Throughout my teaching career, Harper Lee's novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, was compulsory reading in my writing classes. In the book, the town's people of Maycom misjudge African-Americans treating them like trash. In fact, some characters in the novel regarded African-Americans as just filthy beings.
In this beautifully written novel, Lee espouses how one's ethnicity and appearance change the opinions of a person about another character, without knowing his/her personality and beliefs. To Kill a Mockingbird is a story filled with references of racial prejudice and injustice. As we know, the southern states of America was never a bastion for racial equality and some showed the last vestiges of bigotry. In fact, if you have read the novel, you can see how Harper Lee does a great job demonstrating the effects of racial inequality, through the main character's reactions, and the overall outcome of the novel. The novel itself encompasses many of the feelings that were flying around during the time at which it was written.
A mockingbird is a harmless bird that makes the world more pleasant. In To Kill A Mockingbird, it symbolizes Boo Radley and Tom Robinson, peaceful people who never did any harm. To kill or harm them would be a sin. Scout's father, Atticus, tells Scout and Jem, "I'd rather you shoot at tin cans in the backyard, but I know you'll go after birds. Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird."(p.69)
The mockingbird symbolizes these two characters because it does not have its own song - (please interpret it metaphorically in the context of Malaysia). Whereas, the blue jay is loud and obnoxious, the mockingbird only sings other birds' songs. Therefore, the mockingbird is seen through the other birds. The people of Maycomb only knew Boo Radley and Tom Robinson by what others said about them. Both of these characters do not really have their own "song" in a sense, and therefore, are characterized by other people's viewpoints.
The mockingbird motif in this novel also extends to relationships between human beings. Some people are kind and would never harm anyone, like a mockingbird. Yet, there are SOME who unjustly see past the kindness and simply see what they want to see. This leads to issues about race among others. These people become prejudiced towards others even those who are genuinely kind human beings simply because they are different and they see past the good traits of people. The title TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD is a firm reminder that the prejudice that some people have towards others who are peaceful and kind is wrong. Those people are "killing a mockingbird," it's a sin to kill a mockingbird.
Perhaps those who still hold racist tendencies should read and study that book to fully understand how victims of racism feel. It baffles me how hypocritical some can be as their 'superior' xenophobic tendencies are displayed either via words spoken consciously or as a Freudian slip that only lays bare for all to see what are the feelings, attitudes and perceptions that they have of fellow country folks. Such characters ought to be sent to reform school and go through History classes, Civics lessons, Moral classes, religious counselling and perhaps even shock treatment for them to repent before their Maker for their racist tendencies or attitudes.
In the “I Have a Dream” speech, Martin Luther King yearned and said, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”
Decades later, King’s words remain an emblem for those who aspire to create a society unimpeded by racism.
Can Malaysia ever be colour blind? Can Malaysian leaders PUT ASIDE differences in color, creed, class and gender when they speak to the public? Is the concept of color-blindness to race and ethnicity such a difficult task?
The use of racial categories in form filling should altogether be abandoned. The component parties of BN should not be race-based i.e. dissolve all the parties and let BN stand as ONE party that represents the ONE Malaysia that our PM has proposed.
All humans belong to the same species, critics of racial categories assert, and I believe that abandoning the use of race as a signifier of identity would liberate Malaysians from the various stereotypes, divisiveness, and self-fulfilling prophecies attached to the different races in our country.
While Martin Luther King Jr. certainly dreamed of a society unfettered by race, I am quite sure that he envisioned it happening only AFTER oppression and racism were destroyed. Can that happen in Malaysia? I hope and pray it can happen one day. No matter what, RACISM HAS TO BE DISMANTLED IN OUR BRAINS!!! We have to lay aside whatever stereotypical tendencies and see each other as fellow citizens who must live in harmony and unity, not just for ourselves but for our descendants.
Naturally, race is a social concept that has created social realities. Racial discrimination, that cannot be instantly debunked at will. We cannot simply pretend overnight that it doesn’t exist anymore. In helping Malaysians to develop and display a national identity or patriotism, leaders MUST see Malaysians as humans BEYOND their races. They HAVE to live exemplary lives that put to death racist tendencies.
As long as leaders say one thing publicly and another privately be it in the confines of their meeting rooms or in the privacy of their minds, the inconsistencies will perpetuate whatever racist tendencies that exist overtly or covertly. Such negative feelings will gnaw at our nation, eating our souls and spirits to rob us of the chance to be more than who we can be. We are such a blessed nation - why can't Malaysians learn to have a little bit of love and kindness for our fellow men and to share the opportunity to build this nation TOGETHER?
When anyone perpetuates myths or stereotypes that cause divisiveness amongst people for whatever evil/selfish agenda they may have, such characters MUST be brought to task regardless of their age, class, status or whatever. Failure to do so may give the impression that such acts are acceptable and can be condoned. If that happens, what could be the negative consequences?
Racism has to be put to an end. DON'T KILL THAT MOCKINGBIRD in our midst and to release the dove - the emblem of peace, unity and harmony. As always, the choice is ours.
Thanks for reading this post. Do leave a comment if you wish to share your thoughts. Thanks!
Have a nice day, dear reader.
* My RSS feed does not seem to be updating in Live Bookmarks. I had to delete and bookmark again and then the new one appears. Is it being updated in yours? If you have bookmarked my blog this way and this problem is occurring, do use Google Reader or do the same as what I did. Would appreciate your input. Thanks!
InjusticeSistem Malaysians will ALWAYS be racist. The day I was born, I have been labelled an immigrant. The day I finished secondary school I have been denied entry to public uni, irregardless of my result. Even the low standard UiTM deny me entry bcos they only accept bumi, and this is the country's 'accepted' policy. Racism is endorsed in the country's Federal Constitution, so they say. We are never to question them to avoid raising their sensitivities, forget abt my sensitivities when they ask me to go back China/India.
Over 50% of the citizen voted for BN that represent NEP/corruption/cronyism/nepotism, ALL RACIST POLICY. So how can Malaysians not be racist?
Over here I am labelled 'pendatang' with 2nd class citizen rights, over in Australia I am labelled 'immigrant' with 1st class citizen rights, no prize guessing which i wanna be, pendatang or immigrant.
The only equal rights they allow me is 'I am allowed to pay equal tax as the bumi'.....should I rejoice for such generous treatment?
Perhaps I should rejoice that my tax money is being used for BTN courses to brainwash more bumi into ultra racist?
Perhaps I should rejoice that my tax money is being used to finance UiTM students to lead a mat rempit lifestyle n skip classes n have sexual orgies with bohsia?
No, this country will never be non racist until we are all equal in education/healthcare/job & business oppotunities/meritocracy.
Until then, the non-bumi have no choice but to vote the lesser of the two evils tat is PR.