Dear Donald Trump,
You have said countless stupid and downright offensive things in the past year. I could make this letter 10 pages long if I wanted to provide a deep analysis of why the things that come out of your mouth are absolute garbage. However, I am only going to focus on your idea of setting up a database for Muslim-Americans and requiring us to wear special identification badges.
This idea sounds painfully familiar:
You are literally following the example of Adolf Hitler during World War II.
It is completely obvious that you feel the way you do about Muslim-Americans because of the terrorist groups that have come out of the Middle East. However, the fact that you generalize the whole Islamic religion in this way is completely paralyzing. You want us to be easily identifiable because you're scared -- there is no other explanation. You see a man in a keffiyeh or a woman in a hijab and you immediately associate the person with terrorism. But what if I said that I get terrified when I see a white man walk into a school or a movie theater? What if I said that I refuse to be around white men because I fear for my safety?
Of course that sounds ridiculous to many, because white men are just not dangerous. That's just how this Eurocentric world works -- it all depends on the way you look.
Yet, this is where there's yet another loophole in your idea of labeling Muslims. Your idea of a Muslim man or woman is very narrow. When you think of Muslim, one very specific looks comes to mind. You are allowing these extremists who make up less than 1% of the Islamic world skew your whole perception of a religion. Why are you letting these extremists define the whole Middle-Eastern population? Also, what about those Muslim-Americans who are from Asia -- did you know that 62% of Muslims live in Asia?
But you know what scares me the most? The fact that there are thousands of people who are supporting you. The fact that there are thousands of people who share your values. The fact that this world is filled with ignorant people who are letting their ignorance ignite into hate.
So I guess this letter isn't exactly to you, Donald Trump. It's to every single person who is belittling a religion by basing their knowledge on these groups who are tainting the name of Islam. I will finish with a quote from Malala Yousafzai:
"With guns you can kill terrorists, with education you can kill terrorism."
So please educate yourself.
