As an American Muslim, Trump's Views Outrage Me
As an American Muslim, Trump's Views Outrage Me
In
a poignant article on Muslim American soldiers, The Washington Post
interviewed Marine Gunnery Sgt. Emir Hadzic, a refugee from Bosnia,
who explained how the brutal civil war between religious communities
began in the Balkans in the 1990s. "That's what's scary with
[the] things that [Donald Trump is] saying," Hadzic said.
"I
know how things work when you start whipping up mistrust between your
neighbors and friends, . . . I've seen them turn on each other."
I
remain an optimist. Trump has taken the country by surprise.
People
don't quite know how to respond to the vague, unworkable proposals
("We have to do something!"), the phony statistics, the
dark insinuations of conspiracies ("There's something we don't
know," he says about President Obama) and the naked appeals to
peoples' prejudices.
But
this is not the 1930s. People from all sides of the spectrum are
condemning Trump —though there are several Trump-Lites among the
Republican candidates.
The
country will not stay terrified. Even after San Bernardino, the
number of Americans killed by Islamic terrorists on U.S. soil in the
14 years since 9/11 is 45 — an average of about three people a
year.
a poignant article on Muslim American soldiers, The Washington Post
interviewed Marine Gunnery Sgt. Emir Hadzic, a refugee from Bosnia,
who explained how the brutal civil war between religious communities
began in the Balkans in the 1990s. "That's what's scary with
[the] things that [Donald Trump is] saying," Hadzic said.
"I
know how things work when you start whipping up mistrust between your
neighbors and friends, . . . I've seen them turn on each other."
I
remain an optimist. Trump has taken the country by surprise.
People
don't quite know how to respond to the vague, unworkable proposals
("We have to do something!"), the phony statistics, the
dark insinuations of conspiracies ("There's something we don't
know," he says about President Obama) and the naked appeals to
peoples' prejudices.
But
this is not the 1930s. People from all sides of the spectrum are
condemning Trump —though there are several Trump-Lites among the
Republican candidates.
The
country will not stay terrified. Even after San Bernardino, the
number of Americans killed by Islamic terrorists on U.S. soil in the
14 years since 9/11 is 45 — an average of about three people a
year.
The
number killed in gun homicides this year alone will be around
11,000.
In the end, America will reject this
fear-mongering and demagoguery, as it has in the past. But we are
going through an important test of political and moral character. I
hope decades from now, people will look back and ask, "What did
you do when Donald Trump proposed religious tests in America?"
number killed in gun homicides this year alone will be around
11,000.
In the end, America will reject this
fear-mongering and demagoguery, as it has in the past. But we are
going through an important test of political and moral character. I
hope decades from now, people will look back and ask, "What did
you do when Donald Trump proposed religious tests in America?"
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