The Broader Currents of Islamophobia and Militarism That Are Shaping Our Political Discourse

Chilling, surreal, horrifying. My heart aches for my Afghan and Syrian friends and for all who are being terrorized by these narratives that are nothing short of domestic terrorism. The proliferation of these poisonous acts, beliefs, policies, and practices of making whole groups of human beings a demonized Other also illuminates that vital need for us to embody the consciousness of what is in the highest good for us all — a profound commitment to truth, a vow to refuse to dehumanize anyone, and the intention to alleviate suffering among all beings and work in solidarity to create a more just, humane, sustainable, caring, and peaceful world. — Molly

One in three Republican primary voters told pollsters they would bomb a country that doesn’t exist. Not Iran. Not Iraq. A cartoon kingdom from Aladdin. And before you laugh it off, understand what this actually reveals about how fear, racism, and blind militarism have warped American politics.

When asked, “Would you support or oppose bombing Agrabah?” roughly 30% of Republican primary voters said yes — a place that exists only in Disney lore. Only 13% expressed opposition, and a majority said they were unsure.

The very premise of the question reveals something horrifying about political discourse: when fear and ignorance are stoked, facts fall by the wayside.

But the Agrabah question was just the grotesque cherry on top of an already alarming sundae.

In that same poll, about 54% of GOP respondents supported a proposal to ban all Muslims from entering the United States — echoing the hard-line immigration ban championed by Donald Trump at the time.

Meanwhile, around 36% accepted the baseless claim that “thousands of Arabs in New Jersey cheered on 9/11”, a lie that Trump repeated at campaign events despite clear denials from local officials.

Nearly half supported a national database of Muslims living in the U.S. — a chilling throwback to internment and surveillance practices that conservative politicians once denounced when applied to other groups. And more than a quarter of respondents said Islam should be illegal in the United States — a position that turns constitutional rights on their head.

Let’s be clear about the context here: this wasn’t a fringe rumble among a dozen online trolls. This was a survey of Republican primary voters nationwide, conducted by Public Policy Polling. These were people with actual voices in determining who the GOP would nominate for president.

And yet, ask them about bombing a fictional place that “sounds foreign,” and many will answer with fervor. Ask about real policy affecting real people — Muslims, immigrants, communities of color — and a majority express support for exclusionary, discriminatory, and authoritarian measures.

If you needed a metaphor for the danger of letting ignorance run wild in the public square, this poll provides it: a not-insignificant slice of voters ready to target a cartoon land because it fit a narrative of fear. As a society, we should recoil at that.

We should also recognize that these aren’t isolated quirks of a bygone election cycle — they are indicative of the broader currents of Islamophobia and militarism that still shape political discourse today.

So the next time someone tells you we’re living in “post-truth” politics, point to Agrabah. Because when people will cheer bombing a place that doesn’t exist, what hope is there for rational policymaking in the one that does?

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