On March 12, 2016, the University of South Florida welcomed Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump to the Sun Dome. The sight was quite beautiful in a way. I could definitely feel the enthusiasm of the crowd.
Red, white and blue banners, flags and hats littered the crowd. There was even a helicopter flying above the crowd with an electrical banner that read “Make America Great Again.”
The Sun Dome was at packed with 10,411, and there were a few hundred supporters standing inside. As I was walking across campus from the Marshall Student Center, I could feel the anticipation of the crowd that went from gate B, all the way around the building, recreation center, and past the ROTC building.
Patriotism was in full effect. Or was it?
I attended the event as a student of journalism and photography. I chose to attend because this was the first time that the Sun Dome was at capacity. The last time this occurred was in 1985 when Elton John came to perform for a concert.
While there were people from all walks of life, the reality is that many of the supporters were not too compassionate of the fact there was a visibly Muslim woman there.
I was in attendance in full Islamic dress. I was wearing a long dress, knee-length cardigan and hijab (head scarf). I was also decorated with my digital camera.
As soon as I was within 10 feet of the protesters, the insults began. As I approached different individuals to conduct interviews, I was immediately attacked with different insults and derogatory terms.
One gentleman immediately greeted me with,
"You need to walk in the middle of the street, so you can become road kill, and we need more road kill."
Another gentleman looked me straight in the face and said,
"Do you have a bomb underneath your dress?" "What are you hiding underneath that towel on your head?" and "Why are you taking pictures, so you can use it as propaganda for ISIS?"
I chose not to feed into any of these ill-guided remarks and just continued with my assignment. Regretfully, those weren't the only remarks I was heard that night.
There were many people there that gave me dirty looks, yet kept their remarks to themselves.
I was informed that I shouldn't be talking to strange men, as I would be beaten by my husband or male relative as soon as I stepped foot into my residence.
The hatred was not only felt, it was heard by many. There were different ethnicities in attendance protesting the rally, and they felt it too.
The “minorities” in attendance let it be known that they did not want Trump and his so-called supporters at USF.
While I heard many insults directed towards me, I also heard the insults that the protesters were subjected too. One of Trump’s supporter could be heard yelling at a protester of Latin origins, “To go back to the farm fields of ‘her’ country.”
Many black protesters were repeatedly told to “Go back to Africa, monkey,” and “Go back to picking cotton.”
The racial revulsion was spine shivering. There were many instances where Tampa police had to intervene because of the heated exchanges between the parties.
Many of the attendees had shirts on that read “Make America Great Again.” The counter argument that was written on a sign, “Make America Hate Again.”
Many of the pro-Trump attendees would constantly scream at the protesters informing them that should all be shot dead for being against Trump.
As I stood by taking pictures of the events unfolding, I was threatened numerous times that I should be shot for being there.
Even as I tried interviewing people, the hatred was inbound.
There was an instance where I was in the process of interviewing a man, and his visibly drunk friend kept interrupting the interview and asking questions such as, “Who are you for?” “Why are you here?” and “You should be counting your lucky stars that nothing has happened to you.”
I had to ask the young man more than once to step back as he was invading my personal space.
I was directly told to “Go back to my country because I am nothing more than a terrorist looking to mooch off of the ‘Great U.S. of A.’”
What these supporters do not realize is that I was born and raised here in the “Good Ole U.S.of A.”
I call America home as does the rest of my extended family. I carry an American passport wherever I go, and I am proud of this.
And even though I call myself an American, I am not considered one.
When I am told that I should, “Go Back to My Country,” I immediately feel a lump form in my throat.
I have every right to practice my religion freely, as does any other American.
Even though I do not always give an answer to such remarks, there have been times where I can no longer keep my comments to myself and will give them a piece of my mind.
I am a proud Palestinian-Muslim American, and if America does not want me here, then America needs to stop funding the state that has invaded my homeland and robbed its people of its basic human rights and leave.
I will happily leave and “Go Back to My Country,” as soon as the occupier leaves.
I have never known any home other than here in the U.S. If Americans proudly boast the notion that there is no racism here, then we have a serious problem on our hands.
The U.S. was founded by a group of immigrants that fled persecution. This country was founded by men that wanted the right to live life freely, to be able to practice their religion freely.
When Patrick Henry said, “Give me liberty or give me death,” he didn’t specify a race, gender or religious preference.
This great nation was built from the immigrants that come in from all over the world, seeking refuge.
In the words of Emma Lazarus, “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me: I lift my lamp beside the golden door.”
If we, as Americans, want to make America great again, then the racism, racial profiling and hatred needs to cease immediately.
If you consider yourself a “True American" then you would welcome all of the human race, not just this who fit into your profile of being “White, blond-haired and blue-eyed.”
