US Republican presidential candidate for the next elections, Donald Trump said that women in the Islamic world might prefer to wear burqas because “it lessens the need to apply make-up.”
Referring to the burqa and the veil as the “you know what”, Trump while delivering a riff in New Hampshire about how American foreign policy has destabilised the Middle East spoke about an interview he watched of a woman, during which she was questioned about the burqa.
“I saw a woman interviewed. They said, ‘We want to wear them, we’ve worn them for a thousand years. Why would anybody tell us not to?’ They want to!” Trump said. “What the hell are we getting involved for?” he added.
Offering a reason why these women may prefer to wear these coverings, other than as a religious practice, Trump said “Fact is, it’s easy. You don’t have to put on makeup, look how beautiful everyone looks,” the questioning “Wouldn’t it be easier? Right? Wouldn’t that be easy? I’ll tell ya, if I was a woman I don’t want to.”
He then pretended to brush his hand across his face and continued the impression, “I’m ready, darling, let’s go!”
Many took to Twitter displeased with the remarks.
Islam in the US has become a widely discussed issue among Republican candidates. Republican contender Ben Carson expressed his opinion in September on how he does not believe the country should elect a Muslim president because Islam is inconsistent with the Constitution.
A Pew Research survey last year found in comparison to other religious groups, Republicans and Republican leaners view Muslims much more negatively. The one per cent Muslim population of the country is also viewed most negatively of all religions in the eyes of the general public.
Last month, in a shocking statement, Trump said he would consider one man’s request that America “get rid of” Muslims.
At a town hall meeting in New Hampshire in Septmeber, a man asked Trump, “We have training camps growing where they want to kill us. That’s my question, when can we get rid of them?”
“We’re going to be looking at a lot of different things. A lot of people are saying that, and a lot of people are saying that bad things are happening out there. We’re going to be looking at that and plenty of other things,” Trump responded.
Trump had also agreed with the man when he had stated that Muslims were a problem in the US and that President Barack Obama was himself a Muslim and ‘not even American’.
