Here's my two cents for what they are worth...During 2009 and 2010, almost all national dailies carried reports of racial violence against Indians in Australia. Protest marches and demonstrations were held in both countries condemning all acts of racism and seeking action against those guilty for the crimes. Student enrollments from India to Australian Universities dropped by about 46 percent. Concerns were raised by Indian politicians regarding the safety of Indians in the Australian continent, the Indian media was accused for hysterical reporting and Australian authorities were blamed for not doing enough.There is no smoke without fire. However, people like to believe far too much.While racial discrimination is a sad reality, it is not limited to one country or targeted towards people of a certain origin or nationality. And just because the perpetrator committing the crime belongs to a different race than that of the victim, the crime does not necessarily become one motivated by racial hatred. Crimes whether committed for passion, greed or racial hatred are by their nature crimes which have to be dealt with strongly by the law. Where law and order does not prevail, crime does. And ever so oven, crime is a coward seeking its most vulnerable prey.Racial attacks, though more unfortunate, are much easier to prove and bring to justice than racial discrimination which has firmly asserted itself in almost all walks of life. Administered in various degrees of subtlety, it leaves little evidence of the crime committed. And then, there are those who like to take advantage and cry foul without cause.Sadly, they get away with it too. While we all hope for a society built on peace, there are, amongst us, some who will want to disrupt it for their own selfish gains. Racism, either in its subtle form of racial discrimination or in its heinous and violent avatar of racial attacks, is a crime against humanity. Men and women in power can help to combat it, by formulating strict laws and ensuring that justice is carried through. But the onus of fighting against racism rests amongst us.We, as people, must fight racism together. As a society and as an individual. From the outside and the inside. By being more tolerant of ideas we have not grown up with. By willing to change. By being the change.
