Prejudiced perspective

In an article titled "Prejudices” which appeared in Hyderabad’s leading newspaper, The Deccan Chronicle dated August 26, 2007, it has been argued that the ‘white’ prejudice against non-Europeans is ages old. It goes back at least to the Battle of Thermopylae fought in 450 BC — 2,057 years ago — between the Greeks and the Persians. The Persians (Iranians) under Xerxes invaded Greece to avenge the defeat of Marathon, and despite being nearly decimated by the Greeks, they prevailed in the end.

The article states: "Thermopylae is an icon not only of heroic bravery (as it should well be) but also of the resistance offered by ‘civilized’ Europeans against the barbarian hordes from the East.

"This prejudice flies in the fact of facts. Persia was under the influence of Zarathushtra (Zoroaster). This Prophet (now dated to 1200 BC) preached monotheism and believed that faith, race and birth do not make anyone good or evil. Each human has both good and evil in him. ‘Khuda’ presides over the good and ‘Ahriman’ over the evil. A man should be judged by his actions and their content of good and evil and not by his birth, race and professed faith.

"It was under the influence of this philosophy that the emperors of Persia (Khusroes) allowed the Babylonian captivity of the Jews to end. They were allowed to return to their holy city, Jerusalem and to rebuild the Temple.

"It is time the Anglo-Americans dominating today’s world gave due honor to Persians and to Zoroaster.”

KERFEGAR B. ANTIA

Hyderabad