The effects of flooding in Northern India.
BBC News reports that those who the flood is hitting hardest are the Dalit people of Bihar, India.
After being breifly dipped in the culture of India for several weeks, my perspective on this article is different than it would have been before. Not only from a deeper compassion for its people, but from a widened understanding of how deep the roots of Hinduism go into the culture - including the impact and roots of the caste system. NOTE: I am not an expert by any means!!!
BUT, this section of the article stood out to me. This is an exact quote from the author in a worldwide news publication.
"We have to challenge the system. I know the problem is gigantic. But efforts need to be made. Each one of us has to make a step forward.
Another aid agency working in this area assured me that they tried to treat displaced people equally.
The critical point is that while equality may be an accepted philosophy it can only happen once people also agree in practice to be equals.
Equality means that all people should get food and their rights and dignity are respected.
But flooding and discrimination seem to have taken those rights away."
There is the assumption that all people are equal. If my understanding of Indian history is correct... there is no basis off of which to gather this conclusion. Other than what CS Lewis calls in Mere Christianity, "The Law of Human Nature" which "tells you what human beings ought to do and do not."
Where does this sense of equality come from? For those that have no belief in a God at all, or those that do not believe in the God of Abraham... what is the basis for equality among man?
Photo Credit: BBC
2 more thoughts:
thanks AGAIN for reminding.
That's crazy. Having the knowledge about how India works from its core helps understand this situation for sure, but what I find outrageous is that even in times when there is massive flooding, some Indians could care less if their fellow country men die due to the fact that they are Dalit. Again, the lines all connect due to the knowledge I have but I have to agree with Lewis when he talks about the inner humane morals that he says is prevelant in all humanity...uggggh. I don't know.
One thing is agreed though, we must challenge the system.
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