'It's very scary': Election rhetoric has Muslim-American worried about the future

Up until the 2016election cycle, Mona Ibrahim had never felt uneasyin the United States.

Born in Egypt, she moved to the U.S. to attend graduate school with every intention of going home after she completed her PhD. But she wound up falling in love with a society she describes as soopen andrespectful, it even remained welcoming in the dark days after the Sept. 11 attacks, when many Muslims andAmericans of Middle Eastern descent feared they would betargeted by racists.

"I getgoosebumpsstill today thinkingaboutthe reaction from my circle of co-workers and neighbours," said Ibrahim, a 17-year Fargo, N.D., resident who works as a psychology professor at Concordia College in neighbouringMoorhead, Minn.

"My neighbours brought baked dishes and things like that,worried for our safety. My colleagues offered to make a human circle around our mosque so we were not afraidto go pray on Friday. So it was actually very affirming," she said.

That was 2001. Fifteen years later, the United States is within a whisker of electing a presidentwho has pledged to prevent other Muslims from coming to the country.

Ibrahim said Republican presidential candidateDonald Trump has "validated and empowered" racistswho previously would not make their opinions known. She said while she remains hopeful DemocratHillary Clinton will win tonight, the damage has been done.

• Along the Red River Valley, the absence of U.S. election signs signifies plenty
• U.S. election day: Follow CBC's complete coverage as America votes

"I hope the American people will come through on election day and show what we really stand for, but of course that doesn't mitigate the sizable minority that follows Trump," Ibrahim said on Monday in an interview at her Concordia College office.

"It feels very hurtful and very worrisome, because it feels like he's taking away and destroying the best thing about the U.S.," she said, recalling the reception she and her husband received when they first arrived to study.

'It's very scary': Election rhetoric has Muslim-American worried about the future

8 years ago

Duration 2:04

Concordia College psychology professor Mona Ibrahim, formerly of Cairo, decided to settle in the U.S. because of its welcoming attitude. Anti-Muslim rhetoric during the U.S. election campaign has her worrying about the future for her children.

"We thought, 'This is where we want to raise our kids.' This is the kind of Muslim values that we want to see in a society: no discrimination, openness to others and just a welcoming, warm attitude. That's what attracted us to the U.S.

"So I feel really disappointed and worried for my kids and their future in this country."

The notion that Donald Trump has emboldened U.S. racists, either by effect or by design, is hardly a new form of criticism. Nonetheless, actual statements made by the Republican candidateabout Muslims, Mexicans and other minoritieshavefailed to provoke the same degree of outrage as allegations of sexual harassment and assault.

• Make America White Again: Donald Trump has spent much of his U.S. presidential campaign whipping up racial fear

In North Dakota, some Republican officials acknowledge the presidential campaign has been divisive and freely admit they are promoting the party over the presidential candidate at the doorstep. But they characterize the divisions in the U.S. as partisan, rather than ethnic or religious.

"Whether you're a Democrat or a Republican, first and foremost, you're American," said Carma Hanson, the vice-chair of the North Dakota Republican Party, speaking at the GOP field office in Grand Forks, N.D.

"We need to come together and maybe be a little less red and a little less blue and realize that we're red, white and blue. If we can't work together as a country, we're going to continue to see the fallout that we've seen a lot in political arenas lately, where people are so divisive."

Hanson said she believes Trump is the U.S. leader most capable of uniting the country. Some North Dakota Democratsdon't think it will be that easy, whoever wins tonight.

"There's a lot of reconciliation to be had on Nov. 9 this year. That's in North Dakota and everywhere across the country," said Kylie Oversen,North Dakota's Democratic-NPLchair and a Democratic state legislator.

"We've seen the unfortunate consequences of this presidential race. We've seen that divisionwithin families, within friendships, within communities. It's not upto the candidates we elect," Oversen said at her field office in Grand Forks.

"It's up to all of us to be able to put aside our differences and come back together and realize there's more at stake than who we're electing as president. It's keeping our communities and states and ourcountry together."

Ibrahim said it will take years of education and economic advancements for the most disenfranchised Americans to prevent Muslims from being targeted. She said Muslims in the U.S. today are frightened by echoes of Europe's past.

"I often think about that. My 12-year-old, you know, the other day we were talking about that, 'Do you think that'show the Jews felt?' They had great hope in their societies. They thought these are just rare cases or extreme factions," Ibrahim said.

"Did the silent majority enable what happened to the Jews? Are we going that route? So it's very scary. But again, I'm really hopeful."