Okay, Richard is being a complete ass in that video, practically molesting that poor Shetty woman. But, in Richard's defense, Shetty did take his hand first, and when he started pecking at her, she didn't exactly struggle against him. It looks, to rational eyes, like a couple of celebs being playful and silly. But obviously a lot of people in India don't agree, hence the effigy-burning.
Now, at this point, I could go into some wacky diatribe about how melodramatic and nutty Indian people are, and how they really need to develop a sense of proportion about things - you know, realize that someone not taking their shoes off should probably not be grounds for criminal prosecution, regardless of how offended someone might have been by the act. And that some dopey American actor pretend-kissing an Indian girl is a pretty lame excuse for a lot of violent protesting and burning things. But there would be no use ranting about this, because, a) the joke is played-out and; b) it would only lead to more people telling me how intolerant and swinishly American I am. So fuck it. However, one thing does need to be pointed out about this whole "no culture is superior to any other" argument: it is cowardly, both intellectually and morally.
Here's what I'm talking about: In America, we once thought it was okay to kill Native Americans because they were devils, and God wanted us to rid the earth of them (plus they were on land we wanted for our cattle and sheep). We also thought it was okay to burn women at the stake as witches, because God wanted us to rid ourselves of their wicked influence (and because they were sexually liberated while the Puritans with the torches were all miserable and repressed). Now, you tell me - is whatever culture you belong to, no matter how wacky it may be, not superior to these, which advocated the murder of human beings, and justified it religiously? Or are you not willing to consider one culture superior to another under any circumstances? Of course, the examples I used are more extreme than some mad Hindus burning effigies or threatening to lock an actress up for wearing shoes, but that's not the point. Everyone keeps using the absolutist argument, "no culture is superior to any other," which conveniently absolves them of the responsibility of actually defending the specific acts sanctioned by whatever culture. I'm not allowed to criticize an act, because there's an ancient and revered set of rules behind it. But there was an ancient and revered set of rules behind witch-burning too, and the murder of the Apaches, and there have been others behind the persecution of Jews, and homosexuals, and lots of other people. But, these days, we don't judge. We slap the tag "culture" on something, and dance off merrily into the sunset. Screw moral judgment - that's for sanctimonious hypocrites. There's no such thing as a reasoned, thoughtful moral judgment apparently. And there's also no such thing as a proportional response. Kick Liz Hurley out of India forever for disrespecting your customs - I wouldn't blame you. But chuck her in jail? Burn effigies because Richard Gere play-kissed a woman? Sorry - any "culture" that believes those actions make sense is inferior, and does deserve to be criticized. And in this case "culture" doesn't just refer to some abstraction, it refers to a group of people making choices - deciding they think it's okay to humiliate and degrade and possibly imprison someone merely for offending them. People like that need to get over themselves - I don't care what country they're from, or how long they've believed the same things.
Fact: cultures evolve. Why? Because people think about their practices. Question them. That's why we don't burn people as witches anymore or kill Apaches. We realized we were wrong. Yes, amazing - we changed our culture after thinking. You know, thinking? Using your brain instead of mindlessly going along with tradition? You've heard of it, right? Try it some time - you might enjoy it.
Update: Yes, all cultures occasionally deserve criticism. Especially when the people of that culture appear to have their heads up their asses. And America is obviously no exception. In fact, there is one respect in which American culture deserves to be harshly criticized - our love of guns. Today at Virginia Tech university, a man with a gun has murdered 22 people and wounded at least 21 others. Why? Who knows. All I'm sure of is this - a man with a knife or a bat does not get to kill 22 people before being subdued. When are the anti-gun-control NRA assholes going to wake up and realize that the fact of holding a gun is what gives these psychos the guts to do what they do in the first place? Rip America a new one over this - we have it coming.
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