Not trumped yet

Acouple of days back, I was driving down a relatively quiet country road when a speeding car hit me from behind. I didn't realise the full impact of the accident until I heard the driver of the other car ask me if I was all right. As I handed my license to the policeman who arrived within five minutes, I felt myself shivering. No, it was not the cold December draught neither was it the traumatic aftermath of the accident. It was something I had never experienced before. It was a severe bout of anxiety about the policeman noticing the surname "Ali" on my license and identifying me as a Muslim. Although the other driver's offence was obvious since my vehicle was hit from the rear, I wondered if Iwould be accused of  speeding or some other driving offense? On reflection, I have come to realise that my anxiety arose from the recent spate of anti-Muslim propaganda, following the deadly mass shooting in San Bernardino, California, by suspected followers of ISIS.

The most outrageous reaction was that of the Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. He demanded a total shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until "our country's representatives can figure out what is going on." Earlier, Trump called for establishing a surveillance database for all Muslims living in the US. These statements may violate the basic tenets of the American Constitution, but the sad truth is that Trump's proposals were met with considerable enthusiasm from many of his supporters. The more damaging impact is that Trump's outlandish comments have sowed the seeds of hatred against all American Muslims creating a guilt-by-association situation. As a consequence, peace loving Muslims are beginning to feel insecure and alien in a country they embraced as their home.

Trumps extreme views were immediately disavowed by leading members of the Republican Party, as well as all Democratic Presidential candidates. But the moral damage has already been done. Trump's statements have in some ways set the trend for a national discourse about Muslims. More seriously, it has inflamed the hitherto latent anti-Muslim prejudice. Trump has managed to tap into the hatred, racism and xenophobia of the prejudiced right. Just as Hitler kindled resentment and hatred against the Jews. However, the only saving grace may be that we are not living in Germany in 1939 but in the United States in 2015. Hence there is very little to fear – or so they say!
Yet I must confess that I am scared. Because these are not easy days for Muslims who live in the US and elsewhere.

The horrid criminal acts in San Bernardino or Paris are not solely responsible for the rising Islamophobia. Resentment has been building up since 9/11. Today, Muslims face not one, but two, dangerous fronts. Internally they are being attacked, persecuted and killed by ruthless extremists who have hijacked the Islamic identity. On the external front, they are subjected to incessant demonisation by Conservatives and Liberals alike, aided and abetted by the anti-Islamic media. Hence, the peaceful Muslims, who are the majority, have been pushed into a defensive position where they are forced to explain to the rest of the world that the criminals who call themselves Al Qaeda, ISIL or Boko Haram are not guided by Islamic principles but by their misguided ideologies and agendas.

Fortunately, President Obama's administration reacted to Trump by terming his demand as "totally contrary to our values as Americans", pointing to the Bill of Rights' protection of freedom of religion, and noted the "extraordinary contributions" Muslim Americans have made to the United States. It also emphasised the fact that the leaders of the ISIL want to portray the current violence as a war between the world and Islam, and people like Trump are helping their cause by alienating the majority of Muslims who are against the ISIL ideology. In the process, they are destroying the trust base between communities in the country.

I digressed from my initial story about the accident into a somewhat controversial trajectory. However, the digression was relevant, since I feared that the media hype against Muslims may result in some form of discriminatory behavior by the police toward me. For a few fleeting moments, I felt vulnerable and disempowered. In case you are wondering how the story ended - to my surprise, the policeman smiled and asked me if  I was hurt and needed medical attention.When I reassured him I did not, he returned my license adding, "Ma'am, the other driver has admitted his fault. His insurance will take care of your car. Your driving record will not be affected."

As I heaved a sigh of relief, I wondered if it was just my lucky day. Or is there still fairness and humanity left in this world to make it worthwhile for ordinary people like us to give a tough fight against Trump's intolerance and bigotry and also the radicalism crippling our faith?

The writer is a renowned Rabindra Sangeet exponent and a former employee of the World Bank.