Mirror Mirror on the Wall,


On a bus journey a long time back,I happened to sit next to a African-American lady.We got talking.She was extremely cordial,had migrated to US from Britian,and was working as a private nurse.Somehow the discussion went in the direction of discrimination on basis of color and she narrated a experience she had.She was looking after some elderly white lady.The day of 9/11 as news spread ,her white client became agitated and when her nurse was in the room shouted loudly" Send them all back to Africa"!!!

When I heard this, I felt extremely sad! Imagine the utter arrogance of the lady to say such harshful words to a person who is caring for her!

I have tried to understand discrimination on basis of color,but have failed to, largely because it is baseless. What is color? A few melanin cells fewer or more in the upper layer of the skin! And what makes people think they are superior if they have fewer of those cells!How utterly disgusting is that!

The fascination with being fair is very much a part of the Indian pysche and some will go to any extent to be a few shades fairer.This gives rise to such gross ads like the Fair and Lovely one, in which a groom-to-be rejects a girls since she is dark and immediately accepts her as soon as she is a few shades lighter, much to the delight of the girl.If I had a say, such a husband is not worth having.But thats the kind of values we are selling to the future generation. When it comes to marriage in India, I have noticed on many occasions all other values take a back seat over color.

Being comfortable in your God-given natural color is very important.It is a different thing that though we may be comfortable and sometimes society makes one cognizant of this difference.There is so much more to ones personality than ones color.A lovely smile,a warm heart,self-belief are qualities that are much more worthy.

I will tell this to my kids ,Will you?