I'm the first one to criticize the US, and yes they should send vaccines, but this disaster is a homemade abomination. For a lot of reasons.

From the dismal healthcare spending to the gov downplaying the crisis to a lack of infrastructure.

At the beginning of the month, children were playing without masks. Gyms wouldn't allow entry w/o masks but then allowed clients to remove them to work out. Shops once again became crowded. Bazaars were pulsing with maskless bargain-hunters and sellers.

Since the end of the lockdown in September 2020, we've seen "home remedies" or ayurvedic COVID kits on WhatsApp and in stores. Beyond basic warnings, people became complacent.

Our locality, as well as city, is strong RSS/B*P/sh*v s*na. On every topic - from military to spending.

Regular news stories discussed how Indians were immune to COVID because of the hot summers. Because locals deal with dengue and malaria.

All sorts of nonsense.

Now the entire healthcare system, underfunded for decades, is now attempting to curb a cataclysmic outbreak with little support.

Blaming the US is easy - despite the fact that, historically, Indian-US relations have always been somewhat distant. The "middle path" between communism and capitalism, after all.

But the US plays a small role in this catastrophe.

Since I've lived here, I've seen people blame anyone and everything except for the local government. The US, UK, Pakistan, China, the Mughals, Muslims, Bangladesh, illegal immigrants. No different than in the US.

And yes, colonialism, imperialism continues to affect India.

But until those who have voting power can admit the system isn't working and there needs to be a significant change on an individual and systemic level until hate is replaced with responsibility, India will always be on the precipice of crisis.

I can't do anything. I don't have voting rights. I just live here. People deserve better. Things can be better. And so many Indians have a vision for a better reality.

I hope we live to see it.