This article exemplifies how colonial mentality -- the internalization of attitudes of cultural inferiority by previously colonized people -- is multigenerational. Their descendants' may never have been colonized physically, but their minds remain shackled.1/9

And in spite of a father's, a "hairy-chested" uncle's, or respected organizations like @ChinmayaMission's best efforts, racist, colonial tropes about Hindus and Hinduism rooted in European ideas of white and Christian supremacy persist, and in this case, prove insurmountable.2/9

What's fascinating (and frustrating) is how @mathangiwrites and many like her freely borrow the language of decolonizing used by other post-colonized peoples yet remain completely unaware of the colonial paradigms through which they view and demonize their own tribe. 3/9

And they want to fight against the conflation of Hindu and Indian identities, but have no problem conflating Hinduism with casteism, colorism, patriarchy, religious bigotry, and whatever other social ills?!? 4/9

She ridicules her “hairy chested” uncle who was probably a well-meaning community elder wearing his traditional unstitched, unstitched dhoti, taking time on weekends to pass on Sanskrit chanting and ancient ceremonies to kids like her in the community. 5/9