I have always been an open-minded person. I believe that the more open-minded you are, the more positivity you will exude. In the case of Donald Trump, the outspoken presidential candidate has shown that he is anything but open-minded.
For some people, this is an attractive trait. For others, the thought of him running our country makes us want to claw our eyes out.
In December, the Republican nominee published a press release that called for “a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States.” However, on Wednesday the presidential hopeful addressed the controversial announcement by saying that such a restriction “hasn’t been called for yet” and that his adamant statement was “only a suggestion.”
T. Boone Pickens, the chief executive officer of BP Capital, responded to Trump’s comment by declaring his support for Trump’s presidency, as well as agreeing with his proposed ban on Muslims entering the United States.
“Cut them off so we can figure out who they are coming in,” Pickens told reporters. “We’ve got plenty of people here. We’ve got a good economy and Muslims coming into the U.S. I don’t see that impacting the economy at all.”
Seriously? We are going to deny entry to people just because of their religion? It’s hard to believe it’s 2016; seems like we’re taking a step back in time. Lately, politicians seem to be pushing for more inequality among Americans, instead of protecting the rights and freedoms of every human being.
Earlier this week, the newly elected major of London, Sadiq Khan, expressed his disgust with Trump’s offer to “make exceptions“ to his prejudiced embargo in order to allow Khan to travel to the United States.
As the first Muslim mayor of a Western capital city, Khan described the real estate mogul as someone who is “ignorant” about Islam.
“This isn’t just about me – it’s about my friends, my family and everyone who comes from a background similar to mine, anywhere in the world.”
Our nation has a long way to go before we fix all the problems present in our communities, but one thing is definite: we need positive change, and fast. Trump’s ban on Muslims is distracting from the real issues at hand like poverty, inequality, and economic turmoil.
Muslims do not deserve to be targeted in this way, or any way for that matter. If he’s trying to “make America great again,” he may want to start with being more open-minded and welcoming to our friends and neighbors.
Featured image via Getty/Scott Olson.
