'India Is Racist, And Happy About It': Outlook Magazine article, Part 1 Intro

I was interviwed about racism in India and subsequently wrote an article for the magazine. Enjoy this intro.

http://www.outlookindia.com/full.asp?fodname=20090629&fname=Cover+Story+%...

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[steve0281]

Here is what I am seeing that the presenter here is not understanding: All countries are essentially racist. Has he ever been to Japan? Korea? China? Africa? And I am not talking South Africa, either. Ethnocentricism is the default setting. Only in the West, namely the US, has it been demonized to the point that people in other countries, who are themselves very racist, think that it is only bad if white people are racist. Wake up and smell the coffee.

[diepiriye]

@steve0281 I lived in Korea, Mali, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Germany, England & India- I've visited more. I do understand that many people take ethnocentrism for granted. It saddens me how often people have told me to 'get used' to racism, or that I do not understand. Worse is this belief that the US is the only multi-cultural model. This usually tells me more about the speaker than illuminating anything about the subject. It shows me just how deep these ideas have penetrated the human soul.

[diepiriye]

@Muralidharan001 It seems that this might be all new to you and the idea that hating dark skin can translate to treating dark skin people poorly also seems knew to you. These are not new ideas, nor are they unique to me and my experience. Yes, I hardly could pass a day without race becoming a factor in huge or tiny ways. But to be sure, race and caste are similarly constructed, and that's probably the most painful part to realize for people in privilege in either society. Race+caste=dirty!

[NashidBey]

@diepiriye Like my mother says, "that's a damn shame".

It's wild how everyone dislikes and/or hates us, but everyone copies everything we do. We're less intelligent, but intelligent enough to do things that make people happy and rich the world over.

[ToFester]

@diepiriye Haters snakes tongues can always taste the truth, there was no lies in my comment.

[Muralidharan001]

@diepiriye I don't justify.In every country there will be some people who are xenophobic and ethnocentric.There is a difference between teasing and racism. you are trying to imply casteism into racism and inferiority complex into racism. How you was mistreated in India based on your race?

[diepiriye]

@Muralidharan001 I just want to be clear. Mistreating Indians in Africa does not justify or explain mistreating Africans in India. EX: Blacks in America know discrimination, hate & terror intimately. So should we be less or more tolerant of others? I argue that we MUST be MORE careful & attentive to civil liberties for everyone, NOT retaliate against others = jealousy. What has Amin taught YOU about compassion, fairness & respect across differences? Or are you just bitter? Racism cannot own me.

[diepiriye]

@Muralidharan001 As yo might guess, Idi Amin gets no love here. I'm deeply sorry if you somehow thought that this article or video makes any attempt to justify Amin's hateful violence. I appreciate your comment, but isn't this a distraction? Doesn't this tit for tat attitude just keep us all apart, instead of starting where we begin (like I started this comment by reminding you that we're on the same side). Please don't take criticism of India as a total damnation of that nation & its peoples.

[diepiriye]

@NashidBey PEASE do use it as it , unfortunately, applies way too often :-)

[diepiriye]

@NashidBey I lived in the same apartment in Delhi for over seven years, and people made no bones about getting in our business when it was convenient for them (demanding we put up Diwali lights, demanding we NOT allow the delivery men past our gate, trying to get us evicted for hosting friends whom they perceived to be Muslim, etc.). But a group of kids used to play on our street and when they'd pass by, they'd yell "Habshi." Everyone was quiet and it was nobody's business, then.

[diepiriye]

@ToFester Ouch! Good points, but I know that will provoke a snake like hiss from haters!