Open Letter to Those Who Did Not Vote for Change in 2020

Note: I'm publishing this with a pretty rough edit because I had a lot of thoughts at the time. 

I felt I had to write on November 9th since 4 years ago we were so heartbroken and angry about the election. I blogged about it here.  Today, we're full of hope and excitement again for the future. We are approaching Diwali as the season of light where good overcomes evil. 

Despite the five years of lies, divisiveness and violence, a large number of Americans voted for the incumbent.

First of all, to my Republican friends who crossed over to vote Democrat, thank you!! I know it's not easy and you've probably been a Republican all of your life. Majority of my friends have leaned more on the fiscal conservative platform, rather than their social. You have shown that you do look at the larger picture and what the last few years have brought you, and it's not worth it to suffer the tweets and the hateful language. Maybe you thought as a "businessman" he would bring in good practices. Unfortunately, he failed to do that and ran the country as a family business. So, thank you for understanding your own values over party labels.

Now, to the people who voted for Trump, but would still like to be friends and unite for this country.

Basically, you voted for Trump because you are comfortable with your position of privilege. It may be financial status and a healthy 401K (although the stock market is not the economy per Kai Ryssdal). It may be their comfort in knowing they made in the US through their hard work.

I have to ask why did they not vote for their children's future? Is your 401K that important over your daughter getting equal pay as your son? What about women's access to safe health options? What about the protecting whatever we can of the environment when the country is on fire or under water? What kind of world are you leaving for your grandchildren? Maybe having transgendered service men and women is not important to you because it doesn't effect you personally. But, it does to someone else. 

That's the thing - it may not matter to you in November 2020. But it may twenty years from now. 

To my immigrant friends, imagine yourself at the age when you chose to come to the US. You had an idea of what you can do and achieve in the US, so you looked for colleges and jobs that would get you to the US - where anything can happen! 

Now, imagine yourself looking at the US current state. Immigration is under fire and visas are restricted. Even if you get a Green Card, there's a backlog. It's so unpredictable, you can't start your life here. You would look at Canada, Australia or anywhere but the US. So, there are young people who are choosing not to come to the US.. and you would've been one of them.

Again, it doesn't apply to you now, but it could have. Your life trajectory would have been different.

To the Indians who voted for Trump, I don't get it. You may have voted to be against Kamala who is purportedly "pro-Pakistan" because she and other Senators spoke against India's actions in Kashmir. You may support Trump's anti-Muslim rhetoric because it's "them" and we're the good ones. I wish people would understand that the white supremacist guys leading a random militia will see a brown person and not ask whether they're from Pakistan or if they're Brahmin or what. It's all color. I understand that immigrants who have been used to being the majority or of an elite class, do not feel like they're in the minority in this country.

You voted as you did, that's your right. But you missed an opportunity to think for the others - people you know and don't know and the ones you'll meet one day. Imagine empathy for others you do not know.