We are prejudiced as a society and a nation

Arts & Culture Culture, Arts, Literature & Linguistics
1

Hi, you are racist. Don’t be surprised. If you are Pakistani then there is a good chance that you are prejudiced. Now that comes as a surprise to many people. I always hear, "no we are not prejudiced, we are the target of prejudice and racism. For that I administer a quick test which makes people realize that as an individual or as a nation, we definitely are prejuduced and often feel that others are inferior.

Right then, lets proceed. A general view of how our society views people from other countries. Along with the group, I will put some stereotypes that we associate with the group. This really is not meant to offend anyone, but just pointing to a fact that before we call anyone else prejudiced, we look at our own ideas. This does not apply to every Pakistani either. I am simply stating what I have heard over a period of time.

Europeans and North Americans: Nick name “Goray” - moral bankrupts with little fulfillment in their lives. Materialistic,

Arabs: umm :Nick name “arbay, badoo or aqal choos” stereotype: uncivilized, lechers, general idiots.

South East Asians" Nickname “chaptay, chibray etc” stereotype: major geeks, general technonerds and weenies.

South Americans: To date I have not been able to find a nickname we have for the group except “hablay” from Habla espanol J In general we dont think too much of the spanish speaking world and the idea is that their countries are poorer and less developed (a misconception in most cases) and the people dont amount to much.

Africans: Nicknames " kaloo, kallay, bhoot, gulab jamun" stereotypes, uncivilized, dumb, corrupt.

I can go on and on but the idea here is not to document a dirty laundry of our own prejudiced stereotypes. We all know what as a nation we consider Hindus, Jews, Sikhs etc etc. We feel justified in considering them inferior due to one factor or another, or one trait or another. Yet we cant stand it when we feel like victims or stereotyping based on our religion or skin colour etc.

We dislike even our own sub-groups. We dont like punjabis, we dont like beharis, we dont like sindhis, we dont like shias, we dont like sunnis, we dont like Aga Khanis, ..the list goes on. The point is, who do we like then. Our own little group of people of the same geographic and ethnic background and the same religion and sect, then we further purify that group by the self imposed boundires of burger, non-burger, foriegn returned, local etc etc etc. So on the average we come to like about .000000001% of the world population that we actually can like.

My point here is that as a society we have to be more open and accepting. This can not be done until and unless we recognize and realize our own prejudice. I hear a lot of debate about what others think of Pakistanis and Muslims, and how the negative stereotypes are further publicized by the media. I am all for taking steps to clear others’ misconceptions and stereotypes and for us to be understood and respected for what we stand for and what we offer to the world. At the same time, we should try and challenge our own misconceptions and take people for who they are and not what group they belong to.

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Hahaahah... Fraudia bhai:

Kia battey ley karr beth gai. Kahi Pathan to nahi ap? hehhehehehe :)

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Good one there Ghalib!! :)LOL...

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Moi Pathan?
Did the Niswaar give it away?
nah mon I aint Pathan.
But the topic is serious. we are a very prejudiced society and hate to admit it.

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Baat to sahi kahi ap ney...it is serious!!

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Not to agree or disagree on your points, I just want to say something on stereotyping objectively. It does not always necessarily sums up to negative consonance... that's actually how human mind works, to identify objects catagorically in physical and conceptual context. It is one of the natural ways of organization that our memory machanism performs. The result could be negative or positive from context to context.

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I agree. In simple English, we do categorize objects in physical and conceptual context. That is something we have little or no control over. What we do have control over is to have a positive consonance. What I tried to present questions why most of our stereotypes are of the negative variety.

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I don't think this trait is unique to us desis only. Anything that does not conform to your own ways and beliefs does get categorized as strange and mysterious, with negative overtones. Ask a 'gora' what he thinks of people from the East and the answer will be Bhudist monks wearing saffron colored robes who get devine guidance through monkeys and elephants. I guess it is human nature..unfamiliarity with the 'other' groups, that breeds this kind of behaviour. Once you get to know them, you may view them from a different perspective.

[This message has been edited by Antidote (edited March 05, 1999).]

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I never said that the trait is unique to desis, I think we do it more than we care to admit. The difference is that desis cry more about the fact that they are treated with prejudice, without ever stopping to realize that they treat others the same way. Forget about our negative stereotypes based on lack of knowledge and familiarity, what about how one group feels and treats another group that live in the same country, and in the same city. It is partially due to this overwhelming prejudice and resulting hatred that the masses are so easily manipulated into violence against their fellow Pakistanis.

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well said Fraudz. Yes we as a nation are one of the most racist ppl. We have no tolerance for anyone who is different or does not fall into our ethnic/geographical background.
Let me talk abt myself, at one point in my life i have been one of the most racist person. I had to overcome years of brainwashing to be more understanding of others. I am afraid i still have this streak somewhere in myself.
Growing up in lahore, i learned to dislike all non punjabis as if they are superior to everyone else...then against hindus, jews etc. God what do they teach us abt Gandhi in school...it was a shock to know abt him afterwards. I felt decieved and ignorant.
Racism is not natural..it is learned. It takes a little bit of understanding, education, and courage to overcome it.

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Forunately (or unfortunately??) I have never lived in Pakistan to witness the kind of mentality that you guys are talking about. I am third generation Pakistani born and raised outside of the homeland, and because of the fact that my folks were so far away from 'Watne-aziz' this distinction about Punjabi/Sindhi/Pathan did not affect them. We were all Pakistanis living in foreign lands fighting dicrimination against ourselves because of our color. It is truly sad to see that these things are so rampant in Pakistan...I wouldn't know because I have only been to Pakistan once in my life and that too for only one month. I agree, education, exposure to the outside world, and most importantly an objective, unbiased view of others help to create better understanding. An average Pakistani has none of the above, and in a place where he has to fight so hard for mere survival, these prejudices get exaggerated to the level of intolerance. We still haven't pulled ourselves out of the torment of a class-concious society... the village 'wadera' has no respect for the village 'bhangi', 'hajaam' or 'mochi', although each one of them performs an important job. I wonder sometimes whether we've been affected by the Hindu caste system?? And we tend to carry this mentality wherever go. But ( and I say this from personal experience)..living away from the 'watan' tends to mellow people down, and over the years you see a latent change occuring in even the most diehards among us. Hopefully with time and experience they will learn.

And Zainab, if you think Pakistanis bad mouth Gandhi, you should see what the Hindus have to say about Jinnah or Allamma Iqbal. So much negativity, that they almost sound like monsters. I was not familiar at all about Indian Pakistani history, until I saw the movies Gandhi in the 80s and Jinnah recently. Two entirely different perspectives
on the two nation theory, and it seemed like they were talking about two different Jinnahs. So histroy is redefined according to ones own perception of things..paying little or no attention to facts.

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Antidote bro
I was born outside Pakistan and grew up outside besides my brief stint from 84-86 in the homeland. It is good that your folks did not get affected by the provincialism. I dont know if you have noticed that the prejudice among the foreign based Pakistanis has increased as well. Although alomst all of it is displayed by folks who came to these shores recently.
All I know is that when I was doing my undergrad there were these divides along the shia-sunni and mohajir-Punjabi lines. It was rather funny but at the same time very disturbing to see these grown ups and supposed educated people be so petty. I agree that living away from Pakistan mellows most people out, but some carry this with them to the grave. I have seen very few second or third generation pakistanis/Indians who carry this chip on a shoulder.
I have always been distressed at rival political parties’ hecklers waving their own flags and chanting all sorts of stuff when Pakistani Govt officials visit UK or USA. One time I saw less Pakistan and more PPP and MQM flags. I have not seen this type of behaviour by any other nation. How many times have we seen protestors with a republican flag heckling the president on his trips? Any Comments?

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Fraudia Sahab,

These hecklers are mostly recent imports from back home and they bring their bad habits with them. One thing that really boggles my mind is the lack of nationalistic spirit that ninety percent of Pakistanis demonstrate. Everybody is content as long as their needs are met..the nation can go to hell. The recent imports are too busy trying to catch up with the Western world, they find everything desi unappealing and unappetizing. If people like me talk about our eastern culture they laugh at us. They take pride in saying that they don't know their native language, that their parents never sent them to madrassa to study the Quraan, that they can't cook Pakistani food blah blah blah. Interestingly, it is fashionable to learn how to cook Chinese..(hummien chinese pakana ata hai magar Paksitani nahin). I wonder what caused this mode thinking to take root, and where or when will it stop. Those like me who've been away from the 'Watan' appreciate the good things that it offered. I guess the others not only take them for granted but somehow despise them..an unhealthy phenomenon to say the least. And since they don't respect themselves, they have not learnt to respect others around them. I happen to have performed Hajj last year, and to my utter disappointment, Pakistanis were the worst behaved even in the Haram. Have we reached a point of no return?? Is there any hope??

P.S
BTW.. I am Antidote Sis (not bro)...just to be politically correct.

[This message has been edited by Antidote (edited March 10, 1999).]

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Aik Pakistani ke Dua :
Aik Gori chamri kaliay!!

Allah karain Tairee Shadi ho aik chapti say, Tairay Salaay hoo yahoodi, Tairee Pehli Aulad niklaay Qadyani, Tairee doosree Aulad ho Memon (LARKI) jo ghar gulab jamoon laya karaay rozaana (new Box everyday), Tairee Aulad jai Bihari school main jahan punjabi ustaad hoon aur baluchi Chaprasi. Tairaay saaray dost zindgi bhar kaliay hoon pathan (Dont u Wish!) aur susrali hoon tairaay Hindu jo kay Habloon ke tarah hawa chorain.

Jai Altaf Husaain!

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Antidote, oops I forgot. Been away for a bit. Actually come to think of it you are in Pennsylvania and ummm enjoy skiing if I remember right.

Khaboo.. hahahah are you always this crazy or did ya take a few swigs of Bhang before you wrote this.

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here's one more oldie

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Yes Fraudia, I agree with you but only for the the part that we should 1st accept our own prejudice against each other. I dont care much about the international prejudice. The way you have put the various terms and their definition, my experiance is the others have more or less same thinking about us, so no need to worry about them right now, worry about internal prejudices which will destroy us as a nation.

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Gosh it doesn’t sound good, but I agree with JAK and Fraudia >>should 1st accept our own prejudice against each other.
The other day, when I realized that I nearly didn’t no anything about Balochistan, I asked some elders for some info, and after telling a little about this and that, he said ’Baloch bohut kaamchor hote haiN’, and this was a Punjabi talking. This kind of statements where ’indhan’ for the making of Bangla Desh, why do we do this to our nation, and how do we come up with this kind of statements.
Why are we, mainly Pakistani more ’touchy’ about this kind of statements then other nations? In DK we have prejudice against people living outside Copenhagen, people from the Jylland, and Swedish, and they are able to laugh at this kind of things. Why do we get so offended?

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The whole purpose was that we should realize that we are no angels the next time we blame someone for being racist/prejudiced.

Our internal prejudice is probably the biggest single factor following illiteracy that has blocked any real progress.

(sorry for the late response. Was away on business)