Monday, July 29, 2013

Pakistani Driver in NZ faces Racist Passenger

What this Pakistani taxi driver faced is worth publicising.

Not to show the passenger up as a stupid racist and an obnoxious bigot. That is obvious. But for other reasons.

People band together for various reasons - the colour of their skin, the language they speak or the accent they speak it with, the clothes they wear, what they eat or the customs or religion they practice. Anyone who looks or behaves different, especially if they are in the minority, finds it difficult to blend in. To that extent racism exists everywhere and within many of us.

Unfortunately, some folks show their prejudice and suspicion of the hateful "others" in the manner of this passenger. That's when the law keeps everyone safe. Let's be honest. We face racist slurs in India and Pakistan too - with depressing regularity. At the same time we know that not everyone in these countries is prejudiced. It is the same over here, in New Zealand.

Have a look at the comments after the Youtube video. About forty percent are for and sixty against the passenger's racist words.

What's commendable is the way the Pakistani driver keeps his cool however hard the passenger tries to get a rise out of him. What worries me is that anyone with a racist attitude, if he is fitter than the passenger in this taxi, could easily let fly his fists along with his racist slurs.

What I'd like New Zealand to discuss is - what do we do to prevent injury to a driver? Putting up the video camera in all taxis is a good idea. But more needs to be done to keep a taxi driver - in fact both, the driver and passenger - safe from the few rotten eggs that are around.

The official tone taken is that of censure to the passenger. I hope this passenger doesn't get away with a mere rap on his knuckles. He says he is sorry - that he was drunk - probably to escape punishment. Perhaps it would be fitting for him to do some community work within the community he despises so much and pay the driver for a day's worth of business apart from whatever else the NZ courts want to fine him.

Here's the video.



15 comments:

  1. agree KayEm----wonder when the human race will get rid of this sick mentality of theirs

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    1. I can guarantee, Rajni, that racists will always exist. It is what the rest of us say and do, as also, the degree to which the courts uphold the law, that might make a difference.

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  2. A similar racial attack took place in Northern Territory - Australia. The taxi driver was injured so badly that he had to be hospitalized. Thankfully the couple who attacked him are serving a six month sentence in prison.

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    1. Poor chap. Hope he is better and as for the couple who attacked him, their attitude mightn't change but hope they remember the consequences and stop short of getting physical again. (That was quite a post, Purba - enjoyed it thoroughly:)

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  3. Sad. Inhuman and totally barbarous.When will this end?

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    1. Sadly Pattu, never. He's passed his judgement - all Islamists are bad. But if he stopped to think he'd know it is like saying all his kind are good and he'd realise for himself how laughable that really is.

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  4. Damn. I sometimes wonder how can people even think of treating fellow humans in such way.

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    1. Deep down it is fear. He talks of his not wanting "your Muslim bullshit here." He thinks every Muslim has lack of respect for life and women. He is unable to suss out that there are Muslims and there are Muslims. Yet, at the same time, he readily accepts that there are as many opinions amongst his own kind as there are individuals. He's like a million others in every community.

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  5. Racism will always exist yes KayEm for there will always be pathetic people who find nothing to respect in themselves other than who they have been born as and seek to see in the others the inferior or the demonic. And, yes, it is how active people in Society will be when they see this happen and how swiftly and effectively the law acts against this that will keep racism under check.

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    1. Give them time, CS. We, in the cities of India, have had centuries of living with different communities right from childhood and yet we come across scores of bigots. It is relatively new in the west. But yes, we have to be on guard that this kind of abuse doesn't turn physical.

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  6. An error prevented me from seeing the clip.

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    1. Sorry to hear that, Indu. I tried watching again and could see it.

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  7. An amazing video I saw on Ted about a group of Israelis and Arabs who've been volunteering together to save lives - their message has spread throughout the world and is coming to India too. http://blog.ted.com/2013/07/30/befriending-foes-3-talks-on-setting-aside-traditional-hostilities/

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  8. People still band together, thats the nicest thing... India is such a pot pourri, and yet there are so many fabulous images, and may I say fabulous bloggers.... :))) loved this

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    1. I find that the majority, anywhere in the world, are easy going, friendly and tolerant of differences. The few who aren't are vocal when they feel they are in the majority :). Thanks, id.

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