Racism is an extreme form of xenophobia. Contrary to the popular
belief race is not just restricted on geographical difference and
describing the genetically different human phenotype, though it was a
19th century definition of race of which Africans had to face the worst
. In 21st century race has come to encompass the vast differences on
the ground of language, ethnicity, culture, history, religion and
societal affiliation.
According to the more pacifist humanitarian theorists , world is
woven with a mix of fabric that gives it its colorful contour, each
weave is different from the other and even if one was to become undone
the international fabric will fall into utter disarray. Pretty much
explains the contemporary world situation marred by innumerable civil
strife and terrorist activities.
Racism on the other hand drives the wedge deeper into these
differences and that’s one reason the lines marking one group from
another will never be blurred or cease to exist. What really drives
racism is the misplaced belief that members of a certain race share some
common characteristics which results in that group being superior or
inferior, desirable or detestable
10) India
Should I or should I not? But prior to pointing a finger at Rwandan
crisis, American and European hate crimes one needs to have a thorough
look at one’s own bloodied records. In the wake of terms like Marathi
Manoos, Bihari xenophobia and the incessant Hindu- Muslim division, add
to it the slit throat north- south superiority competition, it becomes
inevitable.
No matter how much we brag about the incredible India being secular
and racially tolerant. The underbelly is encrusted with racist horror
stories. Thus, be it the Delhi and Gujrat riots or segregation of north
east Indians not to mention the shiv sena havoc on fellow INDIANS from
Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, typecasts about Africans and Europeans thus
making India a racially intolerant country.
9) Pakistan
Close at heels is the neighboring
country Pakistan. Being a Muslim majority country the only internal
rivalry that seems to infest it is that of Shia and Sunni Muslims.
However it goes deeper than that. There are constitutional safeguards to
ensure that no incident of racial discrimination is tolerated. But it’s
easier said than done. The government of Pakistan has taken no
productive steps to curb it.
Forced conversion and marriage deceit, extreme intolerance towards
blasphemy are some facets of racialism in Pakistan. While Americans are
still tolerated, people of other countries have to face the worst of it.
For years gathering support through anti-India stance has been the main
tactic of political parties in Pakistan. However, witnessing two
democratic terms the situation might tilt towards a good change.
8) Russia
Racism in Russia is often targeted towards those people who are
deemed as not being ethnically Russians. Fanatic racists are extremely
anti- Caucasians, Africans, Chinese and Jews. Migrants from these
particular races often face racial stereotyping and consequent
discrimination which sometimes culminate into hate crimes and gross
human rights violation, the apex of which is the rebel war in Chechnya
and Dagestan
Even though it is the duty of Russian government to safeguard the
right of these minorities and combat this social stigma but it only
seems to fail at it oftener than normal. It is also infamous for
violating its international obligations under the UN Convention on
Racial Discrimination.
7) Israel
Two groups that face the wrath of racial discrimination in Israel are
the Israeli Arabs and Palestinians .It stems from the history of the
state, back in the post-world war 2 years, when the whole world was
unanimously empathizing with the Jews, a state was carved for them. The
Palestinians who were the native residents became refugees in their
homeland before being unsympathetically driven out of, what now was the
news state of Israel.
While the Israel’s ‘law of return’ which calls for every Jew to be a
part of the state. It discriminates against the Palestinians; who were
born there in first place. They were brutally cut-off from their own
land by the Israelis. A few months back renowned scientist Stephen
Hawking supported the academic boycott of Israel.
6) Germany
Those who think anti-Semitic feelings died along with the Fuhrer, the
contemporary German neo-Nazi ideas could come as a rude shock. These
groups think along the very lines of Hitler himself, of a United Germany
with its glory restored. Midst the constant lash backs from the
government and United Nations, these groups have taken to underground
activities. The National Democratic Party of Germany has been accused
of tacitly propagating Neo-Nazi or Neo-Fascist leanings while many
organization face legal issues and some like Volkssozialistische
Bewegung Deutschlands/Partei der Arbeit, Action Front of National
Socialists/National Activists, Free German Workers’ Party, and
the Nationalist Front are all indefinitely banned.
5) Japan
Japan albeit boast being a racially tolerant country has no effective
restrictions on xenophobic actions, and foreign nationals to speak of.
Moreover, foreign nationals are known to have sometimes restricted from
certain services and activities. Back in the year 2005, a United Nations
report expressed deep concerns about racism in the country and that
government recognition of the depth of the problem was not satisfactory.
The report identified three groups at the bottom of the pyramidal
racial hierarchy structure: Japanese American, Brazilian Japanese and
the descendants of ‘poor’ third world countries. The refugee acceptance
record of japan is highly disappointing as well.
4) Rwanda
Rwanda and genocide are most often used in the same sentence due to
the ghastly months of April and June, 1994, an estimated 800,000
Rwandans were killed in the time span of mere 100 days. Most of the
people who were brutally murdered belonged to Tutsi ethnicity while the
perpetrators of the crime belonged to the Hutu tribe
Rwanda had witnessed Ethnic brutalities in past but this particular
event left even the native Rwandans lurching. Tension between the two
continues to exist. It’s similar to a hearth waiting for a spark and
people continue to sit on an issue on the verge of going off.
3) Australia
Almost one half of all Australians were either born overseas or had a
parent born in another country and one in five people confessed to have
faced some form of racial discrimination. In the year 2009 there was a
surge in number of hate crimes targeting specifically Indians. There
were more than a 100 reported assault incidents reported by the Indian
students out of which 23 had unmistakable racial undertones. Not to
mention the Cronulla riots of 2005 which is a beachfront suburb, there
were a series of racially driven mob confrontations. Though, the
situation has improved comparably in 2013.
2) United Kingdom
Did you know how Joker got his scars? He had different theories to
justify ‘em but what the epic villain sported in the movie was a
‘Glasgow smile’ also known as ‘Cheshire grin’. Back in the 60’s hooligan
firms were intolerant towards foreigners especially Americans which
were mockingly called the Yankees. The most common crime was to give an
alien the Cheshire Grin.
One need not forget the ghosts of apartheid which are still
prevalent. In the year 2004, 87,000 people from black or minority
community accepted to have experienced a racially motivated crime. While
92.000 white people also fell victim to racial typecasts.
1) United States of America
Racial and ethnic discrimination has become a major issue and
embarrassment for United States of America within the International
fora. African Americans, Asian Americans and Latin Americans also
European Americans are still disregarded by those who think of
themselves as native Americans ( far from the fact that the Red Indians
were the original Natives of what we now know as modern America).
Even though America maintains a tolerant outlook under an
African-American leader, ground reality is far from being a homogeneous
society, the racial tinges are inextricably infused in the American
culture and continues to occur in employment, housing, government
welfare programs , education and lending.
