India Today Conclave 2017: Find your humanity, President Trump: Waris Ahluwalia
Cultural diversity in Donald Trump’s America is under threat. Hate crimes are going up. The climate of fear is intensifying. Indian-American Sikh actor and designer Waris Ahluwalia is one among the three million brown-skinned Indian-Americans who feel the growing pain of the American regime change.
Here are some fun facts about the designer-turned-actor #WarisAhluwalia. Catch him Live NOW at #Conclave17 https://t.co/VHffbdV2RJ pic.twitter.com/w6FR3vsot6
— India Today (@IndiaToday) March 17, 2017
Ahluwalia says, “Fear exists in all of us, but it’s nothing new. Hatred and fear Indian Americans have been dealing with for ages.” But he recounts the trauma of the time when he was offloaded from a flight for looking “like a terrorist, for looking suspicious”.
He mentions with dollops of sarcasm that he is being called “Osama bin Laden” but has been earlier called “Gandhi”. So, which version is the true one?
Ahluwalia, who wears his turban and long beard, like in Sikh tradition, has faced violence first hand. “I was physically assaulted, but there’s resilience too in the air. I feel safe in NYC,” he avows his love for New York City, where he lives and makes his living as a creative entrepreneur.
#Conclave17 New York feels as safe as any other city in the world:@WarisAhluwalia LIVE https://t.co/VHffbecDJh pic.twitter.com/OgQqrTrz4Q
— India Today (@IndiaToday) March 17, 2017
When asked “who are the people attacking him, if they are Americans”, he said yes. But he added that “fear of the other” is making people do things they wouldn’t do in normal circumstances.
“I was a boy scout in school, just like you, I am an American. I see myself as part of this sociopolitical fabric,” Ahluwalia says to his fellow Americans. Are they listening?
Waris was asked that the climate of fear has amped up since recent US elections, what is his message to US president Donald Trump, the man behind the controversial and patently racist Muslim travel ban.
#Conclave17 This is what @WarisAhluwalia wants to say to US president @realDonaldTrump LIVE https://t.co/VHffbecDJh pic.twitter.com/lXnNeCivyq
— India Today (@IndiaToday) March 17, 2017
“Find your humanity, find your truth,” Ahluwalia says. You heard that, Mr Trump?