- Why can’t Pakistan have the conversation the USA is having?
Outrage continues in the USA over the gruesome murder of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis. The African-American experience is unique, to say the least. Dehumanized and subjugated for centuries, no matter how much progress has been made, and it has, racism still lingers. The heartbreaking video of Floyd’s murder was a reminder of that.
The anger and frustration of American citizens is being projected across the world by their mainstream media. While some of the protests descended into looting and violence, the overarching message of what these protests truly represent hasn’t been forgotten. The conversation continues to be had. Many at this point will disagree as passions are running high, but the American people need to be lauded for consistently highlighting the systematic racism against African-Americans. Let’s forget the aberration that is Donald Trump. His inflammatory remarks do not represent the USA’s conscience. The Democrats are already in the process of drafting new legislation aimed at police reform. Tech billionaires are putting millions into criminal justice efforts, along with top American athletes. People with a platform are coming to the fore when it matters most.
The USA made significant progress after the Civil Rights Movement. While it didn’t end racism and white privilege, the strides made should be recognized. One cannot escape the coverage of Floyd’s death. It is the lead story, even during a pandemic. This says a lot. People are deeply concerned that African-Americans are still victims of the criminal justice system, policy brutality, unemployment, and inherent discrimination. The majority of Americans are appalled that African-Americans do not have the same access to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness due to deep-rooted institutionalized racism. These issues are constantly being discussed and dissected in the media in order to improve the situation. Hundreds of books, movies, and television shows tell stories of the horrors of what Black Americans had, and still have, to go through, which helps in shedding prejudices and creating awareness.
Perhaps it’s unfair to draw comparisons, but sometimes it’s hard to ignore blatant hypocrisy. The USA is not alone in harboring hatred for a people. Many countries have had problems with racism, including Pakistan. Some won’t admit it, but West Pakistanis saw the Bengalis of East Pakistan as beneath them because of their skin colour, and look how that ended up. Pakistan has a deplorable track record when it comes to the treatment of minority communities. The worst part is, we cannot even have the conversation. Forget having it publicly, it’s difficult to have it privately. The institutions of democracy and society continually let Pakistan’s minority communities down. Why is Pakistan not ready to accept minorities as equals? It’s because self-appointed clerics of organized religion continue to hold sway. Are we ready to change the narrative? Is the media ready to take this on? Doubtful.
Rather than only banging on about a country’s shortcomings, we should also look at what it’s doing right, and how we can learn from it. There is no doubt that USA has a lot to answer for, within and without. However, it’s important to recognize that unlike many countries, Americans of all hues are able to come out in droves and demand justice. So before we start attacking and hash tagging others, lets look within first
People talk of implementing stronger legislation, but how can a country legislate on something that it doesn’t believe in? Conversation has to happen before legislation. Pakistan hasn’t even crossed the first hurdle, as we are fueled with ignorance and arrogance. Even marching for a girl who was shot in the face was spun into controversy.
Many will say that it is too soon for a young country like Pakistan to change. They will argue that a shift in mindset is a gradual process, and should not be forced upon people that aren’t ready for it. But if we look back, all great change has been forced. Slavery would not have been abolished if it were not forced upon in the USA. The Islamic revolution was brought about by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) on the Quraish that ruled Mecca, suddenly. He shook up the status quo and heralded in a new and more equitable order. Let’s always believe that the time to do right is always now. The time for justice is always now.
One of the reasons why race relations improved in the USA was because there were enough people at the helm that cared. The media put pressure on elected officials to make a difference. It took great self-reflection and humility for America to get to this level, and it’s still far from perfect and willing to acknowledge it. For a country as large and diverse as the USA, their progress and dedication to achieving equality over the last 50 years has to be admired. In contrast, a country like India worked to create this false aura of diversity and tolerance, but no one is buying it now because of the acute anti-minorities and Muslim-hating crusade.
Rather than only banging on about a country’s shortcomings, we should also look at what it’s doing right, and how we can learn from it. There is no doubt that the USA has a lot to answer for, within and without. However, it’s important to recognize that unlike many countries, Americans of all hues are able to come out in droves and demand justice. So before we start attacking and hash tagging others, lets look within first.
