30.4.09

"You're starting to see some recognition just in the last few days that the obsession with India as the mortal threat to Pakistan has been misguided, and that their biggest threat right now comes internally".

- Barack Obama (Speech on his first 100 days in office)

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Strong, and belated, words.

The sad part is that even if you switch the order of the two names in that sentence, it's almost as valid.

Yes, I know they train terrorists and shelter wanted gangsters and export nuclear weapons training to other countries, but we obsess about them and allow our politicians to use them as a bogeyman to deflect attention from the miserable state of our country's infrastructure, planning, healthcare, education, and civil rights.

We've allowed ourselves to get warped into a mentality where we agree that most Pakistanis are "probably all right", but still froth with rabid jingoism the minute we see that green-and-white flag, just like they love our Bollywood stars but fall for the manipulative games their leaders play.

We've allowed ourselves to be defined by our hate, just like them.

4 comments:

km said...

True, true.

We've allowed ourselves to be defined by our hate, just like them.I first read that as "defined by our FATE" and thought to myself, "wow, ??! is writing deep stuff after watching a press conference?" :)

Shefaly said...

The scary thing is the all-pervasiveness of this hatred. People do not let their experience stand in the way of this hatred. Oh I don't want to start again...

??! said...

KM:
Oi, are you saying I can't pluck the ephemeral out of the mundane?

Shefaly:
I know. Sometimes it feels so pointless, trying to make people understand.

The Bride said...

Hear hear! I thought we were beyond that until I read some of the responses to this film Khuda Kay Liye. It's amazing that all people took from that film was "they get what they deserve."