There were Stop The Coup protests today all over the country, but I didn't attend. I am all for solidarity but it is always weird when the underprivileged are expected to show solidarity for the more privileged to protest against an action that might bring the privileged closer to the underprivileged. Non-EU immigrants, especially from South Asia and Africa, have been suffering the hostile environment for years. I wish I could find it within me to be more empathetic towards EU migrants but I don't think anyone cares about the support of a non-EU migrant from South Asia since we are of a lower status than them. Our support doesn't matter, I feel.
I know Brexit will affect my life and this seems like a cynical point of view, but sometimes I feel the battle over Brexit is a fight among white people. I have often asked my European friends how they define Europeanness, and some of them have replied with platitudes such as rule of law liberal values. For me, it is the continent of white people. It is difficult for me to imagine that people of colour who live in Europe, feel European. They might feel French, or Dutch, or whatever, because they live there and speak the language, but do they feel European? It would be interesting to hear from them.
And, lastly, as an Indian, I would have felt weird marching for British democracy, considering that Britain was a democracy for all the time it ruled over India. Does that make me a hypocrite as I want to make Britain my home, at least for the time being? Well, I want to make Britain my home but I don't want to be British, even if I take up British citizenship.
I know Brexit will affect my life and this seems like a cynical point of view, but sometimes I feel the battle over Brexit is a fight among white people. I have often asked my European friends how they define Europeanness, and some of them have replied with platitudes such as rule of law liberal values. For me, it is the continent of white people. It is difficult for me to imagine that people of colour who live in Europe, feel European. They might feel French, or Dutch, or whatever, because they live there and speak the language, but do they feel European? It would be interesting to hear from them.
And, lastly, as an Indian, I would have felt weird marching for British democracy, considering that Britain was a democracy for all the time it ruled over India. Does that make me a hypocrite as I want to make Britain my home, at least for the time being? Well, I want to make Britain my home but I don't want to be British, even if I take up British citizenship.
No comments:
Post a Comment