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Terrorism Backlash Hurts Indians, Too! By- Melvin Durai Melvin Durai is an Indiana-based writer and humorist. Born in Tamil Nadu, India, he grew up in Zambia and moved to the U.S. in the early 1980s. In 1995, while working as a reporter for a daily newspaper in Chambersburg, Pa., he began writing a regular humor column. His weekly column now appears in several newspapers and on a number of Web sites. He also writes a twice-monthly column on Indian and Indian-American issues. He is a diehard fan of the National Football League and also likes to run, lift weights and play soccer, tennis and pool. An award-winning feature writer and aspiring novelist, he plans to publish a collection of his best columns. You can write to him at comments@melvindurai.com To read his older columns, go to http://www.melvindurai.com

A day after the horrendous terrorist attacks on America, a fellow humorist sent me this message: "I just wanted to say I sincerely hope you and your family are not subjected to any of the harassment that typically follows an act of terrorism like we witnessed yesterday. As much as we pride ourselves on the civility and brotherly concern of most Americans, there are always a few who tarnish that image by lashing out at anyone handy, especially if their religion, nationality, or skin color, makes them stand out in a crowd."

In my optimism, I brushed aside the warning, thinking, "Why would anyone harass me? I'm a harmless guy, not a terrorist. I'm not capable of hijacking a plane. I can't even hijack a bicycle. I'd be the most incompetent terrorist in the world, considering I had trouble firing the only gun I ever owned --
a water pistol."

I assumed that any backlash would be directed, unfairly, at Arabs and Muslims, partly because the government had cast its suspicions on the Afghanistan-based Osama bin Laden, president and chief executive officer of the World Terrorist Network.

Angry man: "They say that Osama bin Laden was responsible for this tragedy. Let's get all the Arabs and Muslims. Teach them a lesson they'll never forget."

Friend: "Why? Are they all working together? Did they all get together one night and plan this? Did they all hijack Boeing 767s to come to America? If that's the case, airport security must be really bad!"

Angry man: "Don't ask so many questions, man. Questions force me to think and thinking hurts my head. Do you want me to spend my entire paycheck on aspirin again?"

In my optimism, I failed to realize that South Asians as a whole -- whether or not we're Muslims, whether or not we look like Arabs -- are vulnerable to misplaced anger, merely because of our appearance. When enraged people want to lash out at immigrants or foreigners, they don't stop to ask for passports.

Angry man: "You're from India? Where's that? In the Middle East?"

Petrified Indian: "No, no, no. India is very, very far from the Middle East. And I am from the state of Tamil Nadu, which is deliberately located as far as possible from the Middle East."

Angry man: "Do you know Osama bin Laden?"

Petrified Indian: "Osama? Not at all. I know a Sharma, but not Osama."

In my optimism, I didn't anticipate that more than a handful of Indians would be harassed, even beaten, in the wake of the terrorist attacks. I didn't realize that Sikh men would be just as vulnerable as Muslims, because their beards and turbans, to the untrained eye, seem Arabic.

Angry man: "Hey! You're wearing something on your head. Just like Osama bin Laden. Where are you from? Afghanistan?"

Sikh man: "New York."

Angry man: "No, where are you really from?'

Sikh man: "New York. I was born here. Even my parents were born here."

Angry man: "Do you know Osama bin Laden?"

Sikh man: "Yes, I met him last week, when he visited New York. I invited him home for dinner. He really enjoyed the spicy basmati rice. And after dinner, he gave me flying lessons."

In my optimism, I failed to remember that irrational thinking and intolerance can occur everywhere, even in America. I failed to remember that in every country minorities are vulnerable.

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