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Redoing racism

One of my biggest fears about India is how intolerant as people we are becoming. We refuse to accept contrary viewpoints. their opinions and their right to choose, another person's right to do as they wish and their freedom to say what they want and dress as it pleases them.

I came across this article from Lost on the street and I can't even begin explaining how ridiculous I find the whole article.

And as a journalist having written that article, someone I'd expect to be mature and objective, it comes as even more of a shock.

How much further is this from accusing Muslims of cheering for Pakistan during a match and bursting crackers when Pakistan wins? What if Pakistan played better and deserved to win? What if Pakistan had the better team? What if I like the Pakistani style of play much better than the Indian one?

Take the 2007 T20 World Cup for instance, if Pakistan had won, I for one would have stood up and applauded because they played well and deserved to win. And if it hadn't been for Misbah's godawful shot they might have won.

So I think it's rather unfair to say that if your an Indian, you can't celebrate another team's victory and that it's unpatriotic. Because at the end of the day, supporting someone is my personal choice and celebrating or mourning is a personal choice as well.

I'm digressing however, she seems to have issues with everything the women did, they came in with a lack of politeness actually and with three henna-dyed, unruly haired, local misfits in a suburban café. (The shame!) Because of course we would never see any loud Indian girls with henna-dyed, unruly haired, local misfits in a suburban cafe.

And they guzzled wine? How could they? When beers were going around. Drinking foreign liquor in another country. Maybe if they'd sipped some desi daru/country liquor they'd have been instantly accepted?

In an attempt at magnanimity, Madam Tasneem says it's okay to show some team spirit, but to avoid too much of it because it'll hurt Indian sentiments.

Now, I don't know about you, but I'm quite frankly tired of Indian sentiments. It's a load of claptrap and it's twisted around and manipulated to fit whatever issue you might have personally.

Excessive displays of affection embarrassing to Indian sentiments. Fine. Short skirts and plunging necklines offensive. Maybee. Cheering for another country when India is playing. Balls.

In an apparent display of jingoism, she goes on to ramble about how it was hurtful to see India being dissed and how patriotic everyone in the cafe got. So they had a reason for their offensive behaviour. But the three Brits retaliating to chants of 'England sucks' with 'Suck on that'(which I find hilarious by the way), that was rude.

Because they aren't allowed to be patriotic. Only we have pride in our country. Only we want to see our country win. The rest of them just play for the spirit of the game.

And I see what the Mad Momma meant when she says, what foot do we stand on when we jeer at racism in Australia, but do the same thing here too.

Maybe the attacked Indians cheered for India at a cafe there. Really a show of team spirit is alright, but when you’re in an Australian cafĂ©, filled with manic Australians, who worship the ground that their sportsmen walk on, it’s a bit impolite to make your sentiments SO blatant.

Comments

i read the article too and it's so downright unnecessary. so by her theory, i should support the team of the country I am in. What if an Indian in England supports the englist team in a match between India and England even though he wants to support his homeland. Won't he be called a traitor by some. won't someone make a judgement that he's gone all angrez and forgotten the motherland. won't indian such as this lady herself find it unpatriotism?
I think she just read too much into nothing and it is articles like these that creates unwanted thoughts in people's mind.
Imagine if someone gets really carried away by this article and becomes violent to non India support next time there is a match? another reason for violence, isn't it?
sanket kambli said…
we dont....
attack "VIOLENTLY" muslims celebrating pakistan victory...
especially not students...or do we?? maybe its not reported??
support whoever you want (freedom of expression) ..true...
someone protests your support as unpatriotic... (also freedom of expression)...
but violence completely wrong...
coz its a vicious cycle of revenge that never stops..
Gentle Whispers said…
@ A: Exactly my point. And while she does say that was a 'you-should-have-been-there' moment. I think as a journalist, she needs to show a lot more responsibility.

@ Sankoobaba: Freedom of expression. That was my point. But I still don't agree with criticising another person's choice of which team to support. That's just intolerant.

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