Local Doctor Receives “Hate Mail” Over Mask & Vaccine Stance
Dr. Bobby Mukkamala is pretty much a household name in the Genesee County area. In fact, he has been front and center across the state during most of the COVID-19 pandemic. While many have welcomed and appreciated his efforts to educated the community on the coronavirus and the vaccines, some have not, and one individual has made it personal.
Mukkamala was shocked to find an anonymous letter this week left at his office. Mukkamala, who is a Ear, Noise, & Throat specialist in Flint, found a letter that can only be described as hate mail.
In the letter the individual tells Mukkamala that he, Mukkamala, "comes from a country of dictatorship" and that the doctor "behaves like a dictator" by encouraging individuals, including children, to wear a mask especially if they are unvaccinated. The letter also challenges the doctor on other levels as well.
What came as the biggest shock to Mukkamala was the last part of the letter. The individual tells him, "Why don't you mind your own business, instead of (being) a bully!!! Go back to India" You can read the full letter below.
Mukkamala, who was actually born in Pittsburgh, raised in Genesee County, and was a 1988 graduate of Powers Catholic High School, told us how he felt reading the letter saying,
"Initially I was puzzled, amused at the assumptions that were made about "Where i came from". As i read about lands of dictatorship, i just remembered going to school at Brendle, Myers and Indian Hill in Grand Blanc and wishing this person could see my class pictures from those schools."
Mukkamala has dealt with "push back" online from many challenging and questioning his thoughts on getting the vaccine and wearing a mask, so this was really nothing new. Yet, still it hit him hard.
"When I read others peoples responses to the letter after I posted it, that is when I got emotional. not angry, about the author of the letter, but extremely grateful to call the Flint area home. Soooo many good people here and so nice to be immediately reminded of that without even a minute of sorry in the entire experience."
As for feeling threatened or unsafe since the letter, Mukkamala told us,
"I am not typically one to worry about personal safety, but my wife will certainly be concerned about that aspect. I don't want the work that i do and the things that I say to put her or our office staff at risk."
The letter though will not deter Mukkamala from his passion and mission to educated and help his community and state through this ongoing pandemic.
"I want to se us get back to whatever our new normal looks like. I want that just as bad as anyone else. I would love to go back to normal social life and hanging out. I want to get there as fast as possible and with as few casualties along the way."
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