Life IS Black and White.

History has been made, and this time it isn't vibrant; instead it's monochrome.
For the first time in history Barack Hussein Obama, a black by race, has been elected as a president of the most powerful country in the world. He has surpassed the conventions of society and expectations of critics. He's come out unanimous and inviolable winner in US elections 2009.

Yet; no matter how his victory may be limned as a triumph of humanity over race and color; I strongly disagree. From where I stand it's a joke in face of "racial discrimination". And before I go on elaborating my point; let me explain what is racial discrimination or racism.

Racism/Racial Discrimination: The prejudice that members of one race are intrinsically superior to members of other races OR Discriminatory behavior towards members of another race.

One thing that must be noticed is that it doesn't say anywhere in it's definition word "Majority". It doesn't say that racial discrimination is so; only if an individual belonging to majority does it. It isn't liable to ONLY incriminate or inculpate a person from a larger clan.

Over all these years fuss has been made and issues has been raised that blacks have been treated unfairly and as an unprivileged minority. Without digressing too much I would very willfully accept that it is truth in it's entirety and there is nothing to question to this argument.

But while decrees are being laid down to keep a check on behavior of "white/colored people" to ensure everyone has a fair-share of world/society; are we ensuring that it's not a issue between majority and minority? Are there any steps being taken in ensuring that enforcement is mutual?

Take the outline of elections' statistics:

• 45% of white people in united states voted for Barack Obama!
  
• 95% of blacks voted for barack obama.
  

What does it tell you? I think there are at least 45% "white" people who are not bounded by limited thinking of creed and color. However there are ONLY 5% of black people who fall in same group. Considering that blacks are minority; we must realize that 5% given in point 2 is exponentially less than 45% in stat-1.

So what do we see here? A pattern which shows reverse racial discrimination. Some people may try to justify it as a requisite grouping for a minority to survive; it still is what it is. While we protect the hunted we must also ensure that hunter doesn't become the hunted in the cycle. Obama's win is not a win over petty idea of racism; instead it's just that; petty-racism. Only change that has happened this time is that effects have reversed.

While we must fight and stand up for our rights; our reasoning and thinking should not get so convoluted as to pretermit the "right and wrong". If we want to be a truly diverse society without any internal differences; we must identify the coarse soul that lies underneath each of us. Instead of relying on our prejudice and sympathy for self; we must learn to accept and appreciate the difference that a soul is born with.

A leader doesn't have a color. A nation doesn't have a color. And rejoicing about electing a BLACK president doesn't symbolize a win of humanity over social iniquities; instead it just exemplifies the fact that "We are Still thinking about it". We would reach the pinnacle of Immunity from the evil of racism when a president is selected and headlines cite his color not as a triumph; but as a fact. Because for now, somewhere still we believe in an unvisited corner of our heart that "world IS black and white".

Rahu Ketu and Me.

Standing on a highway stop I wondered if air conditioning in bus was my biggest problem. It was a chilling dusk time and I wrapped myself up in my arms; since I had failed miserably in gauging the need for an extra sheet to cover myself up during journey. While I was still doing OK; I was worried about the endurance and audacity that I would need to survive the night right under the chilling blower; once I boarded back the bus. Unfortunate as it was; the air conditioning blower was broken right above my head and with it's magnificently contrived efficiency it planned to send a gush of spine chilling cold air right on my head relentlessly. And I could not stop it.

Rumination around chilling night ahead was broken off by my ringing cell phone. My mom was on the line with a note of sheer urgency in her voice. It was "Rahu" and "Ketu" this time. And while she filled me in with details of this new come vexing problem; I think I heard my inner self resonate in my head "Oh! Not again!"

While my mom is an ardent believer and follower of Indian astrology; I am ready to challenge the notions and idealogy any time. All these years I have always fallen in line with whimsical request made by my mom to don the glittering gems on finger and neck (even though it has questioned my masculanity yet again and again). The worst part is not only they come for a fortune they leave a sore abrasion on skin. I simple hate the idea.

And I don't know if it was actually my absent mindedness or if it was my loathsome attitude; but I managed to loose all of them at one point of time or another until I was devoid of any. And having done that deed my rapture of delight was immense.

Anyway; with the latest development it seemed that she had given my astrological documents into very capable hands this time and as my fate would have it; the result of analysis were not very pretty. It said that I am going to be defamed with an absolute malicious intent for stealing something or for having done something gravely wrong. I suggested "stealing heart of some girls" was one theory which would fit in without any dreadful consequences; she snorted repeatedly to indicate that timing of my joke was not in line with her perspective. And the whole reason why this was going to happen was because ominous "Rahu" and "Ketu" were kind enough to give me a visit in one of my houses. (Well by house I mean astrological house, as term houses could just end you up in delusions of my financial standing. Which is yet one another thing I'll find a blog to gripe about )

So when I got some time today morning; I got up and opened up Wikipedia to uncover the theories and mythological scriptures behind their existence. Here is something little that I found.
Another reference to some layman literature would be this.

Well whatever said and done; it seems like that:

• First of all they are not someone we would be expected to regard very highly. As they possess daemon characteristics.
  
• They are bunch/pair of half dead guys who are not sure what they want in life. The online text claims dead half is happy and virtuous while the alive half is lucky head; which was sawed off from body at the prime moment of his life. What ironical luck!
  
• They are usually more concerned about eating up Moon and Sun causing eclipse; which sounds really funny; because I have been wondering if thats what they live for; what would their routine life be like?
  

Apart from those musing here are some questions that anarchically popped up in my head.

• Why does bad guys/entities get a ugly depiction in mythology. This whole convention has gotten the society coming up with wrong notions about physical appearance. I agree; that often bad guys may get beauteous avatars in mythology; but a divine character is always has a radiating physique and built? I wonder if that was true; why did they ever said "Everything that glitters is not gold".
  
• Is destiny and fate merely options for those who are too lax to define their own life or it's something that has been thrusted on everyone's life?
  
• In situations where the beliefs of a loved one do not adhere to reality and science do we defy them and move ahead or we just fall in line; for the sake of their happiness? In prime of life; it would not be an option to alter the beliefs until and unless a person is open to it.
  

That ominous day when the news was broken to me on my journey back; rest of my travel was spent in formulating theories; hypothesizing situations and rejecting notions which are often held by elderly who refuse to move along in time. Well; I haven't taken a decision as yet as to whether I'll once again give in to my mother's recurring pleas and get a set of expensive crap bound to my finger again for her content or I'll walk the other way this time.

Probably somewhere inside I am scared that with all these years of molding in an environment like this; it won't be far when I'll stop challenging these theories myself if I do this now. But one thing I am sure of that if life is screwed up RIGHT now then it's not because some half dead immortal zombies have devoted enough time and resources on me to make it miserable; instead a more plausible explanation is that I am letting things go out of control more often that I usually do.

Worst come; I'll attribute it to the mid-20 crises but as long as I am not dead; Rahu and Ketu can kiss the chariots they ride on and stay happy; because I don't think they control my life. That is my job and THAT I can do well.

Hey but I gotta admit; Rahu-Ketu did solve my air conditioning problem; as that was least of my problems for rest of the journey!!