Thread by @nuts2406

THREAD
A few days back @irenaakbar said it was a testing time to be a Hindu who doesn't give in to Islamophobia. She wanted to know how we do it.
It led to some self retrospection, and I wrote this rambling thread. It is self indulgent, but please forgive that.
0/n

https://twitter.com/irenaakbar/status/1189914416273215488

How do I survive Islamophobia? Why do I not give in to hate? How do I find the strength (like many others) to stand up for what is right?
Simple. That is who I was brought up to be.
1/n

My grandmothers were ritualistic Hindus, but their Hinduism had space for other faiths. In her nine-yards Kanjeevaram, one would visit Nagore darga with the same faith as she would a temple. The other went to Mahalakshi Temple every Friday, and always stopped at Haji Ali.
2/n

Once I asked my grandmother why she had a picture of Jesus and Mary in her shrine. Her answer was simple. Mariamman is a Mother Goddess who looks after her children. A role had been assigned to her. That is the Hinduism I inherited. A religion of co-existence.
3/n

When you grow up with a faith that encompasses all humanity, it is hard to imagine it being in ‘khatra’. My Krishna is sneaking Amul butter out of my fridge; he doesn’t really care about a temple, he is everywhere. Nobody can take my faith away from me. That’s mine always.
4/n

When I am fed Islamophobic bigotry by family or friends, I just feel sorry for them. Why did they trade their all-encompassing religion for the narrow one of bigotry and hate? Love fills you with joy, why choose hate?
Bigotry used to hurt, I have trained myself to ignore
5/n

Not giving in to Islamophobia is easy. Speaking up against it is harder
Islamophobes do not differentiate between handles. You are asked question you can't answer. Sometimes Muslims insinuate that your concern is superficial
Not unique to Hindus; anyone speaking up faces this
6/n

Why do I continue? Because I was commanded to
In his last letter to me my grandfather wrote, “if you are lucky, in your lifetime you will be asked to choose between what is right and what is easy. That will define who you are.”
It was his benediction, and I am living it now.
7/n

Once I was targeted viciously by someone I cared about. “You are a traitor to your caste. Your forefathers must be so ashamed of your treachery.”
It was meant to hurt, but it only strengthened me. My grandparents will be proud of me for standing up for what is right.
8/n

There are days when you are emotionally drained. There are days when you question if you are making any difference. There are days when you are tempted to withdraw.
But those days come to everyone who stands up against bigotry. And because you are not alone, you soldier on.
9/n

You remember how you saw fear in the eyes of your Uber driver on May 23, and how his face lit up when you looked him in the eye and said “Ramzan Mubarak”.
You know the power of love. And you know you will keep fighting until hate is defeated and coexistence is normalized.
10/n

Most of it is not your fight alone. It is the fight of everyone standing up against bigotry and hate.
Each of us have our own reasons why continue to speak up. This is mine- I cannot do otherwise.

~END~