Actor Kumail Nanjiani shared a message for President Donald Trump‘s supporters after the president lost the 2020 election to President-elect Joe Biden. After seeing “MAGA people” complain about being “demonized,” the Silicon Valley star explained the big difference between his dislike of people who support Trump and their dislike of him. Nanjiani has long been a Trump critic and celebrated Biden’s victory, which was declared on Saturday.
“Seeing a lot of MAGA people complaining about being demonized,” Nanjiani wrote Sunday. “Here’s the big difference. I didn’t like MAGA people because of their ideas. They didn’t like me because of my existence.” Nanjiani’s comments earned hundreds of responses from Twitter users and Nanjiani, a Pakistani immigrant who moved to the U.S. at 18, further explained his position.
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One person suggested Nanjiani reach out to Trump’s supporters, but Nanjiani turned the tables. “Why is the burden on me? Tell them to stop being racist,” Nanjiani wrote. “Tell them to stop telling me to go back home & shit on the street. Tell them to stop calling me a terrorist & saying that my family is ruining America. Tell them to hate putting kids in cages. Once that’s done, let’s talk.”
As a rule, I try to demonize racists, fascists, homophobes and bigots…but that’s just me.
— WhatIfBarackOrHillarySaidIt 🚨JOE & KAMALA WIN!🚨 (@IfBarack) November 8, 2020
In another tweet, Nanjiani said it was important for the country to heal because the “level of animosity is absolutely unsustainable.” Americans have to “find a way forward” and “a way to forgive,” but it has to start with Trump supporters “moving away from racism, sexism, xenophobia, homophobia, and hatred of difference.” Nanjiani’s tweets came a day after the major media outlets projected Biden would win the presidency. As of Sunday evening, Biden has 279 Electoral College votes, more than the 270 needed to win, reports the New York Times.
For the past week, they keep telling me that they aren’t the hateful ones and that trump hasn’t instilled hate and division on this country. I think they’re so far deep in it, they can’t see the whole picture. I just want them to see the whole picture
— Rae (@rae_navin) November 8, 2020
One person noted that Trump’s supporters, many of whom wore his “Make America Great Again” hats, “chose” to support “cruelty and hatred.” They “don’t get [to] sweep that under the rug in the name of conciliation,” the Twitter user wrote.
The way they yelled “Lock her up!” and “Fuck your feelings!” were so humane and nurturing, I’m still waiting for the Hallmark movie on it.
— Dana Holtzbert (@DanaHoltzbert) November 8, 2020
One person called out how hypocritical it was for Democrats to be expected to reach out to Trump supporters when they did not do the same in 2016 after Hillary Clinton lost to Trump. Instead, his supporters continued chanting “Lock her up” during Trump’s rallies. Some wore shirts saying “F— your feelings.”
maybe i’m old fashioned but I tend to demonize racists
— Luke Stander (@hailzorpbuddy) November 8, 2020
Another Democratic supporter pointed out the differences between the left and the right. “They cheered on when Trump suggested not giving funding to Blue states during a global pandemic they want me to die and I want to give them free education and healthcare,” the person wrote.
I am so sorry you’ve had to deal with this kind of behavior. Your grace even after such treatment is admirable and speaks to inner strength.
— Kumail Nanjiani (@kumailn) November 8, 2020
Nanjiani’s tweets became a venue for some people to share the racism they experienced in the past four years. One person said they had a tennis ball thrown at them with the word “bomb” written on it because someone found out they are Lebanese. Nanjiani reached out and apologized to the woman for having to experience that.
How do we go about it? Start with Biden focusing on Racism, Kamala on sexism. Then hopefully that leads to the anti-xenophobia/homophobia and those lead to the lessening of hatred. However, almost 50% of America voted for hatred, so there will be a lot of closet hatred.
— C Sulz (@CLSulzberger) November 8, 2020
“I have no obligation, moral or otherwise, to play nice with people who are against my very existence. Why should I respect someone who lacks basic respect for me?” one person wrote. Another suggested how Biden could tackle the divide between Trump supporters and Democrats.
