Global vs. Local

I always wanted to be local. I am comfortable that way. The concept of being global enticed me a little bit in my early days of USA just like I got enticed to touch the star on the sky when I was a little boy. Very soon I realized I can't touch a star! And I realized I can't be global either. Honestly, I do no want to be global!

The general definition of being global is demonstrating ability to tolerate and follow foreign cultures/lifestyles in addition to one's own. However, more often I found myself in a situation where I am expected to embrace foreign lifestyle at the expense of my own. When I publicly mourned about the Virginia Tech tragedy which cost the lives of 32 innocent people, I am categorized as 'Global'. At the same time, when I wrote articles and had intense debates about the freedom of Tamils in Sri Lanka or about the massacre of my innocent people, I am criticized 'local'. When I discussed American politics, I was considered Global. Talking about lack of electricity and water problems in hundreds of villages in India is considered local. Hanging out in a group full of people who speak a language that only I don't understand put me as 'global'. Wanting to marry a Tamil Lady made me 'local'.

Another thing that pisses me off these days is this. Why is the word 'Global' synonymous with the word 'western'? I despise this anomaly from my very inner core. By default westerners are categorized as people who are broad minded and global. Everyone who wanted to be global displays characteristics that a 'westerner' does. But, a native westerner is surprisingly "ill-informed" about things that are not local in which case these guys are behaving like "ultra locals". Why would I care about being global (read 'westerner') when the so called 'global' person doesn't even have a modicum of understanding about events happening in a foreign soil?

I was constantly bombarded by my friends and relatives in India about questions related to America - for ex, Is Obama going to win the Presidential election? Is NASA going to send another space shuttle? Can America recover from financial debts? Is Avatar a big hit in America like in India? I shut their mouth once and for all when I said I do not even read the headlines of American dailies. Honestly, my source for American news is primarily Indian dailies.

There are a few things that I can never compromise. My country stands out first in the list. Only by being local I get to love my country this much. I could be living in a foreign soil, but I can never compromise my country for anything. My country gave me so much and expects me to reciprocate not to herself but to the needy. If money is not a possibility, at least a couple of tear drops will suffice.

I was born as a Tamilian, I will die as a Tamilian. I was born as an Indian, I will die as an Indian.