We have to stop letting ourselves be used as shields for white people being accused of racism

At the Republican National Convention on Monday, prominent American lawyer and Republican Party official Harmeet Kaur Dhillon or @pnjaban as she is known on her social media platforms, performed a Sikh prayer, or Ardaas to close day one of the convention.

This is not the first time Dhillon did Ardaas at a Republican event—in 2016 she performed Ardaas and explained the meaning to attendees, again at the RNC.

However, despite Dhillon’s attempt in good faith to use this platform to share a Sikh prayer and highlight the Sikh faith, the Republican base immediately removed their masks, demonstrating that irrespective of your beliefs, as a person of colour you will constantly be reminded of the differences between you, and “them.”

Prominent social media white supremacists jumped at the opportunity to not only fling insults at Dhillon, but to react to what they called a “satanic chant.”

People repeatedly called the prayer “blasphemy,” reminding Dhillon that the US and the Republican Party believe in Christian ideals and only in Jesus Christ—denouncing what many on social media mistakenly called a “Hindu prayer.”

Nick Fuentes, an infamous internet white supremacist made an entire video reacting to Dhillon’s prayer, in which he also incorrectly described the Ardaas as a Hindu prayer.

“Jesus Christ needs to be front and center,” Fuentes said.

“What is this song that says the one and only god is an elephant?” 

Others on social media doubled down and made fun of Sikh gurus and the Sikh faith, misappropriating the meaning behind the Sikh belief of a “one true God,” and hurling racist insults at Sikhs, including Dhillon.

Again, the many responses inaccurately describing Dhillon’s faith despite her explicitly mentioning it was a Sikh prayer reaffirms that people of colour are interchangeable to the racist Republican base and no matter what you believe, you are contributing to their cause by allowing yourself to be used as away to fight the racism allegations.

As I write this I want to make it clear that you can bestow prayers on whoever you wish and while I wholeheartedly respect our political differences and do not wish to say that another Sikh woman is responsible for the hate she is receiving, it is undeniable that this behaviour is inextricably apart of the fabric of the party’s base.

I believe that the hate Dhillon has faced as a result of trying to bring “diversity” to the RNC is a prime example of what happens when people of colour are merely used as checkboxes for diversity and not actually meaningfully engaged with or protected.

I am not at all blaming Dhillon for the racism she is experiencing because it is positively abhorrent and a prime example of what happens when women of colour reach high places—but it also goes to show that when we attempt to ingratiate ourselves in spaces that are not and have not historically been welcoming to people like us, we are more often than not left to fend for ourselves.

You support people or establishments that prop up racists and defend them from these accusations only to be reminded that you’re not one of them the first chance they get.

White people love to use racialized folks as shields from the accusations of racism, while simultaneously allowing the same people of colour they are using for diversity to bear the brunt of racism from their base.

Did the party immediately come forth to defend Dhillon?

Is Donald Trump going to appeal to his base, many of which are avid supporters of his but are turned off by the woman of colour speaking her language and exercising her freedom of religion to remind them of the power in our differences?

The truth is, they don’t care what kind of “brown” you are. 

Being adjacent to whiteness is not the same thing as whiteness and we will constantly be reminded of that, even in the most powerful rooms we are granted the opportunity to enter.

We aren’t just puppets to be on display for these white people to claim to care about diversity while we continue to bear the brunt of racism from their supporters for being different.

Despite Dhillon’s intention behind the Ardaas likely being unity and exemplifying  “diversity as a strength” of the RNC, this was another example of why we cannot applaud representation for representation’s sake.

Whether Dhillon or any of the other people of colour brought on stage or given a seat at the table in spaces like these realize, people being accused of racism will gladly welcome racialized people into the fold so they don’t have to meaningfully address the systemic racism that is foundational to their platform and success. 

Again, proximity to whiteness is not the same thing as whiteness, but I don’t need to remind you that—the Republican base jumped at the opportunity before I even got the chance.