I’ve often thought about that moment—the unnecessary injection of racial anxiety into my otherwise normal school day—when I think about the irony of progressive identity politics. My parents, both born in India but educated in America, would laugh about their well-intentioned but misguided friends who, in their eagerness to ward off the idea of “otherness,” ended up contributing to it.
So the people who knew the country well enough to see what was coming told you what was coming. You ignored them, your parents laughed at them.
But then a few days ago, I opened X to see my feed populated with anti-Indian vitriol—calling the country where my parents were born “filthy” and its people “filthy and undesirable.” Some condemned these comments but many others agreed, and still others criticized the critics for crying racism. But I could see it for what it was: raw bigotry.
Huh.
But now, we must all reckon with an ugly part of the MAGA agenda they did not realize existed.
Everyone who’s head wasn’t buried in the sand or laughing about “the irony of progressive politics” realized they existed.
And so, if Trump’s win is a revolutionary moment for MAGA, the people who voted for the revolution need to define which MAGA they believe in. Does “making America great again” revive the ideals of this country—or the grievances of a group of “native-born” Americans? If MAGA chooses the latter, those on the left who were dismissed as hysterical for crying racism will be vindicated in the worst way.
Whew, still not getting it I see. MAGA has made that choice already, and it hasn’t moved one bit during the time MAGA has existed.
I didn’t want to fracture that pride with the news of an ugly turn in our country’s politics. How do you tell someone the country they’ve loved for 50 years is harboring a growing faction that wishes he’d never come?
I think you can only tell them to pay attention next time and not laugh at those trying to give you a clue.
My grandfather voted for Trump three times. Now, part of that movement is calling immigrants like him ‘filthy.’
Your grandfather empowered them and is part of the problem.
Damn, it’s only January and my schadenfreude gland is already getting fatigued.
Well they lie about this constantly, every republican I’ve met will tell you ‘I have nothing against immigrants’’ but all them the details. Visa programs? (Legal immigration) nope, get rid of it. Refugee programs (legal and mandated temporary) That’s the dog and cat eating black skinned ones, NO get rid of it! Amnesty seekers (our laws designate and protect them, not every other country, legal) nope that’s the caravan of criminals roving free all across the boarder raping white women, kill em all. ‘Chain migration’ literally legal immigration, the majorly of legal spots to immigrate come from this and it takes UP TO 20 YEARS to get citizenship. Nope we don’t need more fucking mesicans end it! There is literally no form of legal immigration they don’t HEAVILY attack and hate.
This already means something in the old caste system, specifically about the lowest “backwards caste” people (“untouchables”). Not to say that everyone involved has old-world bigotry in their hearts, but for those that do, this is likely an especially cutting insult.
So the people who knew the country well enough to see what was coming told you what was coming. You ignored them, your parents laughed at them.
Huh.
Everyone who’s head wasn’t buried in the sand or laughing about “the irony of progressive politics” realized they existed.
Whew, still not getting it I see. MAGA has made that choice already, and it hasn’t moved one bit during the time MAGA has existed.
I think you can only tell them to pay attention next time and not laugh at those trying to give you a clue.
Your grandfather empowered them and is part of the problem.
Damn, it’s only January and my schadenfreude gland is already getting fatigued.
You thought “they’re poisoning the blood of our nation” was talking about illegal immigrants only?
Are you stupid or just bigoted against everyone else because you think you are too established to be thought as “other”?
Conservatives be conservatying no matter the skin color - until they come for them.
Well they lie about this constantly, every republican I’ve met will tell you ‘I have nothing against immigrants’’ but all them the details. Visa programs? (Legal immigration) nope, get rid of it. Refugee programs (legal and mandated temporary) That’s the dog and cat eating black skinned ones, NO get rid of it! Amnesty seekers (our laws designate and protect them, not every other country, legal) nope that’s the caravan of criminals roving free all across the boarder raping white women, kill em all. ‘Chain migration’ literally legal immigration, the majorly of legal spots to immigrate come from this and it takes UP TO 20 YEARS to get citizenship. Nope we don’t need more fucking mesicans end it! There is literally no form of legal immigration they don’t HEAVILY attack and hate.
India has its own problems with class/caste and the language that surrounds it. Officially it’s no longer in play, but there are knock-on effects.
This already means something in the old caste system, specifically about the lowest “backwards caste” people (“untouchables”). Not to say that everyone involved has old-world bigotry in their hearts, but for those that do, this is likely an especially cutting insult.
Thanks for that additional context!
“But surely I’m going to be an honorary aryan?!”