'I will become first Muslim US President': Muslim boy tells Ben Carson
Says when he will become president, he will will respect people of all faiths and colour
12-year-old Yusuf Dayur (L), Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson (R). PHOTOS: video screengrab/Reuters
After listening to US presidential candidate Ben Carson's anti-Muslim tirade about Muslims being unfit to become president of the United States, a 12-year-old could not remain silent and decided to respond to Carson.
Last week, the Republican candidate ignited a storm of controversy when he told NBC Meet the Press that a Muslim would be unfit to become president of the US, arguing their faith was inconsistent with American principles.
“I would not advocate that we put a Muslim in charge of this nation. I absolutely would not agree with that,” Carson has said.
Read: Republican candidate Carson says Muslims unfit to be US president
The 12-year-old Yusuf Dayur from Eden Prairie, Minnesota begins his 2-minute and 20-second video response, which would later be uploaded by his mother on YouTube, with the words “This is my response to presidential candidate Ben Carson.”
After a moment's pause, Dayur calmly continues, “Mr Carson what if someone told you that you can not become president because of your colour? Or what if someone told you that you can not become president because of your race? Or what if someone told you that you can not become president because of your faith, because that’s what you did to me.”
Read: White House hopeful Carson under fire for Muslim comments
Talking about his ambition to become the president one day since he was just 2 or 3-year-old, Dayur said when he barely knew how to walk and was going to pre-school, he used brag to his friends that he would become the president one day. “You basically shattered my dreams. Because you said a Muslim can not become president,” he told Carson disappointedly.
Referring to the prejudices that existed in the past against the African-Americans and how people used to say that they could not become president, Dayur said the incumbent US President Barack Obama “already broke that black people boundary.” Vowing to break another barrier, with resolve in his voice, the 12-year-old said “I will break the Muslim boundary. I will become the first Muslim president.”
Addressing the Republican candidate, Dayur said, “You will see when I become president, I will respect people of all faith, all colour and all religions.” He added that, “It doesn’t matter if they are Jews, Muslims or Hindus, doesn’t matter if they are atheist, Christian or believe in Greek or Roman mythology. I don’t care [because] they are still human beings and we should treat them with respect.”
Taking a jibe at Carson, Dayur said, “And obviously you don’t know what the respect is.”
In the end, the 12-year-old again expressed his resolve to become the president and told Carson, “My name is Yusuf Dayur. And guess what, I don’t care what you said because I will become president.”
Last week, the Republican candidate ignited a storm of controversy when he told NBC Meet the Press that a Muslim would be unfit to become president of the US, arguing their faith was inconsistent with American principles.
“I would not advocate that we put a Muslim in charge of this nation. I absolutely would not agree with that,” Carson has said.
Read: Republican candidate Carson says Muslims unfit to be US president
The 12-year-old Yusuf Dayur from Eden Prairie, Minnesota begins his 2-minute and 20-second video response, which would later be uploaded by his mother on YouTube, with the words “This is my response to presidential candidate Ben Carson.”
After a moment's pause, Dayur calmly continues, “Mr Carson what if someone told you that you can not become president because of your colour? Or what if someone told you that you can not become president because of your race? Or what if someone told you that you can not become president because of your faith, because that’s what you did to me.”
Read: White House hopeful Carson under fire for Muslim comments
Talking about his ambition to become the president one day since he was just 2 or 3-year-old, Dayur said when he barely knew how to walk and was going to pre-school, he used brag to his friends that he would become the president one day. “You basically shattered my dreams. Because you said a Muslim can not become president,” he told Carson disappointedly.
Referring to the prejudices that existed in the past against the African-Americans and how people used to say that they could not become president, Dayur said the incumbent US President Barack Obama “already broke that black people boundary.” Vowing to break another barrier, with resolve in his voice, the 12-year-old said “I will break the Muslim boundary. I will become the first Muslim president.”
Addressing the Republican candidate, Dayur said, “You will see when I become president, I will respect people of all faith, all colour and all religions.” He added that, “It doesn’t matter if they are Jews, Muslims or Hindus, doesn’t matter if they are atheist, Christian or believe in Greek or Roman mythology. I don’t care [because] they are still human beings and we should treat them with respect.”
Taking a jibe at Carson, Dayur said, “And obviously you don’t know what the respect is.”
In the end, the 12-year-old again expressed his resolve to become the president and told Carson, “My name is Yusuf Dayur. And guess what, I don’t care what you said because I will become president.”