For many American Muslims, emotions are haywire, the mood and morale are irregularly irregular because America under Trump is anybody's worst nightmare.
"They'll probably freeze the accounts of Muslim organizations and go after individuals in positions of Muslim leadership". She did not sound paranoid, my Physician friend was reminding me of what happened after 9/11. Guantanamo remains an open wound from 9/11. We can't afford to be naive, our conversation further inferred. What are your plans? We'll have to weather this storm we both decided. "There is no going back to anywhere," said the single mother of three adult children. 'America is home' is not a cliche; this I read clearly from her face.
"Many of us are already on surveillance" I shared in another conversation with another friend. There will no longer be a need to hide under the infamous "random selection" at airport security. I probably went through airport security 30 times in the past year and whenever I would return to the US, the CBP officer would have a characteristic look on his face as he looked at me and compared it with something he was reading on the screen in front of him Then some questions would follow. On my most recent return, I inquired about that look. The CBP officer who attended to me basically told me that as a Muslim, "...this was to be expected." We both laughed it off albeit very awkwardly.
"I don't think I want to send my child to the US {for school} anymore". A relative's son was counting the days until he comes to the US to be with his cousins and now after the elections, his father expresses deep uncertainty about the future of Muslims in America. He is holding off that decision. The prestigious academic institutions of the United States seem no longer appealing.
"Did you notice that we {Muslim} went through the {Kubbler Ross} stages of grief", another friend had commented, referring to the community's shared "coming to reality" with the election results. We were seated at a gathering of Muslims in Southern California days after the election, trying to process together what is to come.
First we were in denial about the results much like the rest of America then we angrily lashed out at those seemingly closeted bigots who voted for him. Then the articles went out in waves, "Not all Trump supporters are racists" perhaps we can renegotiate the why and how, this seemingly impending doom became reality. The next stage is depression, a stage we are slowly getting out of as more and more voices are telling us to use the democratic process to triumph against what democracy has brought upon us. We shall overcome!
Or maybe not?
When the President of the United States and his cabinet members can be so open in expressing their bigotry against Muslims, it leaves little to imagination for what the coming days could bring for over 3 million Muslims living in the United States. With the announcement of each cabinet member's agenda, we are somehow brought back to the stage of Denial; can Micheal Flyn really be the National Security advisor? He has called Islam "a political ideology masking as a religion", he has compared it to a "malignant cancer". And then there is Steve Bannon. Steve Bannon!!! And then there are suggestions to intern Muslims, in America, in 2017.
"I remain unapologetically Muslim American" she says, with palpable conviction, Brooklyn Accent in tow. Linda Sarsour, the American Muslim of the year speaks to an audience of hundreds of thousands at the Women's March in Washington and hundreds of millions more virtually, as the recordings of the matches were played all over the world. The next day, a vicious smear campaign threatens the integrity of her work, worse her person. #IMarchWithLinda rises successfully to her rescue.
No, we are not naive but because we are fighting for our inalienable rights, we can't but be successful. Somewhere in our deepest subconscious, we have to stamp the fact that 'America is Home' and this is not a cliche. The struggle continues...victory is indeed certain!