RE:all indians are with shilpa
by Allan Samuel on Jan 20, 2007 08:11 PM
A lot of people who are not non-whites support Shilpa. We must avoid homogenising comments.
Jade's remarks has no place in civilized society. An 'eviction' is not enough. A 'conviction' is. Jade has to tried by law in order to send clear signals that racist behaviour or remarks would have a zero-tolerance policy-Allan Palanna
RE:Zero Tolerance for Racism
by james jammy on Jan 20, 2007 05:35 PM
In that all Indians should be behind bars for discriminating among low caste people.
RE:RE:Zero Tolerance for Racism
by Allan Samuel on Jan 20, 2007 08:03 PM
Thanks James for that thought. I understand your point and I share the weight of the idea. Surely, Casteism is racism.
RE:Who is actually behind it?
by Allan Samuel on Jan 20, 2007 08:08 PM
Pakistan is always the lame duck that we would want to shoot at if anything goes awry with India anywhere in the world. India can ethically stand and respond on its own without pointers.
RE:RE:RE:Who is actually behind it?
by PUMA on Jan 20, 2007 06:45 PM
The guys himself has a doubt of his origin. So let me ask him 'where are you from, actually?' and shall him come out not being coward more...
RE:Who is actually behind it?
by khaleel ahmed on Jan 20, 2007 08:50 PM
james, Pardon me . U are drawing a total wrong conclusion there. Mind it b4 u speak up please. I am afraid I have to think about you as adding fuel to the abuse.
RE:Who is actually behind it?
by Ahmad Raza Faruqi on Jan 20, 2007 04:39 PM
Why r u so much scared that u r even not disclosing ur real identity?? r u a son of any English man?? If u wanna have debate then put ur comment in a decent & literate way and not like a jungly !!
RE:RE:RE:RE:Who is actually behind it?
by ptjaved javed on Jan 24, 2007 04:10 PM
Hello, pls don start India pakistan war here. We have so many things to take care of and worry about. Lets all work together to build a better India and then a better world and stop all this nonsence. Grow up people!!
The timing just couldn%u2019t have been better than this. I have been watching the %u2018Celebrity Big brother%u2019 reality show on Channel4. I believe that I am civilised enough to write this article. After watching the show and reading series of articles in the British and worldwide media on the housemates Jade Goody, Danielle Lloyd (a disgraced former Miss Great Britain who had a saucy fling and bling with one of the contest judges in order to win her crown!!!!)and Jo O%u2019Meara, I feel that the world is coming into terms of what%u2019s is actually going within the British society. The three girls have had ganged up against fellow housemate Shilpa Shetty and made fun of her English accent, origin, nationality, 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 Lloyd even called her a 'Dog', used %u2018very filthy%u2019 language repeatedly in their conversation, 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, define what is %u2018racism%u2019? If you say all this is nothing but just bullying, go and watch the recorded show in YouTube.com and come back to read this article.
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 posts. Tony Blair was forced to comment on this row. The next British prime minister-in-waiting Mr.Gordon 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!!!
As I live in the United Kingdom, I would like to see it in two mirrors. Keep aside the many %u2018Non-Racist British%u2019 in Britain. I respect them, as 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 usually blame it all on God%u2019s politics!!!)
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 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. The abuse and racial comments on Shilpa do 1,100% truly reflect the British and European societies attitude on racism especially on all non-whites. There are many Asians and Indians working and living in Britain such as students, doctors, nurses, taxi drivers, school teachers, corner shop owners, call centre personnel and community police officers, who go through more or less same kind of racially motivated verbal abuse everyday. I swear on my words. I am not exaggerating it. I had gone through the same sort of 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 have to digest it without any choice. Once, I have made enough money to live without having to work for rest of my life, I will fly back to India for good from this arrogant, ignorant, economically, ethically and culturally failing western society.
I am not surprised to hear the girl gang%u2019s abusive language. Certainly you could hear them from groups of young boys and girls on British streets. Well%u2026What else would you expect from 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 divorce rate is 40% higher than any European union country. The reality show indeed reflects the reality of British youth%u2019s attitude towards their society and living. The young British generation is not well educated, they distance themselves from Maths, Science, and general knowledge subjects, they are very proud of binge drinking, sex on the streets and desperate housewives culture, (a Popular TV serial. Ironically, it is being broadcasted right after %u2018Big Brother%u2019 show in Channel4) honking the car horns and yelling racist remarks on Asians. 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 in saying %u2018YES%u2019 five billion times a day to 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 in play station. 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 care about globalisation, necessity to learn new skills, acquire knowledge, and stay competitive. All they know is to eat, to do binge drinking on 24 hour pubs (Yes. 24 hour pubs!!), to be illiterate (I bet many can%u2019t read and write English properly) and claim free government benefits to go on holiday abroad.
I could sense their fear of failure in the very near future. Because, today%u2019s Britain is steadily losing it%u2019s own ground. The British public and politicians do think that the non-Europeans are culturally and economically invading all corners of Britain. That%u2019s why there is soo much visa restrictions, delay in issuing visas, and recent %u2018motivated%u2019 HSMP revision to keep the %u2018Indians%u2019, %u2018Paki%u2019 and %u2018Browns%u2019 away from British shores. The British are getting jealous of dominant Asian minority. There is a reason. Let me explain it a bit. 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 Asian society. A remarkable feat that the Scottish, Irish and Welsh trio couldn%u2019t able to do for several centuries and had totally failed. The British are losing their obsessed identity in today%u2019s multicultural Britain. Because, the British are not sensitive to accept and easily adapt other cultures into their lives. Whereas, Asians are far more broadminded, tolerant, patient when it comes to living in multi-cultural, multi-ethnic society such as Britain. Though Asians didn%u2019t integrate 100% into the British society, I would say they are well on their way towards it or realising the necessity to do it. Because, Asians are educated, intelligent, beautiful in heart, hard working and above all economically stronger than ever before. What else? If the first wave of Asian migrants helped to revive the shops 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 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. Steel billionaire Lakshmi Mittal has pledged %uFFFD2million pounds to the cash-strapped ruling Labour party, almost certainly bailing it out of financial crisis. I wish he could buy the labour party as he does with the run down steel plants abroad!! Remember richest citizen of United Kingdom is not a native British but India born Lakshmi Mittal. 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. However, even the Asians born and brought up in Britain are being called as %u2018British Indian%u2019, %u2018British Sikh%u2019 and %u2018British Muslim%u2019. Do Asians deserve it? How sick these race tags are? We don%u2019t call any one in India as %u2018Indian Punjabi%u2019, %u2018Indian Tamil%u2019 or %u2018Indian Sikh%u2019. Without Asians, the British public services and healthcare will crumble in matter of days. Without Asians, the British economy will not survive for more than a month. But, are the Asians being treated well in Britain? Not with a broad mind, but with very clear purpose to use their skills and knowledge. 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.
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. Do we? We have got several racial problems within our country and society. Don%u2019t we all know that North Indians bully and discriminate the South Indians as %u2018Madarasis%u2019. South Indians bully the North Indians by calling them as %u2018Biharis%u2019. We are the largest racist society on this earth, 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?
One of India's strengths is its ability to accept and adapt diversity of culture. 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 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 just 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 skin 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 a 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.
RE:SHILPA & BIG CELEBRITY RACISM
by Ruchira Kale on Jan 20, 2007 06:38 PM
Hello,you have very lucidly brought to light the West's view of India(Asians as a whole),and the Indian paradoxes in one stroke..I personally feel that We,as a nation,are yet to feel truly proud of ourselves,our heritage and our national strengths.One can always see fellow Indians demeaning India publicly and privately.As very nicely shown in RDB(Rang De Basanti),We have come to comfortably blaming the system for everything,but we forget,that We are the system!!However corrupt it may be,we have to start owning responsibility for it and act!Till then,the Lakshmi Mittals of the world are definitely going to shine more abroad than at home!-Ruchira Kale,India
RE:SHILPA & BIG CELEBRITY RACISM
by Hope and Animal on Jan 20, 2007 05:44 PM
great article - I mean true thoughts - we should first look within ourselves.
congrats and thanks for taking out time to write so much
What we are not seeing is, it is the TV channel which stads to gain out of all this controvercy. They made money out of the phone calls that people made to evict Jade and at the same time gained publicity and if they play there cards well they will gain sympathy too (like the main sponsor bailing out ..etc.etc..). Public memory of such controvercies is very short and we will forget it soon ...but meanwhile the channels TRPU would have increaded and they made money out of advertisements.
Finally the real face of "The Great(?) Britain" is exposed! This incident isn't quite shocking for the land of Winston Churchil Who once said that "Indians are beastly people with beastly religion". This incident can be an alarming signal for the government of India as there are several of Indian citizens who are there for the purpose of Education,business etc. Indians i say to you that why you need to depend upon the britons who once had enslaved us and who are also considered to be the ones because of whom the dirty blot of slavery came in the world.
