Trump is a threat to democracy, but so is Silicon Valley’s witch-hunt for his supporters.
There is no place for me in trump’s America: I immigrated to the US 21 years ago from Egypt, one of the many countries that falls under his…
There is no place for me in trump’s America: I immigrated to the US 21 years ago from Egypt, one of the many countries that falls under his various bans. But I came to this country with dreams — not just of economic prosperity but also of freedom and democracy. And i believe the recent wave of vilification of trump supporters in Silicon Valley, and the calls to boycott them, is a threat to this very democracy I have aspired to be part of.
Ever since the McCarthy era, political views have seldom been a threat to people’s professional careers in the US. As a result, I believe we have forgotten how dangerous this is. Look outside the US though and the world is full of examples for what happens when political stands can impact one’s career: political opinions will be pushed underground or publicly prosecuted (Middle East), we may create politics-based cronyism where supporters of one candidate or party are more favored for employment (China), or we may get a new wave of McCarthyism (USA) that kills the very essence of freedom of expression that has so drawn me to this country. At a minimum, Hilary supporters who live not in San Francisco but rather in the 43% of the nation that is Trump country will be forced to keep their opinions to themselves for fear of professional retaliation. That would be a shame.
Many will point out that Trump’s rhetoric is a threat to our democracy. That is indeed true. But our strength as a nation comes from abiding by our principles even with those who seek to destroy them. Paramount among these principles is freedom of expression.
In two weeks the American people will decide the next president. By most accounts, trump will lose and our democratic values will remain intact. If we keep vilifying those who support him, however, some of his ideas will have already won.