It is my job..

I am the Nazi functionary who went for the communists in Niemoller's time. I am the soldiers herding Jews to the oven. I am the black overseer, and the Indian overseer who continues the master's oppression. I am a good worker, loyal employee, I do my job. Do not take it personally.

I am the clerk who wrote up the slave names in the official gazette when the sales were made. I made records of who was whipped and who was not. I did my job well as evidenced in the records available even today. The standards have dropped now, not like those good old days when a clerk was a clerk with neat handwriting and knew his place (women did not work in those days)

I am the activist turned UN/International Agency employee who stops speaking out because it is my job and I cannot speak out any more. But I will have lunch or a drink with you and tell you quietly I agree with you and ask you to understand that it is my job. I am the development worker who wants to speak out but cannot because it is my job to work with the Government in power and not necessarily with those who are not in power and even though a lot of my work is not making any impact, I spend a lot of time and money to find ways to make it sound as though it is.

I am the freelance consultant who also shuts up because any of my views could be used against me in future and I am scared that my opinion would prevent me from earning money in the future.

I am the National UN Volunteer who wants desperately to scream out in protest at some of the abuses I witness, but it is my job and I am told that I cannot speak at some functions and to err on the side of caution, I should shut up. That is how I will show others how to deal with conflict, that they must be quiet in the face of any oppression.

I am the gay man whose employer criticises selectively some human rights abuses but who tells me that I should not be visibly associated with a human rights organisation whose work we would like to fund. It is my job , so I expect those in the organisation to understand that. And some in the organisation respect that I am doing my job. After all, principles do not bring bread and my employers are good to me and I will find other ways to patronise the organisation. I have to check with my employers first, though.


I am the non-smoker working with the tobacco company. I am the resident of a community wrecked by alcohol use who does marketing promotions for the Alcohol company because it is my job.. I am good at marketing and advertising and they pay me millions to do it. Do not take it personally, I donate some , not too much, of that money to good charitable causes.

I am the Christian entertainment journalist who tells the small child that I can go to Hindu things and she cannot because it is my job.. that yes, your mom is right , Hindu things are not for us, but it is my job. I have no choice.. I am honourable , I can do my job.

I am the Christian HIV/Worker who loves the sinner but not the sin, and I think I am a professional when I say that. It is my job I tell others, and my friends in Church respect me. I am the Hindu working in the butchery and abbatoir selling beef, I am the Hindu who sells alcohol and meat during Navratra even though I do not consume it, it is my job and I pay taxes and I am a symbol of the successful businessman/woman and I will sponsor one of the nights at the mandir.


I am the Hindu businessman who brings in rubbish to sell to poor people and I put my murti up on the wall. I am the Hindu contractor who pays bribes to get contracts, but it is okay because I have donated lots of money to the mandirs and other charitable causes.  And people give thanks to me because they understand, that is my job and that is how I have to do business. Don't ask me for too much though.

I am the journalist who has to swallow my bile when I have to write sycophantic reports in favour of people I do not like. I am the journalist who cannot protest the abuses of power because it is my job and the media entity I work with, is related to those in power.

I am the Public Relations consultant doing a great job with people who I dislike. But I sleep in the night, because  I have a comfortable bed.

I am the lawyer who asks small children who my clients have raped whether they were virgins, and I ensure that I could intimidate their grandmothers and mothers in the court room.. because it is my job, I have to defend my clients, whatever it takes. And I will be rewarded for doing a great job, maybe even get Silk.

I am a good worker, professional, I follow orders well and uphold my professional ethics well.  The only time I will challenge those who I work with, is when I think they do not pay me enough or they do not provide good enough working conditions for me to do my job.