Racism in the U.S.

The United States may be the self-proclaimed advocate of human rights and freedom around the world, but it is about time that it took a good, hard look at how to improve its own backyard. A recent survey has revealed that minorities in the U.S. continue to face racial discrimination.

The U.S. has arrogated to itself the right to poke its nose into the human rights situations in other countries and being the moral crusader that it has become, it does not hesitate to use its political and economic might to compel a country which abuses human rights to improve its record.

The U.S. does all these things because it believes fervently in its democratic and human rights mission. But if there is still racism in the U.S. and its minorities continue to suffer from discrimination, then the holier-than-thou attitude that the U.S. adopts toward developing countries looks hollow.

It just goes to show that democracy has its imperfections. By itself, democracy is not a magic want that will remove at one stroke all the inequalities, racial prejudices and ills of society. Tolerance of diverse opinions and agreeing to disagree are some of the features of democracy and freedom.

-- The New Straits Times, Kuala Lumpur