Muslim ban dangerous

The New Hampshire primary exit poll on Feb. 9 found that about two-thirds of Republican voters support a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States.

As a Muslim, I get it. The recent San Bernardino attacks are fresh in everyone’s minds, and national security is the priority. But one thing not to do is to overreact.

In World War II, internment camps were created for the Japanese after the Pearl Harbor attack. After the war, these people returned to their homes, only to find their belongings were destroyed, with some former internees being beaten and killed. The U.S. recognized its mistake and apologized 50 years later.

There is more at stake than most people realize. If we were to ban Muslims coming into the country, even temporarily, it sets a dangerous precedent that justifies racism in a time when the topic of race is extremely delicate. Not only that, it can split the country in the midst of a war against terrorists who thrive by creating division between Islam and the West. The best thing we can do is to show unity, not ban Muslims from coming into the U.S.

This story was originally published February 19, 2016 at 8:37 PM with the headline "Muslim ban dangerous."