I was horrified (and I'm sure many Indians felt the same) to see Sureshbhai, an Indian and was visiting his son in Alabama, badly mauled by a local policeman which is yet another instance of racial profiling, quite rampant in the US these days. He remembers having gone for a morning walk but woke up on a hospital bed, temporarily paralysed, hours later!
His fault?
- He was brown skinned.
- He didn't know English!
And the ignominy:-
- The media didn't find it necessary to report the case extensively.
- The police department refused to divulge the name/(s)(was he roughed up by more than one?) of the culprit/(s) to the family which is but a prime requirement in a legal scenario making
one wonder as to whether this was happening in a country ruled by a tinpot dictator!
- There were furious attempts to cover up the whole incident.
It's just not done, Mr. Obama especially when, just a fortnight ago, you'd given us a lesson on 'religious intolerance' and pointed out as to how dangerous a tendency it was. We did accept them as sane advice then, against the backdrop of attacks on churches in the buildup to the Delhi elections and a string of 'ghar waapasis' - the latter, thanks to the Hindu fringe groups.
But what's this, Mr. Obama? What's happening in your country in the name of racial profiling? And your law seems to be lopsided and skewed! What has happened to the fundamental rights of an individual?
We were under the impression that the US was a free country where everyone enjoyed freedom. But this incident says otherwise and is the proverbial last straw on the camel's back! You'd better get your house in order, apologise to the family and bring the culprits to book, forthwith!!
Tailpiece.
On the Times Now news channel, tonight, an Indian American lawyer by the name of Batra tried to put across his views from a legal angle giving the human angle, the short shrift. I'd be keen to hear your reactions if a near and dear one of yours was subjected to a similar horror and lay wired in the hospital. It's people like you who let your country down and that's why they treat you like muck. Make no mistake about it! And take this parting shot, "Don't ever try to be more American than the Yanks themselves. You'll have reasons to look down upon your own self!"
PS.
Had plans to visit the US sometime, this fall, to meet my classmates but after this incident I'm having second thoughts. Perhaps, I might just dump the idea!
His fault?
- He was brown skinned.
- He didn't know English!
And the ignominy:-
- The media didn't find it necessary to report the case extensively.
- The police department refused to divulge the name/(s)(was he roughed up by more than one?) of the culprit/(s) to the family which is but a prime requirement in a legal scenario making
one wonder as to whether this was happening in a country ruled by a tinpot dictator!
- There were furious attempts to cover up the whole incident.
It's just not done, Mr. Obama especially when, just a fortnight ago, you'd given us a lesson on 'religious intolerance' and pointed out as to how dangerous a tendency it was. We did accept them as sane advice then, against the backdrop of attacks on churches in the buildup to the Delhi elections and a string of 'ghar waapasis' - the latter, thanks to the Hindu fringe groups.
But what's this, Mr. Obama? What's happening in your country in the name of racial profiling? And your law seems to be lopsided and skewed! What has happened to the fundamental rights of an individual?
We were under the impression that the US was a free country where everyone enjoyed freedom. But this incident says otherwise and is the proverbial last straw on the camel's back! You'd better get your house in order, apologise to the family and bring the culprits to book, forthwith!!
Tailpiece.
On the Times Now news channel, tonight, an Indian American lawyer by the name of Batra tried to put across his views from a legal angle giving the human angle, the short shrift. I'd be keen to hear your reactions if a near and dear one of yours was subjected to a similar horror and lay wired in the hospital. It's people like you who let your country down and that's why they treat you like muck. Make no mistake about it! And take this parting shot, "Don't ever try to be more American than the Yanks themselves. You'll have reasons to look down upon your own self!"
PS.
Had plans to visit the US sometime, this fall, to meet my classmates but after this incident I'm having second thoughts. Perhaps, I might just dump the idea!
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