HAS Donald Trump just taken a U-turn on his promise? His pledge to deny entry to the country for all Muslims temporarily disappeared from his campaign website after winning the election.

The removal prompted new questions about one of Trump’s most controversial promises but, it was restored Thursday afternoon after Trump’s staff characterised it as a technical glitch.

Trump’s promise helped him win the GOP primary, while drawing criticism from people who said it ran counter to American values of religious tolerance. In recent months, Trump has suggested that he would revise it and said his policy will target people from countries affected by terrorism, and will not use religion as a criterion. But on Thursday as he was strolling the Capitol with congressional leaders, he walked away from reporters who asked him whether the plan to ban Muslims remained on his agenda.

Asad Ali Jamali

Hyderabad

(2)

DONALD Trump’s victory has been followed by a wave of hate crimes against Muslim minorities. During his first day of presidency, a Muslim student was brutally assaulted by two of his supporters in Louisiana. American Hijabi women are traumatised as their hijabs are being torn off. According to a victim, a woman came up to her and ripped her hijab off, saying: “This is not allowed anymore, so go hang yourself with it”. President-elect Donald Trump’s political campaign has normalised Islamophobia and racism. The Republican made his most controversial remarks about Muslims last year, when he proclaimed that the government needed to implement a complete ban on Muslims entering the US.

Trump’s presidency is a wake-up call as he has brought these underlying issues to the forefront. This requires Muslims’ activism . We shouldn’t let our shock paralyse us and now more than ever it is the duty of Muslims to come together and neutralise the effect of Islamophobia.

Ushma Farooq

Islamabad

(3)

WHEN Donal Trump becomes the US pesident in January 2017, would he be able to follow his extremist policies, even if he wants to? No doubt, as US president he would be the most powerful person in his country and the world; but mind you he would also be chained to the US constitution, as well as to Congress.. These will put a check on his policies and may clip his wings, when necessary , if he tries to fly high enough to match the flight of his imagination.

The rest of the world also will simply not accept an outrageous policy.

There is no reason, therefore, to be afraid of ‘the Trump fear’

Saghir Ahmed Khan

Karachi

Published in Dawn November 15th, 2016