By Mekki ELMOGRABI
At least three of my Republican friends involved in Trump’s 2024 campaign reminded me of a video where I participated in a discussion about the violent events following George Floyd’s killing. In the video, I was candid in opposing the exploitation of Floyd’s death by Democrats and liberals to target Trump in an electoral battle centered on liberal interests with little to no benefit for Black communities, immigrants, or minorities. While I expressed sorrow over Floyd’s tragic last words (“I can’t breathe”), I emphasized that if I had only one last breath left, I would never support liberals using Black lives as leverage in their battles against conservatives.
Additionally, I stated that I do not support attacks on Trump for his statement, “Islam hates us,” as this was not an invention of his but rather a reflection of a widespread misunderstanding.
I appreciated Trump for his openness and for taking responsibility for addressing such confrontations, which call for us — myself and my fellow Muslims — to engage in constructive dialogue with him and other conservatives. This dialogue is essential to dispel misunderstandings and prevent us from being exploited by those who aim to distort Islam, erode Muslim values, dismantle family structures, and promote immorality through intellectual intimidation against people of faith in Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. While some conservative thinkers may criticize some Islamic trends, they do not demand Muslims to abandon their beliefs. In contrast, I see liberals as a threat to religious values, alienating religious people by undermining core principles such as respecting family, which is the greatest common value among religions.
My involvement in American society extends beyond conservatives or Republicans. I am neither an American citizen nor partisan. I am Sudanese, Muslim, and African, with no interest in becoming an immigrant or asylum seeker. My visits to Western countries, including past work in the U.S. as a representative of my country, have shaped my perspective. I returned home to Sudan, taking the good lessons I learned in America and remaining vigilant against harmful influences. My priority is leveraging global experiences, including the American one, for the benefit of my country rather than seeking foreign citizenship or residency through illegal immigration.
On the Democratic side, I actively engage with Black Americans, particularly Black Muslims, as I regularly attend their gatherings. This is natural, given my identity as a Muslim and African. I feel a deep responsibility toward them, and they accept from me perspectives they may not welcome from others. I used to frequent the Muhammad Mosque in Washington, DC, where I sat with Imam Talib, its head, discussing challenges facing the Islamic world and ways to protect Muslims from the dual threats of terrorism and liberal distortion of community values. In Africa, persecution and pressures on Muslims often fuel terrorism, while in America, Democrats frequently advocate for Muslim rights. However, Democrats also use this advocacy to incite their opposition to conservatives. I consistently address this complex dynamic and believe that dialogue with African Americans, particularly those among Democrats, is crucial.
I am pleased with Trump’s leadership, despite any disagreements I may have with him. His presidency marked an end to the hijacking and misrepresentation of African and Muslim issues for partisan gains.
I need to continue the discussions with conservatives. Perhaps Steve Bannon will recall my stance aligning with his statement: “It is not true that the meaning of Islam is peace; it means surrender or submission.” I affirmed, “Steve is right,” because distorting the meaning of Islam does not serve the religion. The correct interpretation of Islam is “submission to God in peace,” but it does not mean peace directly. This understanding should be rooted in other Quranic verses and hadiths, rather than relying on the superficial similarity between the Arabic words for Islam and peace, “salam.”
I am glad because Muslims and Arabs in the USA have contributed to Trump’s campaign 2024 and my position in 2020 became their position now.
