A tale rarely told: The purest Aryans
Notwithstanding my admiration for the Circassian culture and traditions, I am not blind to many of the flaws that distort the beauty of this civilization. Some may have harbored the illusion that I am in favor of anything Adiga, or perhaps that I aim to portray a polished image of the people because they are my kinsfolk, the people who thought as such would readily see the mistake they have made.
Having grown in a multi-cultural community, and having known a decent number of Adiga individuals, I have been faced with an ugly face of reality; racism. I am not about to pass a generic judgment over an entire race that contributed to my existence, but I speak from personal experience when I state that some Adiga individuals are racist. This may come as a stun to you, but if I were fond of using the word victim I would probably attribute it to myself and add of racism. I am not for victimizing myself, however, and thus the usage of the term does not appeal to me.
I would like to shed some light as to why some Circassians are racist. To start with a bit of a logical observation, if unattended with scientific evidence as yet, I think it is because Circassians were persecuted out of their native lands into a fresh environment in which they were, and still are, a minority. This sort of history put in mind could help observers understand the circumstances, always rejected but subject to study, behind racism.
This sentiment of a whole nation of being small in a yet larger society would make this community a somewhat closed one. Fear of losing heritage or letting language and customs slip by could also contribute to a sentiment of loss thrust upon this mind of the people, to which the people may react in a debatable fashion by imagining that they are better, and definitely better off without merging with their hosting community.
Looking different, I am sure, also helped form this belief that some have of being superior to their Arab neighbours. Circassians have a distinctive appearance that is mostly easy to recognize from that of Arabs. Another interesting bit of the why behind this racism, as I have come to learn, traces its roots to geography. Circassians used to live in a most beautiful environment of greenery, snow-topped mountains and abundance of water, and were transferred to a completely different atmosphere. Amman, the capital of Jordan, was when the Circassians came but a humble village with very little water and marginal greenery compared to that of the Caucasus.
One of the most disturbing, but altogether amusing, stories told about the Caucasus, the homeland of Circassians, is that which has it that when god created mankind he divided earth between the different races. He left the final piece of land, the Caucasus, for himself. But when he saw that the Circassians were left with no piece of land, he gave them his share. This is a story thrown back and forth on some Adiga tongues, and it ascertains their so-called superiority.
There is another fable about Hitler visiting the Caucasus and hailing the Circassian people as the purest Aryans. Some youth actually find pride in telling this story, and they draw the swastika to express their outward support for what could be called neo-nazi influences. I have no record of the authenticity of either one of these tales, I narrate them here because I have seen a number of Circassian youth recite them and make them their bible, from which they derive authority to regard others as inferior beings.
I bore witness to a number of incidents where I tasted the bitter flavour of racism practiced by some Adiga people, despite the fact that the blood that runs through my veins is in fact, if I want to divide it into two quantities, half Adiga. I do not wish to recount the details of the situations I found myself in because they do not add to the soul of this entry, but I do want to state that racism is blind. It is inexcusable, that we pretend to know, but I find it utterly blind.
I do not think the people who believe in racism fully realize what they are in favor of; I frankly think they are misguided. This is why I refuse to retaliate and be regarded as an extra misguided person, I would like to believe I know better than to pull a tooth for my own, or turn the other cheek.
A last appeal is due to all my Adiga relatives and readers, I did not post this entry to attack a culture I find most rich. I would like people to understand that this post springs forth from personal experience, and does not go so far as to condemn a whole people for the actions of some. Most Adiga people that I know have the warmest hearts and a unique heritage to share with the world, this is precisely why marginal defects present within a small group of individuals should be mended lest they harm the bigger, and more tolerant, image of the rest.
The Ethics of Ethnic Profiling
Here’s a secret: ethnic profiling is actually not always a bad thing when done right and sensibly. But it usually isn’t, and that’s why it is a problem. Mostly it is done out of ignorance, and carried out in a manner that reeks of bigotry.
But technically, ethnic profiling has a certain neutral logic. If you are looking for a criminal and the criminal is likely to be found among a certain ethnic or other group that is relatively conspicuous in the population, it is only rational that such a person will be the focus of interest.
But if it is done, it should be practiced openly.
“Excuse me, sir, but persons of Near Eastern background like yourself are entering the country for purposes of inflicting severe harm, so we ask if you could come inside and answer a few questions and indulge us in a little extra rigorous search of your shoes before boarding the aircraft.”
“Excuse me, sir, but African-Americans driving cross country are often found transporting illegal narcotics, so we followed you until you did something wrong so we could pull you over.”
“Excuse me, ma’am, but African-Americans cause a disproportionate number of crimes, so our mall security guard will watch you closely.”
Now some or all of the above will offend. Some or all perhaps really should offend deeply, but the openness will set up a debate on the wisdom and parameters of the ethics of ethnic profiling and the injuries it is supposed to protect us from.
More important to consider, though, is the real reason that ethnic profiling is a problem:
Nobody likes to be made to feel as if they are untrustworthy in the community. That makes one feel as if one is an object of public contempt, a freak as it were, a reject — a horrible place to be in. And the even deeper truth is that groups that tend to get profiled are groups already held in an irrational and bigoted contempt.
A true story: An Irish-American I know once got “profiled” many years back as a suspect airline traveler in Britain. Britain had been having problems with Irish terrorists, interrelated with a strong history of British anti-Irish bigotry. My friend, however, was more amused than upset. Why? Because here in America, he did not grow up with a feeling that being tribally Irish made him a natural-born suspect and social oddity, and therefore he lacked the well-honed chip on the shoulder to get angry.
But imagine the uproar to announcements like these:
** “All corporate personnel of Hispanic origin, please report to the personnel office as reports of employee Immigration fraud are rampant.”
** “All corporate personnel of Irish origin, please report to the Alcohol Abuse Center, as we have renewed concern of employee substance abuse.”
** “All corporate personnel of Jewish origin, please report to the accounting office as we have discovered financial irregularities.”
** “All corporate personnel of Gypsy/Roma origin, please report to the Security Officer as there has been a rash of theft.”
** “All corporate personnel of African-American origin, please report to the personnel office for counseling on sexual harassment and assault.”
Now add to that:
** “All corporate personnel of Arab origin, please report to the Terrorism Investigation officer.”
Would that include Jacques Nasser, CEO of Ford (until recently)? Would Casey Kasem (born Kamal Amin Kassem) have to pass an extra metal detector at American Top Forty? Would most of the Board of Directors of St Jude Children’s Hospital aka American Syrian-Lebanese Associated Charities have to be strip-searched before visiting cancer-afflicted kids?
(I would, however, gladly personally frisk actress Shannon Elizabeth, whose ancestors are Arab.)
We should in fact recognize that in the particular case of Arab or Muslim profiling, the reason for the resentment derives primarily from the reasons the corporate announcements I made up above would be found offensive. Arabs and Muslims have long been portrayed in the media merely as terrorists, in a deeply offensive, bigoted, and distorted manner, and the association brings up knee-jerk feelings of resentment.
But the extremes do not provide the answer. Hard cases make bad law. Hard reality makes bad principle. The fact is, if one physically looks like a suspect, and the resemblance is based on a rare characteristic in the society, like a rare ethnicity, or an odd religious sect, or a limp, or having one-arm, it is only logical to expect focus. It will happen no matter how officially banned it is. The basis for the focus may be greatly bigoted in origin, but it is inevitable in times of stress and when enforcers are enforcers of rigor.
So instead of totally ruling ethnic profiling out in all contexts, it may be wiser for now to reverse course and insist that it be done openly but apologetically, in order to best arrive at how it is to be done, if it should at at all.
Matthew Hogan