United States Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump has run a campaign characterized by Islamophobic, sexist and racist rhetoric.
However, his campaign sunk to new lows on Monday when he released a statement calling for a ban on all Muslims entering the country. Although his campaign has been openly critical of immigration since the outset, the new call even argued for barring American Muslims from returning home if they are currently abroad.
While the suggestion is blatantly against the American constitution's first amendment, which guarantees "the free exercise" of religion, Trump merely said his statement was "probably not politically correct, but I don't care."
After a spokesman initially said Trump's proposal would apply to "everyone" when asked about citizens, Trump has since retreated somewhat by saying "we have to figure things out" regarding American Muslims.
While the unconstitutional and Islamophobic plan will not likely be implemented in the near future, the fact that it is even being touted necessitates shining a spotlight on who exactly he is attempting to discriminate against. We compiled a list of some prominent American Muslims who so frighten Trump that he wants to bar the doors.
1. Ahmed Zewail – Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry
2. André Carson – Congressman from Indiana
3. Zainab Salbi - Co-founder of Women for Women International
4. Shaquille O'Neal – Basketball player
5. Ayub K. Ommaya – Neurosurgeon, inventor of the Ommaya reservoir
6. Keith Ellison – Congressman from Minnesota
7. Huma Abedin – Long-time aide to Hillary Clinton
8. Zalmay Khalilzad – Former US Ambassador to the United Nations, Former U.S. Ambassador to Iraq and Afghanistan
9. Ryan Harris – American football player
10. Shirin Neshat – Visual artist and film director
11. Elias Zerhouni – Former Director, National Institutes of Health
12. Nabil Abou-Harb – Filmmaker, writer and director
13. Shahzia Sikander – Artist and MacArthur Fellow
14. Fuad El-Hibri – CEO of Emergent BioSolutions
15. Jawed Karim – Co-founder of YouTube
16. Shohreh Aghdashloo – Academy Award-nominated actress
