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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsRumana Ahmed: I Was a Muslim in Trump's White House (MUST-READ from The Atlantic)
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/02/rumana-ahmed/517521/Like most of my fellow American Muslims, I spent much of 2016 watching with consternation as Donald Trump vilified our community. Despite thisor because of itI thought I should try to stay on the NSC staff during the Trump Administration, in order to give the new president and his aides, a more nuanced view of Islam, and of America's Muslim citizens.
I lasted eight days.
When Trump issued a ban on travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries and all Syrian refugees, I knew I could no longer stay and work for an administration that saw me and people like me not as fellow citizens, but as a threat.
The evening before I left, bidding farewell to some of my colleagues, many of whom have also since left, I notified Trumps senior NSC communications advisor, Michael Anton, of my departure, since we shared an office. His initial surprise, asking whether I was leaving government entirely, was followed by silencealmost in caution, not asking why. I told him anyway.
I told him I had to leave because it was an insult walking into this countrys most historic building every day under an administration that is working against and vilifying everything I stand for as an American and as a Muslim. I told him that the administration was attacking the basic tenets of democracy. I told him that I hoped that they and those in Congress were prepared to take responsibility for all the consequences that would attend their decisions.
He looked at me and said nothing.
It was only later that I learned he authored an essay under a pseudonym, extolling the virtues of authoritarianism and attacking diversity as a weakness, and Islam as incompatible with the modern West.
My whole life and everything I have learned proves that facile statement wrong.
-snip-
The weeks leading up to the inauguration prepared me and my colleagues for what we thought would come, but not for what actually came. On Monday, January 23, I walked into the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, with the new staffers there. Rather than the excitement I encountered when I first came to the White House under Obama, the new staff looked at me with a cold surprise. The diverse White House I had worked in became a monochromatic and male bastion.
The days I spent in the Trump White House were strange, appalling and disturbing. As one staffer serving since the Reagan administration said, This place has been turned upside down. Its chaos. Ive never witnessed anything like it. This was not typical Republican leadership, or even that of a businessman. It was a chaotic attempt at authoritarianismlegally questionable executive orders, accusations of the press being fake, peddling countless lies as alternative facts, and assertions by White House surrogates that the presidents national security authority would not be questioned.
The entire presidential support structure of nonpartisan national security and legal experts within the White House complex and across federal agencies was being undermined. Decision-making authority was now centralized to a few in the West Wing. Frustration and mistrust developed as some staff felt out of the loop on issues within their purview. There was no structure or clear guidance. Hallways were eerily quiet as key positions and offices responsible for national security or engagement with Americans were left unfilled.
-snip-
heaven05
(18,124 posts)to show the evil, white male KKKristian cruelty being perpetrated by the KKKristian triumvirate RULING this country now.
malaise
(268,664 posts)America - and America will win
OKNancy
(41,832 posts)What a freak. Nasty, nasty man, as are all of the Trumpies in the White House. None of them have a moral bone in their body.
BadgerMom
(2,769 posts)It becomes more and more clear. It is difficult to center myself and realize these are still people. Of course, they must be respected and communicated with just because they are human, but they do not reciprocate. I feel as though we live in the old movie Night of the Living Dead. You never know if you're dealing with a monster or a human. Life has become immeasurably more stressful since 11/9--and I'm an educated, cisgender Californian and an economically comfortable white woman (though being white and older makes me worthless in their eyes).
Fast Walker 52
(7,723 posts)these people are racist scum
demmiblue
(36,816 posts)This part was chilling (further discussed at the link to the HuffPo article ):
I told him I had to leave because it was an insult walking into this countrys most historic building every day under an administration that is working against and vilifying everything I stand for as an American and as a Muslim. I told him that the administration was attacking the basic tenets of democracy. I told him that I hoped that they and those in Congress were prepared to take responsibility for all the consequences that would attend their decisions.
He looked at me and said nothing.
It was only later that I learned he authored an essay under a pseudonym, extolling the virtues of authoritarianism and attacking diversity as a weakness, and Islam as incompatible with the modern West.
The more I know, the more of a sense of dread I feel. This is NOT going to happen here!
Ilsa
(61,690 posts)These people in the WH now are paranoid power-grabbers. We can expect more chaos and in-fighting as these alpha-type males undermine each other as they claw their way up the ladder to don the con's right hand seat.
In the meantime, we'll be susceptible to a terrorist attack, at which point we'll all be expected to "get behind the president" instead of impeaching his ass for dereliction of his responsibilities.
gratuitous
(82,849 posts)That right there tells me that Michael Anton is on the side of the oppressors. The pseudonymic essay is just confirmation.
Fast Walker 52
(7,723 posts)shireen
(8,333 posts)I understand why she left, but it she had stayed ... well, it would have been good for the Trumpians to get to know her. Or she could stay just to watch them squirm, to observe their behavior when confronted with their perceived "enemy" in their midst. It would have been a great little social experiment.
But her well-being comes first. I hope she gets a job she enjoys, where she can keep making valuable contributions to the country.
JHB
(37,152 posts)...for one of their fiascos.
Among power-grabbers who show no ethical restraint and have a long track record of blaming everybody but themselves?
Pretty damn high.
She would have been blamed for something bad and then Obama would also be blamed for hiring her in the first place.
barbtries
(28,756 posts)she would have been fired by now, i'm convinced. this way she gets to share her story at least, and do something good and much needed for her country.
MrScorpio
(73,630 posts)I wish her well.
Gothmog
(144,884 posts)iluvtennis
(19,825 posts)highplainsdem
(48,890 posts)Link to tweet
hadEnuf
(2,172 posts)then "bang" - Trump with instant dictatorial powers.
This has happened before.
Cosmocat
(14,558 posts)God help us to possibly make it through the next four, or more years ...
People really don't get how horrible they are, from the basic standpoint of blowing up the functioning aspects of government.
People need to wtf up pdq.
Martin Eden
(12,843 posts)K&R
panfluteman
(2,061 posts)Not much of a surprise here. The view from inside the White House pretty much concurs with the view from the outside, and the media have pretty much been doing a good job, giving a fair and accurate presentation of the state of the West Wing, and of the presidency in general.
Stephen Miller - who another poster thought might be the reincarnation of Joseph Goebbels - and this Michael Anton guy seem to be fourth reichers of the same ilk. Deputy dictators who are practicing their goose steps for what is to come.
Another poster here made some witty remarks about the KKKristians in this administration. Meanwhile, on another site I frequent, a liberal pastor was posting some beautiful quotes about Jesus from the poetry of the incomparable Sufi mystic Hafiz - who was also a Muslim. So many on the religious right try to suck up to the Jews, who are often quite vocal and outspoken in denouncing Christianity and ridiculing Jesus, while villifying Islam, a religion that views Jesus, or Issa, in a much more positive light, calling him a great prophet. How ironic!
Yep, I think that Rumana should have taken the heat and stayed on longer in Trump's White House - just think of the book opportunity that would have grown out of her experiences!