Local Muslim man is happy with President Obama’s address

In his third address to the nation, President Barack Obama outlined a strategy in fighting ISIS and called for unity among U.S. citizens –especially with Muslim Americans.

Daniel Hummel, a Muslim American in Pocatello, was happy to hear President Obama’s words about Muslims. Particularly when the president said, “Muslim Americans are our friends and our co-workers, our sports heroes…they are our men and women in uniform who are willing to die in defense of our country.”

In that sentence, Hummel said President Obama was speaking to him as a person.

“He was actually talking about me, about my family, about my friends, about my community,” Hummel said. “In a way that let everybody know they aren’t a threat to the U.S.”

President Obama’s address also creates a balance, Hummel says, against many presidential candidates’ use of anti-Muslim rhetoric in their campaigns.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump called for a total shutdown of Muslim immigration Monday. In a statement on his campaign’s website, he said the hatred in the Muslim faith is “beyond comprehension.”

Hummel said anyone encouraging the fear and hatred of Muslims aren’t good leaders.

“To be a good leader means you lead your country in a way that moves people away from the extremes,” he said.

As much as the anti-Muslim rhetoric needs to change, Hummel says change needs to happen within the religion as well. He said through effective dialogue, radicalization can be weeded out.

“When you have a culture within the Islamic community that promotes vibrant discussion that kind of isolates people that have those types of views – you’ll see that population of people start to dwindle,” Hummel said.