Arranged Reaction in the US
Published in El País
(Brazil) on 19 September 2016
by (link to original)
The New York bombing should not become an electoral weapon in the face of presidential elections.
The bomb that exploded in New York over the weekend, as well as the other explosive devices found both in the city and in New Jersey, are a fatal indicator of how democratic societies are exposed to terrorism and how its citizens are forced to permanently live under this threat.
The fact that the attack happened just 50 days before the presidential elections, which will determine the person who will hold the most significant presidency in the world, makes it crucial that, on the contrary of what candidate Trump has just done again, terrorism should not be used to divide the country, undermine its government or gain electoral benefits.
We should compliment U.S. authorities for managing the situation. First, for being prudent while making statements right after the explosion happened and the subsequent discovery of the explosives, trying not to point at anyone in particular, waiting for security forces to act. An exemplary attitude that avoided reviving the ghosts of Islamophobia and xenophobia before a public opinion that has been constantly receiving such messages from the Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump during his campaign. Just remember his statements a few months ago, in which the mogul defended a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the U.S. and keeping the existing Islamic communities in the country under surveillance, considering them a threat.
Secondly, we need to commend security forces’ quick action that – with the help of the invaluable collaboration of citizens – located the other devices and on Sunday arrested the main suspect, Ahmad Khan Rahami, a U.S. citizen born in Afghanistan.
We need to remember that the U.S. is traditionally a very generous country with all sorts of refugees and that, in fact, this openness and welcoming attitude has a lot to do with its success as a free and prosperous society. Terrorism should not be a factor nor serve as an electoral excuse to promote change in these secular politics.
The bomb that exploded in New York over the weekend, as well as the other explosive devices found both in the city and in New Jersey, are a fatal indicator of how democratic societies are exposed to terrorism and how its citizens are forced to permanently live under this threat.
The fact that the attack happened just 50 days before the presidential elections, which will determine the person who will hold the most significant presidency in the world, makes it crucial that, on the contrary of what candidate Trump has just done again, terrorism should not be used to divide the country, undermine its government or gain electoral benefits.
We should compliment U.S. authorities for managing the situation. First, for being prudent while making statements right after the explosion happened and the subsequent discovery of the explosives, trying not to point at anyone in particular, waiting for security forces to act. An exemplary attitude that avoided reviving the ghosts of Islamophobia and xenophobia before a public opinion that has been constantly receiving such messages from the Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump during his campaign. Just remember his statements a few months ago, in which the mogul defended a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the U.S. and keeping the existing Islamic communities in the country under surveillance, considering them a threat.
Secondly, we need to commend security forces’ quick action that – with the help of the invaluable collaboration of citizens – located the other devices and on Sunday arrested the main suspect, Ahmad Khan Rahami, a U.S. citizen born in Afghanistan.
We need to remember that the U.S. is traditionally a very generous country with all sorts of refugees and that, in fact, this openness and welcoming attitude has a lot to do with its success as a free and prosperous society. Terrorism should not be a factor nor serve as an electoral excuse to promote change in these secular politics.
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