The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell: Tales of a 6' 4", African American, Heterosexual, Cisgender, Left-Leaning, Asthmatic, Black and Proud Blerd, Mama's Boy, Dad, and Stand-Up Comedian

by W. Kamau Bell

Me and Kevin

Me and Hari had scheduled a recording of our podcast Politically Re-Active that evening of 11/9, and we opened like it was the day after 9/11, with quiet reflection instead of the normal jokey-bombastic opening that we usually did. It just felt more appropriate. Not because we are snowflakes who couldn’t handle it. But because we are humans who experience a wide range of emotions. And we both knew that Trump’s election made a lot of people feel like they needed to be prepared for an attack. Many Arabs and Muslims were right to be worried, as the postelection hate-crime stats prove. People knew their lives were (and are) at stake. That they could be killed or kicked out of the country and not allowed back in. Or just thrown in prison and not even be allowed to leave the country. That quiet was people realizing that it was all on us now. We have to put the pieces back together ourselves. We have to come together. Like we never have before. Whatever this thing is that is called “the left,” it has to start putting its money where its tweets are. And those of us who are used to watching other people put their bodies on the line—see the 1960s Civil Rights movement and

Change is possible. It is not always loud and fast, but it can happen. And one small change doesn’t always mean everything changes. Because after much consternation, “my grandfather” voted for Trump. But it’s fine. Pops lives in California. Neither of our votes really counted anyway.

For many people, things are instantly worse now that Trump is president! Right after President Trump’s victory, we filmed an episode of United Shades in Dearborn, Michigan, where there’s a sizable Muslim population. While we were there, there were stories about Muslim women getting their hijabs ripped off nearby at the University of Michigan campus. Just by virtue of Trump’s victory, people felt like they could say the things and do the things that they’ve always wanted to say and do but didn’t feel like they were allowed to say and do. So even if Trump never says those things again, he’s given license to the people who are saying them now.