Discrimination. It's a virus--APPARENTLY--without a cure. Racial--Religious--Gender--Age--Sexual Orientation--Ethnicity. Whatever. It's all BAD. Is it Ignorance--Narrow Mindedness--Fear --Arrogance or some combination?? Do people bash others in order to feel better about themselves?? Is it lack of self-esteem? I wish I could understand why people behave BADLY-- or say the things they say--without batting an eyelash. We are ALL just people. So what if our skin color is different or we practice another religion?? When you get right down to it we have SO much more in common. It really doesn't matter who your God is as long as you are a decent person. And people--regardless of skin color--care about the same thing. Their families. They worry about keeping them safe--happy--healthy. Some lyrics from an old Pink Floyd song just popped in my head--Ashes and diamonds/ Foe and friend/ We are all equal in the end. Truer words were never spoken--time to wake up and STOP drinking the kool-aid. No one knows this better than Neel Patel the author of If You See Me, Don't Say Hi.
Neel Patel is a first generation Indian American who grew up in Illinois. In his debut collection of short stories, Patel explores what it's like to be a first generation Indian American through several interesting, unforgettable characters. Many of the characters are discriminated against or treated unfairly because of their difference. He also explores stereotypes in American society and works to undermine them as well as poke fun at them. Make no mistake--his stories may make you uncomfortable-- but that's the point. He wants the reader to understand the experience of the Indian in America today. He also wants his readers to see beyond skin tone--stereotypes--and realize that Indian Americans are just people too. I really enjoyed this collection of stories and you will too. It's about 230 pages or a 3 mile run. Not a huge commitment but a huge lesson. Enjoy.
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