CAIRO – The first American Muslim female fencer to join the US Olympic Team has criticized Donald Trump for creating a platform of “hate” and “fear mongering”, harkening back to a dark period in the country’s past.
“I think that unfortunately we have people who are in the presidential race who are providing a platform for hate speech and fear mongering and they’re creating a space where it’s acceptable to speak out against immigrants, to speak out against Muslims and to really publicize this inherent racism that I feel a lot of people have,” champion fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad told Daily Mail Online.
“It creates a really scary environment and I fear for the safety of minorities in our country.
“It’s becoming more and more acceptable for people to voice their fascist beliefs and it’s upsetting,” Muhammad, 30, added.
The athlete, originally from Maplewood, New Jersey and now lives and trains in New York, criticized the current political atmosphere as harkening back to dark periods in the country’s history.
“I’m hopeful that things will change and soon, because I fear that history is repeating itself,” Muhammad said.
“The Civil Rights Movement wasn’t that long ago. Segregation wasn’t that long ago. Japanese internment wasn’t that long ago.
“And when you think things like you want to ban Muslims from entering the country or you want to build a wall to separate the US from Mexico I think these are things that are reminiscent of really dark times within, not just our country, but worldwide.”
She was referring to Trumps calls to ban Muslims from entering the US and build a wall to separate the US from Mexico.
Muhammad is the second athlete in USA Fencing’s national team to qualify to the Olympics, behind two-time Olympic champion Mariel Zagunis.
In addition to Muhammad’s bronzes from the 2015-16 season, she claimed the silver medal at a world cup stop in 2013, and has seven team world cup medals.
Muhammad has also been part of the US teams that have medaled at the past five world championships, including winning gold in 2014.
Team USA
Qualified for the Olympic Games this summer in Rio De Janeiro, Muhammad hopes to bring a medal home.
“It’s a really momentous occasion for – not just myself – but for the Muslim community here in the States and also abroad.
“It was just shocking to know that it’s 2016 and there’s never been a Muslim woman to compete for the United States in sports.
“I feel blessed and thankful that I’ve been able to lay that foundation for other youth that come after me. I want them to be able to see themselves in elite sport.’
The achievement added more passion to the Muslim fencer.
“That’s one of the great things I would say about the Muslim community.
“I’ve had support from them from day one, regardless of if I won or I lost.
“If I decided to stop fencing today I feel like my community would be proud of me. I don’t feel any pressure to perform.
“I feel that even just qualifying has done a lot for – not just the Muslim community – but minorities in our country.’
For her, participation in the Olympics will allow her to challenge stereotypes about Muslim women, especially those who don the hijab.
“I think that the majority of our society has a very narrow image of who a Muslim woman is and what she looks like,” she said.
“When they think of a Muslim woman they normally think of her in a face veil and in a black burka and that’s it. That’s who they think Muslims are.
“Muslims are probably one of the most diverse religious groups in the world. We have people from all different countries.
“We come in all different shapes, sizes and colors.”