RACISM DOWN UNDER

“The biggest problem though out the history of man is the fact that racism is anything but an anomaly.” -Erik Hansen

When news started to trickle about the racist attacks on young Indian students in Australia one just felt it was something which was few are far between. One hoped that this would disappear and that it was just a one off incidence. We wanted to forget it as an “isolated incident” maybe forgive too. But soon disbelief turned to distrust when we slowly came to this realization that this was something omniscient and would not disappear just because we wanted it to disappear. When you look closely you realize that at least 100 cases of 'curry bashing' have been reported in the last one year in Australia –- four deadly ones in the past month alone -- and many more probably weren't reported out of fear. That goes well beyond being “isolated incidents". The trust gets broken and distrust seeps in.

Racism always invites disbelief as the first reaction. It’s only when the dust settles that we realize that our beliefs and values gets displaced as the dynamics of the society changes. This marks a tipping point in the social dynamics of a society that has begun to feel emancipated by the constant influx of outsiders. Racism in itself is never a problem but an ever potent symptom of a much deeper malice. “The maximum of hatred for a minimum of reason” underlies what constitutes this malice. The reasons are not always hard to find but the racist mavens are always difficult to locate.

An introspective insight into such incidents reveals that racism sometimes is just the tip of an ever growing iceberg. The malice in most cases is not the color of the skin or the way of life but the more potent question of life itself; Co-existence. When such incidences occur with other ethnic groups we seldom pay any heed to their plight or sufferings. It’s only when the same happens to us that we realize that the hatred is not just for the Chinese or the Hispanics but the hatred is for all who are seen as a threat to ever reducing opportunities. As opportunities for growth shrink so does ability of mutual coexistence. During recessionary times these very differences become reasons for mutual hatred.

What needs to be understood is that is it the point of no return for a society which is sitting on stockpile of racial anger or will it get better if only we start working together to make it better. The Tipping point as we call it came when the media reports about racism reached our shores and got noticed, from there onwards it was a one way journey to distrust and anger. Now what remains to be seen is that can we turn back the process and return to normalcy or has the threshold of tolerance been breached and there is no going back.
Franz Kafka once asked “Isn’t it obvious that a person would leave from where he is hated so much? The heroism of staying in such a place is that of a roach which won’t be exterminated from the bathroom.” So, should Indians still go to Australia to study? Without going into the technicality of the question i would like to give the question a new perspective. Do Indians still would be able to go and study in Australia ? Maybe the answer to this question will be apparent only as time passes but for now I choose to believe in Martin Luther King, Jr when he said “I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality.... I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.” That I guess is the final word.