Open Letter to My Father
An open letter to my father and to all other SA fathers who are racist, sexist, homophobic, and bigoted
It hurts. When you mindlessly spew the spiteful words of a President I despise with every fiber of my being. A President who has no regard for anyone but himself, filling his pockets with money and his mind with incessant praise. A man who has made a mockery out of the prestigious role of Commander in Chief.
It stings. When you so adamantly support his “economic policies,” blinding yourself to the injustice and corruption he breeds. You preach peace and helping the less fortunate in Hinduism. But when it comes time for actionable accountability you vote for a man who will protect your money. Not humans right of the country in which you have chosen to make our home. Arguing with you is looking at a reflection of the President...red faced, illogical, shouting insults instead of answers. It’s emotionally draining and utterly unproductive.
It burns. When you defend a President who loathes women. Who believes it is his god-given right to “grab ‘em by the pussy.” A man who’s only response to a strong, opposing female is to call her nasty. I wonder why stripping women of THEIR RIGHTS to choose what happens to THEIR BODIES is a high he feeds off of. But when asked to allocate funds for child support and healthcare, Trump and their ilk are the first to turn their backs.
It cuts deep. When you so easily embody the hate that was passed down to you. Repulsion of a larger ratio of melanin in skin cells. Ignoring decades of systematic racism and pointing at stereotypes of black people being lazy or dangerous?! Falling into the false praise of being a model minority you don’t get to pretend, you are not a part of this country’s racism. If you had to live in fear for the mere crime of EXISTING, perhaps you would not be so cavalier about why the country is where it is today.
But the part that rips me to shreds is that it’s you, Baba. You.
The man who raised me, nurtured me, loved me. The man who I look up to in so many ways. It is you.
My Baba. Who is racist. Sexist. Homophobic. Bigoted.
This is what breaks my heart.