I have been silent about racism my entire life, because I incorrectly believed it wasn’t my fight. But due to the events of the past 2 weeks, I have come to realize it is ABSOLUTELY my fight, and that I must be vocal about it.
Here’s the hard data that led me to my conclusion:
- The Immigration Act of 1965 was enacted to abolish the 1920s policies that restricted immigration to the United States from Asia, Southern Europe, and Eastern Europe. This Act kind of got “lumped in” with the Civil Rights Movement (which lasted 14 years) and it is responsible for allowing my parents & my extended family to immigrate from Pakistan to the United States. This is discussed briefly by Hassan Minhaj on Netflix’s Patriot Act. Something he didn’t mention: Adolf Hitler wrote about his admiration of America’s immigration policies before this change. Yeah dude, fucking Hitler.
- The Black Panthers provided daily hot meals during the 1977 504 Sit-in, a 25 day, round-the-clock protest in which hundreds of people with disabilities occupied federal buildings to bring attention to the lack of disability rights in education & employment. The success of this protest finally gave teeth to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 — the most important disability rights law in the United States before the ADA. This story was documented in the 2020 Netflix Film titled Crip Camp, which was produced by the Obamas. Something they didn’t mention: sit-ins were popularized by the Civil Rights Movement.
So you see, not only would I have never been born in the United States, but I definitely would not have had equal rights as a person with a disability, were it not for the tireless work of black Americans during the Civil Rights Movement, or their support of people with disabilities when we needed it most.
I would have been born in Pakistan instead, where accessibility is shit, and people with disabilities are seen as inferior human beings — they often have no better prospects than to beg for money. Here’s an excerpt from an article describing disability in Pakistan from March 2018:
Those who dare to venture outside their home are routinely met with stares or are approached by strangers who ask them to pray on their behalf. In rural areas, where disability is seen as a bad omen or curse from god, blind and crippled people are mocked. Ashamed parents keep disabled children shut inside and feed them poorly.
I definitely faced a form of this discrimination in my religious community — where old people would regularly come up to me and just ask “ what happened?” Members of my own extended family even made fun of the way I used to walk, in my own back yard.
Nowadays, my parents probably do question whether or not I am a curse from god (I mean, I was unplanned) but it’s more so because of my potty mouth and general disregard for authority — they have never let me believe that my disability makes me less than, even though they grew up in that ass-backwards Pakistani culture.
Disability was seen differently in my school environment — all my teachers would meet regularly with my parents after school (IEP meetings) to create a plan to support my success, whether that meant allowing me to skip physical education class, eat lunch in a small study hall with a teacher I liked, or keep a second set of books in my classrooms (which were provided for free). Hell — I even got extra time to take the ACT (which makes my perfect score not really that amazing). I’m certain that this adaptive view of disability influenced my parents to see it differently from their upbringing.
Who knows what would’ve happened to me if black Americans did not fight for Civil Rights — I certainly would not have ascended to the heights of American achievement: whether that meant earning Ivy League degrees, working at Fortune 500 companies, or even becoming temporarily Internet famous.
Whatever would’ve happened, I certainly would not be here making you laugh, making you think, and perhaps giving you some guidance on how to get your d wet 😛
So — if you are disabled, if you are of non-northwestern European origin, or if you have friends/colleagues/idols who fit those categories, Black Lives Matter is your fight, too.
And you might be wondering, as I did, why is this such a big deal now?
Honestly, I think it’s because someone finally captured the blatant brutality of the police against black people in America — if you watch the murder of George Floyd, you just can’t deny the officers’ disregard for human life, and then it hits you, “oh fuck, this is what black people have been telling us about for years.”
The outrage that we now feel definitely should have happened earlier, but alas, here we are. We have this moment, this momentum, right now, and it’s important that we don’t lose it. This is one of those moments in history where you can be part of the change. It’s okay if you haven’t been on board before — I wasn’t, either. I scoffed at “black lives matter” when I first heard it years ago — but I’ve grown, and you can, too.
How? Here are some ideas:
- Educate yourself — learn about what black people have been through, especially when it comes to the criminal justice system, as well as the public education system.
- Have discussions with your friends & family about racism and your own internal biases. Be prepared for the conversations with family to be much harder — nobody from my extended family spoke up when I brought it up in our group chat, but I have had some positive (although difficult) conversations with my parents.
- Spend your money to support black people — whether that means black-owned businesses, black artists, or donations to organizations that fight systemic racism. I need to work on supporting black business/art, and I have donated to the Minnesota Freedom Fund & the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. A lot of organizations need help right now — I set a budget for myself and try to give a little bit to each cause that comes my way, and share when I do to encourage others to do the same. (Don’t forget to record these in case you qualify for the tax deduction.)
- Support #blacklivesmatter on social media. Even if you don’t post a lot — share something from someone else that resonates with you, to indicate to the black people in your community that you are on their side. And to signal to everyone else that you have chosen to be on the side of justice & equality. You might screw up, but just keep at it. If someone calls you out for doing something incorrect (like tagging your black square with #blacklivesmatter) take the feedback and try again. It might be uncomfortable, but so is racism for black people. This moment is not about making everyone else feel good — it’s about achieving change, so just keep that in mind.
- Vote — for local leaders who support equality. I’ve said it before, and I will say it again — Presidential elections matter so little, because Presidents are bound by the Congress that you give them. In order to get anything done, Presidents have to play an intricate game of chess with members of Congress — so let’s give them stronger pieces to play with. I recommend voting for & supporting candidates backed by Justice Democrats and Brand New Congress — these organizations do the legwork of vetting candidates for several progressive issues, including racial equality, and they were the ones who helped AOC get elected to Congress (learn more about them in the Netflix Documentary Knock Down The House). I donate a small amount monthly to these organizations, and I volunteer to speak to voters on behalf of their candidates.
We are living in a pivotal moment, with the opportunity for significant change within reach — cities are actually considering redirecting police funds to community programs, education, and healthcare. We are actively rethinking how to achieve community safety.
Unfortunately, change does not happen overnight — I keep thinking of a Seattle protest leader I heard on a livestream this week, who made a remarkable comment in passing: remember everyone, this is a marathon, not a sprint. Change will come if we keep the steady fire alive (that is, the peaceful one in the streets).
I cannot recommend physically protesting, as I am not doing it myself, and there are significant health risks of doing so due to COVID-19. But, if you are protesting, know that I support you, and suggest that you use the best possible protective mask available to you. We need you to be healthy and strong throughout this marathon.
Much love,
-Amin
Photo by Kevin Mueller on Unsplash
Hey there — I hope this made you laugh, and that you learn from my experience. If you want more stuff like this (you weirdo) then sign up for my weekly emails, where I share more about my life, and the latest on my creative projects.
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Grazie,
-Amin Lakhani
The Dating Coach on Wheels
Comedian. Writer. Disabled Antihero.
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