Ignorance, Islamaphobia, and Fucking Idiots
Amy Kay
Yesterday my family had dinner. The food isn't important, but the conversation during dinner is.
For context for what we'll get into: My older family members are very... ignorant. They're very supportive of Trump. They thankfully don't buy his merch and cover their cheap cars with his stickers but still.
My mom mentions to my eldest sister (B) that our taxes are being raised to subsidize NYC's Free Bus program. She says something along the lines of "did you hear that communist in NYC is increasing our taxes?". Okay first, calling a Democratic Socialist a "communist" is equivalent to calling an Octagon a Pentagon. You're so close to having the right terminology but you're ignorance is in the way.
Okay, that's not my main problem, it's what comes after this. My mother says that "half of NYC is immigrants" and that most of the city is... Islamic? Their source? Nothing. I rebuttal that the ladder is simply isn't true. We actually have science and data to prove that this simply isn't true. The Institute for Social Policy and Understanding released a report in July of 2018 that provides us with the number 8.96 percent of New Yorkers identity with the religion of Islam. Another point I wish I had made in the moment; New York was FOUNDED on immigrants. Our own ancestors likely came here through the New York harbour, specifically Ellis Island. This entire country can trace their family lineage back to foreign lands, with the exception of the natives of Northern America. These same immigrants (who are PEOPLE mind you) arrived here in New York too, just not the harbour, but our airports.
This disgusting, ignorant, hateful idea that us white Americans are somehow different then other newly made Americans is just insulting. Another point; according to carry.com, my boy Z is proposing that the state should raise the corporate tax rate from 8.85% to 11.5% for about 1k of the CITY's most profitable companies. For context, we live on LAKE ERIE. He also proposes a 2% surcharge to CITY income tax surcharge for New Yorkers earning more than 1 MILLION annually.
We're a low-income family in Western New York. This simply does not matter to us. Anyway, Mamdani doesn't have the authority to tax anyone, that's the state legislature's job (you learn this in school).
My mom is very hateful, it's ingrained into her psyche. My sister B is only 28. Ignorance leads hatred, it weaponizes the lack of empathy that many unfortunately have.
My sources
Full Report: An Impact Report of Muslim Contributions to New York City
NYC Mayor Mamdani Proposes $9 Billion Tax Hike to Fund Free Buses, Childcare
I am open to being wrong, discuss with me about this on my bsky or email