Monday, March 3, 2008

Discrimination in America V. Discrimination in Pakistan

There hasn’t been an AVP for quite a while. So I decided to start things up with a touchy social issue, discrimination. America gets a lot of attention regarding social prejudices. The historical conflict between whites and black is well publicized also whenever a new batch of immigrants arrives they have to go through a ritual hazing before being accepted (e.g. Irish, Asians, Muslims etc.).

Discrimination also takes place in Pakistan but it isn’t as pronounced. There is an unwritten rule that rich and poor; males and females; the educated and uneducated follow. Poor people don’t go to fancy places and stick to stores and restaurants that cater to there budgets. Should they show up to an establishment that is clearly out of their means they will be asked what business they have here. If they can’t come up with a legitimate excuse they will be asked to leave.

Similarly when an educated person makes a mistake he’s just having a bad day. When an uneducated person makes the same mistake he’s an idiot. Females tend to be viewed as innocent creatures and aren’t capable of wrong doings. Males on the other hand are always running a scam, that’s why they won’t take back goods you purchased at their stores no matter that you can prove they are defective. And if you are leaving early from work you are obviously a slacker and are up to no good a girl on the other hand has to reach home before it gets dark.

As with any social prejudice they are completely ridiculous and sensible people don’t abide by them. Judging someone just by his or her looks usually backfires with the person passing judgment ending up looking like a fool.

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