Muslim athletes trump bigotry

During his Oval Office address on terrorism, President Barack Obama reminded the country that the Islam practiced by the majority of Muslims in the USA is not the violent ideology being used by terrorists, saying, “Muslim-Americans are our friends and our neighbors, our co- workers, our sports heroes. And, yes, they are our men and women in uniform who are willing to die in defense of our country. We have to remember that.”

His comments could not be more timely, as Muslims in North America and Europe have faced much hostility and fear violent Islamophobic attacks following the tragedies in Paris and San Bernadino. A severed pig’s head was thrown at a mosque in Philidelphia. A bloody symbol of hatred flung at the doors of a place of worship in the City of Brotherly Love. It was reported that a sixth grader was attacked by three boys at a middle school in New York. As they held her in a headlock and punched her, they tried to rip off her hijab and called her “ISIS.” This hostility is toxic and it seems to be contagious. More reason for POTUS to reiterate that over 2.8 millions American Muslims are a part of the greater community.

The day following the president’s address, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump announced a plan to curb terrorism by banning all Muslims from traveling to the United States. This comes, according to the New York Times, despite “much research to suggest that right-wing extremists are a greater threat to national security than any ideological Muslim extremists.” Like a brilliant headline from The Onion, Trump announced that part his brilliant plan to combat radicalized Muslims would be to cut off access to the World Wide Web. “We’re losing a lot of people because of the Internet,” Trump declared. He implored Bill Gates to help out.

Circling back to the presidential address: Obama’s comments notably included Muslim sports heroes. It struck me that he might understand that sports can be used as a way to break through barriers and build bridges. Sports are used to unite people from different faith communities, to inspire and find spiritual contentment.

But not everyone is having this athletic goodwill. Some are using the current political climate to fuel hatred and bigotry.

It may come as no surprise that Trump retorted with his usual buffoonery: “Obama said in his speech that Muslim are our sports heroes. What sport is he talking about, and who? Is Obama profiling?”

It certainly didn’t take long for social media to fire back at the ever-arrogant Trump. Dozens of outlets pushed back seamlessly with pieces about Muslim athletes. They named the usual greats; first and foremost the legendary Muhammad Ali, GQ’s pick for Athlete of the Century, a man whom Sports Illustrated named a legacy award after, and subsequently a person whom Trump has met several times. Yes, awkward. This is strange seeing as “Muhammad” is the most common Muslim name in the entire world yet Trump couldn’t piece that together.

Also mentioned as a Muslim sports hero is one of the greatest basketball players of all-time turned prolific writer, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, with whom Trump engaged in a very public spat last year. It’s almost laughable that his existence would slip the mind of a wanna-be politician.

Another Muslim sports hero that Trump might have forgotten he knows would be former boxing World Champion Mike Tyson. In fact, Trump knew Mike Tyson so well, that he tried to get him out of going to jail for rape. Tyson converted to Islam while in prison but Trump later claimed that they were still friends.

Houston Rocket’s phenomenon and Nigerian-American, Hakeem Olajuwon, is an easy pick for the master list of Muslim sports heroes. Perhaps Trump might have missed that fact while busily coiffing his locks for 18 years as Olajuwon played and dominated in the NBA.

There are literally dozens of Muslim football and basketball players who are professional athletes in the United States.

Beyond the Muslim men who contribute to the culture of American sports and sports history, it is important to recognize the Muslim women (yes, women) who not only have to endure the Islamophobic vitriol that Trump spews, but must tolerate his reductive sexism.

Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir is a name that Trump *should* know. Abdul-Qaadir scored over 3,000 points in her high school basketball career beating both male and female records. She is a legitimate sports shero and, wait for it, she wears a headscarf.

Another hijab-clad shero is none other than superstar fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad. Not only is Muhammad (wow, that name is familiar) the part of the USA fencing team, she is also a successful entrepreneur and runs Louella, her own clothing line specializing in modest fashion. Not only is she an American sports shero but an intrepid business woman. He ought to respect her for that. For, the only thing Trump loves more than divisive politics is money. And for that, Muslims have helped him greatly.

One of my America’s most underrated sports sheroes is Sarah Attar, an American with dual nationality who was on the first-ever team from Saudi Arabia that fielded women competing in the London Olympics in 2012. Breaking barriers and paving the way for Muslim women – in America and abroad – is absolutely praiseworthy.

There are so many more inspirational and accomplished Muslim athletes all over the world and in the United States that I find it odd Donald Trump would not be familiar with a single one. Perhaps he isn’t the sports advocate he pretends to be. Dave Zirin writes in The Nation, “Perhaps we should just ignore Trump’s idiocy, as we would any troll’s. However, the Trump troll is its own breed, like a cockroach that’s survived repeated blasts of Raid and has emerged stronger and more resistant to the normal remedies. Ignoring the person who is building a leading presidential campaign on a brand of racism being aped by the other candidates is an unaffordable luxury.”

As law-abiding Muslims in America continue to battle against attacks on their communities and identities, Trump continues to astound the world with his ignorance and his blatant bigotry. If he is inspired to become the world’s foremost fascist leader, then he may have a fighting chance.

Trump ignores Muslim athletes who proudly compete for the United States and practice their faith peacefully and quietly. They have inspired youth of America and excited the American public with their dunks, their jabs and their sprints more than than he ever will.

To arrogantly dismiss any part of the Muslim community that has participated eagerly and successfully is erasing the history and herstory of the contributions of Americans. They are ambassadors for justice and drive. Many are making huge waves for the advancement of women in sport. That Donald Trump can not recognize this inherent goodness is just one of his many, many weaknesses.