Republican presidential candidate and former US President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally in Warren, Michigan. , Photo courtesy: Reuters
Economic insecurity and the cultural anxieties that give rise to white nativism are familiar explanations for Donald Trump’s continued popularity in the United States, but that may not be the whole story. A section of Hindu and Muslim immigrants in the key state of Michigan also support Republicans for the same reasons, as they view the Democratic Party’s cultural agenda as a distraction and its soft border policy as a threat to their interests.
Kamal Rehman, a mayoral candidate in Hamtramck, a city on the outskirts of Detroit that has an all-Muslim council, voted for Joe Biden in 2020, and has always voted for the Democrats before, but this time he is voting for Mr. Supporting for Trump. “Trump is better for all immigrants in America, Hindu or Muslim, and for all Muslims around the world,” said Mr Rahman, who is from Bangladesh. The Hindu on Friday evening, when Mr Trump campaigned for Muslim votes in the city. “When Barack Obama was president, more Muslims were killed in US attacks than under Trump. Mr Rahman blamed “the collapse of leadership under the Biden-Harris administration” for the plight of the Palestinians, saying, “When Trump was in office he did not start new wars and he has promised to stop the ongoing ones.” Will give.” The multi-front war in West Asia is a major reason for Muslims – Arab and South Asian – to break away from the Democrats this time.
Kamal Rehman Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Mr Trump has sensed opportunity in this swing among minority voters in a state he won in 2016 and lost in 2020. Amer Ghalib, the Yemeni American mayor of Hamtramck and now a political ally of Mr. Rahman, has endorsed Mr. Trump, as has Bill Bazzi, the first Muslim and Arab American mayor of Dearborn Heights, another nearby city. Mr Trump was in Dearborn, known as America’s Arab capital, on Friday. “We have very good feelings for Lebanon and I know a lot of people in Lebanon, the Lebanese people,” Mr Trump said. “The Muslim population, they are liking Trump, and I have a good relationship with them. ..We want their votes, and we’re looking for their votes, and I think we’ll get their votes.” Earlier in the week, Mr Trump had specifically addressed the Hindu community on Diwali, and his Promised to protect religious freedom.
Although the three Muslim members of the Hamtramck City Council are supporting Ms. Harris, Mr. Rehman and Mr. Ghalib are united in their preference for Mr. Trump. He said, “If Ghalib contests the elections, I will not contest for the post of mayor next time.”
Sunny Reddy Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Mr. Rahman is also coordinating his community mobilization with Sunny Reddy, a Telugu businessman who is running for Wayne State University’s governing board as a Republican. Top on Mr Reddy’s agenda is to “fight awareness” and ensure that affirmative action, banned by the US Supreme Court, does not make a “backdoor comeback” in 2023. Mr Rahman agrees. Mr. Reddy said, “Children of immigrants are denied admission to college because of racial considerations. Such policies lump people from all Asian countries together, and even after the Supreme Court put a stop to it, Steps are taken to factor race and gender.” , trying to ensure that the court order is maintained. Both of them – Republicans and Democrats – agree that Democrats are diverting resources from citizenship and immigration services to processing applications from undocumented entrants into the country. “Let’s be very clear about this – illegal immigration is most harmful to current and future legal immigrants,” Mr Reddy said.
Ashok Baddi. , Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Ashok Baddi, a local temple trustee who identifies himself as a Hindu activist, is a Democrat, but on Saturday morning, he was inspiring many Indian families to vote for Mr Trump. “Today we will have at least 100 people voting in a group,” he said, quickly adding that except for the president, their other votes would be for Democrat candidates, including a Muslim. Mr Baddi said, “Trump and Modi ji do good work and their becoming president will be good for bilateral relations.” While Mr. Baddi thinks at least half of the Hindus in the Detroit area will vote for Mr. Trump, Mr. Ramahan cites the proportion of Trump supporters among Muslims at 20 percent. “Most Trump supporters prefer to remain silent.”
Recent gender debates and conflicts over school governance in Detroit and the surrounding cities of Hamtramck and Dearborn Heights are among the reasons minorities are reconsidering their affiliation with the Democratic Party. “It’s one thing to say that everyone should have equal rights. But giving children an education, and even offering them transition therapy in schools, is unacceptable to immigrant communities,” Mr Rahman said. Both Mr Reddy and Mr Rahman had no personal knowledge of any such incidents, but they see Democrats as promoters of such agendas across the country. “But we have had incidents of unsuitable books being kept in school libraries. The law also does not allow these children to choose between their father and mother in the event of a custody battle until a certain age. How can we argue that kids should be allowed to choose what they want?” Mr. Reddy said.
published – November 02, 2024 08:13 PM IST