Even before refugees arrive, we must speak out against hateful rhetoric

The ongoing tragic dilemma facing thousands of Iraqi, Syrian and other refugees escaping the horror of wars, displacement, torture and expulsion is the worst humanitarian crisis since World War II. Yet only Germany at present time is humanely dealing with the vast majority while some European nations continue to periodically close their borders and others, like Hungary, are actually terrorizing an already traumatized population including women and children. The refugees are predominantly Muslims.

Here in the U.S., presidential Republican front-runners Donald Trump, Ben Carson, and others are using the issue for their own twisted political gain. Trump has said some Muslims are a problem and that some Mosques should be closed down. He added in an interview with CNN, 'I don't see the people ... that knocked down the World Trade Center going back to Sweden.” Carson declared Muslims unfit to be president, and later told CNN 'that a Muslim would ‘have to reject the tenets of Islam' to be president”. Both candidates are openly expressing and fermenting religious prejudice.

Historian Thomas S. Kidd, author of 'American Christians and Islam,” said Carson was capitalizing on fear of Muslim terrorists. 'But then to turn it into a blanket statement that Muslims in general can't be full participants in the life of the republic - I do think that's significant, and it's alarming,” Kidd told the L.A. Times' Michael Finnegan. But Trump and Carson are benefiting from the uneasiness of many working-class whites, as the nation grows more diverse. Their rhetoric is alarming.

In Iowa the Islamophobes are enjoying what one hopes to be a short period of recognition and political gain. Earlier this month, Rep. Steve King told a Washington Post reporter that he couldn't think of a time when Muslims assimilated into another culture. Iraqi Christians, he said, 'assimilate pretty fine into this culture. But I can't find models of the folks that, say, do the hajj to Mecca, I can't find models where they've assimilated into the broader culture of civilization wherever they've gone.”

With the oldest Mosque in North America being right here in Cedar Rapids, and as thousands of law-abiding American Muslims in Iowa and millions across the nation continue to serve their country each and every day in the civil arena and in the military, uninformed and prejudiced sentiment has no bearing on truth or reality. These biased statements lead us to believe that they must have forgotten the fundamentals of our Constitution as well as the right to exercise freedom of religion, and need a refresher course.

Small numbers of Syrian refugees could soon begin trickling into Iowa for the first time. Gov. Terry Branstad believes that welcoming displaced Syrians is a good thing. It is expected that fewer than 100 Syrians 'already in the pipeline” and could arrive in Iowa by next October. With all the rising national Islamophobia as well as right here in Iowa, One must ask, how can the traumatized and frightened refugees deal with this ongoing hateful phenomena?

As a proud American Muslim residing in the great state of Iowa for 48 years, I am aghast that my beloved hospitable state is backing such un-American, hateful and fear mongering messages by politicians who use religion as a tool for advancement and political gain.

I urge my fellow Iowans across all faith communities to stop this madness and refuse to be party to this wave that is unworthy of our state and our nation. Speak up now against hate and bias and be counted. Do not allow anyone to divide this great nation. We are the United States of America.

I'm reminded of the words of protestant pastor Martin Niemoeller's powerful statement about the failure of Germans to speak out against the Nazis:

'First they came for the Communists, but I was not a Communist so I did not speak out. Then they came for the socialists and the Trade Unionists, but I was neither, so I did not speak out. Then they came for the Jews, but I was not a Jew so I did not speak out. And when they came for me, there was no one left to speak out for me.”

Americans and Iowans head this timeless message of brave solidarity against fear mongering, hate, marginalization, demonization, and prejudice.

l Shams Ghoneim is coordinator of the Muslim Public Affairs Council's Iowa chapter. Contact: shamsghoneim@mchsi.com