To those who are concerned about Ahmed,

I’m really disappointed in people who take advantage of these kinds of situations with no regards for the kind of troubles every single minority has faced in his or her life.

Even as a first grader, I went home complaining about white kids my age refusing to play with me during recess because I was “dark and brown,” which I naturally couldn’t understand at that age. My parents brought me up to be someone who is extremely proud of my Indian culture. They trained me in dance and music, not for me to be good at it, but to learn the value and appreciation for our culture. Every Navaratri, I went to school in traditional clothes because I felt beautiful in them and proud of what we celebrated and believed in. However, I was treated differently by kids my age and even by teachers. I was looked down upon.

When my mom would comment on someone being racist, my brother and I would laugh and say that can’t be true. Maybe they were just having a bad day. We never really realized that people did treat us differently because of our color.

I experience racism frequently at SMU, and I know I have several friends who do as well. I was never, however, arrested.

Ahmed, you have an opportunity to inspire children all over the world to fight against racism and be proud to be who they are. You have the chance for people to hear what you have to say, yet you seem to use the opportunity to promote yourself. You use this situation to get into TAMs and MIT, which you clearly can now do since everyone pities your situation. You accept expensive gifts from people while children who experienced the same things are ignored. Every child who has been through that same situation should be given the same kinds of privileges if Ahmad is being treated in this manner.

Minorities are pegged with the stereotype that we take advantage of things like affirmative action, but we all have worked so hard to get to where we are. My parents, like many others, came to America with $100 and two suitcases. They have worked hard and earned every single cent they own. They brought me up with the same type of values, to work hard for what we have. They brought me up to slave over school and arts equally and become successful, to work hard on my own and to continue to give anyone who might seem racist the benefit of the doubt.

I believe that most minorities are like this, but now the majority of our country will look at Ahmed and think that minorities naturally take advantage of these kind of situations. It’s frankly disappointing and makes everything we have experienced as minorities feel almost insignificant. This problem is bigger than standing with Ahmed.

So many children of other races get arrested and experience the same type of situation every day. Most of the time, no one even notices, much less are victims showered with gifts. This country will think what it wants of us minorities, but without people understanding that we are not some kind of freeloaders (which I have personally experienced despite my hard work), how can we change perspectives in this country?

I simply wish that every single child that is brilliant regardless of whether or not they are arrested should have their passions cultivated, but it is not so easy. Ahmad getting to meet Obama, receiving state of the art technology, I personally feel, only alienates and divides us more in the long run. One case of an insulting charge against a Muslim child is no more important than an insulting racist charge against any other child whether Hispanic or African-American. Yet they are somehow completely ignored.

I am hoping that the country is moving towards a direction of more educational opportunities for all and that any kind of racism will cease. It is wonderful that Ahmad is being given such great opportunities, but I don’t find it completely fair considering the broader situation.