An imam and his aide are murdered in Queens, and Muslims in Westbrook receive death threats. The racism of Donald Trump is achieving its violent effect.

Our elected Republican officials – Paul LePage, Maine’s governor, and U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin – add fuel to the fire by claiming that Maine’s immigrants are terrorists on the dole. The case of Adnan Fazeli is used as justification, but he was radicalized online, not by the Muslim community in Maine, and members of his own family informed the authorities.

As the Somali community, the 400 gathered at Portland City Hall on Aug. 5, and the police chiefs of Portland and Lewiston all can attest, Muslims in the state have contributed peace, order, hard work and professionalism to Maine.

They are us, and we as honest citizens of Maine will resist this state-sponsored Islamophobia.

Cristina Malcolmson

Portland


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