In the 1950’s a Junior Senator from Wisconsin by the name of Joseph McCarthy sold his campaign on the idea of finding communists in America. Since tensions with Russia were high at this point it was an important mission to the people as well as the government. His intentions were good but his execution was terrible.

People were accusing so many innocent citizens of being communists. Even Lucille Ball, known for her television show “I Love Lucy,” was called a communist. Her famous reply was, “The only thing red about me is my hair.”

This time was known as the Red Scare and was a bigger ‘witch-hunt’ than the Salem Witch Trials of the 1600’s.

Journalist Edward R. Murrow discussed the issue of McCarthyism on his television show, “See It Now.” Murrow finally interviewed McCarthy with the discussion being about the way Senator McCarthy was going about trying to find Communists. After that interview aired, McCarthy’s decline in the public began.

Then came the events of Sept. 11, 2001. This was the day that society lost all faith in the Muslim population, not just in America but also across the globe. It was a day that lives in infamy, but it was also the day that social persecution of Muslims began all over the world.

Now fast-forward to this year’s presidential race; specifically, Donald Trump’s proposed Muslim ban. When the ban was first announced people were thrown into frenzy over the fact that it was unconstitutional. Many people believed that Trump was disqualified because of the remark, but he wasn’t.

The Red Scare and the proposed Muslim ban are remarkably similar in that groups were hunted and hated by many people. Cultural injustice is something that shouldn’t be taken lightly and it’s about time someone said something about it.

People are so worried about others being offended that we have taken major social issues and turned them into a joke. For instance, Tumblr made the new gender issue a joke because people didn’t understand how it worked. Muslims can’t be categorized into a joke because it is something that is a serious offence.

Social injustice was prevalent in the 1950’s and now, but what has changed? Will Muslims be hunted by the possible future president of America?

Why is it that being a Muslim in 2016 is the same thing as being a Communist in the 1950’s?

For starters Muslim’s are undergoing the same type of social persecution that communists were experiencing back in the 1950’s. Both groups are unified by the

persecution of a politician, trying to keep them out of America. In the case of 2016 Muslims, it’s Donald Trump with his Muslim ban.

In December of last year, Donald Trump sent out a press release regarding the prevention of Muslim immigration:

“According to Pew Research, among others, there is great hatred towards Americans by large segments of the Muslim population. Most recently, a poll from the Center for Security Policy released data showing ‘25% of those polled agreed that violence against Americans here in the United States is justified as a part of the global jihad’ and 51% of those polled, ‘agreed that Muslims in America should have the choice of being governed according to Shariah.’ Shariah authorizes such atrocities as murder against non-believers who won’t convert, beheadings and more unthinkable acts that pose great harm to Americans, especially women.”

While this statistic shows a reason for tighter national security, it doesn’t qualify for a ban on all Muslims. The release goes on to state, “Where this hatred comes from and why we will have to determine. Until we are able to determine and understand this problem and the dangerous threat it poses, our country cannot be the victims of horrendous attacks by people that believe only in Jihad, and have no sense of reason or respect for human life.”

How can he not understand where the hatred comes from?

It’s so obvious; it stems from the fact that people have demonized them throughout the years after the starts of the Gulf War. Muslims in America have a right to be mad at us; the same way the American people did in the 1950’s. Donald Trump is America’s newest Joseph McCarthy, but the problem is that there is no Edward R. Murrow for 2016.

Sure there was Megyn Kelly, but that’s it. Other journalists are not willing to go up against Trump. If no one takes a stand, who’s to say that another group won’t experience some kind of social persecution.

I do not agree with Communists or terrorist groups, but rather the common person living their life. To classify all Muslims as terrorists is the problem. Whether it’s a freshman in college trying to understand the ways of the world or a junior vice president trying to get a promotion, no one should be exposed to social injustice.

Women in the 1600’s went through the Salem Witch Trials, Americans were accused of being communists and scrutinized in the 1950’s and now Muslims are experiencing the same social persecution. It’s a shame that this is what it’s come to… the Reds, Muslims, and too Societal Blues.

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