Indian American politician receives vicious threats and racist comments.
In yet another incident of ugly behavior and overt racism in the US in the wake of Donald Trump’s victory in the presidential elections, an Indian American councilwoman from Seattle, Kshama Sawant, has been targeted by Trump supporters with vicious threats and racist comments, including “Go back to India b*tch” and “go hang yourself”.
Trouble for Sawant started after she gave a speech on Election Day, where she called on the public to have a massive protest against Trump. “Let’s have a massive protest and tell America we do not accept a racist agenda and let’s make sure that on Inauguration Day, on the 20th and 21st of January, let’s do a nationwide shutdown and occupy inauguration,” she said in the speech.
After a video of Sawant’s speech went viral, she was deluged with over 200 phone calls to her Seattle office, reported Raw Story.
According to a spokeswoman for Sawant — one of the few socialist office holders in the US — the councilwoman has been flooded with angry emails and phone calls for encouraging continuing protests against Trump.
“A staffer was told on phone: ‘I will come and tattoo a swastika on your head and on that b*tch’s head,’” Council spokesperson Dana Robinson Slote stated in an email.
“Go back to India b*tch,” one email read. “I am tired of being shamed because I’m a white male. You automatically think I’m a racist. How about you go the f*ck back to India or wherever you came from?”
Another emailer complained that conservatives didn’t riot when Barack Obama was elected, before adding, “Stop being such a cry baby bitch and go hang yourself.”
The local affiliate of Fox News, Q13, reported Sawant’s call for protest is not a surprise. The socialist council-member has herself engaged in acts of civil disobedience during her time on the council and was arrested during a wage protest in 2014.
Meanwhile, K5 reported that an effort to impeach Sawant is gaining momentum.
More than 17,500 people have electronically supported an online petition to that effect as of 6:45 pm Thursday. It launched after her protest against Trump.
The group wants to send a message to Seattle Mayor Ed Murray that Sawant should be impeached because they believe it’s not appropriate for elected officials to call for protests.
The online petition reads: “Kshama Sawant is not respecting the will of the people. She’s using her platform to incite violence and call for protests and riots. Our elected officials should be helping and bringing people together in our communities not promoting hate towards our democracy. Whether you like the outcome or not of the election, we look upon our officials to follow the laws of this country. Let’s help bring people together and follow the laws to get things done not promote hate and dismay because this election did not go her way. Let’s send a message to our local Mayor that she should step down from her position or be impeached. It is not appropriate for elected officials to call for protests.”