When you’re a non-Black Arab and/or Muslim, the pain of existing in a world post 9/11, of working in a predominantly western industry that hates you, can sometimes be so much it overshadow the anti-Blackness we are raised in. The pain takes over common sense and empathy, as pain

does, and you say shit like:
“Arab is the new Black, post 9/11” (I’ve said this, 2013)
“Palestinians are treated like Black people during Jim Crow” (also said this 201?)
& generally make comparisons to the pain of other marginalized groups you have no business making. When Black

people, Black Americans, are kind enough to call you (me) on this engrained anti blackness, please see it for the gift it truly is. The boot of imperialism is on all of our necks and unlike bad faith deflection from white people it is not aimed at denying our pain and hurt.

It’s asking us to acknowledge & not diminish theirs.
I know that is incredibly hard to parse online when there are thousands of people talking at you, but it’s important to take a step back & say sorry.
It’s important to acknowledge the harm we do when we make these comparisons.

I see your pain and I ask that you see theirs, even when you’re in pain.
The bigger our platform the less margin we have for error, the more people we can hurt. It’s important to get it right and apologize when we don’t.

Hey @indigo_silk thank you for being the friend who got me to stop and think about what I was saying back then, I’ll never forget the favor you did me