THIRUKURAL 972,973 : All are equal by birth

All are equal by Birth


In 2009 Obama became the first African  American   President of  USA. His full name is Barrack Hussein Obama. His father is a black Kenyan Muslim ( Mother an American.).

Just fifty years ago , Black Americans in US were not allowed to use common bath rooms, not  to sit in the front rows in public buses, not to drink water in common taps, not to sit along with WhiteAmericans  equally in hotels, not to get equal wages for equal labour , etc. But to-day  African American Obama is occupying the highest chair.

Black leader Martin Luther king Jr fought for the rights of the Black Americans and led the Civil Right Movement, Black Americans continuously fought for their freedom and finally got the equal rights.
In 1968, Luther King Jr was assassinated in Memphasis in the hotel where he stayed. He had gone to Memphasis, a city in the state of Tennessee, USA to support the black labourers who were fighting for the 'equal wage for equal labour'  .Now the hotel is made into Civil Right Museum.No one could come out without tears from the museum ( I visited on 31st of Dec 2008), the suffering of the Blacks were boundless .Blacks were brought to US from Africa as slaves by purchasing on their weight not by count.
They were treated worst than animals, they were kept tied when not on work.

There was worst form of racism in Africa, in 1893 ,Gandhi was thrown out of the train in South Africa by the Railway staff shouting, " Coolies and blacks are not allowed to travel in first class."
Only in 1994 by the sacrifice of twenty seven years imprisoned Nelson Mandela, the apartheid was over thrown in South Africa.( apartheid = policy of racial discrimination followed in South Africa )

There was gender discrimination every where in the world, women were not given equal rights.
Only in 1918,  the women of UK had the right to vote.
Only in 1920,  the  entire women of  US had the right to vote.

Thiruvalluvar lived 2000 years ago when  rigid caste was prevailing in India, slavery in Rome and Greece. In Roman Empire there were 4,00,000 slaves, in Greece according to historians there were slaves equal to citizens .There was  slavery in Russia which  was abolished in 1723 AD.

Racism was at worst during the regime of Adolf Hitler , he killed 6,00,000 innocent Jews in Germany. Hitler declared that the Germans belonged to pure Aryan race and Jews who were non  Aryans would become threat to Germans, so he ordered to kill the Jews living in Germany.It was the worst holocaust that the world witnessed. ( holocaust = state sponsored systematic mass killing)
The discrimination in some form or other was prevailing in the world  from time immemorial.                  

2000 years ago  Thiruvalluvar   in the kural 972 says,
Birth is the same for all, discrimination arises on the performance of  occupation.
பிறப்பொக்கும் எல்லா உயிர்க்கும் சிறப்பொவ்வா
செய்தொழில் வேற்றுமை யான்.
Occupation is determined not by birth but by efforts. Occupation is not ascribed but achieved.
Anybody can hold any occupation. That occupation decides the social  status, not the birth.

This kural is totally against racism, casteism, gender discrimination, class difference etc.                             The performance of Obama had elevated him to the top most position not his birth.
He is the living example for this kural.
In 1966, Indira Gandhi became the first woman PM of India over throwing the gender discrimination.
In 1994, Nelson Mandela became the first black president of South Africa over throwing the apartheid.
In 1997, K.R. Narayan became the first dalit president of India over throwing caste discrimination

Also the Kural 973 says-
Those who are placed high in the rank ( hierarchy ) are not high, if they are not high in their thoughts and deeds and
Those who are placed low are not low, if they are not low in their thoughts and deeds.
In simple words " Whether high or low in the rank, it is  their character that determines it "

A manager with no character is not highly placed,
A scavenger with good character is not lowly placed.

In Tamil Kural 973

 மேல் இருந்தும் மேல் அல்லார்/ மேல் அல்லர்/ கீழ் இருந்தும்
 கீழ் அல்லார்/  கீழ் அல்லவர்

மேல் இருந்தும் மேல் அல்லார் = Highly placed but not high by thoughts.
மேல் அல்லர் = are not really high.
கீழ் இருந்தும் = Lowly placed
 கீழ் அல்லார் = but not low by thoughts
கீழ் அல்லவர் = are not really low.
According Thiruvalluvar all are equal by birth.

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