Have you ever talked to a friend who is convinced that a certain religion or race is being more important than the others?
Or for some it's not race, it's nationalism. The World War II will always be a reminder to us of what happened when one think of its own "race or people or whatever vocabulary you could think of to categorize a certain group of people" - Hitler, the villain of the "World War II" story as we know it today, believed that the Germans were members of a superior race that he called "Aryan", and somehow, German is supposed to rule over the world.
But as we all knew it, the man famous for his toothbrush moustache, ended up by committing suicide in April 1945 in Berlin.
In recent events, Malaysians have attacked one of its mainstream media, The Star, for apparently putting a misleading front page story, which linked a front cover story, "Malaysian terrorist leader" with the start of the Ramadan season.
First of all, I think that the layout was badly made, which I think The Star has publicly apologize for it as well, but what's even more amazing is how no one really talk about what's even more important, that there is apparently a "Malaysian terrorist leader".
THE IMPORTANT STORIES BRUSHED ASIDE
What is even more important to a society, that there is a leader of the Islamic State's (IS) offshoot in the southern Philippines Marawi City, and apparently, a lecturer-turned-militant...but nobody really cares because everyone is offended because their religion is somehow being misled to link with terrorists. Take note that The Star has also make mistakes in other religion issues, linked to Hindus, if I remembered correctly. The point is: an error is an error, but for the country's Home Ministry to summon the chief editor for such issues and linked it with sedition, it's far-fetched.
Malaysia is not alone
Malaysia is not alone in this....in the US and many other developed countries or Indonesia (remember Ahok?), you could read so much of the White against the Blacks sort of comments, the transgender against the non-transgender, or the gay/lesbian against the homophobic group, each defending their own category of people...why?
Because somehow, deep down inside, we think we are better and more important than the others...that somehow, our opinions are more valuable, our celebrations deserve more attention, our religion or race are of the higher class/status.
I think it's not racist as in being racist itself, but I think at the core of it, when we think somehow we are better and more important, or the words that Hitler used, superior, or master, that's when all these fights are all about.
What's wrong with a gay couple entering into the church when it's supposed to be for the sinners? What's wrong for a non-transgender person to feel threaten in terms of safety when a transgender wants to use the toilet that's not of his/her original sex? With the amount of rape cases and how it could easily be manipulated, there's every reason for a non-transgender to feel threaten, it probably has very little to do with discrimination.
Similarly, when someone entered into a Malay kampung and see a lot of motorists without helmet, is it wrong to feel insecure and concern about a possible "Mat Rempit" emergence? And when someone in a negotiation with a Chinese business man who appears not to reveal too many of the details (appears sneaky as well), to feel that it's possible a conman or a businessman who wants to reap a big profit out of you.
My point is: perception is made and it doesn't mean you are racist or biased. It could simply be how the circumstances/surroundings are affecting you.
The discrimination of the majority or the minority...depending on which side you are in, I think all of that has been far-fetched. If we stopped thinking of us as being better or more important than others, I really think we will feel less offended.
When I go to a shopping mall in slippers and short pans with a pasar malam t-shirt, I can understand why the salesman did not spend too much telling me about the thousand ringgits watches or clothes? It has not much to do with discrimination.
How many of you have never judge someone from appearance? If you stopped thinking of yourself as superior, it's far less likely to be offended.
Purely the view and thoughts of someone in a small part of this world...
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