Donald Trump, the American Republican Party’s dominant candidate for the next presidential election, announced at 7 p.m. (local time) that “without looking at the various polling data, it is obvious to anybody the hatred [of Muslims toward America] is beyond comprehension,” stating that all Muslims should be prevented from entering the United States. We suspect it is inflammatory rhetoric, aimed at gaining the upper hand in the competition for the Republican candidacy by exploiting people’s fear of acts of terrorism committed by the Islamic State group, [composed largely of] militant Sunnis. But even with that consideration, it is a crude remark that chills us to our bones. Understandably, leaders from the White House, the U.N. and third-party nations such as the U.K., France and Canada aggressively criticized his statement in unison.
Simply put, Trump’s statement is an absurd remark that damages international condemnation of religious discrimination, which the international community, including the U.S., has worked so hard to build. It also goes against the American Constitution, which guarantees religious freedom. Additionally, instead of protecting the U.S. from acts of terrorism committed by Muslim extremists, this foolish act further endangers the U.S. and the international community by creating a dueling mindset between the U.S. and Muslims.
After the announcement, disregarding the criticisms pouring in from within the U.S. and abroad, Trump showed no remorse, claiming his statement was not much different from President Franklin Roosevelt’s internment of Japanese-Americans during the attack on Pearl Harbor. We were left speechless after observing such an anachronistic and inhumane attitude.
It is America’s shame that a mutant candidate like Trump has come out of a nation that puts human rights and democracy first. If the U.S. is going to appoint itself as the leader of the world, it needs to first show the world it has the self-purification capacity to heal itself from such problems. If it fails to do so, the international community should join forces and act to prevent such candidates from having a place on this earth. Our nation’s government should also not simply stand back and watch Trump make absurd remarks. Doing something would be far more effective and powerful than forcibly pushing for the controversial terrorism prevention law.
We here in the U.S. are not into “self-purification” We can say anything, or feel any way, or pray any way we want. This is called freedom, and it is the source of our great strength. If an American wants to say something stupid or racist or sacrilegious, we can refute it with our reasoning and our own freedom of speech 🙂