Been watching the Indian visual media cover the most recent incident of rape in Delhi over the last day or so, discuss the public outrage, response of the government machinery and what not.
It is past 9.00 in the night, I've got my bourbon on and maybe that's why I'm being so cynical, but I just don't see anything changing any time soon. A few days would go by and the media would find the next juicy story to carry and grab TRP. And the countless people and celebrities displaying their anger on social media by tweeting, liking Facebook pages, supporting causes/campaigns etc. would find a new distraction.
Why wait a few days, only one day, just one day after the women MPs made some moving remarks in the parliament regarding the issue, our elected representatives were back to their callous ways. On the floor of the house one of the members snatched a bill from another MP and within minutes a melee ensued. Only one day after such a heinous incident was talked about in the parliament, the MPs couldn't maintain decorum, couldn't maintain a more somber disposition. They had to cause a ruckus.
This is the attitude of our 'elected' representatives. We like to blame the politicians, the police, the system for everything but where the hell have these people come from!! These lawmakers are people that we elected. Those in the police were at some point part of the general populace. They are not a lot different from us as much as we'd like to believe otherwise. I'm paraphrasing George Carlin when I say, "Selfish ignorant people will have selfish ignorant representatives. That's how the system works. Garbage in, garbage out !!".
This is not the first time I've seen these candlelit vigils, not the first time I've seen these campaigns for women's safety. And something tells me that this isn't the last time I'd see these. And I don't blame the politicians, the police or anyone in particular. I squarely blame all of us.
We say that the perpetrators of these crimes have no fear of the law. But do WE fear the law? We don't think twice before we break a traffic rule or bribe a cop/government official to find a way around the system. Men who rape women feel the same. They feel that they'd either bribe their way out of it, or someone high and mighty would come to their rescue, or the incident would go unreported, or even if the case goes to trial it would be take forever to get a verdict.
We say that these criminals don't respect women but do WE? What they do is not a lot different from the 'innocuous' playful teasing that is a common occurrence anywhere in any of our cities. I don't think we're showing women respect when we stare at them on the roads while they're driving. Not showing any respect when we depict them as merely pieces of meat in our movies. Yeah it is crass but true. Almost 99% of our movies are men oriented. When a movie like Matrubhoomi is made its considered non-mainstream. Way to show respect!!
Others say that these criminals consider women inferior to them and hence think they are right in subjugating and abusing them. How different are we when we prefer the boy child to the girl child? The way we raise them. The way we discriminate against the girl child. And I'm also including the educated lot in this. Of course exceptions are there but largely this is what is prevalent.
Folks are saying that women should be taught self-defense and that is a potential solution. Well in our own country, in our own cities, in our own neighborhoods if a woman has to learn self-defense to go out then what a shame it is. We've completely failed them. The politicians, the police, the justice system, the celebrated Indian cinema, the parents. Everyone! You and me!!
