“Today I am a Muslim. This country sent away my people, the
Jews, and they were slaughtered in concentration camps. Stop the hate! Remember
the SS St. Louis.
Unite children of Abraham!”
My brother posted this cry on his FB page early Tuesday
morning. When my own clock radio roused me with the news of Donald Trump’s
so-called proposal to ban all Muslims, I felt a similar outrage.
As I listened all day to denunciations of the candidate,
analysis of the impact on the presidential campaign, and Gov. Baker’s
characterization of the proposal “ridiculous,” I appreciated the swift
condemnations. But my brother’s post brought home a reality that goes beyond
any one candidate, beyond decrying hatred and beyond flimsy dismissals.
Trump is no longer a joke. He is not ridiculous. He inflames
the basest tendencies of humanity: anger and hatred. His unreflective,
unrepentant rhetoric validates evil. His words encourage white supremacy, extremism
and violence.
Even if he is defeated in the polls, Trump has given voice
to a dangerous element in American society. With his words, he has unleashed a destructive
force that even he cannot stop. Even if
he never explicitly encourages violence, his words condone it. Innocent Muslims
and immigrants have already been attacked. Who will be next?
More disturbing is that we cannot pin responsibility on one
candidate alone. Trump’s ideas would have no impact without the fertile ground
of divisiveness cultivated by others. Irresponsible pundits and candidates have
polluted political discourse with toxic statements of their own. While they attempt
to distance themselves from his inflammatory speech, their own docile espousal
of similar sentiments have made Trump’s words acceptable.
Tonight is the fifth night of Hanukkah, and today is also International
Human Rights Day. Today is the day for us to remember the best of what is means
to be human and to work to overcome the worst evil in the human heart.
It is up to us to work to implement the ideals espoused in
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. When we light our candles, we must
dedicate ourselves to bring more light into a world that seems darker every
day. It is up to us—Aleinu—to stand
up, to speak out, and to act with love in order to overcome the power of evil.
Today I am a Muslim. Today I am an immigrant. Today I am a
refugee.
Today I am also an advocate for truth, compassion, repentance, equity,
and justice.
I can’t do this alone. Join me. It is up to us.
I was proud of the
Jewish Community Relations Council of Boston (JCRC) to issue this statement condemning incendiary
language against Muslims.
