Man is the same as animal. Alas we seem to have forgotten this. Just because we have built skyscrapers and cars for ourselves, we love harping on our intellectual prowess, smug in the belief that we are superior to animals and therefore must behave differently. Which is surprising because the more I look at people, the more convinced I am that we are no different. In fact we are poorer off because animals might be happier than most of us despite not possessing the so called "intellectual superiority". But thats a different debate better saved for another day.
I haven't been following the 'Delhi Rape Case' with the keenness of news mongers who wouldn't drink their daily tea without indulging in graphic discussions on the event and its aftermath. But being connected to social networks, I have bit by bit, come to know the details of the event that transpired and its protraction thereof. Nothing unusual here. The same old Media, feminists and sections of society who have used it to gain mileage.
The event was most unfortunate and raises several questions. The same questions that get raised multiple times daily and the same questions which we don't seem to have an answer to. For most of us, there seems to be an overwhelming agreement on many sides to the argument including capital punishment and "phallic mutilation" if the crime is this heinous. Yet there are other things I find hard to digest. For one, sensationalisation of the event and making it into "bread & butter". Think about it. One one hand we rue the fact that the girl wont be able to live a normal life. On the other we participate in "reliving/reiterating" the mishap or asking her to show wounds to the media and flashing it across the globe.
How do you think a girl would be able to live a normal life if her story, every gory aspect of it, has been etched in media for posterity and her misfortune become 'talk of the town' ? She'll go downstairs to fetch vegetables and someone would whisper "isnt this the girl who was...?" and another will reply "come I'll show you the photos...?" Is this how we want to treat her ? Are we so short of stories in our own lives that we must copy-paste as our statuses whatever media throws at us every now and then ?. Not once but ten times in the name of supporting justice ! Instead of exemplifying the perpetrators, we have ended up exemplifying the victim.
What is more horrific is the slew of statements flashed by overboard protestors - "Even if I walk naked on the street, you don't have the right to rape me". Statements that are more defiant than anything else and show a very poor understanding of the subject. When a Man succumbs to his baser instincts to commit a crime like rape, he is not different from an animal acting out his primeval instincts. And he should be treated similarly. With animals there are no such thing as "RIGHTS" or "rational behavior". So the statement almost sounds the same as "Even if I walk naked in the jungle, tiger doesn't have the 'right' to eat me" !! Ridiculously humorous, isnt it ? Tigers won't worry about "RIGHTS". They would just kill and eat. It is unto victims to display their "innate sense of rationale", that they are so fond of harping about, and keep out of the way. I fear this kinda 'activist over enthusiasm' in exercising freedom of Rights leads to nothing but more and more victims.
And about girls who want to walk naked expecting not to be raped, I'll only say this - In a country where many are fighting for "the Right to Live", not many might be worried about upholding "the Right not to get Raped". Unfortunately we don't live in an utopian World where Tigers would seek permission from preys prior to devouring them or Men would rape after obtaining approval from victim. And until such time as we do, I feel we should show a bit of our "intellect" and steer clear of 'animals' out to 'hurt' us.
Do I sound I pedagogical ? Apologies if I do. My only intention is to dissuade advocatists from trying to persuade me to join their "cause". I dont believe in going into a jungle expecting the Tiger not to eat me. And no amount of convincing will make me believe that !!
