(Editor’s Note: The views and opinions expressed in this column do not reflect the views of INSCMagazine. Reader discretion is advised.)
In December of 2015 The Council of American-Islamic Relations, better known as CAIR started a drive to get a million Muslims to register to vote against Donald Trump. Nihad Awad, who is a National Executive director for CAIR said that, “This drive began as a response to Islamophobia caused by the comments of Donald Trump” during a press release for this initiative.
CAIR is not the only group that is working to gain new Muslim voter registration. According to Pew there are 3.3 Million Muslims making up 1% of the American population. Other estimates have the Muslim population estimated at 7%-8%. Either way the Muslim community is beginning to believe that their vote can swing the vote for Hillary come November.
The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA), and the American-Arab Institute, have joined forces with CAIR to help launch this initiative.
Since the initiative kicked off, over 300,000 Muslims are believed to have already registered to vote. Mosques around the country are now doing voter-registration drives where previously it was forbidden to discuss politics in the mosque. Muslims that never voted before are now feeling compelled to do so under the constant comments made by Trump which has led to a rise of Islamophobia and hate crimes against Muslim Americans during a climate of heightened tension due to the proliferation of violence and almost the regularity of terrorism acts being committed now in the name of Islam.
As a Muslim myself, I can honestly say that I have never felt the type of hate that I feel now. I feel as if I am treated as a social outcast by people that feel liberated to tell me that I am a terrorist; or that I am a ‘Propaganda Jihadist’ because I am a Muslim. They accuse of following the religion of a pedophile even though under Sharia child molesters are executed. They tell me that I support Sharia so I am not a true American and that my religion is not protected under the Constitution.
These Trump supporters will also ask me why am I against a national registry database for Muslims? What am I hiding. This is after they find out that Trump did indeed say that he would create a national database and make Muslims register. Why would I be for it? It reminds me of that Hitler did to the Jews in the beginning stages of his populist rise in Nazi Germany. He played on people’s emotions and fears just like Trump is doing.
Newt Gingrich, another Republican said that he would deport any Muslim that believes in Sharia. He said that even the Muslim was born here that he would have them deported. He would force them to pass a religious test even though this is highly unconstitutional. He later backtracked and said that any Muslim that supports ISIS is what he meant, not realizing that Sharia is just a common law for Muslims to self-govern themselves with.
I have had Trump supporters tell me that I am not a Muslim, call me a camel jockey, a sand-n*****, they tell me that I am a terrorist if I do not support Trump. I have received numerous threats from them. If I am going through this just for writing these articles, I am sure others go through problems as well.
Now is seen as a critical time for Muslims in America. He has made it very clear that he is an enemy of Islam and Muslims, unless they are wealthy. Trump has consistently demonized Muslims to the point that Muslims no longer feel safe in America. We know that we will no longer be safe in America under a Trump presidency. For the safety for all Muslims in America, we must all get out and vote against Trump. We do not want a repeat of history. Make no mistake about it, what happened to the Jews in WWII can happen to us.