Sign language indeed
Growing up, I was a big fan of Amitab’s song, “Bengali mai bolo… angrezi mai bolo I love you.”
I am reminded of that song which emphasises the different ways of expressing love in different South Asian languages. This past week the world was shown protesting against the Americam #Ban in different languages. While TV footage showed us the crowds on the streets and airports, commentators were focussed on the crowd size, my eye meandered towards the placards. Each placard was a study in immigration, Diaspora politics, and satirical humour and of course the art of street protest.
There was plenty of material for the Diaspora political science student in the placards “Without immigrants Trump would have no wives.” and the one which read “will swap 1 Donald Trump for 10,000 Refugees.” Yet another placard read, “Immigrants are important to do the jobs locals don’t want: Trump’s wives.” Similarly, in another picture, a man was expressing his disapproval of Trump’s decision of erecting a wall around Mexico, through a placard reading “Build a wall around Trump, I’ll pay for it.” Another one has a boy peeking over a wall and saying, “Uncle! Please give us our ball.” What these placards’ satire spoke about is, of course, true. Former Secretary of State Maldene Albright said, “Lady Liberty has tears in her eyes today.”
Well, Lady Liberty ain’t the only one.
Many Americans dependent on Mexican landscapers, labour, contractors, South Asian gas pump attendants, Chinese and South Asian doctors has tears of frustration at the thought of losing their cheap labour and use of their expertise. According to the US official figures, eighteen percent of all small business employees are immigrants – employing over four million people and generating 776 billion annually.
Some of the placards that were the most thought provoking were carried by protesters outside the Trump Towers, reading “Build Kindness not Walls.” Another clearly pro-choice placard read, “One abortion and we could all have stayed home.” TV footage also showed a picture of a group of Mexican children holding placards, reading “Made in USA, with Mexican parts.” In another picture, a woman was holding a placard, reading “We shall over-comb”, in an indiscreet reference to President Trump’s hairstyle.
Groups like “Kids against Trump” and “Women against Trump” are also campaigning against policies being pursued by Donald Trump and his administration.
Women in particular were seen protesting against Trump for his objectification of women and chauvinistic remarks. According to many news sources 21st January, 2017 was seen as one of the largest days of protest in the United States of America, as women – supported by men – walked the streets of USA protesting against the racist policies of Donald Trump. According to estimates, around 1-1.5 % of the whole population of US was on the roads after Trump’s inauguration. One of the placards held by the protesting women read “Fight like a girl.” Another one read “The future is female.” Another woman criticising Donald Trump held a placard that read “Bigots come in all colours, even Orange.” A group of women got so infuriated by Trump’s chauvinistic remarks that they decided to march in Antarctica as well.
A group of women scientists called ‘500 Women Scientists’ were also seen protesting against Trump for his anti-women and anti-science policies. This group has garnered more than 15,000 signatures for their pledge from female scientists from 109 countries. The participants in their protests were also seen holding interesting placards with direct and indirect criticism for the policies being pursued by Trump Administration. One of the placard read “Science does not discriminate.” Another one read “Real Men Support Women in Science.” One of the most interesting placards seen at one of the protests of 500 Women Scientists read “What do we want? Evidence based Claims; when do we want it? After peer review – Science is NOT a liberal conspiracy.”
A woman even came up with a Yo Momma joke to criticise Trump’s disregard of Climate Change as a serious issue faced by the world. The placard held by this woman at one of the anti-Trump protests read “Yo Momma’s so hot, she’s about to experience desertification and rising sea levels.” Another placard criticising Trump’s anti-Climate Change stance read “Trump: Climate Disaster.” Yet another one read, “There is no Planet B.”
One of the pictures that I saw the other day showed a group of South Asian women giving a more Desi anti-Trump rhetoric. The placards read “Desi Women rise for Science”, “Desi Women rise for LGBTQ Rights” and “Desi Women rise for Muslims.” The more colour ful desi ones were, “ Trump is a Kutta” and even more expressive ones like “#Ban*&^ (. “
One of my favourite placards held by a teacher from Boston read “Boston teachers give Trump an F.” Another teacher held a placard reading “this is not the history I want to teach.” “Dump Trump”, “Not my President” and “No to Racism, No to Trump” were some of the other placard messages that became very famous among the anti-Trump protestors.
These expressions of protest were rounded up by perhaps one placard stating “Trump has made America great again. He has given the civil rights based movement, to a certain extent complacement, a shot in the arm.”
Meanwhile at home, we are happy with our bans. For it keeps people in neat categories of refugees, terrorists, anti-state and terrorists. We are so happy with our Bans that we have also banned a program by the name of Bannistan. However, let’s not talk about that. Let’s focus on Trump and how America is regressing.
