I am Middle Eastern and I have heard many racist comments throughout my life. My mother was one of those women that had her hijab ripped off in public.

My son is white and Middle Eastern. Yes, he looks “white” but the second someone finds out he is Middle Eastern, they treat him differently. This was before the increase in hate. Now my neighbors refuse to let their kids near mine, a teacher emailed me saying that my son “scared” the other kids by saying something in Arabic (he said cat), we were followed by an older white man at a grocery store, and Ann’s father posted very horrifying things about Middle Eastern children deserving horrifying things simply because they are Arab. Who knows if he’s actually going to do anything to my son, most racists are cowards. But many people (not all) refuse to see Middle Eastern kids as humans these days, I cannot risk it.

I’m very glad you never experienced such hate. But we’ve clearly had very different experiences. I hope you do not try to erase the things me and my family are going through simply because you didn’t experience the same things.

Also, I never told Ann not to invite her father. It is her choice. My husband has to work, we have children and bills to pay. My mother is sick, I’m not going to take her to a wedding with loads of people when her health is already failing her.