A social media thread from Sen. Elissa Slotkin has, in my humble opinion, rightfully drawn attention because of the peculiar narrative Slotkin claims about the immediate aftermath of September 11. Specifically, the Michigan Democrat asserts that the country formed a “shared bond” after the attacks.
What many, including myself, remember is the Islamophobia, vicious paranoia, and nationalism that overwhelmed so much of the public discourse. And when it comes to Islamophobia, such racism has gotten only exponentially worse among Republicans. As my colleague Tim Murphy writes today:
It’s a cliche, at this point, to suggest that if elected officials in this country talked about members of any other religious group the way they talk about Muslims, they would be shunned from polite society—or at least called to account for it. But it’s hard to dispute the point. Open bigotry toward Muslims is not just a way to get ahead in President Donald Trump’s Republican Party. Increasingly, it seems to be the purpose of Trump’s Republican Party. It’s the key to understanding what’s changed in the MAGA world—and what has always been like this. The targeting and vilification of an American religious group is one of the most important stories of the midterms. We’re not talking about it enough.
Tim’s right; we aren’t talking about this enough. So read his piece—and be outraged, downright horrified.
—Inae Oh
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