Trump Is Politicizing Muslims

The anti-Islam stance of the U.S. presidential candidate may not merely irritate many Muslims. They are beginning to engage themselves politically.

Thanu Yakupitiyage speaks diplomatically of a “very interesting time,” to foster a discussion on immigration and Muslims in the United States. The native Sri Lankan Muslim is an activist with the New York Immigration Coalition. She is tired, Yakupitiyage explains sighing. Early Monday morning, she was awoken by a text. Three lines, which the FBI relied on two days after the bombing in the New York neighborhood of Chelsea to hunt for the suspected culprit; three lines, sent to all mobile telephones in the country: “Emergency Alert. Wanted: Ahmad Khan Rahami, 28-yr-old male, see media for pic. Call 911 if seen.” An American Muslim, originally from Afghanistan, detonated a bomb.

Now every young man with a dark complexion and Middle Eastern-sounding name would be stigmatized as a potential terrorist. And presidential candidate Donald Trump immediately seized upon the bombing for his campaign.

Although Muslims only make up about 1 percent of the U.S. population of about 3.2 million, [discussions about them] have dominated the presidential campaign. The number of Muslims in the U.S. will indeed grow in the long run, but not so drastically as it usually is rumored. In the current year, 85,000 immigrants have been accepted into the U.S., among them no more than 10,000 Syrians. But these numbers are easily ignored, says Yakupitiyage.

Trump’s Islamophobic rhetoric has already had an impact on the mood of the country even before the latest bomb attack in New York. Assaults on Muslims and attacks on mosques have risen, according to a study by Georgetown University. There were more than 170 such anti-Islamic attacks; 12 Muslims died as a result.

The hostile atmosphere does not appear to be perceived equally by all Muslims in the country. People who have immigrated in the past three decades and kept more or less to themselves have not been particularly concerned, according to immigration organizations. They do not involve themselves in American politics. Others are ignoring the fact that political engagement comes at a cost, and many stay away simply because it appears to them as a problem that is too luxurious; they are too busy organizing their everyday lives and providing for their families.

Young Muslims Born in the US Are Becoming Active

It is the young, native-born and bred American Muslims who are now becoming more engaged, such as Hind Makki. The 31-year-old woman from Chicago wears a headscarf and identifies as a Muslim and a feminist. Recently, covered women have felt growing animosity, explains the daughter of a Somalian immigrant. She explains how airlines have not allowed passengers with headscarves onto the plane because other passengers have felt threatened.

Makki has become politically engaged in order to foster an inter-religious dialogue, among other reasons. Previously, she would explain her religion to non-Muslims. Today, the conversations revolve around terrorism and needing to defend the fact that most Muslims are not terrorists.

Mosques Help Clarify the American Electoral System

But it is not only that white Americans have little understanding of Islam, many Muslims have had little interest in American politics up to now. “During my childhood and youth I never saw an imam promote voting in my community,” says Makki. That has changed with Trump. The presidential candidate may have actually made changes for the better.

Other Muslim activists and officials tell how Trump has awoken the political consciousness of Muslims. In many mosques and Muslim social organizations, paperwork and pamphlets for voter registration are displayed to help clarify the voting system to members.

“Muslims are a part of American society and should have an eye on who excludes which groups from this society,” explains Ousamma Jammal, the volunteer chairman of the Mosque Foundation. This Muslim community was founded in a suburb of Chicago at the beginning of the 1950s by Palestinians and is considered the largest in the state of Illinois.

For that reason, they have begun to be courted by politicians as well. When the community celebrated Eid in a football stadium a few weeks ago with more than 25,000 visitors, many local politicians were also among them. Trump would have gladly taken the opportunity to appear at this event. Instead, the community board declined the request from his campaign office. For the community it was not just about the immigrants themselves, but the need to emphasize the presidential candidate’s permanent stance against Muslims. American Muslims are beginning to more consciously observe politicians and their advisers.