Going grassroots
First of all, why do we have these so-called “days” once a year for events? Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and now I’m hearing about the United Nations’ International Elimination of Racial Discrimination Day. Have any of these “days” resulted in anything substantial?
All that has happened is that these days have been used for pure commercial gain. It’s a one-day activity that takes place and then we all go back to our mundane lives. The following year we are woken up by commercial artists once more and we succumb. We have to go back to grassroots level and teach our children the importance of tolerance, humanity, truth, equality, sharing, caring and being selfless.
We have to practice it daily. Our laws need to change to accommodate such changes and we need to stand up daily for our rights as human beings and not because of some ridiculous demands. We need to be patient and we need to believe in ourselves. We need to shed our social and family conditioning and become who we really want to be. We cannot be led astray by some hogwash that all political leaders do on a daily basis. God bless us all.
From Mr Ajit Lamba
UAE
Education is the solution
In my personal opinion, there is still racial discrimination in the age of globalisation and modern civilisation. We need to practise elegance, instead of using words or harsh terms that are backwards and taking us back to the days of slavery and servitude. The term racial discrimination is innovative and soft. Instead of the enslavement of human beings by force we see more subtle racism through the confiscation of freedom of movement or freedom in general. Now, a new quality has emerged from racial discrimination that is sometimes in the name of religion and this is famous in the media these days. At other times, in the name of progress, we see discrimination on the basis of academic and cultural degrees or material wealth.
Racial discrimination stems from the hearts of the malignant who do not know love and human harmony. It is repeated in the community until it becomes a habit. Sometimes we see or deal with it every day without even noticing it. The only solution is individual education away from any political orientations.
From Mr Mohammad Al Hajeri
Al Ain
Blatantly unethical
It is a sad reality that racism exists in this world in all forms and manifestations in spite of the various efforts by the United Nations and various states to eliminate it. A great part of collective human psychology still holds on to primitive behaviour that discriminates based on skin colour, creed, culture and faith. However, it is a consolation that great changes have been made possible through various initiatives including awareness and educational programs, legislations at various levels and world forums that discourage racist mentalities and xenophobic mindsets. Thanks to the efforts of people like Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Junior, Abraham Lincoln and many others.
The recent incidents wherein African Americans were reportedly shot by US police officers have sparked debate on whether racism still exists in its worst form in the so-called liberated and economically advanced nation of the 21st century. Racism also exists in India. Racism is blatantly unethical. Unless there is a sweeping change in the mindset of people, racism may continue to exist for a long time to come. With new educational systems, cultural interactions, increasing migrations, racism will one day become a thing of the past.
From Mr V. I. Mohammad Sageer
UAE
Discrimination over jobs
I feel that racial discrimination is very much practiced in this region though it may be less compared to other areas. Even if I do a better job than the race considered superior, I will be paid less or passed over for higher positions. I am sure most people have seen many higher positions reserved for people of certain ethnicities. Can the media do something so that professionals are considered for jobs based on skills rather than on any other criteria?
From Mr Siddique
UAE
Maybe it’s survival
Although the world has made great advances in all spheres in these modern times, it has also regressed in terms of tolerance and acceptance. We live in a world that accepts nothing less than perfection and anything less is rejected without guilt. Unfortunately, we have designed a certain prototype, which is the benchmark for acceptance. This is where racial discrimination comes into play. You have to be of a certain race or from a certain country to be accepted. Very often, discrimination plays out in very subtle ways - the way you are spoken to or greeted and maybe the table you get at a restaurant. I suspect this mindset was always prevalent but, in the present day, it is not deemed necessary to hide the fact. Racial discrimination is quite open and in your face today.
Why have we become so intolerant of anything or anybody different from us? Maybe it’s the cut-throat world we live in and, for some, it’s the only way to survive. Hopefully this will peak and we will evolve into a world with at least some modicum of civility and racial integration.
From Ms Shama Mohammad
UAE
A big question mark
On one hand, many people around the world are migrating to different countries for better living and, on the other hand, racism is increasing day-by-day. It’s not a healthy sign. Despite people adjusting into other countries and culture, racism is still a big question mark. Unless people seek reform and see every human being eye-to-eye as brothers and sisters, this will continue. When the entire world is small, this menace should be eradicated. The question is when and how?
From Mr K. Ragavan
Bengaluru, India
Tolerance for national growth
With the world now becoming a global village, people are experiencing a clash of civilisations and the merging of cultures more than ever before. These cultures do come in contact to create a vivid picture of human thoughts. However, even if there is a merger of two cultures that bring people together, there is a concern among many that racial tolerance is declining because of this amalgamation of values. Conflicts occur when people do not listen to the other person’s thoughts and impose their own for dominance. Racial tolerance is a must because people from diverse cultures reside in a specific geographical location. For instance, the UAE sees people immigrate from all parts of the world. Pakistanis, Indians, Bangladeshis, French, Arabs and American citizens live together and work for their individual growth, as well as for the development of the country they reside in. Tolerance towards a different culture and race is imperative for growth of a nation because conflicts that are based on cultural and racial differences last for years and impede national growth. This occurs because people from a specific race consider themselves to be superior to others, and it stirs conflicts and wars that result in wastage of life and property. It is important for us to accept people from different cultures and races and to overlook racial differences because this only leads to disaster when nations remain divided and do not work towards development.
From Mr Mohammad Omar Eftikhar
Karachi, Pakistan
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