Comparing Sadiq Khan to Donald Trump

(Baonghean) - The most important political event in recent weeks is not the fact that real estate tycoon Donald Trump has a clear path to becoming the Republican presidential candidate, but rather that Mr. Sadiq Khan, born into a Muslim family with a father who was a bus driver, has become the new mayor of London - the capital of the foggy country.

Indeed, Mr. Trump has yet to win any political office, while Mr. Khan, the candidate representing the British Labour Party, has successfully defeated the candidate Zac Goldsmith from the Conservative Party to take power in one of the world's most wonderful cities, a dynamic urban center where the people's voices are always heard.

Sadiq Khan on his first day as Mayor of London. Photo: AP

Mr. Khan’s victory has “crushed” all the gossip and detractors who tried to label him as “radical Islamist”. In his statement, he shared that he would strongly oppose isolation, promote integration, come together to oppose confrontation, and create opportunities for the entire population to fight against racism. In other words, Mr. Khan is a typical anti-Trump.

Before the election, Mr Khan made a dramatic statement: “I am a Londoner, I am a European citizen, British by nationality, Muslim, Asian by birth, of Pakistani heritage, a father, a husband.”

The New York Times argues that the 21st century we live in should be shaped by such people, with clear, concise language, by developed cities that support diversity in many aspects, not by someone who is arrogant, insolent, and wants to build walls with the declaration of "American first".

Donald Trump recently announced that Sadiq Khan will be an exception to set foot in the US if Trump becomes President. Photo: Internet.

On this point, it should be noted that if the ban on non-US citizens of Muslim faith from entering the United States as proposed by Mr. Trump is followed, Mr. Khan will become “persona non grata” in the United States.

Mr Khan’s victory is also seen as particularly significant, as it helps to disprove the misconception that Europe is being invaded by extremists. Born into a family of seven Pakistani immigrants, living in poverty, Khan graduated and became a lawyer specializing in human rights before becoming a civil servant. In the London election, he won 1.3 million votes, something that almost no politician in British history has been able to do.

What is more, Mr Khan’s election was highly praised, as the strongest voices against radical Islam came from within the Muslim community, and Mr Khan was prepared to speak out on the issue. After the Paris attacks last year, in his speech he said Muslims had a “special role” in the fight against terrorism, explaining: “Not because we have more responsibility than others, as many people think, but because we have the ability to fight extremism more effectively than anyone else.”

As George Eaton of The New Statesman observed: “Khan will become a figure of global influence. His victory is a rebuke to extremists of every stripe, from Donald Trump to the leader of the Islamic State (IS) group Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, who insist that faiths and religions cannot coexist peacefully.”

As a politician, Trump is a product of America’s fear and anger. A few weeks ago, a Berkeley student was escorted off a Southwest Airlines flight because he was heard speaking Arabic, and a dark-skinned, wavy-haired Italian economist was escorted off an American Airlines flight after a passenger next to him expressed suspicion while poring over calculations!?

Mr Khan takes power in one of the world's greatest cities.

Mr. Trump - described by many as "the most insecure and egotistical person in the country" - is typical of an America that is always in a state of fear, filled with threats everywhere. And when Trump declared that "America First will be the main and consistent theme if he takes power", the whole world seemed to imagine an angry nation baring its fangs and claws.

Mr Khan’s rise, by contrast, is a story of triumph over the widespread fear that followed the attacks of 9/11. His election is a rebuke to Osama bin Laden, ISIS in Iraq and Syria, and to politicians who peddle hate like Mr Trump, who play the “Muslim equals dangerous” game. Mr Khan has argued that greater integration is needed, and that “too many Muslims in Britain have grown up without actually knowing anyone from a different culture or faith”.

And so, in the current context, Mr. Khan's rise and victory are certain, because he represents the current trends in the world - towards a global character and greater integration and inclusion - which will clearly over time prove to be overwhelmingly powerful compared to Mr. Trump's parochial ideology.

Phu Binh

(According to NYTimes)