the most influential lady in India is sari wearing Italian born Catholic. I cannot think of any other country in the world that could accept such a diversified political scenario. This is truly remarkable and it works very well in India. Whereas, in the US, the Americans are still waiting to have a Black or Hispanic as American president and the US has been a democratic country for more than 200 years!!! Whereas India%u2019s democracy gained it%u2019s status 60 years ago, we have already had several minorities as presidents, prime ministers, chief ministers, ministers, military chief of staff, and supreme court judges. This is the great strength that India has. We are humans first, then Indians, then Punjabi, Gujarathi, Bengali, or Madarasi. Forget about race, religion and colour. So, It is time for us to do some reality test on ourselves. It is time for us to accept that we are really racists and do something about it. When we are going to announce that racism and discrimination in any form, any size is punishable crime and has no place in civilised India? We can. Let us do it now before it is too late.
Our world will become a happy place to live when we love each other in heart and without discriminating anyone by their race, ethnicity, religion, faith, and wealth. Let's grow up. When we are going to be one big loud and proud Indians? It is shame on us if we can%u2019t do it. Share your views.
