These are not odds for lasting peace to be achieved in the Middle East. It is the ratio of the number of prisoners being released by Israel to get one off their back from Hamas. 1 : 1,027 to be exact. At first look it seems naive that a government would enter into a deal with known enemies, releasing people who have been involved in many cases of killings and bombings. Even if a small percentage of the 1,000 go back to their struggle (and they will) there would be a price to pay in the not so distant future. Yet the Israelis chose to get the one man that got left behind, while he is still alive rather than get bogged down by what might happen in the future.
But concepts like these are difficult to grapple if you live in a country like ours. Where individual lives do not mean as much, where we respect people according to lineage, profession, economic class and every other conceivable point of differentiation. No matter how much one may disagree with the policies adopted by the Israeli government, their steadfast, unwavering support of every single citizen is commendable. What the Israelis understand is that each person in their country matters. No matter what their contribution to the greater good is.
A nation is built collectively by the people, by a people respected individually. It is this idea that we need to appreciate in this country. We however, function under the pressures of different regional or religious interests. It is the sheer absence of respect for the individual that we need to address. In our country, if a person is not aligned with a political party or even smaller powerful sub-groups like civil servants, judiciary, police, local corporators, doctors or whatever classification strong enough to have influence, things can get very difficult. It is not only corruption that is rotting our core, we as a country have no patience for individuals.
It is time we place the Indian Citizen ahead of every other classification, and god knows we have enough of those! Our much touted diversity makes it all the more important that we dont give in to appeasing any one class. If each person could feel important, could feel that they can contribute; things will be much different. It is time we ‘ask what our country can do for me’ instead of the other way around.
But concepts like these are difficult to grapple if you live in a country like ours. Where individual lives do not mean as much, where we respect people according to lineage, profession, economic class and every other conceivable point of differentiation. No matter how much one may disagree with the policies adopted by the Israeli government, their steadfast, unwavering support of every single citizen is commendable. What the Israelis understand is that each person in their country matters. No matter what their contribution to the greater good is.
A nation is built collectively by the people, by a people respected individually. It is this idea that we need to appreciate in this country. We however, function under the pressures of different regional or religious interests. It is the sheer absence of respect for the individual that we need to address. In our country, if a person is not aligned with a political party or even smaller powerful sub-groups like civil servants, judiciary, police, local corporators, doctors or whatever classification strong enough to have influence, things can get very difficult. It is not only corruption that is rotting our core, we as a country have no patience for individuals.
It is time we place the Indian Citizen ahead of every other classification, and god knows we have enough of those! Our much touted diversity makes it all the more important that we dont give in to appeasing any one class. If each person could feel important, could feel that they can contribute; things will be much different. It is time we ‘ask what our country can do for me’ instead of the other way around.
Excellent perspective and post. I agree, its time to ask what our country can do for us.
ReplyDeleteI really want to ask the question,but afraid of the answer.I become violent when someone says "no".
ReplyDelete