Al Jazeera speaks to Muslim
supporters of the Republican party to gauge their views on Trump and his
rhetoric on Islam.
by Dalia Hatuqa
Cleveland, Ohio - Donald
Trump formally accepted this week the Republican presidential
nomination, vowing to restore law and order and promising safety and security
to Americans.
The billionaire businessman
has previously accused Muslim Americans of cheering during the 9/11 attacks,
and proposed a Muslim ban to the US, his rhetoric rising after recent attacks that took place
domestically and internationally.
So, what do Muslim Republicans
think of their party's presidential nominee?
Amid the thousands of
supporters who spent the week at the Republican National Convention (RNC), Al
Jazeera spoke with four Muslim Republicans - some who support the GOP nominee,
others who do not - to gauge their views on Trump, his rhetoric on Islam and
Muslims, and being a minority in the US.
Saba Ahmed, President of
Muslim Republican Coalition, attorney, Washington DC
We support Republican values;
I feel that conservative Islamic values align with the Republican party and to
the extent that they are being anti-Islamic, anti-Muslim, it is our job to
educate them, and to change their hearts and minds about Islam and Muslims.
Unless we get involved, they will never change their perspective on us.
Last night, it was awesome to
see a Muslim actually give a prayer. I've never seen that at the RNC, so I
think we are moving in the right direction. When he got booed by some, other
people stopped them. I think the voices of tolerance and acceptance are louder
than the voices of hatred.
Thankfully, I have not had any
bad experiences here. Most people come up [to me] and they are very supportive,
they're happy to see Muslims here. The Trump Muslim ban has already been toned
down significantly - and I know it's unconstitutional and illegal - [but] it
will never be enacted. It's just campaign rhetoric that I think we can ignore
for the most part.
Waqqas Khan, physician, RNC
donor, Illinois
I want to make it clear that I
do not support every word that comes out of his mouth. I support the core
message behind his statement. He has brought very substantive issues to the
table, which include immigration, security and the economy.
I understand some people are
in dire need, like a lot of refugees around the world; but on the other hand we
need to make sure we are focusing on sensible immigration, not senseless
immigration. If he wants to ban immigrants, then he needs to ban them based on
risk assessment, not based on their religion.
Trump's rhetoric of
anti-Islam, anti-Muslim sentiments, it is misperceived and exaggerated by the
liberal media. He's not anti-Islamic, he's not anti-Muslim. He just needs to be
more informed about it, and he wants to learn; he's a person who is
continuously softening his stance on both Muslims and Islam.
We are here to build bridges,
not burn them. If we are not going to talk to each other and we are going to
shut the other party down, saying they are Islamophobes, we will never be able
to have a decent conversation and resolve the issues.
Hossein Khorram, at-large
delegate, vice chair of USO Northwest, Washington State
I am a Muslim, I am an
American and I support my fellow Americans, who treat me the same. I don't feel
a bit of discrimination. In America, being a Muslim isn't a hindrance, and I'm
proud to tell you that. Why support Trump? The answer is clear: Just look at
the situation in the greater Middle East; from Libya to Afghanistan, there is
tremendous bloodshed, beheadings, rape, sex slaving. This is not what I'd like
to see.
The one nation that is
supposed to preserve the dignity of mankind for the rest of the world has
failed to lead and to adjudicate the problems. If people want this to continue,
they can vote for [Democratic presumptive nominee Hillary] Clinton.
If they want someone with
vision, charisma and an ability to make decisions, then the answer is Trump. I
don't think there's any doubt that Trump is trying to serve the people and
[that] he has no negative stance on Muslims.
Suhail Khan, conservative
activist, Chairman of the Conservative Inclusion Coalition, Washington DC
There is a pattern of hostile
negative rhetoric against various groups, including immigrants and people with
disabilities. There have been some troubling statements towards targeted groups
from the campaign but the party views all in society as equal under the law.
I'm not a Trump supporter; I
initially supported Rand Paul. The party itself is not at fault; many
Republican members of Congress are doing an excellent job with Muslims, and
many have been critical of the rhetoric used in the campaign. As a lawyer and
conservative, I see that Trump's comments have had a negative impact on the
party.
I'm proud to be a Republican
and a conservative, which is why I'm here. My faith does not run contrary to
the principles of Ronald Reagan, which include individual freedom.
Follow Dalia Hatuqa on
Twitter: @DaliaHatuqa
Source: Al Jazeera
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