I wrote this in response to some comments- almost directly to those people, but some people think it is self praise. I am embarrassed if it appears like self praise. That is not the purpose.
Quite a few people have asked me what I am doing to help the poor whose suffering I keep writing about. What is the big deal in going on and on about the issue and criticizing the govt and spewing negativity. Let me answer that.
- First of all, I am writing about those who are invisible and insignificant to most. Giving a voice to the voiceless is a big deal.
- By sharing what I see, I am showing the insulated what is invisible to them. Showing someone what they can't otherwise see is a big deal.
- I am not just forwarding what I read. I am writing original stuff too. I am a writer. Try being that. It is a big deal.
- To write, I engage with the village folks. I enter their houses and they enter mine. I am breaking barriers of class that have existed for a long time. It is a big deal.
- In engaging with them as fellow human beings, I am living my principles of equality and dignity for all human beings. No lip service but actual action. It is not a big deal for me for I am like that only, but try doing it yourself. It will be a big deal.
- If this is all too up in the air, and not concrete, here are some other things I have done since Nov 9th. I helped fill out forms for people standing in the bank queues. I lent money to those in crisis. I advised the uninformed about the ever changing rules. But most of all, I have taught village kids to be kind to each other and to empathise with the less fortunate, so that they won't ever have to ask anyone doing what I do "What's the big deal?".
Is that enough?
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