IS Donald J. Trump uniquely dangerous? If you were to ask Mahmoud Khalil, you’d get a definite Yes. But your chances of asking Mahmoud are remote.
Until earlier this month, he had been a student at Columbia University, completing his MA degree. Coming originally from Syria, he was involved in student protest at Columbia against the slaughter of Palestinians in the Middle East. Then on March 8 this year he was taken from his student accommodation by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The ICE agents were all set to remove his student visa, but they were then informed that he was a lawful permanent resident of the US and the holder of a green card. It didn’t matter. He was arrested and transported to La Salle Detention Center in Louisiana – hundreds of miles from where he lived. Luckily, a New York judge halted the Trump administration’s efforts to deport Khalil until his case could be dealt with in a judicial review.
Trump has now withheld $400 million in funding from Columbia University, on the grounds that demonstrations on its campus are intimidating for Jewish students.
There are two matters here that require examination and condemnation. To protest against the actions of Israel is not, repeat NOT an anti-Jewish action. Confusingly, though many American Jews are supportive of Israel’s attempted genocide, many American Jews are loudly critical of Israel’s brutal campaign.
This smudging of the distinction between Jewish people throughout the world and the actions of the state of Israel has to be called out for what it is: An attempt to smear all pro-Palestinian action. Those who attempt to conflate the two – if you criticise Israel you must be antisemitic – are deliberately masking the truth.
The other point at issue is the arrest of Mahmoud and his transportation to Louisiana, far from friends and family. We in the North experienced something similar – the arrest of people without trial and their imprisonment, sometimes for years. It’s the trademark of overweening power.
Trump and his supporters are happy to have a widespread protest against the arrest of Mahmoud. Why? Because they believe his arrest will put the fear of God (or Trump) into others who might be considering anti-Israeli actions.
The Trump rallies used to chant about Hillary Clinton: "Lock her up!” they roared. It has now been applied to Mahmoud and by implication to any and all Americans who might want to protest the moral bogland into which Trump is eager to pull everyone. As some of those in the US have written on their protest placards: “First they came for Mahmoud." Alas, Trump is proud of what has happened to Mahmoud and promises lots more of the same. This is clearly the voice of a fascist: If I don’t like you, you’re going to suffer.
But before we label Trump as uniquely evil, we must give the devil his due. As yet he hasn’t started any major wars. Few American Presidents can say that. Bush: Millions killed in Afghanistan and Libya. Nixon: Millions killed in Vietnam. Truman: Hundreds of thousands vaporised at Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
American Presidents have time and again created mayhem and death around the world. What we have in the US today with Mahmoud Khalil is frighteningly similar to the deportation of US enemies in orange suits to Guantanamo prison, where they’re held indefinitely. And tortured.
So no, Trump is not a uniquely cruel US President. It’s just that he’s an at-home bully, ready to stamp all over the American Constitution, which promises free speech.
Is this the Jewish lobby in action?
Is it Trump himself showing how strong he is?
The Democrats need to lay out a clear alternative to Trumpdom, a situation where the law protects all, including those with views we see as misguided and harmful.
Less Trump-kicking, more viable alternative-making.
