Poltics in India

In the States, the combination of religion+politics can create an incendiary topic. In India, where they combine religion+politics+caste, discussion can go "nuclear". So while discussion is avoided at all costs, the three factors strongly influence daily life for everyone here.

The Hindus, who consist of 75% of the population in A.P., created the caste system, still own most of the land, hold the greatest political influence and control most of the wealth. The Muslims at 20% live peacefully alongside their neighbors but generally stick to themselves. Their schools are not open to others. The Christians make up the remaining 5% and are at the bottom of the socio-economic ladder.

St. Thomas is said to have come to India in 54 A.D. and the Church as been here ever since. Christianity's concept of an egalitarian society attracted the lowest caste members, the so-called "Untouchables" and it is here among the poorest of the poor that the Church works. Once a person is a Christian they are deemed to be relieved of the caste system which should allow them to move up in Indian society. But these Dalit Christians can not seem to reach even the bottom rung of the ladder because, using a cruel form of logic, the Indian government considers them "liberated" and exempt from government financial assistance. The Church's focus is aimed at helping the poor regardless of their faith but it has to work doubly hard to assist the Dalits since they fall through the net of any national social programs.Imagine if the US outlawed all government subsidy programs for Black Americans now that we have a Black president and you can get an idea of the impact on this demographic.

To round out the complexity of the problem, fundamentalist Hindus are now attempting to whip up a form of ethnic cleansing with a "India for Hindus only" movement. The murder of over 60 Catholics in Orissa is evidence of this threat. Many Catholics have moved out of "mixed" villages to live together in small, impoverished outposts. These outposts, or Missions, are where the priests are sent to help lead these people out of poverty mainly through education. But hatred can follow a person anywhere. Fr. Suneel took me to see his former mission where he was attempting to build houses for the residents. When the police came to arrest him for a trumped up charge, his parishioners chased the authorities away with sticks in an effort to protect him and their rights to exist.

Some of this explains why my appearance on the scene is causing such a stir. Last evening I attended a wedding and ate at the bride's family's home. The priest commented that had they not been Catholics, it was inconceivable that this family would have ever had the chance to sit at the same table with me. Whereas in the States, we have spent the last 200 years trying to live up to the standard that "All men are created equal, here in India the very idea of a white woman associating with an "untouchable's" is beyond comprehension. Today, I helped the Bishop pass out scholarships to a small group of families. Their leader said that I was like a movie star to them- someone who you had seen but could never imagine that they would actually meet someday.

Not everybody in the Church is of the lowest ranked caste of course. But most of the population here in AP that the Church is serving is comprised of these "outcasts". So I am slowly beginning to understand the "over"-reaction of the orphans, and street children and villagers that I meet. I am a Mega-star: an American and a guest in India, a friend of the Bishop, and so white that they can find me in the dark. So I operate at the highest echelons of society in their minds and here I am shaking hands, chatting and playing with them.

I feel like a fake much of the time but I do recognize an opportunity when I see one. Less than two weeks after arriving I had a chance to ride along with a group that was going to try to present a petition to the Chief Minister asking that Dalits be considered for government assistance if they are below the poverty line. I thought I would just sit in the car but I was pushed along with the crowd to the front of the gathering, beside the door that the Chief Minister would enter. It was a huge political gathering complete with paparazzi, bodyguards, and groups clamoring for his attention. As he approached the door, he couldn't help but notice me with my fluorescent white skin so when I caught his eye, he politely said "hello". I stuck out my hand to shake his and didn't let go. I said that I was from America and that I was a friend of the Bishop. Also I understood that he was a Christian, the first to ever hold political power in AP. He smiled as he acknowledged this and I complimented him on his courage. Then I said, "The whole world is watching. We appreciate anything you do for the Christians here." while the press snapped pictures of us. I was the only person he spoke to who was on the other side of the Police barricades. Our group was floored at my impromptu political message and they gathered courage to present their petitions. No one believes that change will come in their lifetime, but they hope that someday the Dalits will become eligible for aide. In the meantime, they will keep working hard to educate the poor to raise them up one child at a time.