Islamic Lifestyle

Trump Presidency Week 1: American Muslim millennials’ voices loud and clear on social media

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BY Soukaina Rachidi
26 Jan 2017
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Salaam Gateway
Photo: Isaiah Dupree holds a sign as demonstrators gather at Washington Square Park to protest against U.S. President Donald Trump in New York U.S., January 25, 2017. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump ordered the construction of a U.S.-Mexican border wall and he is expected to sign an executive order for a temporary ban on most refugees and a suspension of visas for citizens of Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.  

Many American Muslim influencers took to social media to share their anger and concern with the two executive orders on immigration and border security using the hashtag #NoBanNoWall.

Ilhan Omar, Somali-American politician from Minnesota and former refugee, tweeted an image of herself speaking at a gathering with the Minnesota legislature and members of the community that was organized to respond to President Trump’s executive order. 

Haroon Moghul, an academic, columnist, author and commentator on Islam and public affairs, had a more sarcastic response. On Twitter, he claimed that while the recent increase in political activism amongst American citizens might be an “upside,” the “downside” was that it was “the end of the world.” A sentiment he later reinforced with the following tweet.

In an interview she shared on Twitter, Wardah Khalid, an analyst and public speaker on Middle Eastern policy and Muslim American issues, shared her concerns about Muslim and minority civil rights under the current administration. When asked by the CGTN America anchor if she was worried about Islamophobia and the ripple effects of President Trump’s recent statements and actions she had the following response:

“I’m extremely concerned about Islamophobia, we already saw the effects of Islamophobia during the campaign. Anti-Muslim attacks reached their highest levels since 9/11 during the presidential campaign. That was a direct result of statements by people like Donald Trump, and other people who were running, and saying things to vilify Muslims, to marginalize them and use them as a way to increase votes. So, I’m extremely concerned that he’s saying these things and what could happen? People are emboldened by these statements and he paints a picture that Islam and the West are incompatible.”

Nihad Awad, the National Executive Director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Muslim civil rights and advocacy group, also vehemently denounced President Trump’s executive orders and emphasized that they would “not make [America] safer, rather they [would] make it more fearful and less welcoming. In his most recent tweet, Awad claimed that:  

#NotMyPresident

These reactions followed very quickly on the heels of those less than a week ago, during Trump’s inauguration on January 20.

During the inauguration, thousands of people gathered in Washington DC to protest Trump’s ascent to power and divisive political agenda by chanting #NotMyPresident.

The capital wasn’t the only place that people were protesting the newly-inaugurated Commander-in-Chief. Twitter and Facebook were also brimming with derisive comments and satirical photos about the Inauguration Day. For many, expectations were low and emotions were high and many Muslim social media millennial influencers shared this sentiment.

Linda Sarsour is the Executive Director of the Arab American Association of New York and co-chair of the Women’s March on Washington that took place on the Saturday following the inauguration. Sarsour’s Twitter feed was filled with images celebrating the Women’s March in D.C and retweets of protests taking place in sister cities all over the world. But nothing summed up her sentiments more than the Tweet pinned to her account dated one day after the election in November 2016.

On the other hand, Omar Suleiman, President of the Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research and a professor of Islamic Studies at Southern Methodist University, held a relatively more moderate position. In a message on his Facebook page, Suleiman called his followers to engage in wise and organized social activism.

 “#Inauguration Not intimidated. Now is an opportunity to mobilize against fascism, racism, and xenophobia like never before. This champion of neo-Nazis wears his bigotry on his sleeve. Alliances will be formed that should've existed long before. This will force us to be organized like we've always said we should be. Business as usual would've bred complacency. Since this is anything but, may we proceed with wisdom and courage.”

The fiery rhetoric of President Trump’s inauguration speech also deeply worried Amani Khatahtbeh, founder of online magazine MuslimGirl and young millennial author. In an interview with Katie Couric on Yahoo News, she shared her personal struggle with Islamophobia and her fears about a new generation of American Muslims facing the same discrimination in the future.

“That is the exact kind of language that I grew up under immediately after 9/11 happened. I was 9-years-old when that took place. And of course, I had my formative years under this eruption of anti-Muslim bigotry in today’s society and it was very isolating, very alienating. I personally had to lie about my religion in school and I fear that we’re going to see another harsher reality for Muslims today.”

Wajahat Ali, Creative Director at Affinis Lab and celebrated writer, also had a lot to say about the inauguration. Ali’s biggest criticism of the event was the hypocrisy of President Trump’s speech and its not-so-hidden implications. While he tweeted various comments expressing his disappointment, I believe that this Tweet succinctly conveys the disappointed disbelief that many Muslims are feeling now.

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tags:

Immigration
March
Protest
Social media reactions
Trump
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Soukaina Rachidi