We’re after all human

There seems to be brewing a huge conflict of resolution in New Delhi regarding the reaction to the attacks in Mumbai and for the first time I am not blaming the politicians. Here’s how the human mind works: it sees images, shocking tormenting images which just don’t go away and then it hears words like: enough is enough and citizens against terror(not pointing at an one channel here) and then the brain makes up a decision based on what it sees. Now I think is the time when Indian Media should rise up to the occasion and admit it did make mistakes. There is so much implied hatred in the words spoken on the television. There is no: ‘mind you the images are shocking, parents’ presence is advised’ or ‘This just in terrorists have attacked buildings and they are killing people so maybe we should mourn our loss’. The only thing I remember seeing flashed in big huge letters were: they were all from Pakistan and then newspapers went about their business of “implying” and trying hard to let the government know this is what we want, well no this is not what we want, we don’t want to attack Pakistan, we think we want that but we don’t because we’re not being told all the sides of the story.

How does one not hate when one sees a man laughing talking to his comrade minutes before he shoots down a lady and her young 4 month old infant? But the job here is not to instill hate now is it? Our media channels report f how citizens can make a difference: well, we could start by forgiving, I know it’s too much to ask particularly after you have seen such horrifying images but our anger is just going to be received with sarcasm. Our anger is what they want; our impatience is exactly what they need to fuel more violence.

As a strict believer in non-Gandhian principles, this may come as a shock, but for the first time I see our nation’s father as a hero. He managed to forgive and yet fight for what he believed in. He was right in saying violence only breeds more violence. We’re not by nature a militaristic nation then why does anger breed thoughts of how even a tyrant will rule this country better. Do you guys realize how much you are insulting your own intellect by saying that?

You’re saying that ‘we as a nation have failed to make a democracy work so now we’ve realized that one man can maybe do it better than one billion people?’ One billion-and yet not one stands up and says, we’ve made mistakes but who doesn’t let’s look at the mistakes we made and not at whom to throw a stone at. Restraint is important.

I’m not saying we should go easy on these people, no. I am just saying we shouldn’t underestimate our powers as a nation. So the next time you take a pledge to combat terrorism, here’s my own list of things that you should agree to:

1. 1. I will not blame some random country just because I have a finger to point at.

2. 2. I will continue to believe in love, which at some level has survived after all this, after all we’re human.

3. I will not make decisions or sound opinions like ‘kill,die,murder’ etc. Does that kind of talk makes us any different from those who killed our loved ones?

4.It’s difficult to forgive but I will try to be a hero simply by looking at things objectively and leaving my anger behind and if the only way I can do that is by forgiving then I will try my level best to forgive(I’m still personally working on this one: trust me it’s tough but I’m working on it)

5. 5. I will remember that no sane democracy would single handedly want to kill another country: it’s just not good for the future of the two democracies. I will remember that my neighbours: good or bad(not making opinions that don’t matter) are just as in this fight as we are. They don’t hate us because…well, they know its stupid to hate like this maybe we’d understand that some day.

6. I will not stand in favor of anybody who suggests military rule for the country. I cannot take that kind of insult of intellect from a country which boasts of intelligence that changed the world.

These may get sound amount of criticism but don’t you think, when you are not listening to the deafening cries of despair: ‘our nation sucks. Our politicians should die. What we need is military rule…etc’, the silence sometimes tells us more things than anger does. Maybe if you stop listening to these desperate screams you’ll start hearing those birds chirping again.We’re on the right track as a nation(at least I’d like to believe so). Then why do we suddenly have to start listening to the terrorists telling us we are only capable of hate? That’s not true now is it?

We’re after all human.