“PLEASE KEEP YOUR AMERICAN FLAGS OFF MY HIJAB”
“2. Know that the hijab — for *me* at least — represents a rejection of materialism, of capitalism, of euro-centric beauty standards (among other significance) and draping an American flag over it erases almost everything the hijab means to me.
3. Know the American flag represents oppression, torture, sexual violence, slavery, patriarchy, and military & cultural hegemony for people of color around the world whose homes and families have been destroyed and drone-striked by the very person/former president whose campaign images this one seeks to replicate.
4. Know that the 50 stars represent 50 states where indigenous people were forcibly removed and systematically cleansed and assimilated — and that you cannot hold this flag in one hand and tweet #NoDAPL with the other.
5. Know that patriotism is not a form of liberation, but is inherently oppressive. Especially given the violent history of the birth of this country — and all others like it — on the backs of Black slaves (many of whom were Muslim) and indigenous genocide. Trump’s presidency is the logical outcome of the racist systems and institutions of white supremacy that this country was built on and this flag represents.”
Right before I read this, I’d ordered some posters that included this image and when it arrived I kind of left it all in the package for a long time then finally recycled everything except for the black woman.