Dear Reader,
The moment the results of this election were made clear, my
heart sank. I grew solemn; the witty and
sarcastic jokes on our favorite late-night shows were no longer of solace. I cried.
I actually cried. I didn’t cry
because my candidate didn’t win, I didn’t cry because I’m a “whiny, liberal millennial.”
I cried because on November 9, 2011; hate won.
Let me be clear; this election was not about politics, this
election was about humanity. We lost our
humanity in this election. I cried,
alike many people across the nation, because I am mourning our loss of our
basic human decency… I cried because I am truly heartbroken by the message that
racism, misogyny, xenophobia, Islamophobia, and homophobia are acceptable in
our highest office reverberated loud and clear.
In the past two days I have cried because I see the uninhibited attacks
on people of color, members of the LGBTQ community, women, Muslims, Latinx and
immigrants that have already unleashed in parts of our country where I would
least expect it; places like Los Angeles and San Diego.
But I have to believe that there are those of you out there
who voted for the President-elect (or perhaps didn’t vote at all), because the
system has failed you and you are tired.
I no longer wish to lecture you about the dangers of turning a blind-eye
to his hate rhetoric because you are against perceived socialism, hate Obama,
or a liberal-progressive agenda. The
time for that has passed. Instead I want
you to know that I understand that you feel disenfranchised, that you are tired
and want an agent for change, that you believe the President-elect will make
America prosperous again, and that you are fed up with the establishment. I sincerely do hope that I am wrong about him
and that he is able to catalyze positive change and put into effect the
economic policies that spoke to your vote.
However, if you voted for the now President-elect but disagree with
racist, misogynistic, homophobic, and Islamophobic rhetoric and violence
against others…. I implore you to
denounce it. I implore you to speak up
and be strong for those who are facing very legitimate fears. Use your white privilege to be an ally for
those who are facing the aftermath of this election; who are being targeted by
a level of hate and violence that now feels free to come out in the daylight. I may not agree with your political views, I
may be too liberal for you to feel connected to me, but I think we can agree on
our views on humanity and morality. Smashing
a beer bottle over a gay man’s head is a hate crime. Pulling a hijab off a woman hard enough to
choke her and yelling threats at her is a hate crime. Grabbing a women’s genital area and calling
her obscenities at a gas station because she had a Bernie sticker on her car is
a hate and sexual assault crime. If you
are disturbed by these events, if the pointing these out to you by me or others
on social media makes you uncomfortable; it should.
Today, in the aftermath of this election, the issue is not
the person elected. It is what that
individual has incited for the past 17 months in our country. The permissiveness to be openly hateful, intolerant,
even violent. As we try to find a way to
bridge our national gap, to transcend the divisiveness that has defined our
country, I urge you to begin by showing empathy and kindness to the people who
are genuinely afraid of their national peer’s sentiments towards them. I ask that you remember your humanity.
Let’s be a safe place for each other, be strong for each
other. Please do not dismiss what is
happening as whining because we didn’t get our way. Please understand that this is a response to
issues about human rights. Men, be an
ally to women who feel unsafe to walk alone; if you see harassment happening,
say something. Use your white privilege
to offer protection, love, comfort, and solace to LGBTQ, Muslim, Latinx,
African-American, and Immigrant people who feel afraid for themselves, their
children and their families.
Let us lead by example and show our children (as well as
each other) that we are still better than our politics. That our humanity can transcend differing
views and that kindness can change the world.
If you want to see some examples of the small or larger
things other have done or are doing:
In the aftermath of the San Bernardino shooting, church
members unite to express their tolerance of their Muslim neighbors: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/san-bernardino-muslims-interfaith_us_566620e3e4b072e9d1c75a50
And Artists, Filmmakers, Dancemakers, et al; I’m actively
looking to collaborate with you and DO something to give an show our support
and tolerance for one another is this social climate. I don’t know what yet. I’m open to ideas; let’s embrace our brothers
and sisters who are feeling alone and afraid.
If you are out there right now afraid to walk alone, afraid
to wear your hijab, afraid to be yourself, afraid for your status in this
country- I stand with you, you matter to me, I value you and your contribution
to the cultural fabric of this country and I see you. And the 5 year old little girl who didn’t
speak English and once cried feeling alone and scared while her classmates sang
“Old McDonald,” but who’s teachers, other kind children, church members and
neighbors embraced and made to feel wanted and welcome; she empathizes with you
and I will do all I can to extend to you the same kindness that saved me.
Love must win,
Nahyr
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