By Jaspal Singh
A forum on hate crimes against Indians and peoples hailing from South Asia is being held at MIT on Saturday May 6,2017 .It is being organized by “Indian American Forum for Political Education. Many community,religious and other organizations in the greater Boston area are supporting it, reflecting the anxiety of the community. More than 140 such incidents have taken place in 2016 alone, in which many have been killed by racist attacks, raising the question of racism amongst the communities.
Attacks on people from India and South Asia are not new. One of the most notorious attack was in 1908 in Oregon, when a hostel in which Indian workers were living was burnt and several men were killed by racist gangs amidst the shouts of ” Hindus go back”. People from India were not allowed to bring their families and were not allowed to marry white women. Only in early forties of last century, they were allowed to become citizens. In 1980s there was a racist gang in New York, called Dot Busters, that would attack the Indian people , specially women. Police would not do anything, which is the common experience of blacks in this country. So the youth in the community organized and defeated this gang in the streets.
Many people in the community, intoxicated by their “success” in the USA have been deluded and believed that they are ” Model Minority” and that there is no racism here.So blacks are in their condition because of their own laziness and inherent criminal characteristics. They have been drinking toxic “Cool Aid” by the gallons. But now they realize that their success is no guarantee against racist attacks, and they are like sitting ducks in their million dollar homes in suburbs and downtowns. Their kids are considered ” niggers” and ” sand niggers” by white supremacists , who attack with impunity. I remember such a “successful” man used to do a radio program years ago and would blame the community for not ” assimilating” . He would claim that there is no racism here, our people do not want to assimilate. They wear their own clothes, eat their own food and thus invite attacks because they stand out. One evening he was coming home after his radio show. He stopped at a gas station and was attacked by a racist gangs. Then he would not stop from screaming that there is racism every where.
After 9-11 when Muslims were being attacked some of these “successful” people started talking that we have to educate the Americans that we are not Muslims. But white supremacists who have impunity do not discriminate, as long as you are not white, you are a target. I remember a racist proclaiming,” whether you are from Timbaktu or Tokyo, you are a nigger”. Racism in the US is systemic and endemic. This country was built on racism and genocide and it has not come to terms with it, just like India has not come to term with caste. When Indians come here, they come into a racist condition, structure and ideology. I remember a very bright Sikh kid, when he was in school his teachers would put him in remedial classes without testing. He topped the engineering test in the whole of USA. I used to teach math in a black neighborhood when I was a student. I would prepare my students, who were all black, for a test. When I tested them they did well. But when they went to take the test downtown, they were given a higher level test, as a result all my students would flunk. Such is structural racism.
Of course the second and third generation kids of South Asians do not drink the ” cool aid” . Racism has been a daily experience for them and a living reality. So they work together with all communities of color, specially with black community to affirm the rights of all. Subdrift an organization of South Asian youth, is a good example of this consciousness. They meet once a month and highlight this cooperation. One of these young men who is a doctor at a very prominent hospital asked me about this forum, ” uncle what are the organizers of this forum smoking? They have invited the chief of Boston police to the forum. Don’t they know that Boston police department is alleged to be one of the most racist departments in the country. All they need to do is to google about police brutality in Boston. They also do not raise their voice when atrocities on Dalits are committed.” I replied, ” my dear it is all Brahman, there are still people who believe that earth is flat” . But then I said,” seriously, they are our people and we have to engage with them, I hope you will go and put your point across. Discussion is good for everyone.”
South Asians have to stand in shoulder to shoulder with all irrespective of caste,creed,color, gender,or life style for the affirmation of their Right To Be , their security lies in this struggle for rights. Young South Asians are playing important role in the movement for rights which are under attack. They are building bridges across communities and collectives who are fighting for their rights, for a life of dignity and justice without racism and all forms of discrimination.