Times of Ahmad: Perspective: Banning Muslims would hurt America

“Muslims contribute to progress and development in America. Many landmark buildings and bridges are built and designed by Muslim engineers and Muslim architects.” -- Akram Khalid

Times of Ahmad | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: Chambersburg Public Opinion
By Akram Khalid | May 18, 2016

It is easy to blame minorities, specially Islam, for our own problems. What is more difficult is to walk in the shoes of a Muslim who cannot find acceptance no matter how hard that person works, no matter how that person tries, no matter how good that person attempts to be.

I changed a few words of Mr. Bill Gindlesperger’s article dated April 28 (Why must we blame minorities for our own problems?), and it applies to my life every day in Chambersburg.

A few neighbors have signs in front of their houses, “I stand with Trump” or “Make America Great Again.” I have walked or driven by silently and sometimes laughed silently, because our country - America - is already great and making progress every day. It has been progressing since our founders declared independence from the British July 2, 1776. America is great because of religious freedom, political freedom, business freedom, education freedom, job freedom and so on – we have all kinds of freedom.

But Donald Trump’s freedom is:

1. Banning all Muslims.

2. Sending all Illegal or undocumented immigrants back to their countries.

3. Building a wall along the Mexican border.

4. Stopping China from devaluing its currency to hurt the American economy.

Trump makes these points again and again. I’ll discuss them, then leave final verdict on readers.

Most Muslim countries do not have the freedom that we have here in America - that is the reason I came here 26 years ago. Many educated Muslims want to come here as they get a chance to come here legally. Muslims contribute to progress and development in America.

Many landmark buildings and bridges are built and designed by Muslim engineers and Muslim architects. Sears Tower was designed by a Muslim architect, Fazlur R Khan. Chicago named one of the adjacent roads “Fazlur R Khan Way.”

My hero, Mr. Fazlur Rahman Khan (April 3, 1929 – March 27, 1982), was a Bangladeshi-American Muslim structural engineer and architect who developed important structural systems for skyscrapers. He is recognized as one of the most influential engineers and architects of the 20th century, and has been called "the father of tubular designs for high-rises" by the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Khan was also a pioneer in computer-aided design. He is the designer of the Willis Tower, the second-tallest building in the United States and the 100-story John Hancock Center.

Khan helped usher in a Renaissance in skyscraper construction during the second half of the 20th century. The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat named their lifetime achievement medal after him.

Here is my question to Mr. Trump and his supporters: If you stop Muslims from coming to America, how you will create the kind of diverse society that keeps building progress in America?

Ten percent of American physicians are Muslims. How many Muslim doctors are in Chambersburg Hospital? I started counting one day and found that 14 to 15% Chambersburg doctors are Muslims. So if we stop or ban all Muslims, we will face a serious shortage of doctors. So how would Mr. Trump make America great again by banning all Muslims?

I am ready to debate this issue with anyone openly here in Chambersburg.

Let discuss Trump’s point number 2: Send all Illegal or undocumented immigrants back to their countries. “We are all immigrants” American use this simple phrase all the time. We say it because 99% of the current population of America came here as immigrants, or their fathers, mothers grandparents etc. were immigrants. We have a long history of immigration. It is almost older than our freedom.

Akram Khalid, Chambersburg

Read original post here: Perspective: Banning Muslims would hurt America | Akram Khalid

This content-post is archived for backup and to keep archived records of any news Islam Ahmadiyya. The views expressed by the author and source of this news archive do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of Times of Ahmad. Times of Ahmad is not an organ of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community, nor in any way associated with any of the community's official websites.