Dogmatic and rooted in ignorance? Doubtless, this is probably the question that ran through the American public’s minds when they heard Ben Carson’s (GOP 2016 Presidential Candidate and retired neurosurgeon) comment on potential Muslim presidents in an NBC interview on September 20th. In the Meet the Press interview, Carson commented, “I would not advocate that we put a Muslim in charge of this nation. I absolutely would not agree with that.” The interviewer also asked, “So do you believe that Islam is consistent with the constitution?” Carson’s reply: “No, I don’t, I do not.” Hitherto, throughout his candidacy, Carson has been known for his low-key effect and soft-spoken nature; it seems that such comments are a bit off the beaten track for him. However, such a response would probably only be popular among hardcore right-wingers; many Republican supporters might interpret the words as portraits of Carson’s conservatism, not to be brought under fire by the media, but applauded. Carson’s remarks were also brought under light due to a recent occurrence involving his fellow GOP candidate, Donald Trump; while answering questions from supporters in New Hampshire, Trump did not quell a comment by a supporter who suggested that Muslims are a major problem in the nation and that President Obama is not American and is, in fact, a Muslim. Since then, Trump has been the pincushion for negative publicity from the media; in a Twitter post, he proclaimed, “Am I morally obligated to defend the president every time somebody says something bad or controversial about him? I don’t think so!” The New Hampshire Incident took place on Thursday September 17th; perhaps, abruptly clinging to a prompt to redeem himself, Trump, in an interview with CNN on that Saturday when asked if Muslims were a threat to the US, said, “I love the Muslims. I think they’re great people.” Before that, however, Trump had been speaking with high school students in Urbandale, Iowa. A student asked Trump if he would ever place a Muslim in his Presidential Cabinet. “Oh, absolutely,” said Trump. “No problem with that.” Thus, Trump has been able to partially elbow his way through the muddle; on the other hand, Carson does not necessarily holster the same level of support Trump does, so if Carson stumbles, there are less people to prevent him from falling flat. Carson was also asked about voting for Muslims in Congress; “Congress is a different story, but it depends on who that Muslim is and what their policies are, just as it depends on what anybody else says, you know,” he responded. As of now, there are two Muslims in Congress: Keith Ellison from Minnesota (whom, as a slightly irrelevant side note, I have personally met) and André Carson of Indiana, who were elected in 2007 and 2008, respectively. Ellison has heatedly criticized the comments of both Trump and Carson, stating, “For Ben Carson, Donald Trump, or any other Republican politician to suggest that someone of any faith is unfit for office is out of touch with who we are as a people. “It’s unimaginable that the leading GOP presidential candidates are resorting to fear mongering to benefit their campaigns, and every American should be disturbed that these national figures are engaging in and tolerating blatant acts of religious bigotry.” To conclude, the alienation of Muslims who live in this country as honorable citizens is a declaration of war against the pluralistic nature of our society that makes this country great. Americans doubtlessly have Muslim neighbors, co-workers, and peers but many, including major political figures, insist on viewing them as a perpetual plague to besmirch the land of the free.
Works Cited Pengelly, Martin. "Ben Carson Says No Muslim Should Ever Become US President." The Guardian. The Guardian, 20 Sept. 2015. Web. 21 Sept. 2015. <http://www.theguardian.com/us- news/2015/sep/20/ben-carson-no-muslim-us-president-trump-obama>. Lee, Gray, MJ, Noah. "Trump: I'd Consider a Muslim for My Cabinet - CNNPolitics.com." CNN. Cable News Network, 19 Sept. 2015. Web. 21 Sept. 2015. <http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/19/politics/donald-trump-muslims-controversy/>.
