The power of the people

In my hyphenated identity of Muslim-Immigrant-Academic, I had not imagined this. In the spheres that I operate in, this was not the outcome we had anticipated. I also did not know that my bubble, that I thought was open and inclusive of people of various political stripes and persuasions, would insulate me from the opinions of so many people around me for so long.

The argument of what is better, electoral college or popular vote is a separate one, and there are arguments being made on both sides. Nonetheless the reality is that last Tuesday tens of millions of people voted for the President-Elect. The media had called it wrong, and so had the pollsters. Many of us had chosen to put our faith in those predictions. Lots of important questions are being asked, and should be asked about the disconnect of the “pundits” with the masses and what it means to predict, and capture the pulse of the public opinion.

The election has also unleashed a wave of emotions among so many people, and the anxiety of several groups of various religious denominations and various ethnic groups is very palpable. The incidents of rage, hatred and in some cases violence are most vulgar, and have done little to put the anxiety of millions to rest. The power of the people who are supporting hatred and intolerance in many parts of the US is very real, and it is manifesting itself in ways that are far from acceptable.

But there is another power of the people, and that is what I want to talk about.

Not too long after the election was called, I got an email from a friend in Norway, checking if I was ok. She was not just concerned for the country, but also for me and my family. Pretty soon people from as close as our neighbourhood, and as far as Australia were calling, texting and emailing, checking to make sure that my family and I were ok. Students, many of whom were shocked by the result, were sending words of comfort. Even parents of my students were asking me if everything was fine, if I needed any support, or if there was anything they could do. I even got emails from those who are in much more difficult and tougher spot than I am. One Syrian refugee who I have worked with in Canada also reached out, and despite the fact he and his family do not have much to offer, their words of support meant the world to me. With every passing day, I get more and more emails checking up on me and the family. Never knew I had so many people who had my back.

In our suburb outside Boston, friends, acquaintances and even strangers are checking up on their neighbours, providing support and words of comfort. Places of worship across various denominations in our little town are reaching out to the Muslim, African American, Jewish, Hispanic and all other communities that feel vulnerable to make sure that we are fine. I spent the afternoon on Sunday talking to clergy and congregation members from various religious groups as part of the effort to get to know the neighbours, and do our bit in creating a more tolerant, respectful and understanding community.

The challenges faced by so many people are real, and the road ahead is uncertain and full of anxiety. I do not want to paint an unnecessary rosy picture of the difficulties that many are facing, and their pain is absolutely heartbreaking but I want to emphasise that just as the power of people who choose to unleash their deeply rooted hatred and insecurities upon others is real, so is the power of people who choose to stand up for values of love and peace and are there for friends and strangers.

The power is within all of us, and it is our decision how we choose to use it.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 15^th, 2016.

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