Freedom, Democracy & Racism - 1

In Continuum to my thoughts and opinions about multiple cities and countries comes yet another blog. But this time its more on a serious note. Am not much of a serious blogger and this is my first effort to express about something that is so deeply riveted among us, yet we comfortably try to keep under wraps.
I've been to 4 countries now, apart from India. And each of them have a different way of handling things. I would not talk much about Scotland cos I didn't spend as much time there to understand the place even wee bit. In simple terms Racism is explained as thought or opinion and discrimination on the basis of it, that one race, based upon ethnicity, region, language, religion or any such thing, is superior or inferior to another. Now that sounds stupid right? Just cos a person is India makes him dumber or smarter than one from say Europe? Or that an Japanese guy will do better origami than an African? Or that a farmer in India would do better cultivation than a lawyer in New York? Am turning around the plate now.. :) Imagine how is it possible not to discriminate between two people? Imagine, you are in a lonely island and there are just two more people - One Indian and one African. who would you prefer or tend to attach to at first glance? does that account for racism? In actual terms - YES.. You are discriminating the person based on ethnic grounds. But is it wrong? WELL... its just a comfort factor. Now modify the scenario, just two people in the island - one of them from your own city and another from a village in the other end of country of which you have never heard. Now is this Racism? In actual terms YES - your are discriminating on the basis of origin. Taking it further down, you got your own sibling and some person whom you have seen but never spoken to from the next street. You would tend to prefer your sibling. Racial Discrimination? No WAY.
Am not trying to justify Racism here. But just thinking aloud of what exactly defines it. Would you call the stance of the British Govt not to give equal rights till now to Indian doctors in UK as Racism? Would you call a Tamil politician ripped off of his opportunity to become a Sri Lankan head of state as Racism? Would you call preferential salaries being given for Nationals and expatriates in a Dubai as Racism?
I have been a victim of racism myself in UK when some Brit Teen screamed something at me, for no fault of mine. I never understood what he said though. Good for me. Or another instance when the door keeper of Harrods subtly made a comment like "People who are standing in the way, Please leave". That statement does not account for a racist statement, but am pretty sure he would not have told it if it was for a white skinned person standing in my position, neither would the waiter denied serving the meal on the basis of not ordering the minimum bill amount. It made me loathe that country. thankfully I didn't have any such experiences when i went to Scotland. they seemed lot more humble and soft compared to their counterparts in England. though, I hear off late that the Scotsmen are angry over Indians for the Glasgow blast.
South Africa is a totally different playground. The natives(blacks) were in control after a long time and making sure that the Blacks regain what they had lost by implementing the Black empowerment Programme. Nothing wrong in it. But then this is causing a serious crunch and shortage of jobs for the Resident Afrikaans and Englishmen. They have started to leave South Africa to reach countries like UAE where their colour of skin is much more appreciated. No offense meant here to anyone. Doesn't that account to Racial Discrimination. Of course we need not forget the way the white skinned govt. of SA had oppressed and slaughtered the natives for more than a century. Can u imagine, a situation where you are in your country, but are banned from being in public places after 6pm and not allowed to be at beaches. thats like really heartless. Cape Town is beautiful city as I have mentioned earlier and its beaches are the best I have seen till date. To ban someone to not go there is like starving a kid to death.
Now talking about Dubai and UAE. They are pretty plain in what they do. Not unlike UK or SA where they say everyone is equal and then award preferential treatment. UAE is not a democracy, it is a autocratic kind of setup. they don't claim to treat everyone equally and they don't. There is a clear preferential treatment given in the same order - Nationals(Emiratis), GCC countries, Non-GCC Arabs, Whites, Moslems, Others. It was pretty funny when i came to know that there have been CEOs and CIOs of companies in Dubai, obviously white skinned, who were chucked out of the country, when they came to know that these guys were mere school dropouts, after 15years of staying in that role. For that matter even in a country as strict as Saudi Arabia where Alcohol is banned there are sections of cities allocated for the fair skinned people were women walk around with swimsuit, men drink and merry. Does that account to Racism?
I would like to continue in this blog, but then it would get too long and boring. So rest in Next.