Trump’s Latest Muslim Bashing: The Country Must Redouble Efforts to Defeat Him

Listening to and reading Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s vicious comments and speeches against Muslims over the last several weeks is bad enough, but of special concern is the reaction of the crowds he addresses. On December 7 he read this statement at a rally in South Carolina:

“Donald J. Trump is calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country’s representatives can figure out what the hell is going on,” he said, adding the word “hell” for emphasis this time.

The Washington Post also reported that “Supporters erupted in applause.”

Alarmingly, more and more Americans seem to be applauding Trump’s statements, which discriminate against and disparage Muslims. He flaunts his bigotry and racism freely, giving license to his supporters to do the same.

The venom with which this presidential candidate has been imbuing the Republican Party is moving the national conversation about diversity, tolerance, and respect to the far right. Earlier, Trump also called for stepped-up surveillance of mosques, and he did not rule out the establishment of a database to track Muslims in the country.

Those in leadership positions—whether sitting presidents, or those vying for the role—have a responsibility not to incite hostility toward religious or national groups. They must invoke and buttress the protections for all citizens regarding freedom of religion, which are enshrined in the US Constitution. As for the treatment of non-citizens or refugees, it is incumbent on leaders to provide wisdom and moderation, not xenophobic diatribes that paint the United States as prejudiced and partisan with little empathy, especially, for victims fleeing war.

Despite media questioning and negative repercussions from many in American society, Trump continues to do well in the polls. Each time he makes an outrageous pronouncement, he receives an abundance of attention, which serves to keep his ratings high. In a sense he is rewarded, time and again, for offensive remarks that damage the fabric of American society.

In the American Muslim and Arab communities, these are chilling and shocking developments. US Muslim leaders are calling for extra protection for community members, as hate crimes and vandalism of mosques are on the rise.  Many Muslim women who wear the hijab now are afraid to go out in public. Muslim parents are fearful that their children will be mistreated, and many in the community are experiencing increased profiling when traveling inside and outside the country. Racist comments against Muslims pervade the internet.

President Obama’s address to the nation regarding the San Bernardino attacks and the war on ISIS, on December 6, rightly cautioned that “We cannot turn against one another by letting this fight be defined as a war between America and Islam.” The president admonished Americans to “reject proposals that Muslim Americans should somehow be treated differently.”

On Facebook and other social media platforms, many are saying that the Trump campaign, which was viewed with mockery and amusement at first, has become downright dangerous. It is now clear that Americans were silent for too long and did not realize they needed to halt Trump’s scurrilous campaign in its early stages. The country—Republicans, Democrats, and everyone else—must rally together to undo the damage this leading Republican presidential candidate has already caused. Together, we must also work hard to try to make Trump’s supporters understand the perniciousness and divisiveness of his views and to put the reins on the candidate’s progress toward securing the Republican nomination.

Zeina Azzam is executive director of The Jerusalem Fund and its educational program, the Palestine Center. The views expressed are her own.

Share |