THE STREET-FIGHT: TOLERANCE Vs INTOLERANCE





Pic.: Vivek D'Cunha


 “The test of courage comes when we are in the minority.
Test of tolerance comes when we are in the majority.”
- Ralph W. Sockman

If one statement made by a man – in this case, the man happens to be an acclaimed movie star – ‘The’ Amir Khan – yes, if one public statement made by him about the so-called ‘tolerance’ – can make him an overnight villain, an opportunist, a traitor and so on… If his one statement can make so many of us so restless, so intolerant, then, something is seriously wrong about the way we have been brought up…

In what context Amir Khan said what he did, I do not know. I doubt many around me know, too. But, we are so busy debating and fighting over it, that we have chosen to be enemies over someone’s passing, contextual statement… We have chosen to be puppets in the hands of the Media…

The winner, therefore, is the Media…

The loser is you and me… We the dumb-heads!

Need we react to everything we hear around us… see around us?

I admire Modiji and I admire Amir Khan, both. But, if I admire Modiji more than Amir Khan, then, whatever Amir Khan says not in favor of Modiji, is enough to make me defend Modiji. Likewise, I admire Amitabh Bachcahn and Amir Khan both. But, if I admire Amitabh more than Amir, any criticism by Amir of Amitabh will bring out my loyalty in the open…

While returning from school, we kids would be attracted, quite often, to join the mob watching a street-fight. What makes me still smile when I think of this mob psychology is: each one of us would root for one of the fighters even though we had no clue as to who the fighters were! Yes, even when we watched strangers engaged in a street-fight, we all had our respective favorites!

So, today, when I watch this nationwide street-fight – ‘Tolerance Vs Intolerance’ – trust me, the kid in me comes alive. I have my favorite fighter… and, that makes me jump… scream… even beat my chest.

Just wait for two more days… None of us will remember who said what, when and why?

GERALD D’CUNHA

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