Inscrutable Americans!

"V?? Vote, Chicks Rock?" We migrants don't understand who that political creature called V?.. Voter is, writes Binay Kumar.

We, immigrants to this country, have learnt quite a bit of its history and the social and cultural norms as they have evolved over the years. But most of us, even the second generation, still watch more than participate in events and happenings. We try to understand and analyse them. In short we are still in the learning mode.

Andrew Carnegie once said: "As I grow older, I pay less attention to what men say. I just watch what they do." Like Carnegie, as we immigrants become older, men like me try to follow his advice and observe what men do. But, what about the women?

Well, Carnegie was using the word 'men' in a more generic manner and was probably not attuned to the demands of political correctness as we face in our times. Indian women here too are "equal partners", being either professionals or involved in various community works. Yet they maintain and uphold their rights, just as majority of their American counterpart do, within the parameters of accepted propriety.

But something I came across recently blew all the political correctness out of my senses. We immigrants it seems have a lot of catching up to do. Jane Fonda, the ageing female icon of physical fitness and aerobics, better known for her past acting career and anti-war stance during the Vietnam years, resurfaced recently at a gala in New York to lend support to the ongoing campaign for increased voter registration for women. The idea was to bring them out in greater numbers to participate in the political process. An important election is just round the corner.

Guess what the occasion was called? The "V…… Vote, Chicks Rock" stars-studded concert, advertised as "a night of entertainment and political empowerment." The event was planned and sponsored by Rock the Vote, Planned Parenthood, the White House Project and V-Day, all of them highly reputable charities in the United States dedicated to social empowerment. That was all fine but I am talking about the political message, literally! Am I really that old and demented that I can't get it straight? What on earth are we talking about here? All my understanding and indoctrinations on democratic principles of electoral politics missed the opportunity of learning this new trick. The polling booth agents must be chuckling away to glory! "V…… vote"? I always knew that voting was a private matter but never thought in my wildest imagination if it could get that private!

Before we subject the object of our attention to a closer scrutiny, let me tell you about the V-Day campaign in the United States which has been on for a few years now. According to information available in the public domain, V-Day is a non-profit corporation, which raises and distributes funds to grassroots, national, and international organizations for programs that work to stop violence against women and girls. Perfectly legitimate, laudable aims and objectives that no one can quarrel with.