A ‘Trumped’ world for Muslims

The veneer of modern values which include embracing diversity and accepting the equal rights of minorities in one’s country began to slip off the face of America as soon as Donald Trump announced his bid for the presidency. He espoused the kind of bigotry that the Republican party had sought to align itself with in recent decades though no presidential candidate had done so quite as brazenly. After months of headlines screaming out Trump’s outrageous statement about Mexicans, Muslims, African-Americans, women and anyone who stood in his path, the man who was said to represent the ugliest aspects of American society has become president. While Americans continue to grapple with what this means for the future of their country, the rest of the world is looking on with trepidation as it has done for the past year. Trump’s presidency poses serious questions about the status of minorities including Muslims. His campaign led to an airing out of values that had been scorned by the liberal media for years as being offensive and not worthy of discussion and there are fears that his presidency will allow these values to become re-entrenched in American society.

Muslims with America and Muslim countries with which America has been allied are fearful of a torrential backlash. When the next terrorist attack happens, calls for solidarity may not come from the White House as they did in President Obama’s time. Muslims now find themselves under greater suspicion than before and the refugees who expected to find safe haven in America may now have to look elsewhere. Muslim countries which expect support from America in their regional conflicts like Pakistan does, may find themselves set adrift. It is early days yet, but after the deluge of poison that was Trump’s campaign, there will be a reckoning during his presidency. Trump the candidate made big promises of which at least some, Trump the president will have to keep.


Published in The Express Tribune, November 13^th, 2016.