Trump’s Worst Seven Minutes

Since being born into a life of privilege and growing accustomed to getting what he wants when he wants it, Donald Trump’s last few days must have been some of the worst, not just of his candidacy, but of his entire life. For the first time, polls show Hillary far ahead, with Republicans deserting Trump’s campaign en masse and all thanks to a seven-minute speech railing against Trump by Khizr Khan, a Pakistani immigrant invited by Democrats to speak at their convention.

The 66-year-old lawyer eloquently and passionately scolded Trump in a way no one ever had before. With his wife, Ghazala, by his side, he spoke of their son, Humayun, a Marine in the U.S. Armed Forces who, in 2004 at 28 years old, died in Iraq trying to save his comrades from a car bomb. Khan insisted that the real estate magnate aiming for the White House had never sacrificed anything for anyone, suggested he should visit Arlington National Cemetery where those who have fallen in combat are buried, and said Trump has never read the Constitution under which all people are equal, and have equal rights.

It is well known that woven into the social fabric and politics of this country, nothing carries more weight and importance than a soldier who does not come home from war to his or her family. But Trump, instead of respectfully responding to the parents of a fallen soldier, launched an attack and derisively said that Mrs. Khan, who had her head covered as prescribed by her faith, did not speak because, as a Muslim woman, she is not allowed to utter a single word. And as for sacrifices, he said: “I think I’ve made a lot of sacrifices. I work very, very hard … I’ve had tremendous success,” as if becoming rich through casinos and real estate was comparable to the agony of losing a son.

Criticism not only from Democrats, but from Republicans themselves and citizens in general, quickly followed. His strategists asked—nearly begged—him to apologize. Instead of backing down, Trump dug deeper, suggesting that the soldier’s father was upset by his plan to prohibit Muslims from entering the United States and implying that the elder Khan, now a U.S. citizen, was a terrorist sympathizer.

Like Mexicans, Muslims have been a favorite point of attack and one that has been very successful with the millions of right-wing white males who passionately follow Trump and refuse to accept that Muslims, even those born in the U.S., are an important part of the country. There are 3.3 million Muslims living in the United States, making Islam the third largest religion in the country behind Christianity and Judaism. Contrary to popular belief, not all Muslims are Arab. It is a diverse population made up of African-Americans and immigrants from South Asia.

Muslims are an educated group, 40 percent of whom hold a university degree, in contrast to 29 percent of non-Muslims who hold university degrees. While they make up only 1 percent of the population, their community accounts for 10 percent of all doctors. Some of the most well-known Muslims are the recently deceased boxer Muhammad Ali, the architect who designed skyscrapers, Fazlur Khan, and famous TV personality and cardiac surgeon, Mehmet Oz. Nevertheless, since the terrorist attacks of 9/11, Muslims are viewed suspiciously, and anti-Muslim sentiment has grown with the rise of the Islamic State and attacks in San Bernardino, Orlando and Europe. And Trump has exploited and taken advantage of this.

Trump’s opponents say he cannot be allowed to continue making attacks, that he lacks any decency and morals to do so. But with his popularity in freefall, the candidate has begun to tell his supporters that surely the elections will be “rigged.” They believe so deeply in him that if he loses, the “Trumpeters” will think that Hillary stole the election and nobody knows what will happen then. For experts and analysts, it is not only worrisome that Trump could win and become president, but it is now dangerous if he loses.