While initially a proponent on GoaNet of bringing the subject of caste and the
skeletons of casteeism out of our closetsl I am wondering if this thread will
ever end. I dont mean to make light of the subject. To those who were
impacted by casteeism, the subject I am sure is extremely painful. But there
must come a time when we have to put the past behind.and bury those skeletons.
My generation,(I am in my late sixties) was not as impacted by casteeism.
Or perhaps it was just me, because I was born and grew up in East Africa. I
only remember that Goans who belonged to the Tailoring profession, were looked
down upon and were not allowed to become members of the Goan Institute in Dar
es Salaam in th 1940s and 1950s. I dont know if this was a caste issue or
whether Goans who were predominantly clerks in Government service and Banks,
looked down on those of the tailoring profession who at the time were not as
economically well off.. Thankfully, that era has long since passed.
Many Goanetters have bitter memories of caste bigotry. Having lived in Goa
for the past 6 years I have not heard about caste problems, at least among
Catholics. I prefer to think that
education is a great levellerl and that we have progressed to the point where
a person's character, integrity, intellect, education and economic success are
better indicators of one's status in society.
Most of us have been the victims of racial discriminataion in our lives,
especially those of us who lived under colonial rule. And similarly with
casteeism. Most of us have put that behind us and moved ahead. If we dont, we
will have the attitude that some communities continue to have that says "woe be
on me, because my ancestors were slaves and we are discriminated against".
We need to overcome this state of mind, shed the baggage of the past and move
on. Or else, of our own choosing we carry the chains of the past in our minds,
and will never advance. Can we now put the subject of caste to rest ?
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