Blog Stage 8

In an editorial posted by USA seen from a Paki, author Osama Imran ridicules the national government as well as Donald Trump by attacking the religious discrimination against Islam. He additionally incorporates personal anecdotes to highlight the problem and how it affects common citizens.

Imran begins his argument by stating that ever since 9/11 Americans have become more afraid of religions, specifically Islam. The media contributes to these fears by bombarding individuals with gruesome news and images depicting attacks which link Islam to terrorism and oppression. The author could of strengthened their argument by adding opinion polls here. These polls can reveal Americans’ fear and bias towards Muslims. Statistics could also be used to emphasize the growing percentage of individuals who fear the religion and its followers. The author then introduces personal experiences on how Islamophobia has affected them and the people they know. Imran recalls how a majority of Americans he has met often joke or become frightful when they learn that his name is Osama; he also states that many of his fellow classmates felt threatened and feared for their lives simply because they were Muslim. These anecdotes support the author's central claim because it reveals that Islamophobia hurts common individuals and infringes upon their rights. Discriminating against Islam is an issue because it undermines American core values that state that each and all citizens have the freedom to practice their own beliefs.

Furthermore, the author claims that after the election of Donald Trump for president, the problem has become much worse. The “Muslim ban” has created discrimination which “seems pointless” and prevents Muslims from entering the country. The argument could of been better supported if the author included more info, such as which countries were included in ban as well as statistics on how many people are affected by it. By placing the travel bans Trump further portrays Muslims as dangerous and should be avoided. Imran also states that anti Muslims groups have quadrupled in the last year and hate crimes have increased at an alarming rate. Once again, the use of specific statistics would solidify the argument because numbers are objective. The last point Imran makes is that the media also contributes to Islamophobia because often times if there's an “evil organization” or a “villain” in the film, it is likely that they are Arab or Islam based. I agree with this statement, but I would like to see specific examples of films where this is the case.
All in all, I agree with Imran’s opinion. Trump’s decisions are not in the best interest of the country and his policies seem to further increase discrimination against Muslims. The editorial is constructed well, and their seems to be few flaws in the reasoning. The commentary, however, could have been strengthened by citing the information through hyperlinks. America must properly educate themselves rather than relying on what Trump or the media says about Muslims and Islam. The hate and discrimination violates the First Amendment and immediate action must  be taken in order to protect every citizen’s rights.