President Trump kept one of his campaign prime promises of issuing a Muslim Ban. Like many of his policies, it was unclear on how he would enforce it or which countries it would apply to, but regardless, many Americans viewed the idea to be unamerican and unconstitutional- including his Vice President, Mike Pence. Nevertheless, President Trump signed the executive order banning 7 Muslim- majority nations from entering the United States. The administration’s argument for doing this is to “protect national security.” Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas just issued a statement saying this a “common sense measure. “
“The United States must ensure that those admitted to this country do not bear hostile attitudes toward it and its founding principles,” the order states.
These are often the phrases used amongst Conservatives to corral the populace around their xenophobic policies, but let’s call it what it is. It is a fear tactic rooted in Islamaphobia with no basis in facts or logical reasoning. This type of rhetoric is designed to make Americans fear their Muslim neighbors who are just as American as they are. It’s designed to perpetuate the toxic stereotypes that keep us divided.
“‘Extremist groups will trumpet this order to spread the notion, today more credible than ever, that the United States is at war with Islam rather than targeting terrorists.'”
Not only is the Muslim ban islamophobic, it is just flat out ignorant. This order lacks any logic primarily for the simple fact that the countries banned do not include any countries that contributed to the attack on 9/11. Egypt and Saudia Arabia, where the founders of Al Quaeda are from, are not on the Immigration Ban list. Instead, it includes Syria, Iraq, Somalia and 4 other countries that have NOT killed an American on U.S soil in 40 years. This exemplifies even more that this is an attack on Islam and not just radical Islamists.
By the United States blatantly attacking Islam, it helps ISIS and hurts our valuable allies in the Middle East. The New York Times stated that “Extremist groups will trumpet this order to spread the notion, today more credible than ever, that the United States is at war with Islam rather than targeting terrorists.” They are exactly right. ISIS thrives off of U.S officials making derogatory comments about Islam. In fact, that is their prime source of propaganda.
Most of their propaganda is centered around the message that America has had a long history of hating Muslims. In January, ISIS released a recruitment video featuring audio from then President-Elect Trump to label America as a racist society ( watch here) . Donald Trump’s response to this was “They use other people, too. What am I going to do? I have to say what I have to say.”
“The way to stop ISIS is not by going against our own values, but to instead return to them during our darkest time”
Concerning our allies, the NYT stated very accurately that “American allies in the Middle East will reasonably question why they should cooperate with, and defer to, the United States while its top officials vilify their faith.”
The issue of combating ISIS is likely not one to be solved through one domestic solution and certainly not by the stroke of a pen. ISIS will not be eradicated in one presidency but can certainly be emboldened during one.
The way to stop ISIS is not by going against our own values, but to instead return to them during our darkest time. It is more important now than ever to show our enemies that they can distinguish America by the principles and liberties that it holds so close to its identity. Before any real strides can be made in eradicating Isis, we must improve internal relations with Muslims in the Middle East and abroad. And that starts with how we treat our own Muslim brothers and sisters in our own country.
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