I am in the mood to rant about something now. I have had a hot shower and put some quality lotion on. It makes all the difference. So I thought I would talk about the Mangalore incident. Shive Sene has given us something else to talk about. OK for those who don't know- shiv sene radical right wing Hindu group (AKA- HINDU VERSION OF TALIBAN), got 40 of their sexually frustrated men(who believe they are pious and must save Hindu womankind) to barge into a Manglaore pub and create havoc.By havoc I mean pull their hair, push and shove them and also some room to molest. If that were not enough there was name calling involved. Such as "whore" "sluts" etc. All very fabulous.
Actually what is fabulous is the fact that India..finally took some action. I mean the people. I have been asked to join to less than 5 groups on facebook linked to the recent events such as "moral police kiss my ass" and there are actual protest walks and such. The youth is up in arms. Finally.
Here is the thing- India is a prime example of getting riled upabout things when in affects them ,and by them I mean a certain privileged group.
Garbage on the roads- who cares not in my house. Bribe the cops-who cares I got the extra 200 to drive without my damn helmet. Injustice to kids much much much poorer than you?-not my deal. Terrorists attacks in Mumabi- yes lets talk about that- mainly because it hit the Taj(or at least that is what the news flashes when a reference is made about the attacks)-the train station where most of the people died..oh sorry I meant"poor people" is barely mentioned.
Why? because their voices seldom count. For all practical purposes the attacks really hit the upper middle class the ones who thought-damn I could have been there.
So great- I say light the damn candles, show support for one another, protest those barbaric men who try to define women and propagate their version of the "Indian culture". the problem lays here- India is to dramatically diverse in its socio economic status. I might get an invite to a protest walk, and I will gladly do it- but is that invite open to a uneducated women who might not have a voice or even a chance to think for her self? Could she join the "solidarity" we are trying to have? Can she raise that glass of beer with you in your favorite pub saying "fuck shiv sene". Does she even care? No, but that does not mean she doesn't have a set of her own problems
Don't get me wrong- I love this change in India, the youth getting riled up taking responsibility as citizens to protest something. I just ponder at all the injustices my country faces on a daily bases, and then think-how come we don't get riled up about that too? Why are we so hesitant to fight for things that might not so directly affect us -but could disgrace and traumatize a person as much as I would be if I were kicked out of a pub because I was a woman?
Walk, India, walk. I just want to remind us all to make sure we can give vioce and legs to people who dont have as many resources. That said- Shiv Sene can kiss my ass.