Graphic details ahead. Read with caution.
Most of us watched the video, against the compulsion to look away, in which a man stabbed his wife 25 times. In the Capital of India, in broad daylight, amidst the commotion of Delhi streets, murder was committed in open display. After the initial shock wanes, we ask ourselves, how could even a single person not have the courage, the sense, the intention to help the helpless woman down on the ground. How helpless we all felt watching that video.
Like most of you, I spent time long after the video, thinking what I could have done, what I would. The woman on the ground, the man stabbing her again and again, and me standing a little distance away. Would I have jumped towards the man? Almost immediately my brain says that I would. The people of Delhi are humans like me, right? Did they think they would jump? Did any one person? What if they did and their mind couldn’t muster the courage to do it. What if that is the case, even if we were present at the scene? Would we have the courage to jump in the line of fire, for someone we don’t even know? I know it is hard, but we need to. We need to jump in the line of fire, or whatever evil, to help a person when nobody else is willing to. We need to. At least for the sake of the girl who died today, for the sake of her dreams just as big as the dreams of all those like her, who have lost their lives just for choosing their careers.
Throughout history, there have been phases of extreme cruelty, when the Devil seemed to be winning. Hitler’s Germany for example. But during the same phase, there were those who did unbelievably selfless acts of Heroism. There were, for instance, the few good Germans who helped a jew or two, just by letting them stay hidden in their house. They risked it all, to let a stranger live. After all, the person you are helping is no stranger. Isn’t the person part of The Family? We have one house that is the Earth and everyone alive and breathing is family. Please, tell me how this logic is wrong?
Delhi crimes are known for their brutality, inhuman acts of men. But what about the society which grew and continue to foster such men? The people who stood there today and recorded the event would have shared it, and at best, are going to cry for a few days or weeks, and then done. Back to normal, business as usual, whistle at the next passing girl, massage the male ego, pull down girls when they seem to be going ahead in life, rape them if they don’t come. Fucking pieces of shit, the people who stood and did nothing today are worse, are the reason for the mess. And that one guy who briefly stopped his bike to have a look, and rode away even as the man was stabbing her, is a legendary piece of turd, as worse as they come.
What will I do next? What will you do? Let us make a promise, not to others but to ourselves. A promise that we will let everyone be on their journey in life. We will help them if they need help. We will not interfere with their will. Men, woman, we are all equal. What a man can do, a woman can definitely do. What a woman can do, not all men can. So, men, shut the fuck up, stop talking and stop thinking about being MEN. Start acting like one. Don’t preach about it, be about it. Call and point out the next time you see sexism, the next time you see stupidity, injustice, unfairness, or the very next time you see lies. And women, I can’t even imagine how horrid your hearts must have felt after watching the video today. Nevertheless, rest easy and be on your journey. Do what you love. I want to assure you, that there are good people around you. And the few of us will do anything, everything to bring that equality, that fearlessness, that support, that love and that acceptance that you beautiful ladies deserve. Love you all and wishing better days ahead.
