When there is an uncomfortable or unsettling topic on hand, we all like to live in denial. When COVID deaths were reported initially, I heard countless people ask -what underlying conditions did the person have? We all prefer to live in a world where we are not vulnerable. We prefer to believe we are not susceptible to the dangers or the injustice around us.
The peaceful protests all over the country were supported by people of all color. The voices of the second-generation South-Asian Americans were clear and visible. The first generation Americans chose to be partly silent with just a few voices voicing their support. Part of the reason the first generation maybe quiet is because we have culturally been raised to not question the establishment. When one ethnicity or minority is discriminated against, at times the other person of color (POC) lives in this belief that this is not about them.
South-Asians need to understand that the next George Floyd or Breona Taylor could very well be them or their loved one. There is video proof of George Floyd’s death. There is video proof of Amy Cooper threatening an African American man. How many deaths of other POC have occurred with families wondering why and how it happened? And then there are also known cases of racial aggression against South-Asians.
Let us not forget Srinivas Kuchibotla who died after being shot at, at a bar in Kansas because he of how he “looked”. Let’s not forget the Indian grandfather Sureshbhai Patel who was assaulted because he looked “suspicious”. Numerous people of color have been viewed with suspicion because of their religion and their skin.
As South-Asian Americans, if you think you or your children are immune because your are financially stable, have a job and an education, there needs to be more dialog. For a racist, who cannot accept anyone who looks different than him or her, it does not matter what shade of brown your skin is. Light-brown, Lighter-brown, dark-brown, peach ..it just does not matter. You are still different, you are still vulnerable.
Your children are watching your reactions and what you say much more than you realize. This is a vulnerable time for them. The pandemic is not over yet, their last 3 months of school were just snatched away from them, they never got to say good-bye to most of their friends and now they see the country erupting in protests and peaceful protestors being attacked as well. This is the time to have dialogs at home and talk about racial equality. This is not the time to look away and pretend like everything is normal.
Let us not forget the Civil Rights movement that allowed immigration. Indian American, let us not forget that, Mahatma Gandhi led India to freedom from British colonization by his non-violent peaceful protests. This is not a new struggle for you. This is the time to lend your voice and join the movement. This isn’t just someone else’s fight.
Gandhi said, “Be the Change you wish to see in the world” ….. It is now time to “Come out of your bubble and Wish for that change in the world. This is totally about you too!”
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