Founders weaponized Islam as a slur in election politics

Evidence

On a macro level, this fear is disconcerting because of how easily it can be weaponized for political gain. In the 2016 presidential election in the United States, we saw a veritable “race to the bottom” when it came to positioning Muslims as a dangerous enemy of the state. Candidates seemed in a hurry to outdo one another when it came to who could vilify Muslims the most. These political candidates often spoke of Islam as though it were indistinguishable from terror groups like ISIS. — Arsalan Iftikhar, Fear of a Muslim Planet_ Global…, 33 (#exemplifies, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: American founders saw the Muslim world as the republic’s opposite — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of…, 211; Islamophobic campaign rhetoric is traded for votes and converted into policy — Khaled A. Beydoun, American Islamophobia_ Understanding…, 57; Anti-sharia campaigns exploit fabricated fears to gain political support — Saher Selod, Forever Suspect_ Racialized…, 519 (+11 more)

Broader Connections

• The 2016 race weaponized nonspecific Muslim fear for electoral gain #exemplifies (0.92) — Arsalan Iftikhar, Fear of a Muslim Planet_ Global…, 33