From The Economist
April 14, 2017
In just one respect, though, the global religious temperature may be cooling just a little. The administration of Donald Trump, elected among other things on a wave of Islamo-scepticism, seems to be toning down its collective antipathy towards all things Muslim and charting a more pragmatic path.
There are several signs of that. One is the decline in influence of some ideologically driven individuals such as Steve Bannon, the White House adviser who has never hidden his belief that the “Judeo-Christian West” must defend itself against what he sees as a centuries-old and multi-pronged challenge from the other monotheism. In recent days President Trump has made several mildly disparaging comments about Mr Bannon, confirming the general sense that his stock is diminishing.
Arsalan Iftikhar, an American Muslim author of a book on “Islamophobia” in high places, insists that the decline in standing suffered by civilisational warriors with a grudge against his faith is at best only a small mercy.
Regardless of their waning influence, every person of conscience should be concerned that the political ideologies of jingoistic ultra-nationalism were even allowed this close to the Oval Office in the first place…It has become quite clear that Donald Trump is very comfortable surrounding himself with bigots who represent the most deplorable aspects of our diverse American society.”
