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Cowardly Services (pt. 2)
by Sudhama Ranganathan
Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2008 at 9:04 PM
uconnharassment@gmail.com
When I was a student at the University of Connecticut I experienced a myriad of racist and prejudiced behavior. It was directed at myself primarily and had to do with post – 9/11 bigotry. Much of it connected to emotional conflicts surrounding patriotism vs. non-patriotism. Aspects of the hostile environment can even be traced to the atmosphere of false patriotism fomented by the now outgoing administration.
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It made me reflect on what being an American meant. I asked myself if our freedoms were only to be kept on a tether the government could reign in any time it desired. If simply by saying it was doing so for our good and waving a flag we would blindly acquiesce without a question, and our response should be “oh well in that case it’s okay.” It made me wonder if the constitution meant anything anymore, or if the idea of America as a beacon of freedom was becoming clever marketing. I wondered if somewhere along the line US freedoms had been surrendered. If one too many amendments had broken the spirit of our constitution and the intent of its architects.
Many of the people involved in harassing me were goaded into it by certain others playing on the belief that if they participated they would be doing something good for their country. Others were bullied into it with threats of negative consequences were they to abstain. The harassment ranged from subtle to overtly physical, but remained constant throughout my time in college.
As I look back on those years I ask myself many questions including what such a corrosive mentality could do to a country so steeped in traditions of liberty as ours. It seems to me a slippery slope leading to mob rule, lawlessness and the paving stones for dictatorship. German “Brownshirts” and similar thugs who hide behind limited views of what it means to live in a nation of many are what come to mind.
Such people believe their views alone are right and anyone who challenges them is less than a member of the society they share. Often believing their views make them superior to those who differ with them they can be dangerous in positions of power.
An example, other than pre- World War 2 Germany, can be found in Zimbabwe. In 1980 the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association was formed with the best of intentions - as a way to ensure all who fought for the revolution during the 1970’s were looked after. It was a non-political party to begin with, but in the 90’s that changed.
Members of the ZNLWVA began receiving compensation from the government and in turn traded favors in support of the ruling party. They were at the forefront of many election campaigns, but began displaying a more menacing side. The “veterans” became known for intimidating and threatening anyone in opposition to the ruling regime. These actions were carried out with the ruling party pulling the strings from the shadows.
This eventually escalated at the turn of this century when voters rejected President Robert Mugabe’s attempts to legalize the forced redistribution among poor blacks of farmland owned by whites. After the defeat Mugabe tacitly approved the ZNLWVA ransacking the landowner’s properties and forcing them off their land. In the ensuing violence many farm owners lost their livelihoods, were maimed and even killed. This came about in part because the veterans had the misguided belief they were doing something good for their country.
It’s a far cry from what happened to me, but the underlying spark is similar to the wanton misuse of patriotism and “protection of freedoms” I experienced while at UCONN. In fact many instances like the one which happened to me occurred all across the nation after 9/11. One Muslim high school student was harassed so badly she ended up having a severe stroke. People even lost their lives.
As we enter a new year and a new era of presidential leadership let’s hope the next time we’re attacked we act with more patriotism towards our own. Be they of what ever ancestry, religion or ethnic background we never forget what can happen when humans go too far under the deluded belief they are being patriotic. Many of the worst crimes in history were committed from behind the protection of a flag to conceal the virus behind those actions.
To read about my experience at UCONN go to www.lawsuitagainstuconn.com.
www.lawsuitagainstuconn.com
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