this article looks more an advertisement despite of story of our racism nature.
you can be right to some extent but it is not always right.
it is human nature

I chose those ad pics to prove the point that we are indeed badgered about becoming increasingly fair and celebrities are endorsing this! Also it is human nature to be greedy, angry, murderous and jealous. Does being human pardon these. And what is not right? Dark people have a problem everywhere down the line unless folks can make out that the former are loaded. Read the agony aunt columns of every single mag, people are complaining of being dark and they all want to become fair. That is how Emami thrives. The ad is highlighted here to prove how omniscient color prejudice is in our country and sub-continent.

YEP....thats going on everywhere...

I would say a very fair post...and no doubts it is nothing but the truth...

Is this real definition of racism? Have you gone mad? get some brain dude.

@ sumit
Pray then, what is racism?

Rahpsodysinger, I suggest you to go for a tour of South India, no body demands fair bride and groom in matrimonial. I think you are based in north India. and most importnat...don't call it racism but inferior and superior complex. Racism has a wide meaning and you shouldn't fit the word in Indian context.

How can you say it racism moron? It might be your opinion and every fool has his own opinion and he can fight for that but it can't be always truth. You are abusing all Indians and why are you hiding your original name? I can understand the reason.

you are more endorsing fair & lovely than writing an article on racism. What a link!!! I am shockingly surprised and I would see your words even my dream.

I am not abusing all Indians...why don’t u visit the USIS library and see what they do? Why don’t you peek in at Jong’s at park Street? & how wud you answer for the person who got kicked from the Taj, Mumbai?
& unless people like you protest, things will be like that...it is not an Indian only phenomena...
The reason why I use the pseudonym is because I choose to do so , you wud never know who I really am had I simply used a name like Prasad...by my name I want to protest the death of the net as a free place ...

there are two races in India today:

the fair, the beautiful, the suave who are the rich and powerful

the ugly, dirty, the illiterate and the poor, powerless...

Unless we take stock of our own we can never change our nation’s lot...because we are a great nation amongst the fools there are wise men who can stomach criticism. Instead of criticizing others, we have to help ourselves...

Specially for Rahsodysinger - According to the Oxford English Dictionary, racism is a belief or ideology that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, especially to distinguish it as being either superior or inferior to another race or races.

The Merriam-Webster's Dictionary defines racism as a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race, and that it is also the prejudice based on such a belief.

The Macquarie Dictionary defines racism as 'the belief that human races have distinctive characteristics which determine their respective cultures, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule or dominate.'

According to UN International Conventions, the term 'racial discrimination" shall mean any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life.'

Racism has existed throughout human history. It may be defined as the hatred of one person by another -- or the belief that another person is less than human -- because of skin color, language, customs, place of birth or any factor that supposedly reveals the basic nature of that person. It has influenced wars, slavery, the formation of nations, and legal codes.

Don't apply the meaning of black and skin colour in western sociological context in our Indian context because here there is no place of hatred due to skin colour but caste. Hatred due to caste exists but hatred due to skin colour doesn't exist. So, don't write such useless things in Indian context. Are you trying to become India TV on Internet? If yes then its ok, you are free to write anything because no one would take you seriously.

@Sumit

Man, you are all worked up with all those references...but you missed the only point relevant...definitions are end products of human phenomena...language is fluid...so what you quoted is what at a certain point of time was the definition according to a group of Western lexicographers...but instead of focussing on one word, tell me do not women get tortured for giving birth to dark babies? I know a guy, about 13, who is not loved by his parents simply because he is dark, rather his sibling 10, is loved for the fairness. Due to the nature of my profession I get to hear a lot of these sad stories. ( Oh I forgot to tell you to refer to Jesperson, Walter Ong etc.) & who buys these products? Why do people want to be fair?

This is our social problem not racism. We Indians, (whether white or black, poor or rich), are the worst victim of inferiority complex. We have started hating our own identity. let me give you an example. One year ago I was in Delhi airport waiting for my flight to Mumbai. I was sitting in lounge and one American young was also sitting next to my seat and he was chatting with a 10-yr boy sitting next to him with his mother.

His mother was busy on his mobile phone and the American and the Indian boy were chatting interesting things and I was the single audience there. The American was a professional photographer and had come to India to visit north Indian temples and Himalayan region. He was visible lookin very much impressed with Indian culture and traditions. He was praising India, Indian people, Indian cities every thing.

At the same time, the young boy, whose father was NRI living in New York, was looking excited because he was going to take International flight to New York for the first time.

During the discussion, the boy was surprisingly abusing Indian people, talking badly about Indian roads, poverty and praising US cities culture. What we (me and the American guy) felt that the boy hated India and loved US. Finally the irritated American asked the boy in strong words - "WHO TOLD YOU ALL THESE STUPID THINGS , DON'T YOU HAVE RESPECT FOR YOUR OWN COUNTRY?" The boy answered - 'My father'. The American literally shouted - "YOU FATHER IS A BIG BULL-SHIT AND YOU ARE BULL-SHIT IN MAKING".

We Indians more abuse than love our Indianness thats what you are doing here by linking the fair-dark discussion in Indian context with RACISM... I won't say anything now.

well, i retract if I sound putting my nation down...i have much to learn...I shall hold my peace...

as i said: my intentions have not been to put my country down...I only want to say that the lady at the Taj had a similar experience as I...& when I had posted a different version of this in my own blog, earlier, some Indians had not disagreed...
as for what foreigners think of us does not matter, for they are unimportant...

as i said: my intentions have not been to put my country down...I only want to say that the lady at the Taj had a similar experience as I...& when I had posted a different version of this in my own blog, earlier, some Indians had not disagreed...
as for what foreigners think of us does not matter, for they are unimportant...
& again I have mentioned only those of us in specific situations...

lastly, before i do not comment further on this post; there are a few things I want to make clear:

a) I ask the question, not provide an answer...I think we are partly racist, being casteist et al...

b) I love my people and being an Indian and feel hurt when I read about that lady at the Taj, be searched like a thief and when I read of a dusky woman writing to know how to be fair

c) My country is great and I care hoots for whether racism exists elsewhere, whether class structures exist elsewhere...we can reform and change ourselves...we can...not like where Prince comes from...

in the US people have to sue...here the awakening can come from within...

again if I have hurt anyone, it is only to show my concern for my own country and not to give a chance to foreigners to deride us...adios on this post

Lastly, i stand abashed...

what skin color r u, descendant of a long lost earthworm? u deserve a good hiding for writing this poo-yellow shit. instablogs must investigate his origin. I AM SERIOUS MAN!

looks like a p.w. botha worm planted in india.

I must say this is the most daring article i have ever read...
@Rhapsodysinger-Well if you write the truth, you have to face a lot of criticism. People do not like horrifying truths, it’s human nature...not a good one though.
@manishkumar- The picture just tells we Indians cannot face the fact that we are BLACK. Can’t you understand even that, fat-head????

Congratulations!!!Very few would have the guts to write about racism in India the way you have done...
For Sumit- I believe all your definitions are copied from wikipedia, but may be you didn’t have the time to read the whole article. So i would advise you to pay attention to the first few lines written over there- ”Racism has many definitions, the most common and widely accepted being that members of one race consider themselves intrinsically superior to members of other races.”
The story you wrote about that American photographer may be true,but there’s one thing i should add. foreigners see India from one perspective:they live in luxurious hotels, travel by car and bla bla.They don’t have to face water crisis or power cuts or any of the millions of problems that an average Indian has to deal with.You can’t deny this.And Westerners would like us to be happy the way we are, so that we can never rise above them.
Finally i would say, racism is thriving in India(more and more demand for cosmetics like fair n lovely proves that) because of people like you Sumit.You would believe your country to be the best rather than take the trouble to identify the problems and solve them so that one day India really becomes the best. In this sense, Rhapsodysinger proves that he is a true patriot.

It is obvious that the author is lying. He seems to have got motivated by the recent incident in the Taj Mahal hotel in Mumbai where an elderly lady was allegedly denied entry in one of its restaurants as she wearing slippers.

I have lived all my life in India. There is castism, there is communalism, but there is no racism. Such writing is unacceptable as it is malicious and false. BTW is the writer an Indian?

@ foreigners

Australians mistreated aboriginals, the famed separation controversies...US the red indians and need I say more so don’t throw dirt on us...I have faith in my own people that those of us who tend to feel superior will change but as far as u guys on the right you need law suits etc. to change...

@swati

I myself faced these discriminations...not a word untrue...

@ foreigners

Australians mistreated aboriginals, the famed separation controversies...US the red Indians and need I say more so don’t throw dirt on us...I have faith in my own people that those of us who tend to feel superior will change but as far as u guys on the right you need law suits etc. to change...

@swati

I myself faced these discriminations...not a word untrue...

@ Swati and all....(who have blamed the author without a reason)

close your eyes to truth...We all indians are so proud to be indians that we won’t even differentiate b/w good and bad just for the sake of saving our reputation as Indians...

I ask you all, you have called the author moron and I don’t know what, what...but is this the way you treat writers who write nothing but the truth...Just like Taslima was condemned in her own country...

Then why do we have all newspaper columns actually demanding ’FAIR’ Brides..maybe for you this isn’t racism, for you all this is just a beauty standard but even I call that racism! I am sure each one of us have faced it at one time or the another but i think you all are too coward to accept that and admit that the racist was none other than someone from your Indian brotherhood....

@ The author...
I am glad you took this up...Bravo!!!Let them condemn you, but remember where’re always a few who think, take action and can speak the truth...you are one of them.Kudos!

Horrific! If those tales are true as you’d have us believe. The truth is that we still haven’t quite come out of the inferiority complex that year’s of Goras’ rule so readily bestowed us with. And yet a few isolated incidents in Kolkata prove nothing. Foreign tourists are meted out with a similar treatment elsewhere my friend. A quest for fairer skin... Well, It is but an accepted truth that fairness (of skin) is feted everywhere. English Speaking is a part of the whole globalization of culture. Why you seem to be so against our preference for the language that’s come to be recognized as universal, I cannot fathom.

Rahsodysinger...Just read comments published on right side. You finally succeeded in your 'mission' buddy, CONGRATULATIONS to You, Now, we want to know your original identity.

I am not against English, but against English as a status symbol...i fear that our vernaculars are dying...VS Naipaul in on book fair about 5/6 yrs ago mentioned that Indian laguages are gonna die...am scared...

well sumit...if u want to lynch me, what can I say?
But on the other hand as I said those on the right are unimportant for they are throwing dirt...when they have so much to hide...
But all i say and believe is that we need to introspect...

They are throwing dirt???? AND what are you doing??

@ all indians
what rhapsody singer let us knwo is nothing but the truth...
it’s not a race problem but a social problem...fuelled by skin colour, and money...
the basic funda is that indians distinguish people by how presentable they look...so if you are a dark skinned person you already are at -1...
and if you are not wering expensive looking clothes...thr goes your social reputation down the drain...

@sanyog
dude, i m a southie too...though everyone doesn’t advertise for fair gals...it’s taken as a minus or plus depending on the skin colour of the gal evryone...
if the gal is fair they r ready to cmpromise on the dowry reqs..and if shez dark then the askin rate goes up...

@Australians
dont try and hold the moral high ground here...
just consider the fact that your govt just apologized officially for mistreating, disrespecting and ostracizing the local indigenous aboriginal population...
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/02/12/australia.aborgines/
it sooooo looong for an apology???

atleast we indians have the guts, the temperament and virtue to call a spade a spade...
dont go throwing stones at other’s peoples homes when yours is a glass house!!!
:)

@nightcrawler, Your believe is 100% correct. I took all the definitions from Wikipedia, Is there anything wrong in it? Can you suggest me any other source from where we can get such useful information on a single click.

sumit, is saying poverty exists thrwoing dirt? If we do not reform ourselves, who will and I am a racist myslef to the extent I really hate whites.

Hey Vivek - you said it in one sentence what have written it before and trying to say. you wrote - "it’s not a race problem but a social problem...fuelled by skin colour, and money..." Correct. You can't take fair-dark debate as RACISM. This is not RACISM, who wants to feel the actual meaning of racism I suggest them to African countries where people become victim of racism not because of their dark complexion but the origin of their community. I can't understand why people are taking fair-dark debate as racism...

definitions of race from the web

# subspecies: (biology) a taxonomic group that is a division of a species; usually arises as a consequence of geographical isolation within a species

wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

# The term race describes an ethnic group, tribe, or other set of individuals descended from a common ancestor. It commonly serves to distinguish between populations or groups of people based on different sets of characteristics. ...

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race

# (definition from White Power website): A race is defined as a group of individuals sharing common genetic attributes which determine that group’s physical appearance and, more controversially, their cognitive abilities.
www.uihome.uidaho.edu/default.aspx

definitions of racism from the web

# The belief that one ’racial group’ is inferior to another and the practices of the dominant group to maintain the inferior position of the dominated group. Often defined as a combination of power, prejudice and discrimination.
www.bl.uk/learning/histcitizen/voices/ref/gloss/glossary.html

# The doctrine that race is the basic determinant of human abilities and that, therefore, the various racial groups constitute a hierarchy in which one group is properly regarded as superior to others. Racism has also been defined using the following formula: Power+Prejudice=Racism. ...
www.unk.edu/offices/aaeo/index.php

# Racism is prejudice or discrimination based on the belief that race is the primary factor determining human traits and abilities. Racism includes the belief that genetic or inherited differences produce the inherent superiority or inferiority of one race over another. ...
www.adl.org/children_holocaust/more_resources.asp

# refers to beliefs, practices, and institutions that negatively discriminate against people based on their perceived or ascribed race. ...
www.wacklepedia.com/r/ra/racism.html

# The stigmatising of difference along the lines of ‘racial’ characteristics in order to justify advantage or abuse of power, whether economic, political, cultural or psychological.
freespace.virgin.net/brendan.richards/glossary/glossary.htm

@sumit...
decide for yourself what it is...

@Jodie

cows come in black too!!!
they come in all the colours...and that in effect describes the mixture of colours you find in indian people too...someone can be as dark as people from africa or in the northern rreeeaches as fair as from some western country...

it’s a symbolic ritual with respect and reference to religious scriptures...wherein many asuras or demons had buffalo heads...

so please get your facts right before commenting on religion and rituals...

finding fair groom or bride is being defined as racism, it is completely unacceptable and funny. As sumit and vivek said this is social problem and we Indians feel inferior in dusky complexion but mind you people don't abuse any one so badly because of dark skin colour. Don't name it racism.

Beauty or ugly is just a matter of perception, this is not racism.

Hindustan Liver Limited or Uniliver is the main culprit. The owner of the company should be booked for spreading hatred to sell its product. The company promises to make you fair in seven weeks and ladies in India are painting its cream for seventeen years and still they have the same skin colour. Rahpsody is endorsing the product here.

This article is a disgraceful piece of shit that cannot be further from the truth. The sale of beauty products doesn't make a country racists. Those products can't change the race of one person to another.

Dusky skin is more appreciated in India than pure fair skin. If you try to enter a restaurant like a disheveled madman in tatters, the restaurant is well within its rights to turn you away because it might upset other customers who are there to have a good time.

The writer says the dark man who was turned away from the restaurant had a girl friend who was fair and beautiful. I presume she was an Indian as well. Why on earth in a racist nation such a fair and beautiful girl have a dark boyfriend such as him who doesn't even know how to dress up for a date? It is obvious that the writer is lying.

The author is a fantasy monger. A delusional deviant.

yes we are and I want to catch hold of you so that I can use you as a nigger slave and flog you whenever i please :)

Do you perennially suffer from inferiority complex because of your skin tone? Shows in your writing you loser.

Anyone who takes this seriously is a fool. There is not even an iota of truth in this post.

Don’t blame Indians. Indians are not racist. Racism is a western concept came into existence because of western people's rude behaviour against others. The Europeans, Australians and Americans are specialised in using racial remarks against others.

@yash, puneet...

and wot do u suffer from???
y have u put up film actors in ur profyl pics rather than ur own???

rather than the author u ppl suffer from more inferiority complexes...hahahah

seems all of those who are criticizing the author are RSS functionaries and displaying their false pride(s) as Indians...

Also, I agree that it is a part of racism and that doesn’t mean that the author is calling every other Indian ’a racist’...

Seems thats what you all call ’nationalism’ and I would ask you all to wake up from your slumber...

@ Shameem...

read again....the man dint try to get into the restaurant in tatters but in slippers...and what he has highlighted here is how we differ between the outsiders and indians...

OK Vivek and will you call it racism? get some head man..

@ neha or naina whatever you are, just go through the post and comments first then throw your opinion here. It seems you just read headline, saw SRK picture and jumped in the debate.

@sumit- I don’t want to discourage you from referring to the wikipedia...i just advised you to read the full article.
@vivek & others- So you all have found new names for this black & white issue.
Well, you see, it doesn’t matter whether you call this a social problem or inferiority complex;people know it as racism...and that’s what matters.

@ Sumit...

u said above–we can’t take the fair-dark debate as racism...Ok...

but what you call the experiences of author about the ”tudy facility for students by a Foreign Embassy in Kolkata”...To repeat the authors words, the Indians were searched while the whites weren’t ...Why? What else do you call it? Don’t say its our tradition of ’Atithi devo bhava’

@puneet
i cant call it racism bcoz i feel that all indians belong to the same race...but all indians dont think like that...:D

and we cant discount the fact that the 2 major races historically have been the indo-aryans(they migrated from europe and western asia) and the dravidians(remotely related to aborigines of australia)...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racial_groups_of_India#William_Crooke_.281907.29

and so the black and white debate...
it’s been following from british times...the discrimination...it was them doing it to us then...now it’s us doing it to our own...
it’s a given, that if you are of a darker complexion you are supposed from the economically weaker sections...take a look at all the poor people around you...
you’ll see the fairer people in a minority..
and it’s been proven in various studies that being fair and/or good looking gives you an upper hand in job interviews...

@nightcrawler
well, as i see it...just take a look here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racial_groups_of_India#Census_of_Modern_India

and i quote it for you...

”Census of Modern India

Main article: Demographics of India

India’s population is not divided into various ”races” today. The concept of ”race” itself has been strongly disputed, many scientists agreeing that the human being can not be usefully divided into various ”sub-groups” according to biological factors. This concept has widely been replaced by ”ethnic groups,” which take into account cultural traits (language, religion, customs, etc.).”

@ nick,adam,rusty,nathan,pat e.t.c.- It’s strange that you foreigners should blame us for this racism when it’s you all and your forefathers who created it in India.
Was there racism here before the westerners came here???? NO!
Didn’t the British scorn us for our dark skin? OR were WE racists and taunted them for being white-skinned?

@ rhapsodysinger- brilliant writing.....
Don’t get disheartened by all these stupid criticisms. Just remember the lines from the movie GURU- when people begin to criticize you, then you know that you are doing something good.

@Neha, the author is simply lying, how can you believe on author who is still hiding his identity despite being asked to reveal so many times. I don't believe Kolkata incident.

@ Sumit...you haven’t told me what we call that discrimination that the author mentioned and i questioed you about but you are here to pose some questions regarding the authors identity...

Can i ask you just one thing...how can we say that you Sumit are not hiding your identity...Your name could be anything, this could be your pet name, are your ready to reveal your identity, your address, phone numbers and email id’s over here, so that one can confirm your identity..?

What proof can you have that you are you...stop giving stupid reasons! You don’t believe the Kolkatta incident, fine that’s simply up to you but thats not reason enough to doubt anyone...

Hey wolverene just don't teach useless lessons to a good writer. Rhapsody is good writer but chosen bad topic here. And for you dear - don't define Guru's diologue in such funny way. If tomorrow I would write India is the country of fools and India haven't achieved anything precious yet, I am sure I will get more than 500 comments against me. And the no. of comments and criticism cannot assure me that I wrote good things. grow up man.. You better watch Telugu movies for better dance and fighting scenes.

@Swati, don't get irritated and listen carefully, there is no need to give your address, phone numbers and email id’s over here because no one needs it. You can share your opinion with your name. When a person is reporting about an incident in embassies in Kolkata I would do believe on his reporting only when he will use the real name not the fake one. This is the question of developing credibility.

Rhapsody might be termed as a good citizen reporter and I have read many stories by him but I never believed on that stories, This is new media you can write anything and report anything, there is open space for you but that doesn't mean you start reporting anything without evidence and with hiding your real name, this is not accepted and not goos for the development of NEW MEDIA.

Rhapsody got no. of comments on such poor writing just because he has written it on Instablogs otherwise he does not deserve single attention on this story - 'the best example of yellow journalism'.

Why are u believing on Kolkata incident? Have you read about in any newspaper? have you seen the byte of victim in any news channel? Are you there at the time of incident. Don't act like a fool. Without evidence, you shouldn't believe on such reporting and from the guy who is hiding his identity. Without any evidence, the story might be called as his own opinion not the fact citizen reporting needs fact.

read comments, i have named the library there...they still do what they did...

under instructions from the whites there, our brothers have to frisk us...otherwise their job goes...so those on the right: only one thing I hate you because it is your prejudice which you have ingrained in us as a colonial project...

You wanted to make aboriginals, red indians etc. more white than you...

under instructions from the whites there, our brothers have to frisk us...otherwise their job goes...so those on the right: only one thing I hate you because it is your prejudice which you have ingrained in us as a colonial project...

You wanted to make aboriginals, red indians etc. more white than you...& Aussies after all are deported scum of England. You forefathers threw you out...pommies!

The Christian Brothers in Australia, Ireland and Canada abused kids...then when they blew the whistle the brothers called them sissies...this is for those on the right. If you do not get the drift, read my comments just above this one...
And here the Indians ( Sumit and I, it seems) are having an argument which can be sorted out...Read the Argumentative Indian by Amartya Sen...but then reading was never the forte of Aussies!

@rhapsody, if you generally go there, record statement of any victim and the statement of the library-in-charge and file a good story here with quoting those statements and then see the impact, you will become known web-journo in one day. Go and report it otherwise I would catch a flight to Kolkata because I need such stories. Complete your stories with statements of victims too. it will take little time but create good impact. and Most Important - I am not crticising you but bad reporting and your step forward to yellow journalism.

@Sunit
fine, done...in fact will follow this up at a later stage...Complaints, Sumit, from experience, do not work...I mentioned that too in the post...

Now to those on the right: did u see how civilized men talk? Incidentally, Why don’t u guys on the right speak to your darker brethren and see what they have to say...& for all the good that you profess...not one of you wanted to bring peace to us even in this discussion...that reveals your true colors...just a bunch of cheap gossip mongers and I stick to what I said earlier...you guys messed the world first and then blame everyone. Each and every conflict which is carrying on everywhere, go see, you will see a white man involved....like all you can do is to enjoy when others fight.

@ Sumit...

Firstly, lemme tell you that I have read he article and haven’t jumped in the debate on seeing SRK pic...

Secondly, I second Swati on your question about authors identity.

Thirdly, if you think New Media is so disgusting and fake, why are you here?

4)”there is open space for you but that doesn’t mean you start reporting anything without evidence and with hiding your real name, this is not accepted and not goos for the development of NEW MEDIA.” did you say the same when he reported of Naxalites? and also...thats just what we call Citizen Media, no one is a fool to come up with such a write up just for the sake of fun!!!

5)you call this poor write-up than thats your attitude towards truth!

6)You think its a poor story and ’he does not deserve single attention on this story’...please drop in at his blog(http://dailylight.wordpress.com/) and see he has got comments over there as well.

7) why are we believing this? In my town, many small incidents happen, even bigger ones, they don’t find any space even in the local editions of daily newspapers. and by this do you mean that anything that doesn’t find their way in newspaper columns never happen?

8) I being a blogger(http://librinme.blogspot.com/) had took this debate up on my blog as well and here are a few opinions both from the authors and my blog—

I was more shocked reading the responses than the post. Seriously! I agree with the author on many things, that Indians ARE racist in there own ways, or else how do you explain cast-ism thats more prevalent than ever.

// I agree on the fair, slim and beautiful brides –> ask me about it! My parents do the hopping on matrimonial sites in hopes for finding that gr8 guy! And once i did read.. and I go shucks!

// I agree that fair skinned are treated better than anyone else.

// But I didn’t knw about TAJ! I guess you are treated well when you r with firang! I guess I have the experience of that at least!


**We equate beauty with skin-color.

correct .. hw else do you think, fair actresses are in larger than dusky or even dark ones?!

But as I am dark skinned! I think my color is the best! anewayzz! I dnt identify with the author, because luckily for me I have been saved from such chauvinists and hypocrites! But I acknowledge the fact it has happened !
—Veens(a blogger)


Be nice to whites, they need you to rediscover their humanity. ~Desmond Tutu

How does it feel ?
Racism u see :D

Racism is oMnipotent!
The biggest prevalent disease,
Wait for some more time :D
i’m sure it would be more dangerous than AIDS.

It’s one of the biggest gift that our ”so called” developed society has given to us.

right from Skin colour to castes !
it is everywhere and the extent of penetration is so much that it looks normal to everyone....

I have a couple of Beautiful Quotes which illustrate the same.

”The one place where a man ought to get a square deal is in a courtroom, be he any color of the rainbow, but people have a way of carrying their resentments right into a jury box. As you grow older, you’ll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something and don’t you forget it - whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash.” ~Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird


I look at an ant and I see myself: a native South African, endowed by nature with a strength much greater than my size so I might cope with the weight of a racism that crushes my spirit. Miyomoto Musashi
–Gurpreet(a blogger)

You should have been prepared for that. It should not come as a surprise because whether we concede or not, its true that there had always been discrimination in our country in one form or other and we never accept truth that is against us.
Did I say Hypocrisy?
–anand(blogger)

Disturbed person? Why? This is an issue that people need to be aware about AND think about. This is an attitude that is being passed on from generation to generation. Fair skin has always been equated with beauty. Hence, it is something that we readily accept and never challenge. It is called internalized racism. If we do not raise this issue to the new generations, how will times change? Yes, you might be one of the few who is starting to do that, but someone has to begin somewhere!
–Solitaire( blogger)

I come from a small town… and hasn’t faced much of this as have always been with parents… but my recent visit from India was different, we had gone to Bombay for some shopping… and thats what I noticed there too… you felt like as if you are a terrorist. The freaking mall people check your bags and everything… while the firangis are as if God sent.

Just enter easily without security check! When I talked it out… my acquired accent came across…. and they were like sorry Ma’am but… to be honest… It makes me sad. wearing a salwaar kameez with your flip-flops makes you a desi… while …the capris with that summer top can make you a completely different person.

Uugh! Thats all I have to say to this.
-Neetal

Lastly, most of us have been blogging with not our real names but no one questions our identities, neither do we start calling people names like morons or worms even if the issue is debatable to a great extent...

@Neha - answer in one line - Go and find the difference between bloggers and citizen journalists first. A blogger can write anything but a CITIZEN JOURNALIST IN ACTION will have to be responsible in saying or writing about any incident, particularly related with serious issue such as RACISM. Here Rhapsody is not a blogger of blogspot or wordpress but a citizen journalist/reporter of Instablogs. can you see the difference in it. New media will have to show credibility and responsible behaviour to grow as best platform of mass communication. Blogging is different and citizen reporting is different, there is very thin line of demarcation and try to find the line..

I am sure rhapsody would be agree with me for sure.

sumit : there is one thing you need to check: no writer whosoever can abuse others. In the best of Indian traditions I remember a story of the Buddha:
A very angry man came to visit him. & hurled abuses at the Buddha. The Buddha smiled and said ”Young man, if you brought a gift and the person for whom you brought the gift did not accept it, whose wud it be?”
& sometimes Sunit media conglomerates would not allow one to give specifics...adios, off to a long journey! :-)

sumit : there is one thing you need to check: no writer whosoever can abuse others. In the best of Indian traditions I remember a story of the Buddha:
A very angry man came to visit him. & hurled abuses at the Buddha. The Buddha smiled and said ”Young man, if you brought a gift and the person for whom you brought the gift did not accept it, whose wud it be?”
& sometimes Sunit media conglomerates would not allow one to give specifics...adios, off on a long journey! :-)

rhapsody, I am extremely sorry if I did it, You said and I accepted without any argument. nothing was intentional and personal but an outburst of emotions for the respect for the country. I hope you can understand it. :-)

@ Sumit...

Woah! You have pin-pointed everything about others, authors identity, yellow journalism, this, that, blah blah blah...You ask about one’s credibility then you mark difference b/w CJ and bloggers, you refer to new media as ’fake’ and you ready to fight it out to your wits...Seems you have a question for everything but answer for none!

I’ll tell you what you have forgotten...and that’s how to take a debate in a good spirit without using abusive language...In case you have forgotten ,let me put this up for you
”what skin color r u, descendant of a long lost earthworm? u deserve a good hiding for writing this poo-yellow shit. instablogs must investigate his origin. I AM SERIOUS MAN!

looks like a p.w. botha worm planted in india.”

Anyways, seems you want all that attention and your criterion for that includes abuse and questioning without any reasoning. Adios! I am off this debate!

well, i think the the man hasn’t moved out of his city, that is , wherever he lives.the anonymous blogger must open his eyes and see all of india rather then just picking up thewest of the instances.Come on man wake up!

one correction to Neha- I never said NEW MEDIA as fake. Don't throw words in my mouth. I tried to say that new media will have to save itself from fake writing or reporting to give tough fight to others like traditional media (print) and non-serious media (electronic). I haven't written anything without reasoning. I am still in favour of reporting real stories otherwise lay off and better blogging on blogspot or wordpress. I just don't care who is going off and who is going on..whatever..

Wow!! great debate is going on here. Finally i comcluded after investing one hour to read all the comments from India (forget the foreigners fools) that We are not racist. This is our social and psychological problem. I think people would agree with me.

Excellent write up..absolutely true..and for the kind information of Sumit, Prasad and et all..the incident of Kolkata had raised many a hue and cry in the leading Vernacular daily of Kolkatawhen it had happened...so no point in asking for proof. Instead of raising a storm in a teacup and completely opposing whatever Rhapsody Singer has pointed out, it’s better to acknowledge the truth. And Sumit, how dare you say that just because there is a picture of Shahrukh, Neha and Swati have given their comments? Try to delve deeper into the debate and the analysis before giving such a stupid comment. Inspite of the global comments showing that the Western world is still so ignorant of the current Indian scenerio, still I would say that the article does not give any negative feed back about our culture. And why on earth are you people so bothered about Rhapsody’s true identity? What he’s written is glaring truth and its high time we accept that. Kudos once again!

hey rhaps
i said u can be right to some extent that depends how much u travelled india
alltourists from bangal , gujrat, or southindia usually come to northen india where people r of fair complexion but the regards and respect touring people grt is aprriciable. so i suggest you to visit the great and diversified india so that you can know the other side. the point you raised is quite appriciable, but the people from abroad in this discussion are showing there racist nature toward our nation so u’r point is very much suitable for them. and you all people from abroad please keep a litle bit control on your language

swati shimla
i have question for you please let me know where you find racism in shimla i am also a localite. i never found.