During the reign of Adolph Hitler and Nazi Germany, Jews were made to wear a yellow Star of David to identify themselves. The Nazi regime also kept records of people who were of Jewish descent. The records were eventually used to round up Jews and place them into concentration camps for the Nazi “Final Solution” that led to the murdering of over 8 million Jews known as the Holocaust. No politician in their right mind wants to be identified with following in the footsteps of Hitler; however, that has now changed with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
This week, Trump stated that he is in favor of creating a database of Muslims and making them carry identification marking them as such. Trump also said that he would favor warrantless searches and the closing of mosques in the United States. He also went further to state that Muslim registration would be mandatory and that people would be signed up at “different places … It’s all about management.” Even Republican rival Dr. Ben Carson seems to agree with Trump in handling Muslims. Carson equated Muslims with dogs stating, “If there’s a rabid dog running around in your neighborhood, you’re probably not going to assume something good about that dog. It doesn’t mean you hate all dogs, but you’re putting your intellect into motion.”
The statements by Trump were met with shock and outrage by many Americans including presidential candidates Jeb Bush and Hillary Clinton. Bush stated, “It’s not a question of toughness. It’s manipulating people’s angst and their fears. That’s not strength. That’s weakness.” Further, Hillary Clinton posted on Twitter, “This is shocking rhetoric. It should be denounced by all seeking to lead this country.”
The Council on American-Islamic Relations issued a statement, which says in part, “By mainstreaming and unconstitutional policies, Donald Trump and Ben Carson are contributing to an already toxic environment that may be difficult to correct once their political ambitions have been satisfied.”
