by Natasha L. Kohlhoff Polak

Created on: December 09, 2008

India is in many ways a free country. People do what they want, regardless of the next person. I have seen it all too often. There is no real regard for human life, unless of course you're newsworthy or elite (or both, as the media has shown through their coverage of the latest terrorism in Mumbai). I just came across a news article speaking of the outrage of the poor in India over the media's attention with the latest attacks. No one seemed to care when a bunch of "nobodys" were killed from the 2006 bombings. They were mostly poor, and apparently nothing to trouble the rest of the country about.

That's the kind of thinking that has long been prevalent in India, whether they have been in British rule or handling their own affairs Indian-style. There is so much prejudice there between classes of people, sometimes races, and definitely genders. Women are often abused, mistreated, and forced to marry for reasons other than love. Christians are killed and threatened by Hindus. Police are not quick to respond to domestic issues unless the wealthy are involved. Government officials and authorities have even been known to take bribes for various reasons-usually where there is some breaking of the law. Don't get me started on the postal system there. That's yet another source of frustration, as it is also well known for the postmen to steal parcels and miscellaneous items shipped in envelopes or packages. Some packages never make their destinations, others are received minus items.

Given all those injustices, is it any wonder that India is filled with chaos? They will never understand how to work together as a people to where all can benefit from freedom. Seeing how the county reacted to the Mumbai attacks was embarrassing, highlighting their inability to do their jobs unless it benefits them. My family in another area of India was not even that concerned about what was happening!

I am also saddened by how people do not reach out to each other when in need. My third-cousin who was a young adult at the time lost her life after slipping from the back of her motorcycle and getting run over by a bus. She might have made it, if it weren't for the paramedics who simply did not get to the scene in a timely manner. I'm sure they didn't even care. It would have been a different story if the family were rich.

So, for India to become truly "free", the country needs major overhauling. They need to take a look at the success of other nations in how they do things, if they want to really change. Clinging to old ideas and mindsets has not done anything for them, only made them the brunt of many jokes. While it's true India has now made it to the new century via technology, the mentality is stuck somewhere in the 1890's and mid 1940's. Now maybe they want to be that way because of the surge in population. I guess when you have so many people in a small area, it tends to get harder to appreciate everyone for who and what they are. Still, that's no excuse-look at how large the U.S. is, with so many kinds of people-yet we are able to come together and help out in so many ways when a neighborhood, town, state, or region is in need. What makes the difference? I think it is because we recognize that every single person who has ever brought their families here to make a better life has had to start from the ground up. India really needs to wake up!

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