Augustana Observer

Augustana Observer

Augustana Observer

Letter to the editor: Trump's Islamaphobia is damaging nation

File+Photo%2C+Observer+
File Photo, Observer

By: Jackie Jastrzebski
Donald Trump is everywhere, and with him comes an extreme case of islamophobia. The media can’t seem to leave this outrageous man alone and in turn they’re forcing Americans to draw conclusions about Islam. When Mr. Trump is consistently featured on the television claiming that “I think Islam hates us”, it’s no wonder that islamophobia exists all around us.
Up until recently, I knew that islamophobia existed, but I paid it no mind and I placed it out of sight.
One morning at an airport near Chicago I witnessed something that changed my outlook. As I made my way through security, the TSA agent that ushered me through the x-ray was polite and friendly.
I noticed the Arab man that was directly behind me in line had not encountered the friendly TSA agent that I had. The agent began to yell at the man for seemingly no reason. He immediately raised his voice, demanded the man to take off his belt, unbutton his shirt, and expose the entire upper half of his body in the middle of an international airport.
Upon realizing that the man had in fact done absolutely nothing wrong, the TSA agents directed him to gather his belongs and move along. The man did not argue or resist the agent’s demands. He was absolutely terrified, confused, and humiliated.
How long will we watch an entire race, more specifically an entire religion, be dehumanized and belittled for no good reason?
Mr. Trump wants to punish an entire religion for the actions of an extremist group that happens to affiliate themselves with Islam. How incredibly idiotic to make such an enormous generalization when in fact most Muslims despise the Islamic State and their “perverted”  interpretation of Islam.
You know what Mr. Trump? I don’t want to be a part of your generalizations just because I live in the United States. So keep us out of this.

Leave a Comment
More to Discover

Comments (0)

All Augustana Observer Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Activate Search
Letter to the editor: Trump's Islamaphobia is damaging nation