After the 9/11 attacks here, most Indian men were in danger. Indian women were not attacked, but Indian men were. Saradrjis, Muslims, Hindus, Christians, all were in danger. My husband had to go to Sacramento for some recreational reasons (Table Tennis Tournament) and I insisted that I will go with him to safeguard him. I mentioned this to my brother in Chennai and LOL! My brother suggested that I advise my husband that he always wear the Caste Marking of vibhoothi on his forehead so that no one ever mistakes him as a Muslim and attack him. LOL! I told my brother that no American who might attack someone looking vaguely Arabic has any clue that those caste markings mean that one is not a Muslim. Likewise. Ji is not a mark of respect for me. It in fact bothers the hell out of me when it is used as an address. Aunty Maami Akkaa are also really upsetting UNLESS you are my nephew or my niece or my younger brother or younger sister. When you insist on using these terms with me, I am not feeling respected. I am feeling really, truly, profoundly uncomfortable. If you really insist on being respectful to me in the manner in which you address me, you may simpley call me Radika. That is after all my name. Dont change the spelling. This is the spelling for my official name. I dont have nicknames outside my family. I am Radika for everyone. If YOU need the satisfaction of decorating my (already pretty :-) name, you may address me as Mrs Radika or Miss Radika or Srimathi Radika or Miss Kesavan. Please do not call me Mrs Kesavan, since rightly that title belongs to my mother. Thanks a lot!
Posted on: Thu, 05 Jun 2014 02:41:15 +0000
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