Signs of US democracy maturing ..

Testing times ahead for America and Americans..

In another 12 hours, Americans would have voted for their President. They would have shown to the world, in spite of all economic, unemployment problems back home, how much they value democracy and its basic tenet of equality. They would have shown to the world, that it is not the colour of the skin of the candidate which would influence their mind and choice, even though many of their ancestors were dumb enough to think and do so.

In a way they are allowing American democracy to mature, even though it is one of the youngest democracies of the world. Amartya Sen in his book, the Argumentative Indian says how India had valued and upheld democratic thinking and actions for centuries and how it had influenced the society and intellectual thinking of other countries for ages..

The American community, who shoved a peace loving Red Indian community deep into the forests and was built from a group of marauders and plunderers from all parts of the world, gathered together to weave a heavy political, social and economic agenda and dream for themselves, treading on the path of the native Americans. These are events which history may well not pardon and forget .. (GIVEN THAT THIS HISTORY IS NOT WRITTEN AND DICTATED BY THE MARAUDERS!!)

In the next twelve hours, many a proud white American ( a product of the mosaic of cultures from across the world..) will be humbled and blown off his feet to realise that Americans have changed not only outwardly, but inwardly in their attitudes. They will no more be called hypocrites..

While they grow, it would be good to realise that they have lot to learn from the vibrant Indian democracy. How India had elevated people from the backward, disadvantadged sections and minorities to the top levels of administration and politics. How in spite of having fascists with imposing majoritarian thinking and ways of influencing thoughts of the majority community, like the RSS and BJP in the society, coexisting with others, Indians irrespective of political lineage and ancestry have voted to bring peace, harmony and prosperity to the millions of its citizens across the length and breadth of the country.

Americans would at the same time be surprised to realise how the minority community PM of the country, Dr Manmohan Singh is taking the country ahead by leaps and bounds in the comity of nations. They would also be ashamed to understand how they missed the bandwagon to bring equality of the masses, not just for wordsake, but through actions, when they realise how far Indians have gone ahead culturally and socially, asserting its civilisational, intellectual and cultural superiority..

In less than sixty years of the birth of the Indian democracy, Indians managed to elevate and bring a person from the minority community to be the President, Giani Zail Singh and from a backward community Dr. K R Narayanan. They also brought a woman Mrs Indira Gandhi as PM and now Dr Manmohan Singh as the most vibrant and respected Indian PM ever ..

Americans can learn a lot from the mature Indian society and people.. If only they showed the openness and cordiality to realise their shortcomings (especially during these times of challenge and economic hardships) and the willingness to take a helping hand from others..

This is not meant to take a dig at Americans, though it may sound so. This is a piece of solid advice !!

Those who have ears let them hear and those who can understand let them do so..

george..