Discriminate not

I

 

I saw this hoarding on Nungambakkam High road (Uttamar Gandhi Road if you please) and I just couldn’t resist taking a picture. If you can read it with a little more effort it says how 3 letters can cause us to discriminate. It was a beautiful message against AIDS on AIDS awareness day. Kudos to the creative team of the responsible ad agency for such a superb effort. (Apart from Sharad Haskar's work this is one hoarding I don’t mind seeing again and again)

But when I think about the hoarding and the message it has a lesson for all. Often seemingly insignificant things make us all discriminate among our brethren. I have done and so I do feel a little guilt. Forget caste, colour, creed, social status, sex etc, sometimes ability and egos can cause us to discriminate and often look down on others. My ability to do something better than others has caused me to look down and discriminate against those who cannot do likewise.

Age has mellowed me and now I think twice before I do anything like that. I guess we mature with age and experience and I’m thankful to both. I know that just because someone has AIDS does not make him / her any less a person from the others. And I have friends from all races, cultures, castes (its deplorable the term still exists) and I value each one of them for what they are and not for what tags they carry. If we must discriminate, we can: against those parasites who still keep the fires of discrimination alive for personal greed be it caste, creed, race etc.

I regret my past for my indiscretions where ego more than anything else made me discriminate
against my brethren on few instances and hope that I may never discriminate from another again.