I’m brown skinned and British
That’s what I am
Don’t label me by colour
Just see me, if you can
Don’t question my religion
Beliefs don’t mean a thing
Cos in the grander scheme of life
I’m jus’ a human being
So I may pray quite differently
And eat other types of food
But to label me a terrorist
You know that’s kinda rude
Get to know me, talk to me
And then I guess you’ll see
That there ain’t no difference
Between you an’ me
We need to live in harmony
And celebrate our quirks
Jus’ please don’t judge me
By the deeds of other jerks
Ritu 2015
I’m lucky I haven’t experienced racism because of the acts of terrorism around the world, but I know of many innocent people who have been labelled, who have suffered because of their colour, and beliefs… Beliefs that don’t condone the acts of those who use the name of God to destroy lives.
These are just my words in solidarity with the majority of brown skinned British, who are just as horrified as their pink-skinned countrymen.
After the attack on Monday night in Manchester, we have heard of many acts of ‘revenge’ on innocent muslims who are just as horrified by the goings on of that night. But they are just like all the other Brits out there…
DON’T JUDGE FIRST….TAKE TIME TO LEARN A LITTLE… THEN MAKE YOUR JUDGEMENTS.
Peace out Peeps 😊
A poem from my book, Poetic RITUals, that is extremely apt this week… (available myBook.to/PoeticRITUals)
But I Smile Anyway... 
Sep 13, 2017 @ 19:18:04
You said it all in one statement, I am brown and British we should be embracing not condemning you.
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Sep 13, 2017 @ 19:34:01
Thank you Malcolm 😊
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May 30, 2017 @ 15:22:09
Beautiful Ritu. I was just saying this weekend that I’m not afraid of Muslims living in the US. I’m more afraid of white men because they commit more acts of terrorism in our country than any other group. However, people tend to ignore that fact and blame others. There are bad people everywhere. Prayers for those who are misjudged and labeled in your country and everywhere.
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May 30, 2017 @ 16:05:10
Thank you Tikeetha. It is just a terrible time we are living in…
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May 30, 2017 @ 17:15:49
That it is.
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May 30, 2017 @ 04:42:38
Makes me sad that people aren’t taught or made aware that they shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. That people undoubtedly place blame and bias based on one bad apple on the whole orchard. It may be scary to talk to strangers, but all people want the same things in life: physical safety, financial security, love, happiness, and prosperity.
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May 30, 2017 @ 08:59:19
Very true Leanne. The thing is, most people aren’t so bad, yet it’s the actions of the few that gets reported and makes the world seem a much worse place…
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Jun 01, 2017 @ 03:13:06
I agree 🙂
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May 29, 2017 @ 19:09:34
I love this poem Sis, and it is particularly relevant right now. It is sad that people are judging everyone by a few’s actions. I think a lot of it is fear as well as ignorance, but that doesn’t make it right.
I am proud to call you my sister, and we have so much more in common than just being British! 💖💖
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May 29, 2017 @ 19:20:08
Thank you my dear sis xxxxxxx
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May 29, 2017 @ 15:16:32
Brown is beautiful 🙂 Well said Ritu.
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May 29, 2017 @ 15:17:56
Thank you Lisa ❤
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May 29, 2017 @ 15:19:43
❤❤
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May 28, 2017 @ 21:27:57
A beutiful message Ritu, that we all need to read. All my thoughts are with Manchester and the British people, we know what you’ve been through here in France. Unfortunately many French muslims also suffered racism after the terrorist attacks 😕 We all need to support and love each other, no matter the skin colour ! 💖
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May 28, 2017 @ 21:32:14
Exactly my thoughts!!! United we stand ❤
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May 28, 2017 @ 19:15:17
Beautiful words Ritu; can an entire race/religion really be responsible? I don’t understand how people can be so misguided as to think that the majority of Muslims are not hurting too x
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May 28, 2017 @ 19:22:59
Exavtly Em… thank you for reading and understanding xxx
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May 28, 2017 @ 19:10:05
What a wonderful poem, Ritu! Talk about summing it up perfectly!! Yeay! Cher xo
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May 28, 2017 @ 19:22:15
Thanks so much Cher!!!
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May 28, 2017 @ 17:22:59
Very poignant poem Ritu xx
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May 28, 2017 @ 17:24:10
Thank you Hayley xxx
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May 28, 2017 @ 14:58:48
You express your thoughts so beautifully here, Ritu. Like someone else said, it’s perfect for right now.
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May 28, 2017 @ 15:40:11
Thank you, Ruth. After Monday night, I felt I had to repost it… ❤
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May 28, 2017 @ 14:20:13
Well said. I wish those who indulge in hate crimes could understand this.
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May 28, 2017 @ 15:39:33
It’s always that minority who manage to cause this problem though… and you can’t get through to them…
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May 28, 2017 @ 14:19:26
Great poem. It reflects what’s going on in society right now.
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May 28, 2017 @ 15:39:05
Thank you Lisa ❤
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May 28, 2017 @ 15:49:29
You’re welcome!
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May 28, 2017 @ 14:12:13
Sadly the cycle of fear and ignorance seems to be a very difficult one to break (being a Northern Irish girl living in England in the 1980s automatically labelled me by certain sections of society as a terrorist or IRA sympathizer.) Certain people in shops and pubs refused to serve my family or did so with obvious reproach because our accent struck fear in them. For a while, it did seem as a society we were making headway, standing together no matter our heritage. It’s amazing how easily, quickly and how far society can digress. We can only keep teaching peace and kindness to our childen and hope that one day we’ll all live in a more enlightened world.
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May 28, 2017 @ 15:38:53
To think, we were living side by side happily, until 9/11… then our neighbours became suspected terrorists, purely because of their beliefs… and that thinking rubs off on society. The uneducated sometimes leading a mass in the wrong direction… and then you have misguided revenge attacks happening… it is awful…
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May 28, 2017 @ 13:48:53
This poem is perfect for what’s going on in the world right now x
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May 28, 2017 @ 15:36:56
Thank you, Noelle… ❤
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May 28, 2017 @ 13:38:42
This was great! We had 2 good Samaritans stabbed this past week in Oregon (I think Oregon) when a guy began to scream racial slurs to 2 innocent Muslim women. These 2 Samaritans intervened and were killed. They caught the crazy guy, thank God!
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May 28, 2017 @ 15:36:45
It is awful, isn’t it…
You can’t do right for doing wrong… or was that the other way, you can’t do wrong for doing right? Anyway, you’re damned if you do, and damned if you don’t…
Why these crazy few end up influencing the masses though, I don’t know…
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May 28, 2017 @ 13:13:57
This is, quite simply, beautiful and perfect. Thanks for sharing such a clear and poignant message.
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May 28, 2017 @ 15:34:39
Thank you for reading and sharing Angela! ❤
It’s important for us all, humanity in general really…
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May 28, 2017 @ 12:17:37
Beautiful and very relevant message right now Ritu. Thank you for sharing!
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May 28, 2017 @ 12:28:57
Thank you Gabe ❤
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May 28, 2017 @ 12:07:22
I wish I could give this a “love” instead of just a “like.” ❤
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May 28, 2017 @ 12:28:32
Aw thanks Traci xxx
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May 28, 2017 @ 11:37:38
Well said… It’s becoming a routine now across the west when this happens to blame an entire community… Bloody ridiculous!
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May 28, 2017 @ 11:53:55
Thanks for reading and understanding Suzanne xx
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May 28, 2017 @ 10:29:01
Bravo Ritu, not that I’ve ever considered you anything but a cool person. As you know I don’t care about race, culture or religion….the person is either nice or a prat…with various stages inbetween. Loonies with terror in mind are a tiny percent of the total population they affiliate to. The next phase of loonies are the ones naive and stupid enough not to realise that and start labelling everyone with the same brush. Without them in the equation life would be far better, more trusting and the primary looney would run out of ideas as out of the mindless tragedy people would unite and society would bind stronger. Wonderful poem and just 💖 it
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May 28, 2017 @ 10:32:27
Thanks Gary! It is such a shame that the acts of a few colour the thoughts of so many… #GaTu
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May 28, 2017 @ 17:17:49
Very true; but I do like the fact as friends it gives a much more positive slant in that we don’t all think like the minority. If I go to the next bash I expect a hug too lol
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May 28, 2017 @ 17:23:48
Hugs are ALWAYS available here!!!!
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May 28, 2017 @ 17:29:52
Excellent might just have to go now then 🙂
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May 28, 2017 @ 17:37:22
😊😊😊
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May 28, 2017 @ 10:12:36
Bravo!!! Well said
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May 28, 2017 @ 10:16:15
Thank you!
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May 28, 2017 @ 10:05:40
Your thoughts are beautiful and True. Loved it.
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May 28, 2017 @ 10:09:07
Thank you Mohit.
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May 28, 2017 @ 06:34:50
Love this, Ritu! 😍🌺
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May 28, 2017 @ 08:38:20
Thank you so much!
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May 28, 2017 @ 04:50:50
Word!
Respect, Ritu!
Peace!
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May 28, 2017 @ 08:37:29
Thanks Kunal! 🙂
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May 28, 2017 @ 03:54:35
Reblogged this on The Happy Traveler and commented:
Please enjoy this wonderful writing from my friend Ritu.
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May 28, 2017 @ 01:46:10
powerful, well detailed message and post…
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May 28, 2017 @ 08:35:12
I tried Mihran. I feel passionately about this.
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May 28, 2017 @ 01:33:50
Great posts. If we let the acts of a few divide the rest, then those few have won.
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May 28, 2017 @ 08:34:47
Exactly my thoughts Trent. Thank you for reading!
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May 28, 2017 @ 01:10:09
Wonderful yes its Wonderful 🙏
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May 28, 2017 @ 08:34:10
Thank you Siba. 🙂
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May 28, 2017 @ 08:57:31
Ameen
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May 27, 2017 @ 23:40:34
This was so wonderful. Considering the misguided attempts at “revenge” that are getting worse here in the States, too (including random attacks on Sikhs and Hindus and others who aren’t even Muslim), I think that dialogue and understanding are far more critical right now than any actions that can be taken by military or law enforcement. The pervasive attitude here in Trump’s dystopian America is inspiring many to do unspeakable things to people that they know absolutely nothing about. What’s most frightening is that even when their mistakes are pointed out, they don’t seem to care. “Close enough” say the ancestors of white imperial land usurpers.
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May 28, 2017 @ 08:28:09
This exactly the Kind of thing that inspired me to originally write this poem. It is so sad, that the inconsiderate acts of a few, colour the thoughts of a different few, who then go and continue the cycle of revenge in a misguided way…
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May 27, 2017 @ 23:32:43
Important!
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May 28, 2017 @ 08:26:55
Totally Cindy 🙂
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May 27, 2017 @ 23:12:50
So true Sis, proud to call you Sis💜💜
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May 27, 2017 @ 23:15:24
Thank you Sis. Proud to be yours xxxx
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May 27, 2017 @ 23:15:50
💝💜💖
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May 27, 2017 @ 23:06:18
So Absolutely, Truthfully Fabulous! 🌹🌹🌹😎
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May 27, 2017 @ 23:06:54
Thank you Dorna 🏵🏵🏵
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May 27, 2017 @ 21:59:19
Perfect words, Sis❤❤❤
But I must admit, I’ve always seen you as Brummie. Lotsa love😙
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May 27, 2017 @ 22:01:08
Lol thanks Bro! And that’s what I am deep down!!! 💛💛💛
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May 27, 2017 @ 22:06:38
No Sis, deep down You’re you. Amazing wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, teacher and human being.
Please don’t let the ill conceived imaginings and judgements of small minded arseholes bother you ❤❤❤
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May 27, 2017 @ 22:12:25
That is so sweet bro… Thank you 💛💛💛😚😚😚
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May 27, 2017 @ 21:41:22
Well said, Ritu. x
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May 27, 2017 @ 21:43:46
Thank you, Sue. xxx
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May 27, 2017 @ 21:32:13
Excellent, beautifully written.
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May 27, 2017 @ 21:32:47
Thank you 🙂
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May 27, 2017 @ 21:28:35
I think there were acts of kindness that night by Muslims who will be remembered long after the name of the bomber is forgotten. I’m sorry for any mindless violence against Muslims by the pink skinned people of the area. I promise you Ritu that not everyone thinks that way. Most would see your lovely poem and say “That’ just as it should be.”
xxx Massive Hugs from North Wales xxx
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May 27, 2017 @ 21:34:27
Thank’s David. It is usually the acts of the minority, in this case too, that get reported, and then cause more grief. I know you, and most of my friends, know this, but unfortunately, there are many who still tar all with the same brush…
Thank you 🙂
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May 27, 2017 @ 21:16:58
Beautiful
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May 27, 2017 @ 21:24:12
Thank you 🙂
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