It did not stop here. She'd call Christians "chooray" ( gutter people ) and Hindus (Thooris). If she had some inhibitions discussing race and equality, she absolutely had none discussing religion. It was as if she deemed Muslims were born superior. My grandmother was illiterate, but even my mother sometimes would have issues dining with "Non-Muslims". However, just to drive home the point that I found this utterly disgraceful and against the principles of Islaml, I'd invite my Non-Muslim Christian and Hindu friends over. I'd make sure they drank in the same glasses and utensils as I did. I'd have bitter arguments with my mom over what Islam meant while she fussed about what to do with the "Napaak" (unclean) utensils. Eventually, my mom conceded she was wrong. She was one of the few people who had an open mind and the willingness to change. Soon enough, she'd be happy to host my friends and made sure they were comfortable.

        Then, there was the issue of castes. People in the Sub-Continent have a strong sense of family. It is perhaps one of the reasons why cousin marriages are so rife in our culture. They believe in the bond of "bradaree" (caste). Marriages outside the caste are frowned upon. Even in my family, which is extraordinarily literate by Pakistani standards, caste marriages are the norm. My grandfather had  a rage of fit when he learnt that one of our distant relatives married their daughter into another caste. Once again, I went to battle with my family. I asked them to tell me one Islamic reason why that wasn't allowed. They shrugged there shoulders and said it is our "culture". Marrying into the same caste brings "ease' and "harmony". This pissed me off the most. How can we bring in religion for some aspects of life and drop it in the name of culture in others? For this reason, there is a sub-conscious desire in my head to make sure I marry outside my caste to reinforce that I don't believe in this culture of division and racism.

      Before coming to the US, friends and family would joke about "Gorees" (White Girls). A week ago I was in New York, and my friends from medical school started stereo-typing blacks and whites. They would give examples of how African Americans were much more involved in crimes and lawlessness. They would marvel at how the " gorees" (white) were so beautiful and tall. I was baffled at how we as a nation had fell to the "one sided story". I put down my head in shame wondering if the best educated in this nation had in-built stereo-types then what did we expect from the illiterate. 

         And then we write these long articles saying how the West is stereotyping against Islam. Yet here my friend prayed on a beach in New York without anybody stopping him. You tell me who is racist? Them or Us?