On social unrest in May 2020

Current year has been ominous for the world so far.  Threat of the Corona virus has not subsided, and United States is burning in racial agony. Mishandled arrest and subsequent agonizing death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota proved to be the last straw and has led to protests. As most protest, these ones started peacefully, where most people wanted to send a message that American public is sick of the Police violence. Black communities, and minorities are convinced that they are being targeted by police officers in United States and many White people will attest to that as well. Everyone from politicians to media house, from community leaders to religious leaders, from protestors to policeman and all others with vested interest as Americans will agree upon prevalence of police targeting of people of color. In the Midst of all this, curfews have been imposed upon many American cities and communities to maintain law and order. Biggest reason is not the protest. Peaceful assembly and protesting are a right granted by the constitution and many people exercise this right amicably. The unfortunate reality of these protest are the opportunists, nihilists, vandals and anarchists lurking and acting in the shadows of every protest who are under the wrong impression that robbing and looting communities will do anyone any good. The frenzied media has been telecasting many events in real time that are taking place. People on their television sets are watching the deteriorating condition in the cities. For few days, people have gathered to protest and demand change and so they should. Simultaneously. perfidious, devious, disgraceful bands of youths and criminals have been targeting, vandalizing and looting the businesses in many neighborhoods across America. Police station in Minneapolis and many police cruisers across the country have been burned. Bystanders have been hurt; properties have been damaged. It is hopeless and disheartening to watch criminal breaking into stores and taking  articles of clothing, shoes, watches, expensive leather products,  jewelry,  products of all manners from supermarkets and pharmacies and any business they can get their hands on, while some sacrificing individuals are engaged in fight of a lifetime and police are doing the best they can maintaining restraint. Most people residing in United states understand the empathize with the plight of those who experience brutality dispersed by few police officers, but many people also have experienced times when police and other law enforcement agencies have been more than helpful. Agree or not, Societies need law enforcement because of people’s mistrust of each other, economic realities and even difference in opinions and ways of life. Indeed, some police officers are corrupt and overzealous when dispensing authority but that does not mean that entire police force and law enforcement agencies are pursuing any vendetta against a certain segment of the society.  What happened to George Floyd was ghastly, cruel and it definitely did not need to end with his unfortunate demise. Anger that incident has caused is just. Protests it has warranted is understood by people of all races all around the world.  Administration involved has moved very quickly to apprehend perpetrating officers and seems to be bending to the will of those who demand justice. On the other hand, all manners of unabated rioting are not the solution to the issue at hand. Senseless beating of people from different racial backgrounds and orientations is mind-numbing and will only inflame the problem. Amidst all this reason is another casualty. Some people yearn for systemic change, many politicians will promise change, but no one has mentioned that this issue is a much wider problem than the part, which is being addressed, and any meaningful change can occur only and when people change. Policies and rules are only guidelines or some words on paper. Laws cannot be enacted until the people are willing to follow them. Forceful enactment can only go so far and education in the current form has not and will not solve any problems. 

The societies and the people who live in them are dynamic and constantly evolving and so are their relations.  The relationship between those who govern with whom they govern is not a perfect one and individuals with the authority of maintaining the fragile peace that societies dwell on, play a quintessential role in political stability and peace in maritime societies. I have observed that there are three parts to this problem. The government, the governed and self-proclaimed independent media. The backdrop of Floyd incident is all these entities, their complex interactions defined by consistent role of history and race relations in United States of America.

First and foremost is the government. Irrespective of the political orientation, we must acknowledge that a stable government is indispensable to success of any people in any given society. There are many examples of people led by their short-sighted leaders engaged in political intrigues who live miserable lives or perish. Smaller countries are more likely to go through upheavals both internal and external. United States, on the other hand has been spared such social obstructions because of successful successive governments. With many imperfections of its own, the country has lived in peace at least internally for a long period. The war has not touched American shores since pearl harbor. Yes, America has engaged in conflicts all across the world to maintain strategic, economic and political edge but domestic environment has mostly been exempt from violence on a large scale and social disturbance except for civil right movement, protest against wars, 9/11, occupy movement, Covid -19 and the ongoing protest against police brutality. With the 3rd largest population in the world and the diversity it possesses, it is not short of a miracle that government has been able to maintain law and order. Far sightedness of the system and its adaptability through amendments are the primary reasons that America as a society can withstand social ruptures and discords. Even with the bigoted nature of some in the current administration, the United States of America has been accepting of at least legal migrants and diversity they bring to the system. African American issue is a deeper one. Most people in the black community are the descendants of those who were brought to USA as slaves. Slavery is an emotional and personal issue and I can only relate to the shameful practice as an Indian who were colonized first by Islamic aggressors and then British imperialists later. But I like most my contemporaries, luckily have not endured slavery myself because of the prevailing system of governance at least in western democracies and my country of origin. I am not denying the history, nor am I supporting the people who practiced slavery, but I am aware that descendants of those who engaged in atrocities against my ancestors cannot and should not be held responsible individually. The world in the past was different. It was rife with lack of general understanding, political myopia, lack of communication, absence of racial sensitivities, scarcity of resources and people banded together and fought against other groups and massacred populations that were different from their own. Much hasn’t changed because we still go to wars, but now the reason is mostly economic and sometimes political and religious. The idea of a government over a monarchy has taken root and United States of America is reaping the benefits. One of the major benefits has been the blossoming of thought and understanding of all peoples within this country and its influence all over the world. It is the power of American government and its acceptance of people from all walks of life that has kept America the most dominant player in the world politics. It was American whites who organized underground rail roads and stood against the institution of slavery and abolished it. It was many white Americans who assisted in ending segregation. All Americans stood against the Vietnam war irrespective of the color of their skin and origin of their people and government had to abandon its mission prematurely.  It was the American government that understood the importance of immigration and opened avenues and doors for people of all world to join this journey, contribute to the country and make a better life for themselves in the process. This continued process of initial intermixing socially and recently racially has been ongoing since the advent of United States as a nation. United States of America did not exist in the minds of natives. Unfortunately, they were massacred, and their lands taken, but then again, that is how the world had worked from the beginning. Many people hailing from European countries were looking for a new opportunity and they ended up and established what we call United States of America. I would like to remind my readers, that only in United States, the government has established reservations and provided for the natives to some extent. Indians in India and many others whose lands and populations were exploited for years have not been given any reparations or such treatment. The last century, especially after the 2nd world war, technological advancements, worldwide exploration and understanding of each other’s’ communities has led to a phase where all of us can relate to each other irrespective of our race, place of origin, religion, customs or orientation. The system of the governance and law maintaining governments have been pivotal to this accomplishment. Looking at the diversity of the Floyd protests, one can substantiate that we as a society have come far. We are standing with each other to make a better society where governments and those who represent them can be held accountable. This progress has been made possible by the democratic nature of our government. The so-called system created the basis for continuation of scientific inventions and innovations that have improved our lives by leaps and bounds. Our life span has increased, and this surplus society has given us unalienable rights that we are exercising even during this period of current unrest. 

Second part of this equation are those who are governed and that would be us. First of all, we need to understand that government is not a separate entity and it is treated as such only for the legal convenience and security needs. Government and people are all parts of what we call the system. It is made up of individuals who represent us, reside among us and take up jobs that have been determined according to the policy formulated by elected representatives leading the government. What affects us affects people in the government as well because they are part and parcel of the same society that we live in. They are governed by the same laws and have similar rights as individuals except for the politicians and their privileges which is something society needs to work on. I have observed that there is disconnect between average people and people who form government. This misunderstanding stems from lack of information and breeds discontent, dissatisfaction and at times outright anger. Those who are governed are quick to exacerbate their individual problems and demand instant mending and change. Thy are also prone to falling for demagoguery that many politicians employ. Mistrust of elected representatives and government bureaucracy is deeply rooted in populace. If there are problems in our communities, population needs to understand that they are a part of the problem because they form the system as well. It seems that people have created a perfect world in their minds, and they want to bend the will of the government to suit their specific needs. Ongoing minority politics is an example of that. Minorities all over the world have determined that majorities are against them which is not true at all in most cases. Yes, there are people who see everything from the lens of race and religion both in majority and minority communities, but those numbers are dwindling, and remaining open-minded people are on both sides. A government chosen by all is stuck between a rock and a hard place. The government has to speak for the majority because majority represents the largest part of all, otherwise it will not survive. Only in the democratic nations including ours, have the governments spoken and stood for minorities and granted them equal rights. Diverse population in large cities and systemic acceptance of minorities is everywhere for all to watch. Affirmative action is a prime example where minorities have been allocated resources and opportunities to improve their lot. In the middle of all these ongoing dynamics, law are order agencies are required to maintain peace. As populace , many of us are excited about calling law enforcement agencies names, distrusting the very government that represents us,  vandalizing the government apparatus that provides for us in terms of peace and tranquility, tarnishing the businesses that cater to us and are owned by those who live among us . It seems that we all take pride not only in exercising our rights but in abusing them also. What about the duties? As governed people in United States of America ,we are given political stability, free basic education, numerous avenues to earn scholarships for higher education, uncountable advantageous programs for all student, minorities or otherwise, one of the best support system for the athletically superior individuals, availability of capital at large, the expansive number of fields of enquiries and subsequent research grants and jobs available, the freedom to express ourselves, the leeway given in pragmatic and liberal states and values preserved in conservative and traditional states, freedom of movement, higher purchasing power of our currency, benefits of American hard and soft power, benefits of Americanization in the world markets, respect given to us by rest of the world because of who we are and what we have accomplished as the undisputed leaders of the world in trade, science and education. The privileges that Americans of all races enjoy are some of the most extensive anywhere in the world. I have lived in United States for years and have never faced any institutionalized discrimination from anyone. I am not even a citizen and I have gone to DMVs, attended schools, interacted with the police, courts systems in two different states, federal apparatus, financial institutions, hospitals as a visitor and as patient. Never have I been subjected to any police harassment, investigation by any law enforcement agencies or any institutionalized discrimination. One ordinary strategy that I have employed is politeness and patience. Even as a non-citizen, the system in America has treated me well and I have come to practice the virtues of patience and co-opearation with the authorities. I have understood that law enforcement agencies constantly come in contact with not so appealing side of society and have to deal with outlaws and rule breakers, criminals and felons on everyday basis. Constitution has decreed that a certain procedure must be followed when enforcing law, but no amount of document writing can foresee and prepare the law enforcing authorities for contingencies arising out of ever-changing human behavior and interactions. It is very easy for us commoners to point fingers but haven’t many of us broken the rules every now and then. Haven’t most of us taken advantage of the freedoms granted. We all know that there are people who are always trying to outwit law enforcement agencies for their personal benefits or personal convictions they may hold dear for whatever reason. Do we need law enforcement that will act only after the crime has been committed? The nature of law enforcement dictates that an officer may use his or her  best personal judgement in case suspicion arises. Preemptive work carried out by law enforcement saves lives. I guarantee that most of us will not be comfortable if those who abuse freedoms are given free rein in any matters. It boils down to what does freedom mean. Freedom it appears after several days of looting for many young folks is that they can do what they want and can take what they desire just by brute force, but they have not thought it through. The majority of the society have sympathized with the plight of George Floyd and many unfortunate individuals like him and has called for change. Change never comes from rioting or unruly protests. Right to assembly and peaceful protests are only a beginning, but in George Floyd’s case many opportunities and support have been lost by the irresponsible and criminal behavior of those involved in vandalizing and thieving. All that matters to vandals may be clothes and sneakers, but they better realize the life they dream of and the celebrities they get their inspiration from, and the very products they are working overtime while looting to acquire are the products of a peaceful and stable society. They are enjoying the leeway given to them by law enforcement government and society at large for now, but if society altered its opinion and hardworking and law-abiding people in conjunction with the government decided to take matters into their own hands, looters will become sitting ducks. Only in a peaceful and stable society private business owners are standing quiet and witnessing this absurdity because they still have faith in the system.  Walking the streets of America, I have observed and learnt that this country has the most accepting people of anywhere in the world and it will not be beneficial for anyone and especially minorities to ruin the mutually beneficial race relations. Minorities that feel disenfranchised also need to quit complaining and work harder to break the vicious cycle of poverty and ignorance by assimilating themselves into the system. Anyone under the impression that glass ceiling exists must remember efforts on both sides of glass ceiling are required and the process is going to be painstakingly slow. Societies are gigantic organisms that move lethargically and need constant support from all corners of the society and be ever vigilant towards a few who benefit from the current divisive status quo. In addition to that, on the name of expression, this country has forgotten the old-fashioned tradition of agreeing to disagree. It is very easy for all to blame politicians, but what we contribute as citizens matters the most. Paying taxes, following enacted laws,  respect for people of all origins , social responsibility, respecting other citizens and their way of thinking and living, informed and active voting, following the basic tenets of human rights, supporting and defending the constitution and giving back to the community are some of the duties we all must abide by. We as citizens also need to ensure that our neighbors, our classmates and our co-workers also follow the law. Every time a citizen works the system, he is jeopardizing his own future and that of all Americans.  I am not expecting that all citizens would do this, but the more the better. All the freedoms that we enjoy are based on continuity of peace within our society. Law enforcement agencies can do their part only, but we will  succeed only if we come together as a society and that requires participation by all. The snitch phenomena employed by gang culture and embellished by music and movie industry is not going to favor anyone. Those who do not obey laws must be punished severely and as informed citizenry we better start playing our part. As minorities, our only and most favorable option is the unison with the best system in the world so that we can continue to enjoy all the benefits. The actions of few cannot be used to hold entire segments of society or racial groups accountable. Few bad apples are ruining it for the protestors as has few policemen ruined it for the law enforcement agencies and it should be clearly understood by all parties involved.

 Third part of the equation is the media which includes news reporting, audio and visual applications in storytelling and social media. These channels of communication play the utmost role of bridging the gap between the government and the governed. It can be observed that in recent years media’s narrative has been polarizing, divisive and destructive. Anyone who understands rhetoric, mass communication and linguistics can confirm that choice of words, tonality of voice and related visuals can determine the actions taken by the masses both in short and long terms. In fact, American media constantly expects a seasoned rhetoric from the leaders and the media themselves have miserably failed to abide by the same expectations. This duplicity and hypocrisy on the part of American media is a paramount reason for the distrust of the government that is rampant in many communities. It is unfortunate that the content produced by amateurs in their living room or a tweet by a random unimportant individual can become the trend within minutes and there is no reason or rhyme to that. People follow blindly and are usually misled on plethora of subjects. Overload of information overwhelms everyone and rumors and lies usually leave lasting impressions before truth comes out if ever. Gullibility and lack of critical thinking is milked by those who just want to make a few tawdry dollars at the expense of others in many many cases. Many people express the immediate thought that comes to their mind with utter disregard and insensitivity for others. Instigators and hate breeders with their narrow understanding of the pertaining issue can be easily seen going on a joyride in internet forums and social media outlets. In addition, Hollywood and music companies are never far in instigating hatred and discontent. Their subtle insinuations of racism, supremacy of a certain race, twisting of historical facts and conspiracy theories without any valid foundation very often lead the audience in a fix. The division on display in current unrest is not a sudden outcome, but years of work performed by intentional and unintentional insensitivity preached by music, television and movie Industry. Constant one-sided storytelling of only a few dark facts of history and the manipulation of thoughts have led minorities in America convinced that they are being targeted whereas there is no validity or truth in that. Moreover, the traditional privatized media has taken sides as well. There are liberal media outlets and there are conservative ones. All rely on sensationalism, illusions and double dealing on the name of their virtues of left and right. Those who cannot make up their minds or prefer to be left alone identify as centrist or they do not care.  Everyday highlights of division among races, identity politics, inequality in society and government favoring certain class of people over others is exhibited with pomp and show. The quality of domestic news produced by American news outlets is pathetic at its best. Their international divisions do a better job of reporting, but domestic media outlets are not better than lobbying groups in this country because no political objectivity is displayed, and sides are chosen. There are topics that are considered taboo or too controversial to be aired which means that individuals and special interest groups that control media companies dictate and decide what is best for the society before it even becomes part of a social discourse.  People are brainwashed on daily basis by low quality and pointless coverage and programming with mind numbing reruns. Weather and traffic coverage, a practice needed in the yesteryears takes up a large chunk of viewing time along with the mostly inaccurate advertising using fine prints and legal loopholes. Consumerism is blamed, but the media is the greatest enabler of all things wrong with the society resulting from consumerism. Where is the independent journalism in America and objectivity that came along with it?  The plight of Americans is that of a fresh college graduate. With new shiny academic degrees and thousands of dollars’ worth of debt many graduates enter the job market only to realize that the education they received is nothing more than fancy terminology and they will be required to learn skills anew. Similarly, media brainwashes all of us with dreams of equality, justice, political opportunity and later we all face the harsh realities of life. The virtues enshrined and the rights exalted in the constitution are given verbally and are a work in progress in practice. Political operators are good orators and demagogues and majority of them can only say things, but meaningful change requires participation of entire societies. Keeping that in mind, time and money spent on media swindling can and should be utilized on using objectivity and context in news reporting to highlight real problems and not just for cherry picking and lobbying. In my opinion, the current social unrest is in part aided by the failure of the media in American landscape. The hate that American people and minorities are displaying is in part a result of division accomplished by airing substandard programming and vile rhetoric over the years by compromised media.

So, these are the current political ethos of American society. The governments are run with less accountability compared to what forefathers had intended. The commoners are not only whites and blacks in America. The governed are made up of majority whites of European descent coming from various countries, a large Hispanic population of Mexican, central and south American origin, a sizable black population mainly descendants of the slaves brought into America hundreds of years ago and the newly arriving African migrants from all African countries, a substantial American population with Asian heritage, South east Asians,  and Middle Eastern people merged into white population statistically. In addition, America has people representing LGBTQQIP2SAA spectrum that come from all racial and ethnic backgrounds. United States of America is a secular country and all citizens are free to pursue their choice of religion, yet Christianity is dominant and if conservative consensus is to be believed, America is a Christian country with traditional values. The representatives and followers of all major religions, sects and cults can be found in America. In addition to that, all communities except Northern European Whites consider themselves to be minorities and in separate numbers they are, but together they form roughly 1/3rd of the population. Blacks had been brought against their will, but now they have made this country their home over the centuries and are actively involved in all spheres of life and are viewed as Americans by all. Other immigrants have been in United States from hundreds of years to the currently arriving ones. Whites themselves have been arriving since the inception of the founding colonies. They, themselves represent several distinct language and cultural groups and now are lumped together by those who seek to divide the country. It is amusing that minorities are divided among many ethnic and racial groups and all the descendants of Europeans have been lumped together as whites only irrespective of difference in their languages, cultures and traditions. Then there are the undocumented people from all over the world usually referred to as illegal aliens. American political wrangling and failed external policies have rendered this segment that performs the backbreaking work in this age of technology labeled as an outwardly phenomena.  This country is a living organism where people from all over the world practice their way of life while interacting with all manners of different beliefs, value systems and ethnicities. Economic lure the political might of the United States brought all of us together, but we all need to understand that this country is not a ship that can be deserted anytime we see fit. This is home and, in all likelihood, most of us are going to stay here. All this diversity is great but using it for our advantage when suits us and blaming each other when our needs are not met is a deplorable attribute. I have seen Americans divided as Republicans, Democrats or independents, as white, black, or other people of color, as representatives of different sexual orientations fighting for their rights, as religious or atheists, as progressives or conservatives, as war mongers or war protestors, as citizens or immigrants, but how pleasant it would be to see all American people coming together as one nation.  All these demographic realities can be trumped by American nationalism that I see absent from the political discourse. It is absolutely wonderful to have all different opinions but we all must remember that freedoms that we enjoy are only possible with strength in unity we derive as a nation. With distinct identities and separate destiny, none of us will advance much further. Conflict is inevitable as we all are merging into one super nation that is a mini world in itself and it would take years of conscious and hard work by all involved. This arduous journey started when the country was founded. Many strides have been taken and numerous remain to be taken, yet this current unrest should be a reminder to all of us that George Floyd was not a black man only, he was an American. He was a man, who had lived in America, had grown to mistrust law enforcement because of the same misunderstandings that the police officer may have faced. Together they both represented two sides of a consistently evolving system where things are bound to go wrong. Race is not the only factor though this is how it has been displayed by irresponsible media. Why do we have to protest the death of black men only? Why don’t be protest deaths of any American as a result of police violence. We all live together in America and derive all the benefits that come from it, then why fight separate fights? When a protestor breaks into a business and loots it, then why is it a Black, White, Hispanic or Asian, only because we have carved the country into these niches? Wherever we find ourselves on this issue, law abiding, socially distancing, peacefully protesting, hard or hardly working, robbing, looting, policing, administrating, on-lookers watching or actively participating, we are all Americans. 

The path this country is treading is more challenging than ever. We must realize that this is not just an issue of police violence. It is a much wider issue and we all need to actively engage under stern but pragmatic leadership that this country does not have right now. We need to come together as Americans irrespective of our race, ethnic origins, orientations and pursuits in life and political ideologies. We cannot allow anyone to divide us on the name of diversity even if the voices come from within our micro communities. I may be of any origin, I am free to practice my personal beliefs , I can exercise my right to pursue my life in any manner I see fit as long as I do not breach the social contract of respecting others, and I do and will abide by law as drafted in the constitution of United States of America while exercising my rights. This is the message that must be reverberating in our minds while we do what is required for change. We must acknowledge that change will come from within. We as citizens of this great nation will have to be an active part of legislative procedures and that does mean not only going to vote, but also holding our elected representatives accountable when they fail to deliver what they promise. Even before the process begins, at the rallies, we must question the feasibility of plan of action that politicians promise in socio-economic terms. Removal of electoral college, remarking of political constituencies, removal of revolving door policies, transparency in campaign funding, transparency in lobbying, culling of corruption through new legislature that guarantees severe repercussions and penalities against perpetrators, equality of opportunity by abolition of biased laws, establishing accountability, fast track judiciary, recompensing of those convicted wrongfully are required and can be attained by active participation of all. 

It is imperative that populace must abide by laws and proactively assist government in enacting laws when necessary in order for society to succeed and prosper for all. We all must remember that before racism exists in practice, it resides in our minds. I would like to reiterate that governments are reflection of societies. Therefore, we need to tackle the racism rampant on the streets and boulevards and in our own practices first. In fact, the recent actions of some police officers are their individual actions and not that of all law enforcement agencies. The notion of one’s superiority over others should not be practiced in academia, theocracy or grass root movements.  Most religious and political theories of one’s superiority over others is a primary reason that many of us have come to see disagreement as inferiority. United States Government could very well be the one of the first few attempts in history of mankind, where people and leaders of society have ventured out of the norm and have created a country where at least in theory discrimination is not practiced. If some individuals within the governments feel otherwise, they cannot be preemptively restricted, but only can be tackled after they have made their intentions clear either verbally or through their actions. It is not single race specific issue. There is racism and there is reverse racism. Anyone who contemplates that only white folks are racist is a complete moron because we all understand the notion of dominating others is a universal phenomenon and traverses through racial and political boundaries.  Of course, Police officers involved in the Floyd’s death must be dealt with and they are being prosecuted but systemic change takes years and years and participation by all. Many agent provocateurs who live comfortably and push the society to the edges of chaos while abusing the rights of expressing themselves need reprimand. Legislature needs to be more available and accessible to the commoners. In fact, United States government has provided ample legal machinations to correct the course whenever an individual is found guilty of racism within its ranks, but there can be no legislation that can remove racism from the minds of the people without their own efforts. This is not a structural problem. it is an error in human behavior and is acquired through unscientific learning and personal biases. Expecting that it will go away with protesting against government is fool’s errand. We need to invest in our education system after we have defined what education is. In my opinion, most Americans are only literate and not educated. Attending educational institutions is beneficial, but self-active learning is a never-ending process. The government needs to ensure that pseudo-scientific literature gets weeded out at least in formal education. The country and citizens need to realize that laws are not set in stones, as the society changes, the law demands constant upkeep and alterations and the process needs to be revisited time and again and not only after civil unrests or social upheavals. As communities that make up majority and minority, we need to understand that the nation comes first, and the survival of communities depend on the survival of the nation itself. So, we can initiate by referring to us as American at all times and by remembering, especially if engaging in outlawed activities, no matter how tiny they may seem, we are hurting a system that is us. We also need to accept others in this democratic system. Conservatives cannot view liberals as enemies, because they are not enemies and vice versa. If we strive to attain the revered role as a world leader, we need to correct our course, because the problems that we face are the problems that world is facing or will face. Due to military and economic position attained, we happen to enjoy the first mover advantage where we can ensure that change becomes universal. America is the largest congregation of some of the brightest minds anywhere in the world and has been that way at least since the 1940’s. This unique position is our strength and can determine the course of action the whole world will take.

We need to understand that a rioter is only an opportunistic profiteer who will abuse our patience and acceptance. May it be a friend, relative or a foe, we need to stand up against agents of chaos whenever the need arises. We cannot see ourselves only through myopic lenses of race, sexual identity, income, age, religion, education, political choices and cultural or ethnic predispositions. We have to realize that we as a country are a vast organism that requires constant social understanding and maintenance just like any other manmade system. Reforms in legislature at state and federal levels, timely review and upgrades in criminal justice system, improvements in policy and procedural steps employed by law enforcement agencies and use of less lethal force within domestic environment, increased community participation and feedback in all domestic political matters, increased funding in social arenas , a wider tax base, efficient enforcement of laws already on the books,  bi partisan handling of social issues at all levels, increased social discourse, independent media with accountability for misinformation, socially responsible programming by television and movie production houses , uniformity in basic education  and preparing informed and active citizenry are some of the measures that we as a society need to pursue. We all have vested interest in creating a just and equitable society. No amount of protests, technology or leadership will bring any change, until we all as citizens of this great nation are willing to devote time and make sacrifices needed in this endeavor. As we have come to deduce that life itself is a work in progress, we must remember that our nation is not going to be different until unless we actively work for it and continue working after achieving initial goals. Beginning of change is not change and we have no way of knowing the direction the events will take after the process has begun until unless we vigorously and consistently define it, shape it, work and improve upon it. Protests for justice is only the beginning and we must remember that justice for one George Floyd is not justice for all and we have a responsibility to ensure justice for all in the system as we and the system are one.

Los Angeles 

June 2nd, 2020

A letter to people of United States on Immigration.

July 22, 2019

Immigration has been the talk of the town for quite some time now. Our current president ran on the promise of building the wall. He has not succeeded in building the wall, but he certainly has dug trenches in American political landscape. As an observer, I would like to shed some light on the issue. Mr. trump, who is not known to be a visionary of any kind sees through a narrow lens of two ventures he has undertaken in his life. He is corrupt and excels at failing in everything. To be precise, it is unfortunate that society puts enormous value on money and success means having it by any means necessary or receiving it in inheritance. It is an evidence of a flaw in our democracy that an individual who has floundered in achieving anything meaningful in life but claims to have the money has become the very leader of this country. He is capable of bullying people around him, belittling anyone that points a finger in his direction, telling a lie, being an agent provocateur, appealing to racist undercurrents in the society, grabbing female genitals, shouting belligerent rhetoric but any expectation of understanding of the complicated issue as immigration on his part would utterly be a disaster. The man grew up as an elite and simply cannot relate to the ground realities that Americans or the documented and undocumented immigrants face.

 Both political parties and their supporters must agree on one thing. A nation cannot function properly if its members i.e. citizens, permanent residents, immigrants who aspire to be citizens do not obey its laws, but laws are not set in stones. They definitely are enshrined in the constitution, but amendments can be made, and old and obsolete laws must be thrown away as necessary.  Undocumented immigrants are a cumbersome issue, but we must not forget the fact that America is a country that was founded by immigrants and now is run by sons and daughters of immigrants from all over the world. The wealthiest country to date that rightly claims to be the world leader and lives by the principle of American exceptionalism can definitely find the solution to this issue. 

In my opinion, building a wall would be a futile endeavor. The great wall of china led to the collapse of the dynasty that built it. If united states were to pursue the building of the wall, it would be a drain on the resources that can be used somewhere else. It would be a blemish on our image as an assimilating and accepting nation. I suspect that what the republican leadership really wants is to give construction contracts to its voting base in border states to ensure further loyalty who in turn may hire undocumented workers to save money. The money earmarked for the wall should be spent on strengthening the country by enforcing the laws. Before, we enact our laws, we must consider some hard realities.

It is often claimed that undocumented immigrants take the jobs that most Americans are not willing to accept. It is not far from the truth. Some Americans may accept the lower tier jobs but not at the wage rate and exploitative conditions that many undocumented workers face. It is very normal for most undocumented workers to work 12-hour shifts without appropriate working conditions. There are no weekends, holidays, overtime, bonuses, raises, worker’s comp, union benefits or any job security. Many do not even get the minimum wage. Some Americans claim they have broken the law but there is another party that is breaking the law. The party usually is either a US citizen by birth or naturalization, one who has taken an oath to obey the rules and laws as prescribed by the constitution, and then there are those who are in the process of acquiring citizenship. Is the current administration, which is hell bent on blaming all that is wrong with United States on undocumented immigrants going to consider the other side of the equation? If the answer is yes, the government indeed wants to uphold the law, but I have not seen any groundwork or even a remark as of, yet which means it is only my fantasy. In my opinion, the government of United States must reign in its own law defying citizens before it goes after all the poor people who come from far flung areas of the world to make a better living. Heavy penalties and revocation of green card and citizenship for hiring and exploiting the undocumented immigrants and for not paying due taxes would be a just and equitable approach.

Why do these poor people come to United States? There is an old saying in the east that small plants cannot grow under the shade of a large tree. It is a simplistic answer but says a lot. American adventurism and interference in political landscape beyond its southern border has in part resulted into current backwardness of the region. Strong dollar and dream of a better life brings all these poor people to endanger their lives, break their family ties and risk taking an arduous journey through coyote run badlands. CIA, president Reagan and failed war on drugs is also to blame. Had America not failed in curbing the drug trafficking, it is plausible that cartels and gang infestation in these countries would not be as bad as it is. That would mean less hardships and persecution and definitely lesser undocumented immigrants in America. Undocumented migrants from other countries simply come to better their odds in life which is a result of both the prominent American hard power and influential soft power.

As far as political asylum is concerned, it is a tool of U S foreign policy. Mr. trump wanted every Syrian vetted properly and he banned immigrants from some countries. How about the citizens of other countries that feign persecution? Was everyone who left Iran during revolution running from persecution or some were just running away with the money they stole from their people? Were they all vetted? Was everyone migrating from Tunisia, Egypt and Libya after the Arab spring carefully and critically examined before entering? The answer is no. There are not enough means, manpower or finances to accomplish such an undertaking. People show up at the US embassies or consulates in various countries or enter United states using whatever routes possible and told a story and are given their due process in immigration courts. Why are the immigrants from central American countries different? Is it because there are no energy deposits in these countries? Is it because these Hispanic migrants may change the demographics of United States sooner than expected? Is it because the republic administration cannot own up to failures of the previous governments?

There could be many reasons. All I am trying to say that America has wonderful values. The source of its strength is its tradition of welcoming hard working, ambitious immigrants who may either choose to make America its home by choice or may be running from the current political chaos in their countries of origin. Whatever the reason may be, The United States and the spirit of its people is far stronger than this president claims it to be. I would welcome the new laws that pass with bi partisan support. For those who are already here, have family ties, have not committed crimes and are trying to make an honest living should be given a second chance. Reasonable penalties and gradual assimilation into the system on the basis of individual economic output and a law-abiding record should assist these undocumented to realize their American dream. That is the American exceptionalism. If a billionaire can fail and rise again and again, we must give a second chance to those on the ground too.

Disclaimer: 

·      I admire United States of America. I have been living here for 16 years and when I say I like America means I am very fond of spirit of the American people. As a member of this society, I declare that it is my intention to give my best in terms of opinions, productive contribution and honest critique. 

·      Every nation experience constant metamorphosis. It must meet the demands of today and challenges of tomorrow.

·       Opinions of an informed citizenry form the backbone of what we call a policy or direction. This is accomplished either by electing members of governing bodies or by members of academia, think tanks, concerned citizens and political groups. 

·      Productive contribution means people pursuing a constructive course in their lives, they have chosen, in an efficient and mutually beneficial way. Obeying the constitution and paying taxes to run a government would be a part as well. 

·      Critique is an observation that is negative in appearance or sound, but quintessential for smooth running of the system. It is similar to the strengthening of immune system. Self-introspection, transparency, holding authorities accountable, looking at the bigger picture are some of the strategies that can keep our institutions healthy.

Who Am I ?

April 2020

Who am I?  I am a human being stuck between a rock and a hard place. My dream is to be an integral part of the land of opportunity. I want to be a contributing member to the land of the free and the home of the brave. I have decided to follow the rules and regulations set up by the greatest country in the world. I am not a republican nor am I a democrat. I come from all over the world with a dream facing uncertainty of future. All I have is hope and I depend on you to act and fulfill that hope. I am hardworking, honest, many a times skillful, good at treading the complicated system and able bodied and able minded. I could be a researcher, a computer specialist, a genius, a truck driver, a cook, a medical professional, a management expert, a teacher, a nurse, an architect, a policy maker, a thinker, a writer. The likes of me abide by the law and sacrifice in terms of years and hard-earned money. I deal with the emotional aspects of leaving the country of my origin and take a journey into a society which in my opinion claims to be worldly and is willing to accept me. I desire to be a productive member of this society not only to better my odds, but also to create a democratic, pragmatic and sympathetic world.  I want to be able to roam the world freely, I want to be protected by the greatest force the world has ever seen, I want to serve the country that enticed me with its abilities, status and position in the world order. I don’t want it to be a one-way deal, I would serve this country in my own way in accordance with the law. I may become a scientist, a policy maker, a researcher, a politician, a lawmaker or I may contribute through a service position. I may build your house, I may fix your plumbing, mow your lawn, cut your hair, drive you around, pick your slack at a restaurant to make you feel welcome and comfortable and  care for you when you get old. I do and will work consistently without holidays, weekends and even when I am sick. I will be exploited, yet I will go through this baptism of fire so that one day I can legally become a permanent resident and someday hope to be a citizen.

But I am also a human being. I have unalienable rights that have been guaranteed by this country. I am an American in essence, just short of a piece of paper. I have fallen in love with this country. I love its uniqueness among its diverse values. I have learnt to respect others more. I have met people from all over the world and experienced the Americanness in all of them. I enjoy my friendship with people of different colors, creeds and orientations in life. I have matured into learning the time honed tradition of live and let live. I am free to practice my culture or a fusion of cultures while I am at ease with those who practice something different than mine. I can be a vegan or an omnivore. I can be tall, short, born different, be brilliant or mediocre, strong or weak, have any skin color, I deserve to be treated fairly as I have given my fair share of life and work towards the betterment of this country. I am stuck between the pulleys and levers of life just as all, but my fight is different. I have been in a fight against life with a straitjacket. My arms stuck and tied, I am at the mercy of life and many whims it usually has. I have been targeted by those who consider themselves to be superior because they or their parents came here before I did. I ask them what right they have and what purpose does it serve. Even if I may not appear on the outside as you do, I am still of the same species. The same blood runs in my veins and I experience and enjoy the human condition as much as you do. I am as capable as you are, I have traversed the world, understood mine and your culture, I am bilingual if not multilingual, I am as much a human being as you are.

It is a peaceful appeal to all my fellow inhabitants and leaders of this great country. I have been stretched to the limit. In these ominous days, I am at risk as much as you are. I hear the newscasts that bring the horrible news to my living room. I am helpless in many cases, because I will not be getting any help from most corners of the bureaucracy. I have lost my job or have been furloughed just like you. The rhetoric has made my situation even worse. I have been blamed for the wrongs of those who have squeezed you and me alike. I am also a victim of division, loot and miscommunication that are endemic to all socities. I have been made a scapegoat because those who faltered, need someone to blame. You have been turned against me. I have limited rights; my freedom of speech has been silenced. I have no freedom to move or live or earn a livelihood as I choose. The quality of my life depends on a mere stamp on a paper. It is apparent that a democratic system is a behemoth and takes time to move, but how much time is needed. There were people who landed on the shores of Ellis island were welcomed in quickly. Why am I being denied the same opportunity. I am vetted, carefully examined and then forgotten for months and at times years. In many cases, even if I am given a chance to work, I feel like a bonded labor who has been left at the mercy of those who may not even be half as much capable as I am. How many times must I pass your examinations and inquiries?

Let me remind you that I am exactly what you were decades or your ancestors a century ago. It could have been your father or grandfather; they sailed the same boat that I am in now. They came from far reaches of the world to make a better life for them and for you and I intend to do the same for me and my progeny. They gave their best for the dream that America is and I am giving my life too to America that will be. Therefore, I appeal to fellow Americans and the leaders, please do not treat only me as a file number. Do not let the inefficiency get the best of you. Please don’t let the best of my youth and abilities go to waste because it is not only a loss for me but for all of us. Help me get where I want to be. Do not keep me waiting and wandering from two, three, four years to a decade, two or more. I request you to get going and help me to be the best I can be. I want to be a part of this system, contribute in economic and intellectual terms. I want to serve the great nation while maintaining my dignity and respect.  I am not some pariah, I am not some outside organism, I am not here to change your life. I am here to be a part of the greatest country that ever existed. I request you to treat me with sympathy. I appeal to our leaders to consider that I am losing time in my life. I am here and I present an opportunity for us all. I am skilled, technically savvy, economically deft, courageous, exploratory, curious, amiable and entrepreneurial. I will create real jobs when I succeed, pay taxes and make this country grow by leaps and bounds. I possess an edge and that is education, ambition, adaptability and I strive for success. I could be the one who would find the cure for all that ails our society. I could be the one who will write the experiences of life and pass it on to our future generations. I am the one who will imagine and invent the paradigm shifting technologies that will give us an edge far into the future, I will assist in, creating and serving the foundation of a peaceful and multicultural society that will dominate the world through the bridges that I will build. I will take Untied States of America into the new age as a world leader. I will ensure that our democratic values of liberty and justice will be adhered to by the rest of the world. I will fight for this country and for those who live here. I will even pay the ultimate price if need ever arose. I will sow the seeds  with you today that will bear fruit in the future for all of mankind. I am not a liability but an asset for this great nation. Just as, once you have been in the past, I am an immigrant.

Are We Savages?

July 4, 2019

It is extremely ironic that on this very day of July 4th, 2019, The United States of America under the reign of its short sighted and clueless president is displaying potential of its military might to the rest of the world. It may be a Public relations exercise to some, newer version of American gun boat diplomacy, an attempt by republican advisors to fuel nationalism among its dwindling vote bank or just that the most hideous man to lead the strongest country in the world is realizing his childhood dream where America joins the ranks of every other nation state that appeals to its citizenry on their respective national day not by the means of real progress but by exhibiting progress achieved to disperse brute force.

Or maybe I am wrong. This is not the first time this sort of ridiculous affair has been undertaken. This has been the case forever. I see the tribal beginnings manifesting themselves in a grandiose fashion. I remember studying the humble beginnings of the man where he was wandering as a hunter gatherer living off of the nature by acquiring bushmeat, small game, wild grasses, pants and herbs. With the cognitive and social development, came our ascent to the food pyramid. We devoured everything that stood in our way, we manipulated nature, we established our tiny societies, conquered each other. Mayhem, murder, plunder, acts of barbarity led to development of what we call the modern world. Seafaring, exploration, changing of the world order, at times necessary and many a times forceful migration of populations and downright need and greed led to many discoveries where the knowledge of existence of all the continents was established. There came a point when we not only knew that the earth was round, but we could traverse all the landmass by various means. Eventually we launched ourselves into space and called it the final frontier. I call it the first frontier since humans have only a primitive understanding of what’s out there. We are at the cusp of many new discoveries and inventions, but that has always been the case.

Ability to manipulate fire and ability of roll a wheel to carry things from point A to B were paradigm shifts. Agricultural development which took place independently in few parts of the world impacted the trajectory of our growth and ability to sustain larger populations. Society grew larger and smaller states appeared. Then came the Egyptian civilization. We know of Egyptians only because they left their pyramids and burial sites. Many other civilizations came to exist around and after that period. Sumerian, Babylonian, Persian, Greek, Roman, Indian, Chinese, Aztecs, Incas, Mayans etc. are some of the famous ones. One striking commonality is the violence employed by all these civilizations to unite the lands and to fight the invaders of ravaging bands that dwelt in their surroundings. There were many great accomplishments achieved by these civilizations. They lived, observed, gathered, wrote and passed on knowledge that became the foundation for what we call the 21st century. If we were to somehow find ourselves among these peoples, we probably will call them brutal savages who lived in an archaic way.

Greeks had an Athenian democracy, but they also had the Spartans, another extreme of the governing spectrum and Athenian themselves possessed fighting apparatus. What westerners like to call western thought and I prefer to call Mediterranean and near east thought was developed in a society that knew what war was like. They called Asiatic people savages yet displayed their bestial ways themselves on regular basis. These Mediterranean people also glorified the war and even today they name their children Alexander in the memory of a great savage. After this great monstrous explorer of the world was gone, his heirs carried on with the time tested and honored fashion of savagery and brutishness.

Romans were no exceptions. One can visit a library and find abundant literature proudly gathered and published on the barbaric acts of this civilization. The great hope of humanity, so called Son of God himself met a violent and horrific death during Roman age. He is still assisting many sheep achieve atonement roughly 2000 years after his death. Since he rose again, I am quite curious about his thoughts on savagery he had to endure and his experience during the time he spent with the dead.

 After the fall of Roman empire, came the rise of Islam, whose adherents call it a religion of peace. It is hard for many to agree with this notion as Islam was no different. It had a message, a prophet and an army that conquered what it could, not with peace but with force, opportunistic negotiations and economic subversion. Similarly, Christianity saw Islam as a rising enemy and used religion for warmongering and plain opportunistic loot. It is amusing when people in the west today make fun of suicide terrorists for going on jihad for the sake of 72 virgins, whereas their own ancestors were promised the heaven if they were to go on their crusade for the sake of their religion. Even today, the American middle eastern policy is streamlined according to the religious propaganda exhibiting short sightedness, savagery and foolishness that has and continues to jeopardize a peaceful coexistence of all three parties involved. As a neutral observer, I find myself disoriented and ponder why all the factions today and throughout their histories have miserably failed to notice the similarity of their ruinous actions. As of yet, I have not been able to find any religion that actually does not exhibit savagery and not promote violence.  Buddhism seemed to be an exception while I was growing up, but the plight of Rohingyas changed that notion. One must never forget that any ideology is only words unless the practitioners engage in actions that are detrimental to the lives of adherents of other social systems, cults or religions.

As far as nation states are concerned, savagery gives them birth and is also the harbinger of their end. While they exist, they spend enormous amounts of material wealth, human ingenuity and manpower only to wield the largest stick. During the times of exploration of the unknown parts of the world, European powers used every trick in the bag to maim, subvert and many times to outright kill the native populations they came across. Spanish conquests or decimation of native cultures in Caribbean and Americas was a genocidal streak that went unbated for few hundred years. French, German, Belgians, Dutch, Portuguese, Italians, all unveiled their ogre like demeanor for few hundred years. These genocidal maniacs looted and exploited what they called savages by use of unprecedented savage means themselves. The mother of all beasts was a tiny, insignificant island that showed extremes of human capacity to orchestrate and organize savagery through what is called Pax Britannica. I may be a little biased as I am of Indian origin. Truly, all colonial powers displayed uncouth hooliganism, and mania just to satisfy their savage needs at the expense of others. Were they truly civilized, they would have been more conscientious while exchanging goods, services and ideas with other people in faraway lands. Religion was a coarse instrument that coerced hordes into believing that savagery dished out by the westerners must have been the God’s will as the conquered people were inferior.

Then came the 20th century, where clash of the civilized people occurred. Not just once, but it took two wars on an unprecedented industrial scale where devastating loss of life was observed. These wars were fought by modern, scientific man who had divided the world amongst him and his peers. So called world powers annihilated each other using the good old-fashioned savagery. After these humiliating wars a new winner emerged. At the end of world war II, United states of America wielded the largest stick. I am not sure what went through the minds of these new winners who had found the most savage way to maintain world peace. 

May be the semblance of peace did last for a little, as far as I have learnt that the countries were being divided and the lands were being partitioned on religious and economic lines and then Soviets detonated their nuclear bomb and cold war began. A savage race to conquer the world by any means necessary.  England, France, Israel, China, India, Pakistan followed and succeeded. Only South Africa abandoned its hope of having a nuclear weapon. The capable savages came up with protocols and hotlines in place so that Scenarios such as nuclear winter and MAD could be averted. These days world order is trying to stop new members of the savage club North Korea and Iran from procuring smaller versions of the large stick.

This is the main timeline. The official version of things. History of humans, who rose from jungles of Africa and conquered it all. We like to see ourselves as the center of the universe, which we are not. It is usually said that God created us in his image. Many people would agree with me that it is the other way around. Most of you may not agree, but we are still very much animals who happen to be more savage than the wild ones as we have the ability to hoard and harm at all times. We have come up with the most ludicrous ideas to hurt each other throughout our history and we refine our savagery every day. These days we are working on robotics, information technology, biotechnology, scramjet vehicles and gliders, anti-satellite weapon systems, ways to manipulate light to achieve invisibility, all of which display our savage mindset and mistrust of each other. Amongst these new developments, the fool who thinks that he leads the free world, is displaying the means to disperse American savagery by land, air, water, space and the cyberspace. 

In light of the above-mentioned observations, I would like to ask all readers a question, “Are we not savages?”