Latest news about racist attacks on the people from the northeast in different parts of India amidst the Covid19 pandemic has shaken the entire nation and once again ushered in a debate on US vs THEM. A Political Science Hons. student and an active member of the Evangelical Union of Tetso College, Panglem Konyak sees the situation from his own intellectual spectrum.
Racism: Are we Our Own Version of It?
The present crisis (Covid19) has struck us all, of people of different walks of life whether we like it or not. Fear and uncertainty looms large and panic have become the order of the day. The pandemic has brought before the world the white and black sides of existences. The praise for the great step taken by the government has been splashed off by the disturbing racist acts and mass migration of the poor. The blame game has now flamed high between the two parties but why are we doing that and how can we just do that. Are we well thorough enough with our research to do so and just spit off with our little knowledge all over? The world at this moment is covered up with loads of issues but one among those I would like to pour my thoughts on is racism. We are all a social animal such that we are all selfish by nature. We all want the best and more gain for own-self than others. We are a thinking animal that thinketh, we can never be wrong and if any fault, it is always the other person who accounts for blame. Deep inside we feel like we are a Saint but the demons surround us and lead us into a blame game. This in return heats us up, leading us to force out a Saint magma from within making us in trying to prove that we are only and always right and the other can never be.
It is sad that rational animals are not rational enough to realise the world needs to live in love, peace and in unity not only in such times but ever in other times as well. All men have been born a baby but none have remained a baby their entire life. We have all been transformed and have grown up gradually to be responsible citizens and matured adults. Yesterday has been gone, leaving unto us a lesson, an experience that today we learn from it and step ahead to tomorrow being a better person and being more humane. We did not know then but now we know how we are to trade the journey left with our fellow citizens. Instead we are all into blaming people who are referring to us in odd ways and rage up thinking, it’s unacceptable and inhumane. But before we do that, what we should know is karma and Newton’s third law of motion, ‘For every action, there is equal and opposite reaction’, do get in always. Today one of the major headlines is of racism and the people are blaming and raising out their voices against those racists. Are we still busy blaming the other party or have we now understood anything out of it. If the other person is a human so are we. If they are racists then so are we as well. Let us all be real and honest and stand in truth taking every challenging situation such as this, a great learning experience in making ourselves better and responsible citizens.
Let us also accept the reality that we are also no less different to our counterparts. The racist acts we see outside on our people is the consequence we act on the outsiders in our home. The ill treatment upon them and calling them as what worst could get on our minds. The harassment and of stumping them down with no sympathy and generosity. The disrespect on the little identification of difference and then thinking of them inferior and us superior. All such feelings, and the egoistic character of ‘Us vs Them’ is the direct outcome. Our egoistic character at home has led us to find a way in numerous to suppress and look down on the outsiders. The one degrading tag we put on the fellow outsiders here, that is what our own people outside faces in return. The attitude we show here, they get there. The disrespect we show and an inhumane act we display, that same treatment our people residing outside have to face through. We may not get back the harsh and bitter acts on us but our that act has posed a huge problem to our innocent people residing outside. Not all the people think or act in such ways but the behaviour of some uneducated folks of our societies has cost us all in a great way. We can only try and educate them to stop and change such evils for a better world to live in.
We are all special when we are at our own home, likewise let us learn to treat our guests the same special way. So that in return, we would be treated well when we visit them. Let us also first try to keep our home clean and then only point out the dirt to be cleaned in the home of others. Not all of us do such things to others nor all of them do so unto us but it is the responsibility of all of us to learn from such and educate our fellow citizens. Let us also think twice and thrice before we just act on or speak on. The lockdown itself has taught us that it is difficult and uneasy to stay at home alone. We need to move out, we need to socialize, to gain knowledge, to gain experiences from outside the home environment. The world is big and also at the same time small as well which makes it hard and impossible to run away and escape from anything easily. Karma is just around the corner for which we really need to be very careful on our every approach. At such a challenging time let us have an introspection and retrospection on ourselves before we think about others. It is heartening to see our own people suffering away from home but everything is to teach us. I hope through all these incidences, we would change our mindset, our attitude and be more responsible. We failed then and we’ve failed now, but let us learn and change to do away with such evils for a better tomorrow for one and for all. We shall rise to fight and get rid of such evils together as one and by the way, don’t we consider this world our home?
Degree of Thought is a weekly community column initiated by Tetso College in partnership with The Morung Express. Degree of Thought will delve into the social, cultural, political and educational issues around us. The views expressed here do not reflect the opinion of the institution. Tetso College is a NAAC Accredited UGC recognised Commerce and Arts College. The editors are Dr Hewasa Lorin, Dr. Aniruddha Babar, Dr. Pfokrelo Kapesa, Rinsit B Sareo, Meren Lemtur and Kvulo Lorin.
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